I wonder right now how long this discussion will continue! As soon as Kansas City picked up Thigpen Printers was gone to the practice roster. Kansass City will go with Huard, Croyle and Thigpen this year. Printers will either take the practice roster spot or come back to the CFL and right now the CFL is looking like the better option.So, if Printers did come back to the Lions, would you become a season ticket holder to help put more butts in the seats?
If that is the case, we won't be able to sign him at this stage in the season and preferred not to anyway. It means he'll likely be gone to another CFL team, likely Toronto...although he could accept the practice roster spot and wait until the off-season...who knows for sure!
As for Printers putting more fans in the seat he likely would have. The fact is that most of us die hard fans would still support the team if he was here or not. However, Printers provides an opportunity to bring in younger fans and as David as noted, perhaps be able to get us up over that 40,000 mark.
I have no problem with fans who side with Printers or do not want him to return. We all have personal preferences for quarterbacks whose style or personality we like. During Printers 2005 season it was controversial as we had a quarterback challenging an incumbent for the starters position. He was coming off an MOP season and from his point of view he had the right to challenge for it as any player does at any position. Of course the controversy really got out of hand for a lot of reasons that don't need repeating.
However, what drives me crazy is the comments about Printers not being able to read a defense, or that he is a one read quarterback, or that his only skill was taking off and freelancing.
While we have different views and coaches can also make mistakes they are not stupid. They are pros and it's their job to evaluate talent and develop it. George Cortez didn't fall off a turnup truck and he obviously wants Printers in Calgary because he would have been consulted. Burratto has worked with Printers and knows his abilities or they wouldn't be trying to sign him in Toronto. Eight teams aren't interested in a quarterback who can't read a defense, is a one quarterback read, is easy for a defense to figure out.
These teams will likely be offering Printers in the neighbourhood of half a million dollars a season, a big chunk of their SMS. They don't make those offers public and be willing to pay those kinds of dollars for a quarterback who is so criticized on Lionbackers. Burris is probably already very upset in Calgary after just coming off a four touchdown win. I doubt the quarterbacks in Toronto are all that thrilled either but that's the game of pro football...it's about winning, not congeniality contests!!
I'll be happy to have this thing over one way or the other one day! It will be a relief to be able to read the usual threads on Lionbackers that are so good and so informative...because when it comes to Printers or the quarterback controversy rational thought sometimes seem to leave this website with some posters!
Dickenson is a quality quarterback. So is Casey Printers. Buck Pierce looks like he could be a very good one. Jarious Jackson appears to be coming along! It's about choices and winning! It has nothing to do with cell phones (and I have a few thoughts of what I'd like to do with mine
) or some of the other junk that gets posted here!!Wherever Printers ends up...somewhere else or here he's going to be a very good quarterback who will do a lot to help a team win. #*#@ do you think Wally and Ackles and O'Billovich also had concussions when they offered Printers the contract at the end of 2005 to become the Leos starter.
At the same time, Dickenson, when healthy, was a smart, gutsy quarterback who helped us win a lot of games. Buck Pierce came in last season, in his second season and helped win a number of important games. The problem is that we don't know if Dickenson can play again. We don't know if Jarious wants to sign back here as a free agent next season or wether he'll get a better offer and a better situation.
A football team needs depth at quarterback. We've learned that over the past four seasons. For those hoping that Printers signs elsewhere have no idea what our situation could be next season. For those wanting him back right now, regardless of the fact that we're in mid-season, don't seem to understand that having a quartertback like Printers come in mid-season could be very unsettling.
All these kinds of decisions are tough choices, as they were at the end of 2005! They are choices that have ghosts in the past, loyalties in the present, and are very important for our Leos future. We might have preferences and reasons for those preferences but the decisions our Leos may make or may not even get to make are very important and will not be based upon agents, cell phones, or which player likes which player. They weren't in the past and if our Leos get to make a decision they won't in the future!
