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Home / Archive: 06. March 2009
By English Paul…
The recent news that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had released Casey Printers came as a surprise. When the worst team in the CFL can voluntarily cut ties with a player considered one of the most talented quarterbacks in the game, something’s not right.
Here’s a player who inspires extreme reactions in fans who either love him or hate him. The question is ‘How did it come to this?’ The answer reveals a tumultuous career with several ups and downs.
Born in Texas, Printers played the majority of his college years at Texas Christian University (TCU) between 1999 and 2001, quarterbacking the team to three straight Bowl games. This included two appearances in the Mobile Alabama Bowl, highlighted by capturing the Most Valuable Player award in TCU’s 1999 victory.
However, after three successful seasons with the Horned Frogs, Printers asked to be transferred to Florida A&M after a disagreement with TCU head coach Gary Patterson over how the teams offence was run. The first hint of the perception that he was selfish had reared its ugly head.
The Texas native wanted Patterson to throw the football more, so he could showcase his talents for the pro scouts. Given that TCU had enjoyed a successful period with the system in place, and a certain Ladainian Tomlinson was running the ball, this was never going to happen.
In Florida, Printers went 7-5 as the move backfired. Only 1,517 passing yards and 12 Touchdown throws resulted in him going un-drafted in the 2002 NFL draft.
After this setback, the B.C. Lions came calling in 2003, offering a three-year contract to be their third-string quarterback. To begin with Printers saw little playing time. However, his fortunes changed in 2004, winning the backup role and then becoming the starter after David Dickenson was injured.
This led to a breakout season, displaying his talents for everyone to see. During the 2004 season, Printers passed for over 5,000 yards, adding nearly 500 rushing yards and accounting for 44 touchdowns. The end result was the CFL Most Outstanding Player of the year award.
Entering the playoffs, Printers was confident of capping an impressive season by winning the Grey Cup. Fate had other ideas. He sustained a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter of the West Division final and Dickenson came into the game to lead the Lions to an overtime victory.
Entering the Grey Cup, Lions head coach Wally Buono made the controversial decision to start Dickenson. On the biggest stage in Printers career so far, he didn’t even get onto the field as the Lions lost 27-19 to the Toronto Argonauts.
The quarterback believed that B.C. would have won the game if he’d started. A lot of people saw this as further evidence of his ‘me-first’ attitude. However, you could argue that he had a valid point given his production during the season.
Buono and a lot of Printer’s Team Mates did not see it like this, viewing his reaction to not starting in the Grey Cup as proof that he was bad for team chemistry.
However, the Lions were still prepared to offer a 3-year $1 million contract extension prior to the 2005 season, which Printers declined. This proved to be a pre-cursor for his season, becoming embroiled in a quarterback controversy with Dickenson and hindered by ongoing injury problems.
In 2006, the Lions made another 3-year contract extension offer, this time for $1.2 million, which was also turned down due to interest from the Kansas City Chiefs. Unfairly a lot of people viewed this as looking out for number one.
However, numerous professional athletes would and indeed have made the same decision when faced with a similar choice. Playing in the NFL had always been Printer’s dream.
The Chiefs signed him to a 3-year $1.03 million contract. Unfortunately the quarterback struggled during the pre-season. This resulted in a roller coaster 2006 season as he was cut, re-signed to the practice squad and promoted to the Chiefs 53 man roster.
After being demoted back to the practice squad, Printers returned to Vancouver to attend the Lions West Division Final playoff game. Interestingly though, he was barred from the sidelines by Buono. Furthermore the B.C players reportedly threatened to throw him out if he attempted to enter the locker room, yet another indictment against Printers character.
At the end of 2006, the Chiefs signed Printers to a further 3-year contract and promoted him to the active roster. Again he was released, prior to the start of the 2007 NFL season, apparently surprised by the decision as he felt he’d done everything asked of him.
Next it was back to the CFL, as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats signed him for $500,000 a season, making Printers the highest paid player in Canadian Football.
This proved to be a complete disaster. In one and a half seasons, he had numerous injuries. Even when Printers actually played, his form was erratic, resulting in completing only 53 percent of his passes, with a 6-14 touchdown-interception ration. With hindsight, maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised by the Tiger-Cats decision to release the inconsistent quarterback.
It’s safe to say that Casey Printers is at the crossroads of his career. The question is, ‘which way will he go?’ There’s no denying his talents, but the now former Ticat is somewhat of an enigma.
