Casey Printers and the Drugstore Cowboys!!

[Blitz]

Shoppers Drug Mart stock is rising faster than a speeding bullet! London Drugs has huge lineups! Pharmasave is running out of a number of non-prescription drugs and are contacting suppliers for emergency shipments!

What is causing this massive increase in demand for drugs like Tylenol 3 and Excedrin to relieve headache pain and remedies like Excedrin, Milk of Magnesia and Tums, to relieve stomach indigestion? There has also been a high demand for sleep medications like Sleep Ease and Sominex and Nytol. Why are drug suppliers scrambling to fill this new demand?

The answer is quite simple. Numbers of anti-Printers Leos fans are having serious trouble with headaches, stomach upset, and not getting enough ‘shut eye’!! The press regarding Casey Printers possibly returning to the CFL has been enough to cause massive mood swings, reduced serotonin levels, and difficulty concentrating due to elevated blood pressure levels in this group!

The so called dressing room chemistry killer, the guy who supposedly can’t read a defense, the guy who has an agent that no one wants to deal with, the so called ‘prima donna hot dog’, cell phone loving quarterback who ‘doesn’t have a Grey Cup ring’ is not only getting a whole lot of attention from the press. He’s getting phone calls and offers from almost every CFL team.

He’s been approached by Toronto, Hamilton, Calgary, Montreal, and B.C. that we know! Well, perhaps not B.C.!! Bob O’Billovich just happened to call Jason Medlock to talk about a defensive lineman this Tuesday!! Or just maybe, he was asking Medlock to keep Printers in the NFL until the end of this season so our Leos could make him a very generous offer. Printers, unfortunately, did happen to slip and mention B.C. as one of the teams that had contacted him. I guess all these teams must certainly want a ‘disruptive influence’ on their team.

So, it looks like a lot of teams, perhaps every CFL team, is very interested in a quarterback that these anti-Printers fans couldn’t stand when he was here and don’t want back. The question is…What do all these CFL teams, general managers, and coaches know about Printers that the anti-Printers fans don’t! Or vice-versa.

It’s a very confusing situation to have so many professionals clamoring for a player that a small but very strong minded group of Leos fans believe is something close to the devil and whom they consider to not be a very good quarterback to boot. Right now, my only guess is that they are in a state of confusion and are likely very frustrated that these general managers and coaches just aren’t able to have the insight they do!

In their delusional state they believed that Dickenson was worth a million dollars on the free agent market while Printers would likely have had little interest elsewhere. I doubt they ever dreamed that our Leos would ever be interested again... even though our Leos were still keeping a very close eye on Printers progress in Kansas City.

I’m a huge Buck Pierce fan and would be thrilled to see him as our quarterback in the future. I was also a huge believer in Printers talent and his ability to lead an offence on the playing field. It’s not easy stuff for me but whatever my personal preferences I’m not going to intentionally run a talented player down just to justify any preferences.

The fact is that Casey Printers has born the brunt of a very disappointing 2005 season unfairly. While I didn’t agree with the decision not to start Printers in the 2004 Grey Cup I understood Wally’s reasoning. Mixed in there, among other factors, was the difficulty of having Printers go into the 2005 season as a Grey Cup winning quarterback with a high priced Dave Dickenson on the roster. Buono hoped to avoid a quarterback controversy that didn’t happen and he would eventually make a lot worse.

Wally Buono has done a great job overall, as general manager and coach of our Leos from 2003-2007. When you look at the collective experience of Bobby Ackles, Bob O’Billovich, Wally Buono, and Dave Ritchie it’s no wonder our Leos football program has been so successful. Buono has high expectations of his staff and players. Perhaps even more important is Buono was the first CFL Head Coach to develop a top notch scouting system that has been an important key to his success.

However, there is one exception, to Buono’s record in B.C. and that’s the 2005 season. I’ve always wondered if Buono wasn’t back 100% from his surgery but he made more mistakes in that 2005 season that probably his entire career before and after. Even though we started out on a long winning streak the mistakes that were made going into that season and during it were significant enough that it ended as a disaster. Wally was often not engaged in games, indecisive throughout the season, and not himself. Those mistakes included:

1 The firing of Steve Burrato, whose offence had led the CFL in 2003, 2004, and would lead the league again in 2006, while hiring Chapdelaine, who was unprepared to lead in 2005 and needed more time as an assistant. We suffered for it in 2005. We couldn’t run the football, effectively, our quarterbacks were killed in the six receiver set empty backfield formations and naked bootlegs, and our offence was very, very predictable for opposition defenses as the season progressed.

