Argo WR wants to get even for ‘cheap shot’
Hazelton said dangerous hit crossed the line, but tackle on QB Ray was more costly
Vidal Hazelton got right to the point Tuesday night. He’d lived through the play himself, heard it from teammates on the field and watching film confirmed it to him.
“Dude really took a cheap shot at me watch when we play Montreal again!!” he tweeted.
The Toronto Argonauts receiver was referring to a first-quarter hit that he took from Montreal Alouettes safety Marc- Olivier Brouillette. Hazelton wasn’t able to catch a Ricky Ray pass and took a hard shot after the fact from Brouillette. Both players were down on the field after contact, left the game temporarily but returned. Brouillette was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
After practice Wednesday, Hazelton stood by his online words.
“I’d clearly dropped the ball before he even got a chance to hit me and he did that. I’m really upset about that. I can’t wait to play Montreal again,” he said. “I’m going to play within the lines, but he’s going to have to see me.”
Asked if it was Brouillette he meant, Hazelton said he didn’t know his name, just the No. 10 on his jersey.
“And I’m never going to forget it,” he said.
Hazelton finished the game with three catches for 28 yards and practised Wednesday.
“It feels good, just a little sore,” Hazelton said. “It wasn’t a concussion or anything like that, I just had the wind knocked out of me. My back started spasming up on me a bit, but the chiropractor did a good job on me, so I was good to go.”
Monday was an especially violent night for the Argos. Hazelton was able to play through his big collision, but the team lost quarterback Ricky Ray in the fourth quarter to a sprained MCL. He’ll be out three to six weeks.
“I feel like we all play this game and we all try to feed our families and we all want to compete and I understand everyone wants to be great, but at the same time taking low shots and making dirty hits, that’s just uncalled for,” Hazelton said.
“I don’t like players like that. I’m not saying that’s the kind of guy he is, but he did that and I’m competitive so next game, next time we play Montreal, No. 10 better be ready to strap it up. That’s all I’m saying.”
Argos coach Scott Milanovich said Wednesday that the Argos had spoken with the league about the hit on Ray, but that he didn’t see a need to bring up Hazelton’s hit.
“I didn’t have to, they called that one,” the coach said. “That’ll be a fine.”
As for Sunday’s game against the Ottawa Redblacks, Hazelton isn’t worried about how Ray’s backup, Logan Kilgore, will fare.
He saw Trevor Harris shine in a backup role last year and knows the success Zach Collaros had the year before.
“Just look at the history of all the quarterbacks,” he said. “Coaches do a really good job of preparing them and getting them right and the offence is just a friendly offence. As long as you do your job you’ll be successful.”