It’s all very well having ability, but there’s that double-edged word ‘potential’ to deal with. At what point does potential stop meaning someone who has the ability to succeed and start translating to a player who had all the talent in the world but failed to live up to the hype?
If we’re not there already, then we’re very close to finding out the answer with Printers.
Paul Taylor can be contact at [email protected]
By Dorothy Willis… Time waits for no one. As a rapidly aging baby boomer, I can attest to that fact.
From the time BJ Penn demanded a fight with Georges St-Pierre, I developed an ulcer from worrying during the four-month wait.
Of course, the ulcer had no time to even think about healing, what with the big shake-up over the great grease debate.
I even contemplated giving up writing over it.
Now the only one watching the clock and calendar with more of a sense of aggravation at the slow passage of time, is perhaps Ken Florian, who like myself, is not getting any younger.
The only thing more fruitless than waiting for Penn to defend the Lightweight Title, is waiting for the long overdue fight between the two Matts—Hughes vs. Serra.
Initially, I was so hot for this fight I thought nothing could dampen my enthusiasm.
Strangely, two years and counting, I have cooled off and even had a change of heart toward one of the combatants.
There was a time when I adored Matt Serra.
If anyone bad mouthed him in front of me, they risked a good old-fashioned granny lesson. I keep Lava soap just for that purpose.
Now, after both Matts have spoken words they can never erase from my mind about St. Pierre being a “cheater,” I have lost a lot of love for Mr. Serra. Fortunately, I have never had any affection whatsoever for Matt Hughes, so there is no problem there.
In a way, I still want Matt Serra to win, because he will soon become a new father, a fact which can endear anyone to me.
But in another way, I would like to knock some sense into his thick knucklehead.
His spat with St.Pierre after they had been “almost” friends after UFC/TUF 4, was, I always felt, a misunderstanding that I would have loved to have mediated and helped Matt and Georges work out.
Boy, has a lot of water run under the bridge since then!
Talking about Georges being a Frenchman who loves red wine and hockey is one thing, but accusing him of cheating is quite another matter altogether.
Now I am mad!
It is just like I have taken a giant leap into the past when I was 25 and teaching sixth grade in summer school; believe me, that is one reason I decided to go into nursing.
When MMA fighters begin to resemble 12-year-olds approaching all the misadventures of puberty, I lose interest very quickly.
(All you readers may want to remember this fact.)
I will shut off quicker than the one minute setting on a microwave oven when men start to behave badly like mouthy pre-teen boys.
One of the reasons I looked forward to this fight in the first place is that the two Matts need to have the typical schoolyard showdown to see who can pee farther. Once that is determined everything can return to normal in the UFC and the world of MMA.
It is doubtful that the time off has treated Matt Hughes well.
He has not fought like the “old” legendary Welterweight champion he used to be since leaving Pat Militech’s gym in Iowa.
Having your own gym after retirement is ideal for an ex-fighter, but with no boss to pressure the guy, or give him needed guidance, what is the motivation to train by himself?
However, with Matt Serra who owns three gyms and has an influx of young fighters to constantly challenge him, owning a gym appears to be a bonus.
I feel Serra still has an edge over Hughes in the fitness and is ready to re-enter the Octagon department.
Frankly, regardless of past records and experience, Hughes doesn’t have a chance in Hell—the last place a “good” Christian like him wants to be.
Still in all, and with an ulcer that is just beginning to heal, this fight is so long overdue that I may have to leave a wake up call with someone responsible to wake me up on fight night and remind me to watch.
That is what happens when time marches on too slowly to maintain my interest.
Hey, when is the fight anyway?
by Jameson Fleming… (1) Connecticut at (4) Pittsburgh, Noon Saturday The beastly Big East provides tremendous matchups every single week. This one tops them all (even the first encounter between these two teams). The first time Pitt and UConn tipped off, the Huskies were still learning how to play without Jerome Dyson.
Jim Calhoun’s team has had enough games to figure out how to win without him and will try to show the country they are still the team to beat by going against the Oakland Zoo on senior night and winning.
Unfortunately for UConn, the Huskies are capable of beating the Panthers. However, doing it on Pitt’s home floor of Levance Fields, on Sam Young’s Senior Night, will be extremely difficult to do.
I’d rather try to de-thaw reindeer meat in the Arctic than try to beat Pitt on Senior Night.
UConn is battle tested since Dyson went down. They already squared off with Pitt once, knocked off Notre Dame at home, and went on the road to Marquette.
Calhoun will need A.J. Price and Hasheem Thabeet to continue to step up.
