Calgary Stampeders in CFL's Week 14: 'I just want to be better,' says Vernon Adams Jr.

September 3, 2025

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Calgary Stampeders in CFL's Week 14: 'I just want to be better,' says Vernon Adams Jr.

The Calgary Stampeders quarterback, Vernon Adams Jr., was not satisfied with his performance in the Labour Day win against the Edmonton Elks. Despite the 28-7 victory, Adams acknowledged that he did not play his best game and vowed to improve in the upcoming Labour Day Replay.

Adams expressed disappointment in his passing game, admitting that he missed too many open receivers. He credited the defense for stepping up and carrying the team to victory but emphasized the need for him to elevate his performance for his teammates.

While Adams struggled through the air, the Stampeders found success in other areas. The offensive line provided strong protection for Adams and opened up running lanes for Dedrick Mills, who had a standout game with 106 rushing yards. Special teams also made a significant impact with Erik Brooks returning a punt for a touchdown.

Looking ahead to the rematch with the Elks, the Stampeders defense expects a more aggressive offensive push from their opponents. Despite the short week turnaround, the team is focused on making the necessary adjustments to secure another win.

The Stampeders are aiming to climb to the top of the CFL standings and the West Division, currently held by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. With the goal of sweeping the back-to-back games against the Elks, the team is determined to continue their winning streak and make a push for first place.

Adams and the Stampeders are focused on improving their performance and maintaining their momentum as they prepare for the rematch with the Elks. The quarterback is determined to have better practices and lead his team to another victory in the upcoming game.

See also Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tough Bronx persona is under fresh scrutiny with a resurfaced childhood nickname from her suburban upstate New York upbringing casting doubt on that publicly portrayed image. The progressive champion’s latest spat with President Donald Trump over the Iran strikes again called into question her true upbringing when she declared on X she was a “Bronx girl" to make her a point against the president. The 35-year-old congresswoman wrote in part on X: "I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully," she said, referring to the president’s upbringing in Queens as she called for his impeachment over his decision to bypass Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx but moved to Yorktown – which is nearly an hour outside New York City -- when she was 5 years old and went on to attend Yorktown High School where she graduated in 2007. She was considered an accomplished student there and well thought of by teacher Michael Blueglass, according to a 2018 report by local media outlet Halston Media News. “There, known by students and staff as ‘Sandy,’ she was a member of the Science Research Program taught by Michael Blueglass," the report states. “She was amazing," Blueglass said, per the report. “Aside from her winning one of the top spots and going to the [Intel International Science and Engineering Fair], she was just one of the most amazing presenters in all of the years I've been at Yorktown. Her ability to take complex information and explain it to all different levels of people was fantastic." After high school, Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, where she majored in economics and international relations, per the report. Ocasio-Cortez’s “Sandy" nickname — which carries a more suburban and preppy tone — appears to undercut her politically crafted image as a tough, inner-city fighter, one she has portrayed since her famous 2018 congressional campaign where she eventually ousted former 10-terms Congressman Joe Crowley. New York GOP Assemblyman Matt Slater, who now represents Yorktown, added to the scrutiny of Ocasio-Cortez’s persona in the wake of her brash with Trump and released images of Ocasio-Cortez from his high school yearbook. He claimed he and the rising Democratic star attended Yorktown High School at the same time when she was a freshman and he was a senior. "I saw the attacks on the president and her [Ocasio-Cortez] claims that she's a big, tough Bronx girl," said Slater. "To sit there and say that she’s a Bronx girl is just patently ridiculous." "Everybody in our community knows this is just a bold-face lie," said Slater on "Fox & Friends First" last week. "She grew up in Yorktown, she was on my track team." "She's lying about her background, she's lying about her upbringing," Slater claimed. Slater’s post sent social media ablaze and prompted Ocasio-Cortez to respond after an image if her family’s home was posted online. “I’m proud of how I grew up and talk about it all the time," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X Friday responding to the post. “My mom cleaned houses and I helped. We cleaned tutors’ homes in exchange for SAT prep." “Growing up between the Bronx and Yorktown deeply shaped my views of inequality & it’s a big reason I believe the things I do today!"