October 30, 2009
It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Fans across the country wait all year for the season to get to this point. With only 2 weeks remaining most fans feel like they have a good idea as to where their team will land in the playoffs, or whether they’ll be watching the action from their living rooms as fans themselves. Part of the beauty of this game is that regardless of your team’s previous body of work in past years, match-ups with rivals, or even their past weeks performance, it’s just not possible to gauge how your team will fare when the chips are truly down. And this year poses a wonderfully exciting set of circumstances for all but the far and away leader of the regular season (Montreal), and the team who’s endured the most struggle (Toronto.) Everyone else is locked into a situation in which they must play, and win all the way through the 18th game in order to allow themselves the best playoff position possible en route to the Grey Cup in Calgary. In my 9 years playing I’ve never seen the last two weeks set up so meaningfully for 6 teams.

It’s during these weeks that teams that seemed to be in disarray have been known to come together for one big run at the cup. The 2005 Eskimos, and 2001 Stampeders are two that come to mind as teams that needed wins in the last two weeks in order to even get into the playoffs after performing in fits and bursts all season. Both teams were able to get their bearings and run the table for the stretch, much to the dismay of the Als, and Bombers whom they met in the Grey Cups those years that had fantastic records that season. I was on that 2001 team as a rookie in this league and remember vividly how it was at this time of year that the team all of the sudden became unified, and hit our stride in spite of everything that we had endured that year. Since I’ve been in that situation, I have a strong sense of what that team dynamic feels like. Although it’s maddening throughout the season, it’s absolute magic down the stretch as that is a team who responds best when it absolutely must.

I’ve never been on a dominant regular season team, and I often wonder how different that must be. The Als have been such a good regular season team for so long, I’ve always thought that they must just get used to that kind of success and transfer it down to any new players that come in through that strong veteran core that they keep in place there. It must take a tremendous amount of focus to attain that level of success for 18 weeks and still put on a show in the playoffs. It’s certainly an understandably strong motivator in that city however, knowing that if you can take care of business throughout the season, when it winds down and everyone else is truly taxing themselves for the final weeks, you can recharge and prime yourself for the Eastern Final held in the Big O, away from the elements, with a massive home field advantage on your side. Win that one - and you’re off to the show. I must admit I have a ton of respect for the players over there, especially the Calvillo’s, Cahoon’s, and Chiu’s that have been putting themselves in such an ideal situation for so many years...it’s quite remarkable.
The parity of the league seems to be always so evident in the shootout that is the Western division. Lately, the crossover has been in play more and more as Western teams that have scratched and clawed to stay close in the West spill over and take their playoff shot any way that they can. Last year our Eskimo team became the first crossover team to win when we did so in Winnipeg, so one must wonder what the outcome will be this year in such a tight race. The schedulers really must be patting themselves on the back for pairing Calgary and Saskatchewan against each other in the final week who could be playing for the bye into the Western Final. As well as Winnipeg and Hamilton who could be playing for not only field advantage as the 2nd place team in the East, but could possibly be looking to avoid elimination with a Western crossover taking the 3rd spot once again. And finally, my Eskimos will play the Lions in a game that could mean either a West, or East playoff spot.

Fans can take pride in knowing that they won’t get much in the way of “B-team” football as we come down to the wire in this 2009 season. In any photo finish race, the real winners are those who witness it.

Kp8

Comments:

From Sabina

Well Said as usual! It's Been A frustrating year for not only us but The team I'm sure, none the less I am Sure the final stretch will keep us all on the edge of our seats as the Eskimos are famous for doing...I as a an Eskimo fan for over 30 yrs look forward to a fantastic, and surprising finish! Do it Up Boys, Each and Every one of you have it in you to get the job done! I Still have faith nothing is over until the two teams are set in stone for the big show!!

From alexpills

Your blog is my favorite blog!

October 18, 2009
So You Think You Can Dance?

Young boys playing football all over North America on thanksgiving with their friends will score touchdowns. After such monumental athletic achievements these boys will be overcome with jubilation as all eyes fall to them at this, their time of triumph. A young man must be prepared for this moment, as one can never know if and when it will come again. Luckily you have prepared for this! Weekends watching both the NFL and CFL pro’s getting into the end zone have filled your head with ideas about which celebration is just right for you at this time. Will it be the Deion Sanders high-step and shuffle?, or maybe the river dance like Chad Johnson? or Jamal Anderson’s dirty bird? Or maybe dancing is a bit over the top for you, perhaps a nice pose suits you better. Like Geroy Simon’s Superman pose, or Arland Bruce’s Spiderman? Maybe even a group effort like Montreal’s pop locking duo of Cavil and Copeland years back, or Calgary’s bobsled team? Or perhaps you decided early in life that you have no interest in bringing more attention to yourself at a moment like this, and just want to drop the ball and get back to the huddle. Whichever you choose at that tender age, such intense decisions don’t stop at the backyard or sandlot level, they follow you up through all levels of football. It seems that around every corner you’ll have influences telling you to have fun and play with emotion, and the next corner they’ll be telling you to contain yourself, and show some resolve. It can be quite confusing at times, but hang in there! You’ll find a means of celebration that works for you.

