"I've thrown a couple of punches, a couple of pokes in the eyes. I'm dirty," said [Charles Alston] with his trademark big grin. "You ask a couple of O-linemen around the league and they probably don't like me."

"Certain players, you give them the benefit of the doubt that they were doing it as part of a move and accidentally hit you in the face," said B.C. Lions centre Angus Reid. "Other guys, you know they did it because they're dirty and you respond accordingly."

"I think to have a long career in this league, you have to somehow develop a long fuse, because if you snap on everything that happens, you'll be losing it on almost every play," said Reid. "As I said, even playing it legitimately, the violence is unbelievable and a lot of guys will just try to interpret it as this guy is trying to fight me."