Esks plead ‘No Maas’ after coach’s tirade
Second-year head coach emphasizes need for discipline on and off the field
The Edmonton Eskimos just survived a Maas-oon.
Day 13 of training camp ended with head coach Jason Maas storming off the field, but not before rounding up his players for a verbal dressing down that reminded them, in no uncertain — or printable — terms, who’s the boss, how it ultimately falls on his shoulders when they don’t do their jobs, and for anyone not willing to get with the program, there’s the door.
Tony Washington was shown it midway through Friday’s practice, when Maas decided he’d seen enough of the offensive tackle and sent him to the locker-room early.
Shortly afterwards, veteran left tackle Simeon Rottier and newcomer to the defensive line, Ike Igbinosun, exchanged punches. Before practice was over, even veteran receiver Adarius Bowman got caught up in the swing of things.
“One of the most passionate coaches I’ve had,” Bowman said. “The thing he’s teaching us as veterans and pros, be a pro. Learn how to keep stuff in-house and then learn how to carry yourself when you’re out.
“He jokes with us all the time that he didn’t necessarily do it right when he was (playing) here. So that’s one of the things that I’m going to appreciate about coach Maas because as passionate and as nice a person as he seems, it ain’t all sweet with him.”
The message is simple: If they don’t want their coach to lose control, they have to keep their focus.
“Discipline is always the key, no matter what you’re doing,” said Eskimos defensive end Odell Willis. “If you don’t have discipline, you don’t have anything.
TO CAMP BY WAY OF MINNESOTA
K.J. Maye’s No. 1 job is catching footballs.
But he’s been playing catch up for the past week, and the late camp arrival’s welcome couldn’t have been any warmer.
The five-foot-10, 194-pound receiver out of Minnesota practised for the first time with his new club on Eskimos Fan Day at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday. After the shortened one-hour on-field session, he found himself with pen in hand as part of an autographsigning train of players making its way along a fence of fans.
He hadn’t even been shown where the bathrooms were in his new locker-room, but there he was, fully accepted by the Eskimos faithful.
“It was a cool experience and a smooth transition with the guys here, great staff,” said Maye, 23.
He played in Minnesota with former Eskimos return man Troy Stoudermire, who finished last season on the team’s practice squad.
“I spend a lot of time with coach Carson (Walch, Eskimos receivers coach and offensive co-ordinator),” said Maye
“He’s kind of been helping me with the transition. With there being so many politics in the professional leagues, it’s really about who you know and how you produce.”
IN AND OUT: RB John White saw limited use in practice Friday after sitting out the previous day ... WR Shamawd Chambers (hamstring) remained out along with DB Forrest Hightower (leg), WR Jarvis Turner and DE Marcus Howard.