ROUGHRIDERS HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER CARTER’S TALENT JUSTIFIES HIS ANTICS
Star receiver’s jaw jacking turns off officials and motivates his opponents
Two weeks into the CFL regular season, very few things become any clearer.
Inconsistency is unavoidable at such an early juncture.
Injuries begin to mount.
Teams and fans are already watching the standings, even though there’s so much further to go.
And the pool on when the Montreal Alouettes will post their initial victory can begin. Good luck with that.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are coming off a poor outing — Thursday’s 40-17 loss to the host Ottawa Redblacks — but fans have to remember that it was only Week 2.
One emerging hot topic for discussions is Roughriders star Duron Carter and where he should be playing — receiver or cornerback?
As a general manager, I would say this to my coach:
Is he going to be an all-star receiver? Likely.
Is he going to be an all-star cornerback? Well ...
Do we have an impact receiver to replace him on offence? No.
Can we not find another cornerback who can be as efficient, if not more so? I would hope so. Answer: Leave him on offence. And if the head coach disagrees, it’s his call. But if you end up with too many coaching decisions that fail, the GM fails, too.
What is becoming even more interesting is the dynamic that Carter brings to his own team and to every game.
His talent is unquestioned, and the manner in which he’s deployed can be debated for weeks, but what needs to be monitored is the chemistry he brings to the club.
Does his verbal game actually work, or does it hinder his team’s chance at success?
With the 2013 Roughriders, we dealt with a comparable situation in the case of defensive back Dwight Anderson — a character we needed to keep tabs on.
It began with the discussion about whether to sign him as a free agent.
The easy choice was to pass. The existing locker-room chemistry, the culture that was being established, and his overall reputation weren’t exactly making him a popular addition.
As the GM, a few long walks and some moments to reflect were needed before a decision was rendered. Did the positives outweigh the negatives? Could we be certain we had someone who could play defensive halfback as well as Dwight?
Not cornerback — defensive halfback. That was a key.
Cornerbacks are much easier to find than defensive halfbacks who can shut down a skilled slotback, given the importance of inside receivers in the CFL.
The opinions I received on the signing were wide-ranging, both negative and positive. The negative was up on the scorecard significantly, because Anderson’s on-field demeanour — and his occasional excesses — were well documented.
In 2011, he had even eyegouged our slotback, Weston Dressler, so that was a complicating factor.
Our president and CEO Jim Hopson rarely, if ever, meddled in football-related matters. However, he always was kept apprised of major moves we were considering. This is the exchange I had with the boss:
Taman: “Hi Jim. We’re thinking of signing Dwight Anderson.”
Hopson: (Gives me that “what did you say?” look.)
Taman: “OK, I’ll see you later.” (Exit, stage right.)
Hopson: “Get back here!”
Once I was finished explaining, his pained expression became more of an “I hope you know what you’re doing ” look.
Every player has a shelf life. The question is always: “When does it expire?”
You can’t afford to have too many players who push the envelope, as it were, but you always welcome someone who can help you win games.
Anderson did just that. He made some huge plays for us, while largely keeping his emotions in check.
Much like Anderson was, it seems from afar that Carter is a good teammate.
The Roughriders know his talent is unmatched. However, there are some concerns.
His persistent chatter doesn’t go unnoticed by officials and opposing players. He won’t ever get the benefit of the doubt if a penalty is in question.
Also, the motivation these players provide to the opponent cannot be discounted.
Carter had been jawing with Redblacks receiver Diontae Spencer for much of the game, so don’t tell me that Spencer wasn’t especially amped up to make an impact on the game by running past his opponent for what turned out to be a 56-yard touchdown.
Now, I’m not saying that play wouldn’t have happened if Carter had kept quiet as a mouse, but did it all the jaw jacking help?
I’m all for it — IF you back it up consistently. If not, things change.
Anderson gave us headaches, without a doubt, but at the end of the day, he contributed to the success of a Grey Cup championship team.
The current Riders no doubt hope for the same result as they deal with the dynamic Duron — or the Duron dynamic!
And now for the weekly predictions. For a change, Rob Vanstone’s prediction appears first so that I can make fun of him.
OTTAWA AT CALGARY (THURSDAY, 7 P.M.)
Vanstone: This should be the game of the week. Stampeders by four.
Taman: Stamps have a short week. Ottawa usually plays them tough. Home field swings it. Stampeders by one.
WINNIPEG AT HAMILTON (FRIDAY, 5 P.M.)
Vanstone: OK, I was wrong about Jeremiah Masoli. Tiger-Cats by three.
Taman: Vanstone wrong about something???!!! Go figure. TigerCats by four.
B.C. AT EDMONTON (FRIDAY, 8 P.M.)
Vanstone: Lions struggled to get by Montreal, which is awful. Eskimos by 12.
Taman: The Lions are coming off a bye. Eskimos aren’t in fine form yet. Plenty of Lions facing their former team. Lions by three.
MONTREAL AT SASKATCHEWAN (SATURDAY, 7 P.M.)
Vanstone: It’s tougher to predict the outcome of a Harlem Globetrotters game. Roughriders by 23. Taman: This one will be ... um ... yeah. Roughriders by 34. Records after Week 2: Vanstone 7-1 (3-1 last week); Taman 5-3 (2-2 last week).
FANTASY PLAYERS TO WAT C H
Taman: As a former GM, I’ll focus on the team aspect and pick the Saskatchewan defence. This won’t garner a lot of fantasy points, but it’s worth a mention. The Roughriders are coming off a bad night in Ottawa, but will they allow anything to Montreal? Doubt it.
Vanstone: Roughriders speedster Marcus Thigpen is eligible to return to the lineup after serving a two-game suspension for violating the CFL’s drug policy. If he dresses, he might undress several Alouettes defenders — if they can be so termed — during repeated trips to the end zone. Review of Week 2 fantasy picks: I chose Hamilton quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who starred in Friday’s 38-21 victory in Edmonton. Masoli threw for 332 yards and three TDs in addition to rushing seven times for 59 yards. Vanstone went with Calgary’s Eric Rogers, who caught five passes for 131 yards and two TDs in a 41-7 victory over Toronto. Call this one a saw-off (even though my pick was better. I’ll take the high road here).
FINAL THOUGHT
A tip of the cap to the Roughriders for honouring the Humboldt Broncos on Saturday. Enjoy the game. (Taman’s Take appears weekly.)
(Carter’s) talent is unquestioned, and the manner in which he’s deployed can be debated for weeks, but what needs to be monitored is the chemistry hebringstothe club.