11/6/2007 12:24:41 PM
Reflection
Traveling as much as I have, I find airports to be great places for reflection and finding clarity. It may seem odd because airports are so bustling but it’s full of so many people from all walks of life and all parts of the globe, walking right past each other with no intention of learning anything about each other. Amidst all this I find myself sitting at my layover stop in Phoenix, Arizona on my way to Maryland trying to catalogue not so much what went wrong with this season (I’ve done enough of that I think,) but looking for things that went right in 2007. In absence of an abundance of positives, I think I’ll settle for some things that I’m excited about for 2008.
While the off-season is in its infancy for us currently, I sense change on the horizon already. I’ve been on enough bad teams to know that they seldom stand pat after a season of disappointment. Everyone has an opinion as to who should take the fall for this particular years episode of ineptitude and that debate will rage on probably until this time next year with the inevitable comparisons that will follow coming personnel and coaching moves throughout the season.
Although we’ve had our struggles offensively, a great deal of my excitement going into next season lies in the possibility of being in this offense for a second year. I can recall the first year that B.C. was in this offense and they had one receiver over 1500 yards and no-one else reached 1000. Yet, the following year they had 3 receivers over 1000, followed by Brazzell with 900yds plus and Frank Cutolo with 800yds plus. With Jason and T.J. healthy going into next year I certainly like our chances at our own three over 1000 yards, and I be thrilled if all the pieces stayed in place in order for that to happen. However, I’d have to be blind and deaf to look past all of the speculation that either my offensive coordinator or head coach, may no longer be with the team. Honestly, I don’t want to see either of them go. I feel that both coaches have a lot to offer the team in 2008, and I hope that the powers that be can find a way to maximize both parties for the future of this team. I can’t express how exciting it would be to come back to the same offensive system in the coming training camp with a season already under our belts in which we definitely got enough kinks out to flourish.
From a personal standpoint, I suppose that I had a pretty good year. That being said, I look forward to taking larger strides towards becoming the player I feel that I can be. Having an 80 catch, 1000yd season under my belt is certainly a good start, but for those that may think that this season is the ceiling on my capabilities in this league – prepare for more shock and awe. My statistical goals for the 2007 season were 80 catches, 1200yds and 10 touchdowns so by my own standards I came up short. I came very close to reaching those goals which is promising, and finishing as one of the top 10 receivers in the league is a refreshing change – but not enough. I expect a great deal from myself, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of elevating myself even further in 2008. Understanding how I’m perceived in this league, I’m sure that there will be no shortage of people pulling for my past to come back to haunt me – which is fine by me. I know what I bring to the table and I always have, which is why it didn’t shock me that I was able to play the way I did this year, and it won’t shock me at all to find my name even closer to the top of the receiving charts next year. The challenge alone is exciting to me. The six months that I’ve got to prepare myself will be grueling but rewarding, like I said before – it’s the journey that I enjoy most. As an Eskimo if there’s one thing that this season has provided us with…it is motivation.
I’m excited to branch out into the Edmonton community itself next year as well. I wanted to take a year to feel my way around and gauge my acceptance level in Titletown but from the beginning, Edmonton has been fair and supportive of me. Naturally, I feel that it’s the least I can do is aid the community any way that I can.
I want to take the time to thank anyone that read the blog this year – I was shocked by the response that I received from it. I hope that by reading it, you may have found some insight into the game itself – or at least some understanding of the game as I see it.
Good luck to the rest of the teams that are still playing. If I had to root for someone it may surprise most to know that I will be pulling for Winnipeg. Not because I have any allegiance to the team or the city, quite the contrary. I simply can’t think of anyone more deserving of a ring than Milt Stegall, and what a way it would be to end a fantastic career.
As for me, I’ll rest my body for a month or so then it’s back to work. Enjoy the off-season because it goes by so quick it’s unbelievable. Before we know it, recess will be back in session and in order to avoid a repeat of this season – it’s up to us to be ready for anything. ©
KP8
11/4/2007 8:15:34 PM
Coming up Short
When I get home on Wednesday and begin to re-circulate through my neighborhood and community, the one question that I’ll get repeatedly is, “How’d you guys do this year?” I already know unequivocally what my response will be – “We came up short this year.” Countless, countless times we came up short this season starting with the first game, and certainly carrying into the last. The areas in which we were insufficient this year are plentiful, which means simply that we have plenty of blame to pass around this year. Offence, defence and special teams each had its hand in our demise this season and no one unit can fault the others, for none have been consistent throughout the year.
I have a feeling that some of the seasons that I’ve had in previous years may be easier to digest for the 6 months that I have off, than this one will be. Most may think that a losing season is a losing season, and they all probably feel the same… but such is not the case with me. Every single season that I’ve ever had at any level of football has been below .500 – every single one. From my senior year in high school, through this 2007 season I’ve never been on a team that won more regular season games than it lost. In 2001 even though we won the cup in Calgary, our record was still a losing one. But since then, up until this year the losing seasons I’ve been a part of have been catastrophic losses mostly – we weren’t really in most of the games. This year was different though, we were in every single game except for one that I can recall. We had so many opportunities to grab this season by the reigns and come out successful on our end, but we simply weren’t able to find a way to do it.