Fields and Blair dominated the first matchup against Price and Thabeet. Blair’s big body forced Thabeet into foul trouble which allowed the sophomore to grab 23 boards.
What UConn needs to do, but probably won’t be able to because Thabeet hasn’t developed offensively enough, is put the ball in the post in Thabeet’s hands. Blair should be forced into foul trouble if the ball enters the paint enough because of Thabeet’s size.
The winner all but locks up a top seed, while the loser (more so Pitt than UConn) will need to win some games in the Big East Tournament to ensure they keep their place as a one seed.
My pick: Pitt 83, UConn 72
(7) Duke at (2) North Carolina, 4:00 Sunday
UConn-Pitt on Saturday, Duke-North Carolina on Sunday…is there a better a way to go out with a bang in the regular season?
The Blue Devils are suddenly resurgent and have thrown their names back into the proverbial hat to garner a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday.
If Oklahoma, Pitt, or UConn slips up and Duke takes home a win Sunday and an ACC Championship, Mike Krzyzewski will have Duke on the top seed line once again.
Duke has retooled its rotation, inserting freshman Eliot Williams into the starting lineup to provide freaky athleticism. In the two team’s first meeting, Williams didn’t even get to experience this storied rivalry as the frosh never checked in.
After sitting in the next game (a loss to Boston College), Williams became an instant impact player after Krzyzewski started the McDonald’s All-American from Memphis.
In the five games since then (all Duke wins), Williams has average almost 12 points per game, scoring in double figures four times which is something he hadn’t done all year.
His athleticism will help slow down UNC’s up-tempo attack, but one freshman who’s never played in the Dean Dome probably isn’t a big enough difference to make up for the 14 point thumping UNC laid on Duke in Cameron.
Tyler Hansbrough and Danny Green will lead the Tar Heels on senior day in a game that can all but lock up a number one seed, as well as a number one ranking, if UConn goes down on Saturday.
My pick: UNC 97, Duke 85
(25) Syracuse at (15) Marquette, 2:00 Saturday
The ‘Cuse just did something it has never done in Big East play. Marquette is doing something it hasn’t done all year.
For the Orange, that’s win three consecutive Big East games by at least 24 points and for Marquette, that’s consistently struggle.
SU just dismantled three Big East teams, St. John’s by 29, Cincinnati by 24, and Rutgers, on senior, night by 30.
Marquette just lost five of eight, including three in a row to top ten teams.The Golden Eagles’ struggles come after losing senior stalwart Dominic James to a broken foot.
Marquette’s defense has been a significant problem lately. Buzz Williams’ team has allowed 1.1 points per possession, a tenth of a point higher than the national average, four times in the last seven games.
In Marquette’s previous 23 games, the Golden Eagles were that bad defensively only twice.
With Syracuse entering the encounter on its best five game offensive streak of the year, Marquette could be in serious trouble.
SU could be facing the same predicament. The 2-3 zone hasn’t been particularly good this year until this three game winning streak. The ‘Cuse’s latest opponents have shot terribly from beyond the arc, but Marquette can light things up from three.
Both squads should get plenty of open looks. The Orange’s will be near the basket, Marquette’s from three-point territory.
Whoever has the hot hand comes away with a victory in a high-scoring affair.
My pick: Syracuse 88, Marquette 85
(20) Purdue at (8) Michigan State, Noon Sunday
For the past few weeks, it looked like Purdue might finally be developing into a team that could win the Big Ten.
That was until the Boilermakers somehow lost to Northwestern on Senior Night. A win against Michigan State won’t earn Purdue any accolades, but it will give the Boilermakers some added confidence after beating the league champions twice.
The first time around, Purdue held Michigan State to its lowest effective field goal percentage of the year. Other than Purdue, only North Carolina forced Michigan State to shoot below 40 percent in a game (and people say the Tar Heels’ defense is bad).
Like last week’s battle between the Spartans and the Illini, this game will feature two stud defenses.
Both teams rank in the top 15 in defensive efficiency, but MSU is a superior rebounding team. Tom Izzo’s club ranks in the top five in the country in both offensive and defensive rebounding. Purdue isn’t in the top 100 in either.
Against Illinois, MSU had an offensive efficiency of 104, the Illini’s was 93. The Spartans grabbed 30 percent of their misses, Illinois, 18 percent. Extra opportunities to score allowed MSU to raise its offensive efficiency enough to knock off Illinois in Champaign.
If Michigan State controls the boards (which they should), the Spartans will win on their home court.
My pick: Michigan State 63, Purdue 58
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