THE WEEK THAT WAS AND WILL BE
There was a time when the long CFL off-season meant there were significant dry spells when it came to news and media coverage. But the league has managed in recent years to stoke the fires of interest during the winter, aided in no small measure by social media and the relentless nature of the 24-hour news cycle — both insatiable in their demand for content. So what was once a slow time for Canadian football news (like now) instead produces a week of interesting stories. THE OFFICIAL
ANNOUNCEMENT of the hiring of general manager Jim Popp and head coach Marc Trestman got things rolling on Tuesday and there was plenty of analysis to go around. Most pundits — ours included — felt it was a positive step for the franchise but many questioned whether the process simply took too long. But 3DownNation’s Justin Dunk was able to get an inside look on how the deal between Toronto president Michael Copeland and Popp came together, which went some way to explaining the decision-making process. It started with a meeting at a barbecue joint near Popp’s home in Charlotte, N.C. “I ate so much there that I didn’t eat again for 24 hours, so Jim fully delivered. Everything: pulled pork, brisket, corn bread,” Copeland explains. “It had all of these NASCAR cars, it was a roadhouse like right out of the movies.” During the news conference, Trestman announced his first major decision as head coach; naming veteran quarterback Ricky Ray as the starter. While Trestman is clearly trying to recreate the success he had in Montreal with Anthony Calvillo, contributor John Hodge says that could tough given Ray’s age (37) and injury history. “Ray, however, is not Anthony Calvillo. Ray’s history of injury is long and the talent around him is substandard. Plenty of comparisons will be made between Trestman’s success with Calvillo and his future with Ray,” Hodge wrote. “These comparisons are easy to make and enticing for a beleaguered fan base that is re-upping season tickets at a glacial pace. Between Ray’s health and Toronto’s lacklustre roster, however, they may also prove ill-advised.”
IN SASKATCHEWAN, a couple of Canadian offensive linemen were asked to take pay cuts, according to contributor and SportsNet reporter Arash Madani. It’s just the latest in a series of intriguing moves in Regina, which have included the trading of veteran quarterback Darian Durant and a dalliance with former NFL star Vince Young, who may or may not sign with the club.
IN HAMILTON, safety Craig Butler is making his way back from a knee injury that cost him all of last season. But despite a challenging rehab schedule, Butler made sure to maintain his role as one of the team’s leading
community ambassadors, including last week’s launch of the BeFit program that emphasizes the importance of exercise and healthy eating for kids in schools around the city. “Kids kind of hang to every single word and eating healthy and getting exercise is such a simple message,” Butler said. “They’re listening not because it’s me telling them, but because I’m a Hamilton Tiger-Cat.”
ON FRIDAY, Ticat legend and CFL
pioneer Bernie Custis was laid to rest and columnist Steve Milton put both the man and his accomplishments in context while also remembering some of the many wonderful moments of a life in football. “An enduring memory of Ivor Wynne Stadium from the first decade of this millennium has Custis and Ron Lancaster sitting on a rickety bench, day after day, under that cheap plastic overhang near the player’s entrance, yanking each other’s chain throughout practice,” Milton wrote. “You learned, if you sat with them, that you too were fair game. During the barbs and laughs, neither ever missed anything on the field.”
WHAT WILL THIS WEEK BRING? Well, preparations are well underway for the league’s first-ever CFL Week in
Regina from March 21 to 26. And while that’s unlikely to produce much news — at least not yet — this league (and its fans) has a penchant for producing something worth talking about.