2 The underestimating of the need to bring in two import offensive tackles. Instead we started with Powell and ended up with Mo Elonowibi at left tackle, while Mantyka struggled trying to block with one arm at the right tackle position!

3 The decision to have Duncan O’Mahoney be both our punter and place kicker, even though he had not place kicked before. Wally not only made the decision but stuck with the decision far too long and it hurt.

4) The inability to recruit defensive backfield depth. When Mark Washington got hurt we experimented with Kidd at safety, Miles at halfback, and a variety of defensive backfield combinations. By the time we eventually got it fixed, our season momentum was gone.

5) The handling of the quarterback situation, from the off-season when Buono said there would be a competition for the starters position after fans were incensed after the ’04 Grey Cup, the decision to wait until Game Day to name a starting quarterback, to the decision to have a tryout between Dickenson and Printers to determine who would start in the Western Final. It frankly got bizarre!

The quarterback controversy, while being a factor and Casey Printers himself is too often the focus as the main reasons for the lack of success in that season. There were a whole lot of factors that made that season disappointing just as the quarterback position was only one of many factors that enabled us to win a Grey Cup in 2006. Wally was back to his usual self in 2006 as a decisive, confident, coach who established a team culture that was professional, positive, and focused. However, the ghosts of that season have not gone away, even with a Grey Cup victory because the decisions of that season still resonate.

I won’t lose any sleep either way. If we have Buck to lead us in the future…great! Just hope he can stay healthy, in the future, because he could become a very good one. In fact he already is. If we sign Printers we’re getting a very exciting quarterback that a lot of teams really want and for good reasons.

In the meantime, while all this furor and excitement about Printers, plays itself out, have some sympathy for the anti-Printers Leos fans! It’s not been a good week for them and most are not feeling well!! :no:

[West Coast Blue Fan]

Sportsnet is reporting it's between the Lions and TiCats for CP

[Solar Max]

Looks like you'll get your wish, Blitz.

Care to wager on what the ST total will be next year?

[Gerry]

Shoppers Drug Mart stock is rising faster than a speeding bullet! London Drugs has huge lineups! Pharmasave is running out of a number of non-prescription drugs and contacting suppliers for emergency shipments!

What is causing this massive increase in demand for drugs like Tylenol 3 and Excedrin to relieve headache pain and remedies like Excedrin, Milk of Magnesia and Tums, to relieve stomach indigestion? There has also been a high demand for sleep medications like Sleep Ease and Sominex and Nytol. Why are drug suppliers scrambling to fill this new demand?

The answer is quite simple. Numbers of anti-Printers Leos fans are having serious trouble with headaches, stomach upset, and not getting enough ‘shut eye’!! The press regarding Casey Printers possibly returning to the CFL has been enough to cause massive mood swings, reduced serotonin levels, and difficulty concentrating due to elevated blood pressure levels in this group!

The so called dressing room chemistry killer, the guy who supposedly can’t read a defense, the guy who has an agent that no one wants to deal with, the so called ‘prima donna hot dog’, cell phone loving quarterback who ‘doesn’t have a Grey Cup ring’ is not only getting a whole lot of attention from the press. He’s getting phone calls and offers from almost every CFL team.

He’s been approached by Toronto, Hamilton, Calgary, Montreal, and B.C. that we know! Well, perhaps not B.C.!! Bob O’Billovich just happened to call Jason Medlock to talk about a defensive lineman this Tuesday!! Or just maybe, he was asking Medlock to keep Printers in the NFL until the end of this season so our Leos could make him a very generous offer. Printers, unfortunately, did happen to slip and mention B.C. as one of the teams that had contacted him. I guess all these teams must certainly want a ‘disruptive influence’ on their team.

So, it looks like a lot of teams, perhaps every CFL team, is very interested in a quarterback that these anti-Printers fans couldn’t stand when he was here and don’t want back. The question is…What do all these CFL teams, general managers, and coaches know about Printers that the anti-Printers fans don’t! Or vice-versa. It’s a very confusing situation to have so many professionals be clamoring for a player that a small but very strong minded group of Leos fans believe is something close to the devil and whom they consider to not be a very good quarterback to boot. Right now, my only guess is that they are in a state of confusion and are likely very frustrated that these general managers and coaches just aren’t able to have the insight they do!

In their delusional state they believed that Dickenson was worth a million dollars on the free agent market while Printers would likely have had little interest elsewhere. I doubt they ever dreamed that our Leos would ever be interested again... even though our Leos were still keeping a very close eye on Printers progress in Kansas City.

I’m a huge Buck Pierce fan and would be thrilled to see him as our quarterback in the future. I was also a huge believer in Printers talent and his ability to lead an offence on the playing field. It’s not easy stuff for me but whatever my personal preferences I’m not going to intentionally run a talented player down just to justify any preferences.

