Admirals Insider: Suber Finds A Home In Argos Secondary

DANIELE FRANCESCHI – ARGOS ADMIRALS INSIDER

TORONTO – Standing at a modest five-feet, seven-inches tall, Alex Suber is the shortest member of the Toronto Argonauts’ hard-hitting, ball-hawking secondary.  However, don’t let his small stature fool you.  Suber is one of the most athletically gifted defensive backs in the Canadian Football League. 

The 27-year-old Tampa Bay, Florida native is a quarterback’s worst nightmare.  He scours the field for play-making opportunities and executes in a very tactical manner.  Suber’s speed provides him with a distinct advantage against lanky wideouts who attempt to expose his lack of size.  He is deceptively quick and adds a different dimension to a youthful Argonauts secondary.

The Boatmen acquired Suber in a trade with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on September 2, 2014.  In six games as a member of the Double Blue, Suber has totalled 17 tackles and one interception. He is currently occupying one of the Argonauts’ starting halfback positions, playing alongside his “partner in crime”, safety Jermaine Gabriel.

When asked to comment on what it is like to share the field with Suber, Gabriel promptly responded, “It is fun.  He is a fast player and he’s extremely dynamic.”

“Alex can get to the ball and he likes to fly around out there,” added the Argos’ sophomore safety.  “It is great to have someone with that kind of speed helping you out on the back-end.”

Suber is no stranger to playing within Tim Burke’s complex, fast-paced defensive schemes.  The Argos’ veteran defensive back enjoyed three productive seasons while under the tutelage of Burke as a member of the Blue Bombers.  In fact, Suber was a key contributor on the Bombers’ 2011 East Division championship squad, a team that boasted a stout defence which earned the nickname, “Swaggerville”.

“I’m really comfortable in this defence,” commented Suber following Wednesday’s practice. “Having played under coach Burke before, it’s been relatively easy for me.  Over the course of the past couple months, my coaches and teammates have helped me a lot.”

Interestingly, the Argonauts’ secondary has adopted a nickname of their own.  The aforementioned Jermaine Gabriel has been credited with labelling the Boatmen’s brash secondary as the “killer bees”. 

So, how exactly did Gabriel conjure up such a compelling moniker?

Well…

“It happened during training camp,” recalled Gabriel.  “On film, I saw how we were flying around and getting to the ball so I wanted to establish a label for our group.  I figured that the term, ‘killer bees’, is something that best describes our identity.”

As for Suber, he is simply grateful to be a part of such a tight-knit defensive unit.  The Middle Tennessee State product has been instrumental in reinforcing the prevailing ideological premise behind Gabriel’s “killer bees” mantra. 

“They’ve adopted me into it.  It’s about playing with an attitude, playing aggressive, and getting nasty,” stated Suber.  “We’re always focused on making plays and having the opposition feel intimidated when going to battle with us.” 

Off the gridiron, Suber is enjoying the cultural diversity that corresponds with living in the City of Toronto.  Moreover, he has already become accustomed to the hustle-and-bustle GTA lifestyle.   As a matter of fact, Suber often travels to the Argos’ practice facility at Downsview Park via the TTC’s subway services.

“I love Toronto,” declared a jubilant Suber.  “I love the city.  I’ve been comfortable ever since I arrived.  I loved Winnipeg and there are plenty of good people in that town but it was just time for a fresh start.  I’m happy to be here.”

In discussing the significance of size as it pertains to the halfback position, Suber was quick to note that an individual’s physical composition doesn’t necessarily define his/her level of proficiency in a particular sport or activity.  All that matters is an individual’s desire to succeed.

In many ways, Suber is perseverance personified.  He has worked tirelessly to overcome adversity and defy the fundamental principles of pro football, which argue that a five-foot-seven defensive back cannot be successful in the CFL.  Suber has never been discouraged or offended by any of the negative feedback that he has received throughout the course of his football career.  The Argos’ international halfback prides himself on being a leader both on and off the gridiron. He takes everything with a grain a salt and strives to prove his pundits wrong.

“There’s always going to be critics,” acknowledged Suber.  “If I was taller, they’d say I was too tall and can’t keep up with smaller receivers.  I’m just blessed to have the abilities that I have and you’ll never hear me complain about being short.”

“As for the secondary, I’ve been impressed with these guys,” added Suber.  “We’re playing a lot of press-man coverage which is something that a lot of teams are reluctant to do.  Our guys are nasty and aren’t afraid to get into somebody’s face.”

Insider Extra – Do or Die

It seems as though the Toronto Argonauts have been playing post-season football for the past month, as every contest has been a virtual “must-win” scenario for the Double Blue.  Nevertheless, there is no game more important than this Sunday’s tilt against the Montreal Alouettes.  A victory will propel the Argonauts to first place in the CFL’s Eastern Division with just one week remaining on the 2014 regular season schedule.  A loss, however, could result in catastrophic repercussions and perhaps spell the end of the Argos’ playoff aspirations.

“It’s do or die,” said Gabriel of this Sunday’s divisional showdown against the Alouettes.  “It’s been do or die for the past three or four weeks.  Every week is a playoff game for us and we’re just trying to play the best football that we can in order to come out on the winning end.”