I’ve heard a ton of theories as to what’s wrong with this team this year; lack of killer instinct, lack of discipline, lack of conditioning, lack of talent, lack of coaching, lack of maturity, lack of structure etc. You name it and I think I’ve heard it regarding us this season. I’ve even tried to assess for my part what has ailed us, offensively mostly as it pertains to me more directly. In spite of all of that, I don’t know that any have figured it out. And even if anyone’s got a bead on it, it’s too late now to do anything to correct it for this season. 2007 is over for the Eskimos, and we can’t get any of those chances back. We’ve had games this season that were full of errors, others that seemed like the fates just weren’t on our side, and some others that felt like we were playing against more opponents than those in contrasting uniforms. In spite of all of that, compounded with the newness of each other and the systems implemented, and the rash of injuries that we’ve sustained throughout the year – we’ve battled. Ultimately, one would think that all that you can ask from the man next to you is to fight the good fight. In actuality however, all that I can ask from the man next to me is to be as prepared and willing to do whatever is necessary for our cause as I am myself. These are not entirely the same principles. While not everyone is cut out to fight when things don’t go their way, it is much easier to bring yourself to fight, even blindly, than it is to have the discipline and will to prepare yourself fully game in and out for 18+ games of football.
Ending the season on a 6 game losing streak is certainly not the way that any of us wanted to be remembered going into the off-season. If we are to improve our standing next year and get back into contention in this league we must take this time to re-evaluate ourselves as players and pieces to this puzzle. When you have a season like this, in a city of winning like this is – change is inevitable. Regardless of these changes, we must as players understand that we’re as much a part of the reasoning behind them as anyone. We all claim to want continuity – less roster turnover, continuity in our schemes, our coaching staff or what have you. We need to understand that in order to attain such continuity, we as players must do everything in our power in the coming months to make sure that in 2008…we don’t come up short. ©
KP8
11/1/2007 10:26:46 PM
One Last Time
The last game of the season is one that is somewhat surreal when it comes too early. It doesn’t hit you until you’ve been at your offseason residence for a week or two that you’re not going to put on pads again for another 6 months or so…if at all. For the schedule makers to have had the foresight to pit Hamilton against us for the last game of the season is an interesting coincidence seeing as we’re the only two teams excluded from playoff contention. Hamilton is in a bit of a bad way it seems, but the organization has a great deal of pride and I fully expect them to show their teeth.
The game itself will be an interesting one for me being that Hamilton is the team that I last played on. Much has been made this year about my journey throughout this league, and the stops and struggles that I’ve had along the way – (oddly very little about the successes though.) I’ve been fortunate to have played in 4 of the truly great CFL cities, where the fans are passionate about the team, and prideful in how the team represents them. For whatever reason, I’ve found throughout this year that I’ve been able to establish a better connection with the Eskimo fans than I have on any other team. To me it’s not that they seem to cheer inordinately for me, or that I’m any more popular as a player than any other newcomer on this team – not that I’ve noticed at least. The main reason in my opinion that I have come to enjoy my experience playing for them, is that they have been fair to me. As much as I know that it may have made them wince when I signed in the off-season, and how I’m sure they may even still hold their breath when the ball is in flight in my direction, they have been fair. They have praised me when praise was due, and they have criticized when they found me wanting. It is that fairness that I’ve come to admire most about Edmonton fans, and it’s that same honest fairness that I covet in this place and have missed in others that I’ve been.
I can remember wanting very much to win the Hamilton fans over upon my being traded there from Winnipeg. I could feel myself pressing the issue trying to make plays out of nothing, and trying to make opportunities when there were none in a desperate attempt to give the Ivor Wynne faithful something to cheer about. While many of us that were shipped out of Hamilton keep in contact with each other and marvel at the current state of the organization, I notice the same look of relief in all who I’ve encountered this year on other teams in the same boat as I. There is a desperation that develops when playing there as of late that is difficult to describe. That desperation will make them a very dangerous team, and not one to be taken lightly.
The opportunity before us now is not one that promises glory or even another game next week. Regardless of the outcome, both teams will be packing up our lockers the following day and making plans to go home. The prospect before us is now one of pure passion, pride and professionalism. To me one of the main aspects differentiating a professional athlete from an amateur is the ability to deal with the portions of sport that are not glamorous or convenient. In theory, it should be a very easy thing to deal with great success on the field of play (although many still have trouble,) but to be able to lose and still hold your chin high and answer questions about that loss is what makes one a pro. To play this game on Saturday, is to play for the name on your back, the man beside you, those who have sacrificed to get you here, and for the colors on your jersey, which for me has never been a difficult thing – because that’s all I’ve ever played for in any sport. While post season awards, all-star votes, and home playoff games are all the pot of gold at the end of the tunnel – to me nothing is more euphoric than imposing your will on a man by using the tools of your craft.
This final game of the 2007 season for us is the last chance I’ll get to test my skill against other professionals for a few months, and I intend to relish it – as I do every week. For some of us, this will be our last game as Eskimos, for others…our last game as professionals. Sadly, many of us don’t even know this yet, but one thing is for sure though – this is the last time this team will play together. This to me is all the more reason to play this game with a childlike exuberance.
After all…it’s just recess. ©
KP8
