Can Nic Grigsby, cast off by Winnipeg for partying late, lead Hamilton to a Grey Cup party?

One potentially-crucial player in Sunday's Grey Cup (6 p.m. Eastern, TSN/ESPN2) wasn't even with his team a little more than a month ago, and only wound up with them thanks to reportedly partying too hard. That would be Hamilton running back Nic Grigsby, who was leading the CFL in touchdowns when he was benched and then released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Oct. 15. The Ticats signed him on Oct. 21 to bolster their running back depth, and he proved to be a key part for them in the East Final (collecting 93 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries), so there's a good chance he could shine again on Sunday. It could be poetic justice in a way if a player cast off for partying too hard winds up leading his team to a title in the famed Grand National Drunk, otherwise known as the Grey Cup.

The story about Grigsby's partying only emerged this week, as previously, it was only publicly known that he'd asked for and received his release after being benched in favour of Paris Cotton for Oct. 13's game against Edmonton; Cotton ran for just 31 yards (on eight carries) in that one, and Winnipeg lost 41-9, the Bombers' sixth-straight loss. Grigsby was reportedly unhappy about his benching (and about Winnipeg's lack of intent to put him back in the starting lineup the next week), and asked for his release. However, Kirk Penton of The Winnipeg Sun reports there's more to the story. According to Penton's sources (second heading down), the Bombers' decision to bench Grigsby stems from his behaviour ahead of an Oct. 3 game in Ottawa:

It's funny that this is the second Ottawa-area nightlife story in the CFL this year, as the nation's capital is usually more famed for its lack of excitement after dark. That wasn't the case with Saskatchewan Roughriders' receiver Taj Smith, though, who violated his probation on an aggravated assault charge when he went to Gatineau (across the river from Ottawa) strip club in August, wound up in jail and didn't check in with the team, leading them to suspend him. At least Smith's nightclub visit came a full day after the Riders' game against the Redblacks (they were staying in town as part of an extended road trip). If Grigsby was in fact partying hard the night before a game, and if his play did suffer as a result of that, the Bombers' frustration with him is understandable.

However, it's worth remembering that trying to keep CFL teams and players buttoned-down doesn't always work. Some coaches have found success playing the strict disciplinarian, but many more great CFL coaches have been open to their players having a good time as long as it doesn't interfere with their on-field play. The key case in point is Hall of Fame coach Don Matthews (an Alouettes' consultant this season), who was renowned not just for letting his players party, but often partying with them. As legendary Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo told me in 2010, Matthews was focused just on getting results the field, and his low-key approach to off-field discipline was just what was needed for the famed 2002 Alouettes team:

That doesn't mean that approach works for everyone, but Matthews and that 2002 Alouettes' team (which featured Lawrence Phillips screaming in the hotel hallway in his underwear in the early-morning hours of Grey Cup Sunday) proved that on-field success and nightlife enjoyment aren't mutually exclusive. Perhaps the even bigger lesson is that it's often worth making exceptions for talent, though. Grigsby is a phenomenally athletic running back, one who's found great success in this league so far and one who could be a huge component of Hamilton's hopes for victory Sunday. He's only with the Ticats because Winnipeg decided to cut him. If off-field behaviour was the primary reason for that, the Bombers could have some real remorse Sunday if Grigsby winds up leading Hamilton to victory. If he can do that, it's assured no one will have a problem with him partying as long and as late as he wants to Sunday night.