ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
It is a pretty exciting time to be a sports fan in Canada right now. It seems that everywhere you turn, sports enthusiasts are oozing with Canadiana. Just prior to the conclusion of the decade, Canadians across the country flocked to their television sets to view the most watched Grey Cup game in history. Added to the Canadian sports landscape for fans was the thrilling final game Tuesday night (despite the result) when Canadians cheered on their hockey stars of tomorrow in the World Junior Hockey Championship and in just over a month Canucks will rally behind their country for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
As evaluation camps, off-season tryouts, the CFL Draft and free agency remain a short time away, December and January is usually a slower time for CFL general managers. But that hasn’t stopped the Argos’ brass from ensuring that their own home grown talent is locked up for the 2010 season and beyond.
General Manager & VP, Football Operations, Adam Rita, Assistant GM Greg Mohns and their crew have not been deceptive as far as what their priority is early on in the off-season: ensure that before any other evaluation begins the Canadian talent that currently resides on the Argos’ roster is locked down.
As the holiday season approached, the Argos inked SB Andre Durie who proved last season that he could be one of the more versatile players on the football field while lining up at receiver, running back and primary kick returner. He quietly finished with 1,033 kickoff return yards which was the fourth-highest single season total in club history. That number puts him in the same company as legends Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons and Raghib ‘Rocket’ Ismail, as well as teammate Dominique Dorsey. There’s already been discussion that Dorsey needs a great nickname but now there’s reason to consider Durie too.
The following day, veteran RB Jeff Johnson was signed through the 2011 season and the contract extension of OG Taylor Robertson was completed shortly thereafter. The first transaction of the 2010 calendar year came only six days in as linebacker Jason Pottinger inked a contract extension with the club on Wednesday.
Perhaps these types of signings do not garner the same headlines as a high-profile free agent pickup that could change the makeup of a team, but locking down four key non-import contributors, all but one of which are still in their 20’s, should prove invaluable for the Argos as they aim to right the ship in 2010.
Robertson, for example, has arguably been the Argos’ best lineman and his impact was immediate when he arrived in 2007 via trade with Calgary. At 29-years-old, Robertson towers at 6-foot-6 and 317 pounds and surprisingly enough, is the longest serving (consecutive) Argonaut lineman. As such, he has quickly gone from being a student to a teacher.
“We’re very fortunate to have Taylor Robertson. He solidifies our offensive line which enables us to play with the same group as last year”, said Rita upon the signing of Robertson. “This continuity allows us to get better in the front as the same guys work together. He gives us veteran leadership in that group and has been a solid player for us since he became an Argo.”
Durie, on the other hand, is someone who has patiently waited his turn, primarily as a special teams contributor. He has, however, excelled in almost every situation when called upon since joining the Argos as an undrafted free agent in 2007 and management believes that the surface is just beginning to be scratched on the potential that the former York standout brings to the table.
In reaction to Durie’s signing, Rita commented, “Andre is going into his fourth year and I think he is just hitting his stride after recovering from a horrific injury several years ago. I admire his courage, fortitude and ability to make plays. I’m looking for even bigger and better things from Andre as he works his way to be featured even more on offence and possibly at punt returner”.
In a time when national pride is on full display across the sporting world, we need not forget how important some of the Canadian signings are to a CFL club early in the off-season. Often, those non-imports that slip away end up becoming difference-makers down the stretch when you least expect them.