Calgary Stampeders’ Joe West plays after learning of brother’s murder, has game-high 129 yards

All Joe West could do was do what he does best, play.

Playing — and performing well — just hours after learning that his 23-year-old brother Brandon Hobdy had been killed in a double shooting in Magnolia, Arkansas, last Saturday night, provided a temporary escape for the Calgary Stampeders veteran wideout. Standing in front of his locker at TD Place, teary-eyed, after a four-catch, 129-yard day in Calgary's 32-7 win over the Ottawa Redblacks, West strived to hold it together.

"It's been long," West said of a football Sunday that began with hearing the horrible news from slotback Nik Lewis, whose brother played football with Hobdy at Southern Arkansas University. "It started off I found out my little brother got murdered last night. I just can't do it without my teammates. It was hard, but it was a challenge.

"Every challenge brings change. So I just accepted it. I knew I had brothers on my side on the field. And we pulled out the win. We got it.

"It crossed my mind," the 30-year-old West said when asked if he considered not playing. "But I know my brother, he would have loved to see me. That's all he wanted to do was see me play. I did this for him."

The Stampeders (7-1, tied with Edmonton for the West Division lead going into next week's Labour Day showdown in Calgary) are already missing two seasoned wideouts, with Maurice Price and Brad Sinopoli nursing injuries.

West hauled in two huge gainers from Bo Levi Mitchell in the second half as Calgary inched away from the first-year Redblacks, who were absolutely inept offensively. West laid out for a 58-yard catch in the third quarter to take Calgary down to the 19-yard line on a drive that was spoiled by a lost fumble. In the fourth, the Florida native grabbed a 51-yard catch, extending a drive that ended with a missed field goal. The Stamps eventually pulled away with three late touchdowns.

Hobdy's shooting is being investigated as a double homicide. Hodby, as the Magnolia Reporter related, was a dean's list student at SAU. He joined the NCAA Division II program, located about 30 km from the Louisiana border, in 2013 after two years at Bakersfield College. He followed in West's footsteps by playing wide receiver.

Stampeders head coach John Hufnagel, who made the wise move of informing the media of West's personal tragedy before opening Calgary's locker room.

"Joe was a tremendous inspiration to our football team," Hufnagel said.

"It was totally his decision. Truthfully we didn't find out until pregame meal four hours before game time (3 p.m. ET). I talked to Joe. Once we got to the locker room I said, 'whatever you need to do, we'll support you' and he decided to play."

'Definitely honoured his brother'

As much a first-place showdown with Edmonton that will command Calgary's attention over the next week, a key player is also hurting. The time between games might seem to be even more difficult.

"He's always been a strong guy," Stampeders running back Jon Cornish said of West. "Bad things happen to good people and great things happen to bad people.

"He definitely honoured his brother by his performance today," added Cornish, who had 16 rushes for 74 yards in his return from a concussion. "It's a situation that nobody wants to be in. But I'm sure every single person on this team will be there for him when he needs them."

Having a 129-yard day after learning of a death in the family, of course, fits right into convenient narrative. Joe West looked at differently. That sort of cliché does reverse anything.

"It's not about what it means to me," he said. "It's about what it means to the term, the organization.

"I just came out and tried to contribute and do the most I could."

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.