Grandfather clause
A 45-year-old grandfather who happens to be the leading passer in CFL history is ready to return to the league.
Sources have told Metro that Damon Allen, who retired before this season, expects to resurface as a backup quarterback with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Hamilton Tiger-Cats or Toronto Argonauts within 10 days.
“Damon would prefer to come back to Toronto because of his close friendship with (Argos general manager Adam Rita), but the Bombers and the Ticats have expressed interest in him, too,” a source close to Allen told me.
“Damon’s kept himself in great shape. He still believes he can be an asset in the CFL, and, judging by the interest expressed in him, some of the GMs think so, too.”
• Indeed, it would make sense if Allen rejoined the Argos, who traded backup QB Michael Bishop the other day.
And it also seems feasible that the Bombers could use him, since backup Ryan Dinwiddie turned in more shaky performances than not while first-stringer Kevin Glenn was benched earlier this season.
But Hamilton?
Granted, Allen doesn’t live all that far from Hamilton, but aren’t the Ticats satisfied with the CFL’s highest-paid player, Casey Printers, and his backup, Richie Williams?
Well, maybe not.
There’s word around the CFL that the Ticats are unhappy with Printers these days. They feel he’s rubbed some of his teammates the wrong way. They feel he doesn’t seem especially motivated to return to the lineup after injuring his thumb. And they feel as though the much-cheaper Williams is more effective.
This is Jack’s brain on football
• This email about Printers happened to arrive in my inbox from encyclopedic CFL follower Jack Morrow in Edmonton:
“If Casey Printers’ season were to end now (and some think it should), his 121 passes without a TD may just be a single-season record for futility.
In 1971, Don Trull of Edmonton was cut after nine games — 101 passes, 0 TDs — and Jackie Parker failed to throw a TD pass in 91 attempts when he came out of retirement for eight games with B.C. in 1968. . . .There may be others with high numbers such as the above, but those two come immediately to mind.”
And then this followup email from Jack:
“Another QB who was let go after failing to throw a TD pass was Greg Barton, who got his chance to start when Joe Theismann broke his leg with the Argos in the season-opener in ’72. After four games, the Argos were 0-4, and Barton was let go after completing only 32 of 82 passes, 0 TDs, and an appalling nine interceptions. It was amazing how Barton had become so overvalued while he was with (the NFL’s Lions), holding a clipboard. In 1973, he was named the Argos’ director of Canadian player personnel, then he came out of retirement to play in the (defunct) World Football League in ’74 (with no success). He now runs a quarterbacking school.”
• Also from Jack:
“Friday marks the 30th anniversary of the first CFL game at (Edmonton’s) Commonwealth Stadium. The Esks won an 18-10 yawner over B.C., with Joe Hollimon scoring the first TD on a 50-yard interception return. For some reason, the game wasn’t televised. Calgary at Ottawa was shown that night on the full CTV network. Pat Marsden and Mike Wadsworth were the CTV broadcast crew then, both now gone. By the way, the 1978 Eskimos were one of the healthiest teams in CFL history. In a 16-game season, they had 31 players (the roster was 33 players then) who played 15 or 16 games. They made no roster changes at all for the first seven games, and only two (Brian Fryer in for John Konihowski in Game 8, Larry
Washington in for George McGowan in Game 9) in the first 13 games."
Jack Morrow is great. Keep ‘em coming Jack.
Ottawa effort may be stalling
• The group aiming to revive CFL football in Ottawa by 2010 will make a proposal for a redeveloped Lansdowne Park next month, but sources tell me there’s no guarantee that politicians will approve it.
There was a poll released this week that suggested 48 per cent of Ottawans don’t want the stadium refurbished exclusively for another CFL franchise.
The group is trying to tell folks that its proposal wouldn’t limit Lansdowne Park to CFL football. Still, what seemed like a sure bet for a CFL team in Ottawa by 2010 is beginning to look like a 50-50 proposition, at best.
Two CFL franchises, the Rough Riders and the Renegades, both failed to sustain themselves in Ottawa and folded.
Minding their business
• The CFL wants its players wearing Reebok stuff because the two recently agreed on a new sponsorship deal.
Some players, though, have their own personal deals with other equipment companies and don’t wish to wear Reebok material.
So the league has instituted a new regulation. Players may use products from any equipment company but must hide logos that are not Reebok.
Players who violate the new regulation will be fined $500 by the league.
Sharpening the axe
• In case you missed it, Rich Stubler is on the proverbial hot seat as the Argos’ head coach.
Click here to check out a York Report this week that divulged what could happen to him if his team loses to the Ticats on Monday night.
WEEKLY PICKS
Every week during the CFL season, I make my traditional picks against the spread at the bottom of this column. I went 2-0 last week and am 14-18 on the season. Week 10:
FRIDAY – B.C. at Montreal
The Alouettes are favoured by 3.5 points. The AC’s — Anthony Calvillo and Avon Cobourne – were the East’s two top players in the first half of the season and there’s no reason to suggest that they won’t keep on trucking. This is a well-rested Montreal team entertaining a B.C. team that has been inconsistent and has to travel across the country. TAKE MONTREAL MINUS THE 3.5 POINTS.
SUNDAY – Winnipeg at Saskatchewan
The Roughriders are favoured by 4.5 points. I smell an upset. Injuries, roster changes and general instability have the Riders plummeting downhill. Meanwhile, the Bombers had last week off after turning in their best game of the season. TAKE WINNIPEG PLUS THE 4.5 POINTS.
MONDAY – Edmonton at Calgary
The Stampeders are favoured by 6.5 points. I think the Stampeders are the CFL’s strongest team – have thought that since the season started – but 6.5 points in the annual Labour Day matchup are too many to lay. These games are always pretty close, and Ricky Ray and the Esks are no longer slouches. TAKE EDMONTON PLUS THE 6.5 POINTS.
MONDAY – Toronto at Hamilton
The Tiger-Cats are favoured by four points. The Argos were mauled by the Ticats twice this season, and there’s no doubt in my mind that Hamilton is the better team, but with Stubler facing a firing, my suspicion is that Kerry Joseph and his Toronto mates come up bigger in this game. TAKE TORONTO PLUS THE FOUR POINTS.
Marty York is Metro’s national sports columnist as well as an
instructor at the College of Sports Media in Toronto. You can also read
his columns at www.freemyteam.com.
He
can be heard each Wednesday night on Vancouver radio station CKNW with
Sportstalk host Dan Russell.
Contact Marty at marty.york@metronews.ca