The fact is that Casey Printers has born the brunt of a very disappointing 2005 season unfairly. While I didn’t agree with the decision not to start Printers in the 2004 Grey Cup I understood Wally’s reasoning. Mixed in there, among other factors, was the difficulty of having Printers go into the 2005 season as a Grey Cup winning quarterback with a high priced Dave Dickenson on the roster. Buono hoped to avoid a quarterback controversy that didn’t happen and he would eventually make a lot worse.

Wally Buono has done a great job overall, as general manager and coach of our Leos from 2003-2007. When you look at the collective experience of Bobby Ackles, Bob O’Billovich, Wally Buono, and Dave Ritchie it’s no wonder our Leos football program has been so successful. Buono has high expectations of his staff and players. Perhaps even more important is Buono was the first CFL Head Coach to develop a top notch scouting system that has been an important key to his success.

However, there is one exception, to Buono’s record in B.C. and that’s the 2005 season. I’ve always wondered if Buono wasn’t back 100% from his surgery but he made more mistakes in that 2005 season that probably his entire career before and after. Even though we started out on a long winning streak the mistakes that were made going into that season and during it were significant enough that it ended as a disaster. Wally was often not engaged in games, indecisive throughout the season, and not himself. Those mistakes included:

1 The firing of Steve Burrato, whose offence had led the CFL in 2003, 2004, and would lead the league again in 2006, while hiring Chapdelaine, who was unprepared to lead in 2005 and needed more time as an assistant. We suffered for it in 2005. We couldn’t run the football, effectively, our quarterbacks were killed in the six receiver set empty backfield formations and naked bootlegs, and our offence was very, very predictable for opposition defenses as the season progressed.

2 The underestimating of the need to bring in two import offensive tackles. Instead we started with Powell and ended up with Mo Elonowibi at left tackle, while Mantyka struggled trying to block with one arm at the right tackle position!

3 The decision to have Duncan O’Mahoney be both our punter and place kicker, even though he had not place kicked before. Wally not only made the decision but stuck with the decision far too long and it hurt.

4) The inability to recruit defensive backfield depth. When Mark Washington got hurt we experimented with Kidd at safety, Miles at halfback, and a variety of defensive backfield combinations. By the time we eventually got it fixed, our season momentum was gone.

5) The handling of the quarterback situation, from the off-season when Buono said there would be a competition for the starters position after fans were incensed after the ’04 Grey Cup, the decision to wait until Game Day to name a starting quarterback, to the decision to have a tryout between Dickenson and Printers to determine who would start in the Western Final. It frankly got bizarre!

The quarterback controversy, while being a factor and Casey Printers himself is too often the focus as the main reasons for the lack of success in that season. There were a whole lot of factors that made that season disappointing just as the quarterback position was only one of many factors that enabled us to win a Grey Cup in 2006....like Wally was back to his usual self in 2006 as a decisive, confident, coach who established a team culture that was professional, positive, and focused. However, the ghosts of that season have not gone away, even with a Grey Cup victory because the decisions of that season still resonate.

I won’t lose any sleep either way. If we have Buck to lead us in the future…great! Just hope he can stay healthy, in the future, because he could become a very good one. In fact he already is. If we sign Printers we’re getting a very exciting quarterback that a lot of teams really want and for good reasons.

In the meantime, while all this furor and excitement about Printers, plays itself out, have some sympathy for the anti-Printers Leos fans! It’s not been a good week for them and most are not feeling well!! :no:

Nice way to twist it and assign motive, Blitz.

But hey, it's a free country and we're all entitled to our opinions. Fill yer boots.

[Dan_Payne_fan!!]

Sportsnet is reporting it's between the Lions and TiCats for CP

120 is probably screaming at the top of his lungs with excitement

[PigSkin_53]

Honesty and the courage to speak the truth are rarely rewarded with humility and contrition, when dealing with the envy of cowards and weaklings who lie in wait of but a turn of tongue to vent their poisonous vapors for their enemies to choke upon.

Honesty needs not the recognition of vipers, but only those who love and hold upon its sweet savored taste.

[Gerry]

Honesty and the courage to speak the truth are rarely rewarded with humility and contrition, when dealing with the envy of cowards and weaklings who lie in wait of but a turn of turn of tongue to vent their poisonous vapors for their enemies to choke upon.

Honesty needs not the recognition of vipers, but only those who love and hold upon its sweet savored taste.

To what and whom are you referring, PigSkin_53? Those are pretty strong words.

