In a "battle of backup quarterbacks" (the CP's term) last night, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and second-stringer Mike Quinn mustered only a first-quarter field goal in a 32-5 loss to the B.C. Lions.
Quinn was 13-for-26 for 147 yards and turned the ball over six times -- four interceptions and two fumbles which led directly to 10 B.C. points.
In fairness to the ex-NFL clipboard-carrier, it was his first CFL start. (Check out his bio. For two entire seasons, all it says about Quinn is that he was the third-string quarterback. Seriously, did he at least earn his keep as the kick holder?)
But something larger is happening in the Canadian game this year. Look at the play of some backups who had to take over as the starter... Toronto's Spergon Wynn on Aug. 3 against Montreal: 11-of-16, 94 yards, one INT in a 31-7 loss where his team's offence never crossed midfield ... Hamilton's Kevin Eakin against Winnipeg on July 28: 10-of-24, 64 yards, three interceptions in a 29-0 loss -- the first home goose-egging against the Ticats in 55 years.
As a Canadian football fan, one has to think: When is a Canadian-born quarterback going to get his chance to be that futile? That sentiment is currently getting kicked around over at CISfootball.org, and any arguments that appear here should be considered as building off that discussion.
It's a Canadian conundrum. The Canuck imprint in the three major U.S. team sports, while still modest, is larger than ever before. This country just had it most successful Winter Olympics ever, thanks largely to the women athletes -- a group that has had good success in soccer and fastpitch. Yet in our one true domestic league, there isn't one of our own playing the glamour position.
The coaches and player-personnel people in the CFL all have their reasons for not employing a Canadian-born and trained quarterback. At the collegiate level, American college players practise more. They play more. They spend more time in the film room. Going back to high school, they've been getting more coaching and tutoring. As for Canada, there are only 27 football-playing schools, and about 10 of those, in terms of full-time coaches, organization and administrative support, are far exceeded by a good-sized high school in the States.
It's simply a good football decision to bring in an American who's better equipped to learn a new offensive scheme, and not have to deal with the media scrutiny that comes with having a Canadian passer in camp. Quote, unquote.
There is also a self-segregation on the part of Canadian athletes. Many decide to play other positions such as slotback or defensive back, figuring they have a better chance to make it there or that, like Edmonton Eskimos fullback Mathieu Bertrand, a former quarterback, they'll just get switched at the pro level anyways.
However, who is to say that more good athletes wouldn't stay at quarterback if they believed there was a chance they could play it in the CFL? Or, to take this one step farther, that some would have pursued football instead of other sports? Given the growing number of Canadians pursuing baseball careers, for all we know, the next Russ Jackson could be pitching somewhere in the NCAA or in the minor leagues.
The reality that you can't avoid acknowledging here is that all the arguments CFL teams have against giving a Canadian a real chance to play quarterback are all so logical. The case here is for the illogical argument.
There's plenty of reasons why you don't see Canadians playing quarterback in the CFL. There's many reasons why you should, not the least of which is that the fans will love it.
OTHER BUSINESS
- Hockey Night in Canada is going to have six tripleheaders during the regular season, with an afternoon game added to the slate. Press the sarcasm button: Because, you know, the Canadian media really don't pay enough attention to this "hockey." Seriously though, this is positive, since it's part of plan to feature more regional broadcasts, particularly in the Eastern part of Canada. That means less of having the Toronto Maple Leafs foisted on half the country every Saturday at 7 p.m. -- and this is coming from a Leafs fan. Of course, it means Senators fans will have one less gripe, but they'll find something. They always do.
- Chris Young, the Toronto Star's full-time sports blogger, points out this could be the first year that all four of Toronto's sports teams miss the playoffs.
- Cracked magazine, which my friend Jay Pinkerton contributes to, is apparently re-launching next week as a "comedy lifestyle" publication. Here's a preview of their ESPN: The Magazine parody.
- Shameless self-promotion: check out the August issue of Quill & Quire and not just because my byline is in there. (It's the first byline I've seen in print in almost six months, so let me have my moment.) Full credit has to go to Dan Rowe, since the article was his idea. On another matter, I'm much obliged to Deadspin for the link it posted yesterday to the David Frost piece. For five minutes there, I knew what it was like to be famous.
Sorry for the late updates today. This is the first-day of a three-day weekend from work, and the timing couldn't be better after last night got pretty hectic with all the news about the foiled terrorism plot.
That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.
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