I’ve noticed this as an ongoing debate since I’ve been involved in football, and I don’t see it really letting up at any point in the near future, as to me the differing schools are both generational as well as cultural. Many of the athletes doing the celebrating at the professional level have been doing so since youth football and pop-warner days. I’ve spoken to players from football hubs like Texas and Florida that have said that poor celebrations at the youth football level can lead to being ostracized and ridiculed, so an emphasis is put on creativity. At the same time, I’ve spoken to players growing up in Pennsylvania and Ohio that say they would have been benched or even kicked off of some of their youth or high school teams if they celebrated big plays. Once you enter the ranks of U.S. college football, pretty much all celebrations are put on ice as not many are willing to incur the wrath of their coaches after drawing penalties post touchdown. However, upon entering the pro ranks it’s decision time all over again.

It can be difficult for a young playmaker to make his name in this league. Often you arrive on a team with veterans in place that have earned a higher standing on the food chain and therefore commanding more opportunities, which of course only intensifies your thirst to have your talent noticed. Your method of celebration can literally make you or break you with some fans, as traditionalists seem to covet players that are as nonchalant as possible after making a play (ie. Ben Cahoon, Barry Sanders), while the new guard tends to favor a bit more entertainment value in their players (ie. Paris Jackson, Nik Lewis, Shawne Merriman) Depending on who’s commentating the game, your exploits could actually be disparaged on air - which is never a good thing as so many are swayed by initial commentary. Not to mention that there’s usually a few coaches and team brass that don’t care for such loquacious behavior. Such celebrations can draw the ire of opposing players of course as they may feel as if you’re rubbing it in, referees could single you out for unsportsmanlike conduct, I’m sure we could all name several reasons why it’s not a great idea to act out.

On the other hand, such antics can help your fan base as well. The notion of winning the crowd seems far more likely, the more entertaining you come off. If we are in fact modern day gladiators then this ideology is already well proven by Rome’s gladiators of old, in their ability to win over the masses at the colliseum - which seemed to inevitably better their options. Deion Sanders was able to revolutionize the position of cornerback both with his play, as well as with the attention that he brought to the position itself through his posturing, preening and seemingly constant dancing. While neon Deion was introducing the next generation to the concept of “Primetime” the business of football was getting a lesson in self branding perhaps before it was even ready to deal with such a concept. That concept has been taken and run with by many of today’s players, and the on-field celebration part of that. The youth market in particular seems quite enthralled with the celebrations of Jermaine Copeland, Arland Bruce III, Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson, Geroy Simon etc. so fashioning your own unique celebration or two could help give your fan base an injection of youth that often has reviving capabilities to a career. The act of celebration itself is an attention seeking one, and one that implies a certain level of confidence in one’s abilities which can be viewed as a positive by management. Not to mention, I’ve heard often times that there aren’t too many things that you can do to keep people talking about you, that won’t work out in your favor in this game.

As someone who’s been on both sides of the fence, I’ll tell you that I think that the best thing to do, is to do what comes naturally. Whatever feeling emits from you in that moment...just go with it. At the very least it will be authentic and somewhat original if not just in sentiment alone. But for goodness sake, if you’re going to dance - have some rhythm about it!

Kp8

Saturday, October 17, 2009

The past two years we’ve seen a back end drop in our play, as the latter half of each season we seem to have a spell of bad play that seems to plague us. I searched back to what I wrote about it last year, and found that similar to the current times - I didn’t have an answer then and don’t now. I’ve never really seen another group that seems to relish the underdog role like this one. So many times this season we’ve come roaring back after spotting teams multiple points only to make it close in the dying minutes. To me we’re not at the level that we need to be at in terms of urgency and execution week in and week out. There is enough of a disconnect with enough guys, that we allow ourselves to lapse in concentration and focus at inopportune times which unfortunately has cost us some games. To me it comes down to simply taking the time needed to prepare fully. There's a measure of professionalism that comes with great teams, and it starts on an individual basis. I pray we don't have to be heartbroken to understand this as a team.

I was pleased to see us come away with the victory in Toronto, while their record may not indicate it, that team plays hard. Their defensive line is as good as any that we’ve faced now that Jonathan Brown is back but they play so much deep zone that they invite the run. It was good to see us use that against them and have Arkee bust some big runs and lead us in. Maurice Lloyd is beginning to assert himself as a leader on that defence which is right on time with Dario being out for the season. Offensively, I still don’t feel like we’re in synch but we’re managing to stay together until we can figure it out. I’m hoping that a big game like the one in Calgary this week will simply bring out the dog in some of us and allow us to just let loose that competitive edge. We’ve played them so much, scheme is really an afterthought as you just need to dominate the man across from you in order to come away victorious. I’ve really enjoyed watching Fred Stamps emerge into what he has this year. That has been one of the best things about this season for me, knowing that he has taken things that I’ve given him, as well as Tuck and Mookie, and used them to become a force in this league. We’ll need his and everyone’s best during these last few games in order to scratch our way back into contention.

