Saturday, June 10, 2006

ONTERRI, ERRI, ERRI-0 CAN'T HACK IT IN CFL

It was alluded to earlier, and now the worst-kept secret in Winnipeg has been confirmed: Ex-Vikings running back Onterrio Smith, of Original Whizzinator infamy, was cut by the Blue Bombers tonight as CFL teams pared their rosters down to 42 players.

Sucks to be you, Onterrio.

This comes as no shock. Smith was hurt and did little to earn his spot in the 'Peg. Once again, we see that a NFL pedigree, however sketchy, is no guarantee of being able to step in and play in the Canadian league. (Remember Dexter Manley as an Ottawa Rough Rider? If you don't, thanks for proving my point.)

There won't be many tears shed for this guy -- not in Knoxville, Tenn., where he wore out his welcome with the Tennessee Vols a few years back, not in the Twin Cities, where he landed on the suspended list with the Vikings, and not in Manitoba, where the Bombers were comfortable at tailback with Charles Roberts -- but at quarterback, not so much. There's not a lot of room for sympathy in football.

Perhaps Smith will rehab like a madman, rededicate himself, reconfigure his life and come back to the NFL in 2007 to help my Vikings reach the Super Bowl ... nahhhhhhhhhhh. Don't see it happening.

1 comment:

sager said...

He started at Tennessee, got booted off the team and ended up at Oregon.