Esks.com
Rose Mary Phillip
The most-watched position in training camp will surely be quarterback. With five players vying for a roster spot – Steven Jyles, Kerry Joseph, Jeremiah Masoli, Eric Ward and Matt Nichols – the level of competition will be high. Their performance will be placed under a microscope by coaches, media and fans. But how do they match up away from the game? ESKS.com caught up with the guys last week at mini-camp to give you, the Eskimo Empire, an exclusive look at just that.
Can’t touch this
We all excel at something. Some of us display amazing artistry by painting body parts green and gold. Others impress with their musical ability when singing the Eskimo Fight Song. We asked the QBs what they can do better than their teammates. Here’s what they said:
• Jyles: “I’m a better fisherman.” He recently caught a string of 25 sand bass.
• Joseph: “Bowling.” Jyles disagrees … loudly. Joseph’s last score was 234 out of a possible 300. Wow.
• Masoli: “I hoop better than all these guys right here.” He’s probably right. Masoli was All-State basketball player in high school.
• Ward: “Draw.”
• Nichols: “Golf. I shoot around 75.”
Notable quotables
Inspiration is important. No doubt. Head Coach Kavis Reed has a way with words that can make even an armchair quarterback feel like he can take down a lion or stampeding horse. So, what words motivate the QBs between games?
• Jyles: “I can do all things through Christ.” Masoli and Ward agree.
• Joseph: “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
• Nichols: “It’s never as good as it seems. It’s never as bad as it seems.”
The great divide
One of the most-divisive issues of our time is iPhone vs. BlackBerry vs. Android. Okay, that’s an overstatement, but you likely have a strong opinion on the matter. Your quarterbacks do too.
• Team iPhone: Jyles (in spirit), Joseph, Masoli
• BlackBerry: Jyles (in use)
• Android: Ward
If you like it, put a ring on it.
Professional athletes are often judged by the number of championship rings they have. This comparison seems particularly unfair for the Eskimo quarterbacks since Masoli is new to the league and Nichols and Ward are still in the sunrise years of their careers. To level the playing field, let’s compare the number of non-championship rings each has, including wedding rings, costume jewelry and bling:
• Jyles: 2
• Joseph: 1
• Masoli: 3
• Ward: 4
• Nichols: 3
You think you know me, but you have no idea.
Off the field, the Eskimo quarterbacks are just regular guys. Here are a few little known tidbits you can relate to:
• Jyles: “I enjoy kids.”
• Joseph:” I’m a really quiet guy away from the game.”
• Masoli: “I won a junior college national championship.” As a new face in the locker room, most people also don’t know Masoli is book smart. He graduated high school with an Academic Excellence Award in Science and a 4.0 GPA.
• Ward: “I want to learn to play an instrument.” Specifically, the guitar.
• Nichols: “I love Star Wars. I could watch them all in a row, every day.” His favorite character is Luke Skywalker.
May the force be with them all when training camp opens on June 2.
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