Jason Clermont Interviewed - Regina Leader-Post

[WestCoastJoe]

Sour taste for Clermont

Rob Vanstone, Leader-Post November 23, 2007

TORONTO -- Not everyone from Regina is elated over the Saskatchewan Roughriders' presence in the Grey Cup.

B.C. Lions slotback Jason Clermont -- who was named the CFL's outstanding Canadian on Thursday -- still has a sour taste in his mouth over a 26-17 loss to Saskatchewan in the West Division final.

"I couldn't take a razor and scrape it off my tongue,'' Clermont said at the CFL Player Awards. "It's extremely difficult.''

Clermont found it much easier to compliment the winning team.

"We played against a better team on game day,'' the former Usher Unicorns and University of Regina Rams star said. "There's no way around it. Saskatchewan came out and they played us harder than we played. They won the game so, fittingly, they'll be here.''

Clermont underlined the Roughriders' dominance by adding: "They beat us. They beat us up and down the field.''

Does he expect a comparably robust performance from Saskatchewan in Sunday's Grey Cup against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at the Rogers Centre?

"It's tough to play a physical game and bounce back and do the same thing,'' Clermont noted. "As beat up as we are, we don't play this week. I can only imagine that their locker room is feeling a little bit of the same. I think it's going to be a great game either way. I think that it helps that even if you are banged up, you're not playing in the cold.''

Clermont was decorated at the CFL Player Awards for the third time after catching 86 passes for 1,158 yards and seven touchdowns in 2007. He received 37 of a possible 49 first-place votes. Winnipeg defensive tackle Doug Brown was the runner-up.

Clermont was named the outstanding rookie in 2002. Two years later, he captured his first of two outstanding-Canadian awards.

Also in 2004, Clermont was named the outstanding Canadian in the Grey Cup, only to lament a loss to the Toronto Argonauts. The Argos' offensive co-ordinator at the time was Kent Austin, who is now the Roughriders' head coach.

Did Austin's schemes make a difference in the West final?

"I can't comment on that,'' Clermont said. "I can just comment on the way we played. No matter what we draw up, no matter what we scheme, no matter what our plan is, we need to execute it. Obviously, we think we have outstanding players and I think that the league recognizes that. Our players should be able to do whatever our coaches or our organization asks of us and we should be able to win, and we weren't able to do that.''

Clermont was able to derive solace from two award announcements on Thursday. The Rams' Frank McCrystal was named the CIS coach-of-the-year earlier in the day. Clermont lauded McCrystal as someone who was "instrumental'' in his career.

"He brought me into the Rams and I was able to excel there,'' said Clermont, 29, who is a Regina-based realtor with Royal LePage in the offseason.

"Congratulations to Frank. Everybody knows that he's a great coach in Regina and it's good that he can be recognized on a national scale.''

[WestCoastJoe]

"We played against a better team on game day. There's no way around it. Saskatchewan came out and they played us harder than we played. They won the game so, fittingly, they'll be here.''

"They beat us. They beat us up and down the field.''

"I can just comment on the way we played. No matter what we draw up, no matter what we scheme, no matter what our plan is, we need to execute it. Obviously, we think we have outstanding players and I think that the league recognizes that. Our players should be able to do whatever our coaches or our organization asks of us and we should be able to win, and we weren't able to do that.''

Always gracious. Always classy. Jason Clermont makes us all proud.

Part of his heart will always be in Saskatchewan. But part of his heart is also in B.C.

[Thorn in your Paw]

"We played against a better team on game day. There's no way around it. Saskatchewan came out and they played us harder than we played. They won the game so, fittingly, they'll be here.''

"They beat us. They beat us up and down the field.''

"I can just comment on the way we played. No matter what we draw up, no matter what we scheme, no matter what our plan is, we need to execute it. Obviously, we think we have outstanding players and I think that the league recognizes that. Our players should be able to do whatever our coaches or our organization asks of us and we should be able to win, and we weren't able to do that.''

Always gracious. Always classy. Jason Clermont makes us all proud.

Part of his heart will always be in Saskatchewan. But part of his heart is also in B.C.

I agree. There are many Rider fans who want to see Jason as a turncoat or whatever. I's love to see him in Green and White, but I respect him for showing loyalty to the team that drafted him and has treated him well through his career. JC is a top-shelf human being and I wish him nothing but the best in BC for th rest of his career.

