Dave Campbell
CFL.ca
What do they say about professional football, “great game but a crappy busines?” That saying reared its ugly head again this week as the 2-7 Edmonton Eskimos released veteran offensive lineman and their starting left tackle Calvin Armstrong.
This makes the fourth move made by head coach Richie Hall this season to his offensive line. Veteran Joe McGrath was released, coach Jeff Bleamer was fired and replaced by Tim Prinsen. Kelly Bates was acquired this week from the Saskatchewan Roughriders for a draft pick in 2014. Richie Hall says the move to release Armstrong was made because he wasn’t happy with the performance of Armstrong but it didn’t make the decision any easier.
“Anytime when you release a player during the season, it’s always difficult,”,said Hall. “It’s more difficult when you have a veteran because there’s a certain amount of attachment they’ve had to this particular team or to the CFL period. Personally it’s tough but then at the same time from the other side, that’s the job that you have to do.”
The timing of the release is coming into question as Edmonton Journal beat writer Mario Annicchiarico reported on Tuesday night that Armstrong was told an hour before his wife was to undergo a C-section.
“There’s never an appropriate time, you know regardless of what it is because it’s bad news for the player and his family,” Hall explained. “It’s a decision we made based solely on a football decision. It was just unfortunate that it came when it did yesterday (Tuesday night).”
Was the timing bad? Yes on two fronts:
1) Obviously calling someone an hour before your wife undergoes a C-section isn’t the best of times to receive news that you’ve lost your job.
2)The Eskimos have a game Friday, just five days after their previous game on Monday in Calgary. That’s where this point nullifies the first one. You can’t keep someone that you have decided won’t be in your lineup when you go out and play. If the Eskimos played on a Sunday, then they could have delayed their decision for a couple of days. The CFL demands you declare your 46-man roster two days before you lineup and play. So yes, the timing was awful but unfortunately the Eskimos couldn’t let someone’s personal circumstance get in the way of what was best for the football team.
Letting go of a veteran as Richie Hall pointed out is tough on that player because of who he leaves behind. The friends in the locker room are shaken as well, especially centre Aaron Fiacconi.
“He’s my best friend on the team, it goes all the way back to 2008 in training camp,” reminisced Fiacconi. “We were roommates and we’ve been roommates on the road ever since. He’s my only family here; I love the guy to death. It’s an emotional day.”
Starting quarterback Ricky Ray says when the team has been under-performing as bad as the Eskimos have been, Armstrong’s release should send a message throughout the locker room.
“We all know that this is a performance based job,” lamented Ray. “It’s not like just because you’ve been here (for a long time) you get a free pass. Everybody’s (performance) is based on what you’re doing out there on the field and obviously, we’re not doing very well. When you see guys get released, you understand you could be next. It’s got to be extra motivation for you to go out there and try to be the best player you can possibly be.”
When you’re a 2-7 football team, nobody is safe. It’s only the beginning as well.
Notes: Calvin Armstrong’s release means Jeremy Parquet will move to left tackle while second-year player Greg Wojt is poised to start at right tackle for Friday’s Labour Day Rematch game with the Calgary Stampeders. Also released are wide receivers Tremayne Kirkland and Kevin Wulthrich. Running back Arkee Whitlock is out for Friday because of a left foot injury sustained in the Labour Day Classic on Monday, rookie import back Brad Lester will start. Calvin McCarty may return to the field to back up after missing the last three games with a broken finger. Fullback Chris Ciezki is out with a leg or knee injury. Marko Mitchell was signed this week and will play his first game in the CFL at wide receiver. The Nevada product was a 2009 NFL draft pick of the Washington Redskins and most recently spent time in the pre-season with the Minnesota Vikings. Kick-returner Tristan Jackson will make his 2010 debut Friday after spending time on the nine-game injured list with an injured shoulder. Receiver Kelly Campbell hurt his ankle again on Monday but he should be ready for Friday. Last but not least, Ricky Ray will start at quarterback.