McDonald’s discipline lapse leads to release
By the time Brandon McDonald went paint-balling with other Ottawa Redblacks players on Tuesday, the decision had already been made that he would make him their former teammate.
McDonald also woke up Wednesday as a 30-year-old man. An hour or so later, he learned the Redblacks had released him.
“Woke up this mornin ready to be better and to my surprise my b day gift was to be released from a team I was committed to growin with. #LIFE,” McDonald posted on Twitter.
“I thank RedBlack Nation for all of your support and I truly apologize that I wasn’t the player you felt could help u win games.”
The decision is mildly surprising given that McDonald led the Redblacks in tackles (33) and was tied for second with two interceptions, but much less so in light of his boneheaded penalty for objectionable conduct penalty in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Toronto Argonauts.
By cursing at Vidal Hazelton, with whom he admitted to jawing back and forth all game, McDonald extended an Argonauts offensive series that led to a game-tying touchdown.
The Argos later added two field goals for a 30-24 victory that improved their record to 6-2, tied for first in the Canadian Football League’s East Division, and dropped the Redblacks to 4-4.
“We can’t have the lack of discipline continue when we have tried to correct it a number of times,” Redblacks general manager Marcel Desjardins said Wednesday during practice at the University of Ottawa. “He’s a good football player. It’s not an ability issue.”
McDonald had six stints with five National Football League teams before moving to the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders in July 2014. They released him less than two months later and he found his way to Ottawa.
In eight games this season, he was penalized four times for illegal contact on receivers and twice for pass interference, risks associated with being a CFL defensive back, and one penalty for an illegal block on a kick return.
Most disappointing were two fouls for unnecessary roughness and two for objectionable-conduct, including one for trying to kick a ball into the stands after a teammate’s interception during a July home game against the B.C. Lions.
Desjardins said the Redblacks tried Tuesday to trade McDonald, but received no offers.
“Am I naïve enough to think that he won’t be on another team in the short term?” Desjardins asked rhetorically. “No.”
Head coach Rick Campbell told remaining players about the release of McDonald before practice Wednesday, underlining management’s point that the decision was made in the best interests of the Redblacks long-term.
Asked if the Redblacks were a better team, Campbell said that remained to be seen.
“When we play good football — we talk about turnovers, penalties and special teams — when you mix that in with making plays, which we have shown we are able to do, we’re a good football team,” added Campbell, whose squad faces the Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-8) at TD Place stadium on Sunday. "There’s a lot of hope and promise with this group.
“We’re 4-4 and we wish we were better, but we have an opportunity this week to win a football game against a gh team. If we can pull that off, halfway through the year we’ll have a winning record and then we’ll get ready for the second half of the year.”
Defensive lineman and co-captain Moton Hopkins said McDonald’s release was another example of pro football’s “just part of the game” business side.
“We have to be strong and continue to play together,” said Hopkins, who also participated in Tuesday’s paint-ball. “It’s one of those things where you don’t want it to affect the locker room.
“A lot of us talked to (McDonald) and he still supports us and we still support him. We have to keep going on the journey.”
PFEFFER RETURNS TO THE SCENE
Punter Ronnie Pfeffer participated in practice Wednesday, but it wasn’t the first Redblacks’ workout for the 23-year-old Wilfrid Laurier product.
Pfeffer had been one of eight punters/kickers that the CFL team tried out just as training camp began in June.
He didn’t earn a job then, but he later caught on with the Argos as an injury replacement for Swayze Waters and he averaged 44.1 yards per punt in six games before being released when Waters was reactivated last week.
He said his agent received a call from the Redblacks soon after Sunday’s contest, in which new punter Andy Wilder averaged just 35.0 yards and was regularly and significantly outkicked by Waters.
Pfeffer and Wilder have been transferred to the practice roster.
“Unfortunately, there are situations where you just don’t wind up making a team and they go with a different player,” Pfeffer said about his tryout in June. “I just kept developing.
“Without being drafted, it was just one of those things where you just need to continue to stay focused on your goal and your mindset and continue to be motivated and just keep pushing through.”