[Tighthead]

"We played against a better team on game day. There's no way around it. Saskatchewan came out and they played us harder than we played. They won the game so, fittingly, they'll be here.''

"They beat us. They beat us up and down the field.''

"I can just comment on the way we played. No matter what we draw up, no matter what we scheme, no matter what our plan is, we need to execute it. Obviously, we think we have outstanding players and I think that the league recognizes that. Our players should be able to do whatever our coaches or our organization asks of us and we should be able to win, and we weren't able to do that.''

Always gracious. Always classy. Jason Clermont makes us all proud.

Part of his heart will always be in Saskatchewan. But part of his heart is also in B.C.

I like to think that it is his head that is in BC.

[WestCoastJoe]

I agree. There are many Rider fans who want to see Jason as a turncoat or whatever. I's love to see him in Green and White, but I respect him for showing loyalty to the team that drafted him and has treated him well through his career. JC is a top-shelf human being and I wish him nothing but the best in BC for th rest of his career.

The loyalty of Saskatchewan people to their province and their team is amazing. I work with a guy who has been in B.C. for about 20 years, and he still bleeds Rider Green.

On the other hand, it is bad form for people to have a hate-on for Jason Clermont because, as you say, he chose to re-up with the team that drafted him, and has treated him well.

Let cooler heads prevail.

A toast to Jason Clermont.

[Blitz]

No matter what we draw up, no matter what we scheme, no matter what our plan is, we need to execute it. Obviously, we think we have outstanding players and I think that the league recognizes that. Our players should be able to do whatever our coaches or our organization asks of us and we should be able to win, and we weren't able to do that.''

Now that is leadership from a veteran player!!!!

[No Ordinary Joe]

Jason's not alone in still being sore about last week. I don't know how long it's going to take me to get over that loss, glad to know the players feel it too. Hopefully that'll stick with them all off-season so they'll have the hunger and intensity to ensure that same feeling won't be present at the end of '08.

[Soundy]

[pennw]

Riders did pass up on Clermont in the draft . No real reason for any " hate" towards Jason . Many players play a career away from their home town .

[Soundy]

Riders did pass up on Clermont in the draft . No real reason for any " hate" towards Jason . Many players play a career away from their home town .

Paul Kariya, anyone?

[hoonsagain]

Jason Clermont is probably the toughest SOB slotback I have ever seen in the CFL. There is no doubt he could have made an impact in the NFL, given the chance. Glad he is on our team!

hoons

[wildthing]

Riders did pass up on Clermont in the draft . No real reason for any " hate" towards Jason . Many players play a career away from their home town .

not sure where people get that impression.

Riders did not have a pick before BC to chose Clermont in 2002. Sask's first pick according to CFL.ca was 15th overall, BC had the 4th overall pick, so please explain to me how they passed up on JC? Ottawa passed twice and toronto passed on him though, that would be accurate.

http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=page ... &year=2002

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=page ... &year=2002

Looking at the list now, not a lot of those guys left in the CFL.

Jason Clermont, of course.

BC even picked up Sherko Haji-Rasouli from Montreal. Last time I checked, Brett Romberg was still doing pretty well in the NFL. Those 2 Canadians were excellent O Linemen for a very strong Miami U Hurricanes team.

I guess the Riders management would have been drawn and quartered by the local populace if they had the chance, and passed on drafting Jason Clermont.

Somehow, the rumour/legend is out there that the Riders did just that, passed up that chance. Had they traded away a higher drafting position earlier?

[wildthing]

http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=page ... &year=2002

Looking at the list now, not a lot of those guys left in the CFL.

Jason Clermont, of course.

BC even picked up Sherko Haji-Rasouli from Montreal. Last time I checked, Brett Romberg was still doing pretty well in the NFL. Those 2 Canadians were excellent O Linemen for a very strong Miami U Hurricanes team.

I guess the Riders management would have been drawn and quartered by the local populace if they had the chance, and passed on drafting Jason Clermont.

Somehow, the rumour/legend is out there that the Riders did just that, passed up that chance. Had they traded away a higher drafting position earlier?

Looking at the year, I know the Riders traded for Nealon Green that year it was an o-linemen, RB and draft pick (not sure what pick). This was only easrly in the Shivers era so the pick may have been traded before his tenure?

[TheLionKing]

Speaking of Nealon Greene, what's he up these days ?