Linebacker Verdone thrilled to sign contract
But it’s unclear whether team’s other draft pick, Kirby Fabien, will ink deal before rookie camp
One of two Calgary Dinos drafted by the B. C. Lions has faxed in his contract to the CFL team, but the Lions apparently are still waiting on the other. And it could be a very long wait.
Linebacker/ long snapper Jordan Verdone, taken in the fifth round by the Lions in the 2012 CFL draft, has his flight booked to Vancouver by way of Sault Ste. Marie, the nearest airport to his home in the farming community of Echo Bay, Ont.
Whether he’ll be joined by his college teammate — offensive lineman Kirby Fabien — when the Lions’ rookie camp opens on Wednesday in Kamloops, is open to conjecture at this point. The Lions are having trouble making contractual headway with Fabien, who was the No. 7 overall pick in the draft.
Only 21, Fabien is considering his options, which include remaining in school for another year to complete his degree, enhance his physical maturation and improve his prospects for the 2013 draft or an NFL mini- camp invite.
On the other hand, Verdone, 23, will need weighted boots to keep his feet on the ground, such is his excitement about attending his first professional training camp.
Fabien is represented by Washington, D. C.- based agent Johnathon Hardaway, who has a reputation for discovering Canadian diamonds in the rough and steering CIS players toward the NFL.
But Verdone acted for himself in negotiations with the Lions, such as they were. Let’s put it this way: He did a very poor impression of Jerry Maguire.
“If it doesn’t work out, I’ll be very upset,” Verdone said. “I’m definitely motivated to play for the B. C. Lions this year. My mindset is I’ll be there in 2012.”
Though he has two years of CIS eligibility remaining, Verdone has no intention of returning to Calgary, even though the Dinos offered a lifeline to his college football career.
Two years ago, he was caught up in the football steroids scandal at the University of Waterloo, a school he attended because his older brother, Jamie, went there and won a Yates Cup ( Ontario university championship) in 1999.
A regional police raid at two residences at the university in March 2010, turned up a quantity of anabolic steroids and HGH ( human growth hormone) which implicated members of the football team.
The director of Waterloo athletics ordered the entire squad to be tested for performanceenhancing drugs. Nine tested positive, in the biggest doping scandal in Canadian university sports history.
Later, the Warriors football program was suspended for one year, Verdone missed an entire campaign, before he landed in Calgary for the 2011 season. The Dinos have one of the most professionally run college football programs in Canada ( four players were drafted by CFL teams this year, the most of any school) and Verdone thrived in the environment.
“It’s a football factory, man. Awesome, really cool,” he explained. “The whole program at Waterloo was thrown into the garbage can. It was a terrible decision. I was bitter for so long. But when I got to Calgary, I never thought about it again. The players, the coaching, the alumni, the organization, the support ... it’s all first class. It makes you forget how badly you’ve been treated.”
While charges of steroid use and trafficking were almost unheard of in the CIS ( Canadian Interuniversity Sport) before the Waterloo incident, it would be naive to think it was a one- off.
Indeed, that point was emphasized this week when two members of the Bishop’s Gaiters football team were given two- year suspensions for anti- doping rules violations. Both infractions occurred during out- of- competition testing at the school.
“It’s a sad thing to see ... how the actions of a couple of players, or a few, can affect the lives of hundreds,” Verdone said. “It’s crappy, it sucks, even though we know, in this era, it does go on. I’ve been tested in Calgary, more than I ever was at Waterloo. They even tested us at e- camp [ the CFL evaluation camp in March].”
A linebacker by trade and inclination, Verdone is looking at a possible switch to fullback at Lions camp, where he is expected to back up incumbent FB Rolly Lumbala, the older brother of Verdone’s college teammate, Dinos running back Steven Lumbala.
“I’m a versatile guy. I’m not particular. I’ll play wherever they need me,” Verdone said.
Being a multi- tasker certainly will improve his chances of sticking with the Lions.
Following the retirement of long snapper Dan Mccullough, the Lions reached out and signed free agent Sean Ortiz to replace him. But Verdone also has experience at long snapping, going back to high school, and he could challenge Ortiz for that role.
“It’s another tool in his belt,” said Neil Mcevoy, the Lions player personnel coordinator.
“Sean has the edge at this point because of his experience.”
The Lions know they have at least one Dino coming. Getting the other to camp might be more problematic.
Mcevoy reports there has been little movement in getting Fabien signed in time for the start of the rookie session, “but we still have a few days to go, and these things can change quickly.”
Or not.