Kp8

I'm a Baller...Get Me Out of Here!
October 3, 2009

The mindset of an athlete at this level is truly a unique one. The unlimited confidence that is such a requirement for us to attain this level of play, stays with us throughout our careers - even despite our circumstances. The majority of the time, if you were to ask a backup player on any team what he feels the difference between he and the starter in his position is in terms of success, most would say that it's just a matter of opportunity. In order for us to thrive in the fly by night, "what have you done for me lately" pro football environment it is absolutely essential that we carry a self belief that is unflappable.

Often times we see this confidence and self belief challenged as a player ages, plays through injury, comes off of injury, tries to integrate into a new system and comes up against a contrasting belief in his abilities from management. Next we see reduction in playing time, role, or even a demotion out of the lineup. Try as we might, these new disturbances usually play some role in a player's mental well being, and for those who can stay in the lineup while these situations play out, fans may witness a player that they do not recognize. I try to always advise those who find themselves in this situation should they come to me, to stay the course and finish strong if they feel this shift coming during the season. From experience I've learned that it is a very difficult thing to leave one team in this league mid season and actually make an impact on another team in the same year. However, there are definitely exceptions, and with the amount of quality players showing up on different teams this year via trade, as well as those asking to be moved, and those that have been sent packing - there seems to be a great deal of players not seeing eye to eye with the powers that be.

Mid-season trades are tough on virtually every player involved. Whether you're going from a basement dweller to the Grey Cup Champs, or vice versa the process is still going to be arduous and awkward. Initially, you'll have mixed feelings about integrating yourself into an already established locker room - and the relationships and bonds that are already formed within it. You may have been a leader on your previous team, and now will have to work yourself into the collective trust of your new teammates. Or conversely, you may have been brought in to be a vocal leader in a locker room that desperately needs one. Every player involved will naturally feel the pressure to perform at a high enough level to justify the trade itself to the organization and fans. In most cases there will be a new system to learn, with new terminology and new coaches to impress immediately. The travel is often abrupt, with the trade coming usually post game, or early in the practice week. Any plans that you may have had for the coming weeks are clearly out the window, (ie. family flying up to see you.) The living situation that you held in the previous city may or may not be one that you can get out of without penalty, and you may find difficulty finding a place to live in the new city for just a month or two. The trade usually comes with urgency, in that the new team wants you in the lineup in a matter of days - therefore needs you there asap. With this in mind, you may not be able to pack much and could end up leaving a bunch of stuff in the apartment that you're no longer living in, but still paying for. Transportation in the new city could also be an issue if your car remains in the previous city due to a rapid trade.

Those players who have been cap casualties and replaced with younger cheaper talent on their previous teams tend to resurface at this point in the season because their price tags will be lower being that the season is almost done, their experience lends them to be a quick insert into the lineup, and they bring a wealth of experience over younger players. Veterans that resurface on other teams this time of year face a situation that is not quite so tenuous as those players who have been traded. Being that they've been at home for a time during this season, they've had time to plan their next step, and actively pursue their new team. An opportunity has presented itself for the organization to step in and pick them up through either injury, need, or roster expansion usually - and the stretch run in the CFL becomes a perfect stage for these players to host a re-introduction. Players tend to fade away in this league, and "out of sight, out of mind" can become a prevalent theme - so the longer a player sits at home having played in the league previously...the worse his chances become of catching on somewhere else. To the select few players who are given new life after being discarded early on, you tend to see a renewed focus and vigor in their play. Very much as it may have been when they were an upstart rookie or second year player trying to make a name for themselves. The reality check of being released at a time when you may have felt like you were a major contributor tends to hit very, very hard. Those who do get a second breath, tend to relish every moment.

For players in both situations, the hope is that it will be a fairly smooth transition into your new surroundings. You hope that you're coming into a good organization that is operated professionally, you hope that you can fit in quickly with teammates, and that fans will come to embrace you as you prove yourself valuable to the organization. After that, you just tighten your chinstrap and have faith that your abilities will elevate you as they always have.

Good luck to all of the players that have landed on new teams, after being released from another, those moved this season via trade, and to those that will be moved in the coming days prior to the CFL trade deadline. I hope that you refresh everyone's memory as to exactly who you are as players, and why you're so valuable.

Kp8

Comments:

David Shave:

a friend of mine has taken this blog as you saying " i don't want to play for the Eskimos anymore" ... I told him he was on "ludes" ... am i wrong??

Kamau Peterson:

LoL!!!! Tell him he's waaay off. This isn't even close to being about me. Just trying to shed some light on what some of my peers are going through because I've been there.