[Yank In BC]

Honesty and the courage to speak the truth are rarely rewarded with humility and contrition, when dealing with the envy of cowards and weaklings who lie in wait of but a turn of turn of tongue to vent their poisonous vapors for their enemies to choke upon.

Honesty needs not the recognition of vipers, but only those who love and hold upon its sweet savored taste.

[PigSkin_53]

Honesty and the courage to speak the truth are rarely rewarded with humility and contrition, when dealing with the envy of cowards and weaklings who lie in wait of but a turn of turn of tongue to vent their poisonous vapors for their enemies to choke upon.

Honesty needs not the recognition of vipers, but only those who love and hold upon its sweet savored taste.

To what and whom are you referring, PigSkin_53? Those are pretty strong words.

If you have to ask that Scatchy, you've already answered your own question!

[rb]

The so called dressing room chemistry killer... the so called ‘prima donna hot dog’

I think Murphy's comments were somewhat biased, but also contained a reasonable amount of truth regarding many ex-teammates' feelings toward Printers. I don't think so many of them would feel that way if he were the innocent little fawn in the whole situation.

It was a weird scenario, and Wally and Dave didn't help matters with their actions/reactions, but Casey wasn't just some poor victim of it all, I'm pretty sure of that.

[Blitz]

Looks like you'll get your wish, Blitz.

Actually I'm kinda torn right now Solar Max for next season. I like Buck a lot and Jarious is coming on and hope it continues. I would be happy going into next season with Buck and Jarious and that was what I was anticipating before this recent announcement by Kansas City and Printers.

At the same time a Printers/Pierce combination looks pretty good too. I probably feel even stronger about not wanting to see Printers with another team than joining our Leos.

However, you can never have enough depth if you can keep everyone content enough. We' ve sure had our quarterbacks injured over recent years so it's obviously a concern.

The problem I've always had is that some Dickenson loyalists went overboard on Printers bashing just like I've had a problem with the bashing that Jarious has had, especially since his role was as a third string quarterback. There is no other third stringer in the league that could come close to what he's been able to do this season.

I'm not sure if a Printers/Pierce combo would work although we do have Buck under contract for a number of seasons. However, Dickenson fans kept saying that Buck needed more 'tutelege' from Dickenson so maybe he could use more tutelege from a former MOP quarterback like Printers. I'm just being facetious...I don't believe Buck needs more tutelege...just using it as an example of the things that are sometimes said on here.

I just have always believed that some of the things said about Printers have been over the top. He's a very good quarterback who will only get better with time and a good system to play in. Buck Pierce is a very good quarterback too. Jarious has some serious talent if he can put it all together and gets the playing time to work things out....it will take him a few games to do that!

Actually I really think we have been very lucky to have been able to watch Dickenson, Printers, Pierce, and Jarious lately. A huge treat from the days of Damon Allan!

[Solar Max]

I'll go out on a bit of a limb here, and predict that you won't see a Printers/Pierce one two punch. Not only are they both bona fide starters, but Pierce has earned the right to start here, and if not here, then somewhere else.

That would not be selfish, IMO; it would be exactly the same as what Casey did in trying the NFL in an attempt to better his own situation. Buck would come back to haunt, because that's football karma. Ask another Ottawa fan about Tom Clements and Condredge Holloway some time, because I still have nightmares.

Dave's reaction goes without saying, and he'd be entirely justified in it.

[WestCoastJoe]

Actually I really think we have been very lucky to have been able to watch Dickenson, Printers, Pierce, and Jarious lately. A huge treat from the days of Damon Allan!

Copy that.

If your biggest problem is figuring out how to maximize your team's play by choosing from amongst a stellar group of QBs, that is pretty cool.

Like a lot of us on here, I even look forward to seeing Gino get his chance. It was almost a case of his first CFL pass being for a Touchdown. It took an uncalled penalty to deny him that. What a wealth of QB talent is in the Lions' orbit. Now we just have to get all the stars aligned.

[WestCoastJoe]

In the TSN tape of the Leos-Als game, Wally was quoted as saying Gino just may have something special in his game too.

[Gerry]

Honesty and the courage to speak the truth are rarely rewarded with humility and contrition, when dealing with the envy of cowards and weaklings who lie in wait of but a turn of turn of tongue to vent their poisonous vapors for their enemies to choke upon.

Honesty needs not the recognition of vipers, but only those who love and hold upon its sweet savored taste.

To what and whom are you referring, PigSkin_53? Those are pretty strong words.

If you have to ask that Scatchy, you've already answered your own question!

Humour me. I don't understand the reference to "Scatchy" either. Do I have to Google it, or will you explain that for me as well?

I don't want to presume what another person means if the intent is not clear to me, and yours is not.

Thank you.