ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO – Argos DT Kevin Huntley has had Friday’s game against the Montreal Alouettes marked on his calendar since last November. He also had some choice words for a few receivers on the opposition. The all-star interior lineman spent his entire off-season reflecting on his club’s bitter 48-17 loss in last year’s East Final. He waited patiently all off-season for the chance to again meet the team that handed him, and his teammates, that loss.
Huntley didn’t mince words. This game is not only about the win and gaining some sort of retribution from the team that humbled the Argos, it also has a personal element for the third-year player.
Kevin Huntley’s comments stem from the East Final and are targeted at Montreal’s leading receiver Jamel Richardson. According to Huntley, he believes Richardson took liberties near the end of the Argos’ 2010 finale and then allegedly gloated by celebrating with fellow pass-catcher S.J. Green.
“If you want to cheap shot me and act like you are a big man because you knocked me down when I didn’t see you, then that’s fine. I’m going to make sure they see me,” Huntley said.
His comments stem from the East Final and are targeted at Montreal’s leading receiver Jamel Richardson. According to Huntley, he believes Richardson took liberties near the end of the Argos’ 2010 finale and then allegedly gloated by celebrating with fellow pass-catcher S.J. Green.
The exact details of the play are still undefined but, when probed, the towering defender did not back down from his original comments and was very candid the day before the Argos headed to Montreal.
“I stand strong by what I say. I don’t ever say anything that I don’t mean. I congratulate them on winning the [East Final] and winning the Grey Cup, but I thought the way they acted and conducted themselves in the final moments of that game was unnecessary.”
Personal war of words aside, Huntley is by no means going into the Argos’ week 3 matchup with selfish goals in mind. Ultimately, he wants to win the game.
“I will never jeopardize the integrity of our defence,” he explained. “What comes first to me is; what I am supposed to do along with my teammates?”
“If you want to cheap shot me and act like you are a big man because you knocked me down when I didn’t see you, then that’s fine. I’m going to make sure they see me”.
– DT Kevin Huntley
“We feel good. We had a great week of practice and we feel like it is redemption time. The East Final has been on everybody’s mind because that is all we have talked about since everyone came back, so you watch film and it gives you goose bumps.”
Retribution on the scoreboard is one thing but seeking it on a specific player is another. It is something that Huntley may take advantage of if the opportunity arrives but he also assures that it will be done fair and within the rules of the game.
“I take it personally. I thought about it all off-season and I want to pick up [Richardson] and dump him on his head. If I get around any of their receivers, especially [Richardson and Green], my plan is to pick them up, turn them over and dump them on their head as an example as to what not to do to me.”
“It wasn’t illegal – I didn’t say it was illegal, I said it was cheap,” Huntley said of what he thought Richardson and Green did to him and his teammates last November. “What I am going to do will be legal.”