Lionbackers.com

Andrew Harris was just interviewed on Global TV.

Our Leos starting tailback since part way through the 2011 season has played for quarterbacks Travis Lulay, Rob DeMarco, Mike Reilly, Kevin Glenn, and Jonathan Jennings is gone, it appears. Another big name Leos veteran leaves disgruntled.

Harris basically said in his interview that "there has been frustration" , "the amount of effort he has put into this club has not been reflected back', "the writing is on the wall", and "he wants to play in a place where he is comfortable".

Not good

maxlion wrote:I'm genuinely curious what he means when he says he didn't get much back. He's well paid, loved by fans, and has been the most featured player in our offense for several years in a row. What does he want?

“That is something that we’ll talk about in personnel meetings,” began Tedford of Harris’s status. “I think he carried the ball 42 times more than anybody else in the league, so he had his opportunities, and had a good year as far as stats we're concerned. He led the league in total offence. I think he did a good job, but whatever his future is, I am not sure of.”

Blitz wrote:

maxlion wrote:I'm genuinely curious what he means when he says he didn't get much back. He's well paid, loved by fans, and has been the most featured player in our offense for several years in a row. What does he want?

Likely a contract that he believes reflects his value and past contributions, respect ( Wally saying that Harris needed to prove himself over the remaining games of the regular season before making a contract offer would not be considered respect) and likely an offensive system that he believes in (our offence finished 8th in most categories this season).

He said he really wanted to win a CFL rushing title as a goal and I highly doubt being sat after the 1st quarter sat well with him as Messam played 3 quarters for Calgary so that Messam could reach his goal, and Harris probably lost a big bonus by not winning the rushing title.

We haven't won a playoff game in 4 years and that probably is frustrating too, as is our play calling, in which some games Harris is utilized well and other games in which he is basically ignored or forced to run into brick walls when we try to run out of the spread.

Lots of reasons for Harris to want a change of scenery.

MexicoLionFan wrote:I am an Andrew Harris fan and like WCJ, I will continue being a supporter no matter where he plays.

CardiacKid wrote:It is par for the course that all manner of professional athletes conduct contract negotiations through the media. Earlier today i was reading how Harris "bleeds orange". I think all these comments need to be taken with a grain of salt; at least until we get closer to when the rubber hits the road in February.

WHERE IS NO. 33’s BEST FIT


Andrew Harris, the team’s free agent running back, describes the time he will take this off-season to contemplate his future landing spot as “self-reflection.”

To him, it’s all about family considerations and business opportunities, but also finding a so-called happy place. But the way he was speaking Monday, B.C. might not be that place.

In perhaps the most telling comment of the day, Harris told reporters: “The way this has gone, there has been frustration. The amount of effort and things I have put into this club, I feel hasn’t been reflected the same way back to me and I have to reassess that. I want to go through the next couple of years, being comfortable in a place where I am happy. Being a B.C. Lion has been a happy place for me and it’s been a great journey, but I really have to reassess where I want to be next year.”

Speculation for the 1,039-yard rusher is Winnipeg and his hometown Blue Bombers, but Harris stressed at points that he could still see himself finishing his career here in Vancouver.

Harris’s game-by-game rushing totals were the true definition of up and down. He had games of 119, 118, 117 and 100 yards rushing, but he also had games of two and three yards, and two others where he rushed for 10 yards.

With all of that said, he still finished second in the league rushing race to Montreal’s Tyrell Sutton, who with his team out of the playoff race, passed him on the final day of the regular season.

Harris did admit Monday that he would have liked to have seen more of the ball, but was quick to point out that at the same time, the team was finding success getting it to other players.

“So for me it’s not a selfish thing,” he said, stressing that he just wanted to be more involved in helping his team find success.

Tedford, prefacing all of his personnel-related comments Monday by stressing that the team’s regular season had just finished 24 hours ago, was told of Harris’s comments.

“That is something that we’ll talk about in personnel meetings,” began Tedford of Harris’s status. “I think he carried the ball 42 times more than anybody else in the league, so he had his opportunities, and had a good year as far as stats were concerned. He led the league in total offence. I think he did a good job, but whatever his future is, I am not sure of.”

Qman wrote:Harris doesn't have the burst he once did ... I think he's lost a step.

Its better to bring in a import back and have an unlimited supply of backups.

Rather they spend Harris's $$$ on a Cdn O-lineman where you have some cdn depth.

“That is something that we’ll talk about in personnel meetings,” began Tedford of Harris’s status. “I think he carried the ball 42 times more than anybody else in the league, so he had his opportunities, and had a good year as far as stats were concerned. He led the league in total offence. I think he did a good job, but whatever his future is, I am not sure of.”

Sir Purrcival wrote:Yeah, seems a pretty sad testament to a player who has done nothing except work really hard for this team. It always seemed that Andrew has had to swim upstream in a strong current in this regime. This organization has an unenviable legacy when it comes to player treatment. I know it is a cutthroat business but loyalty is also a part of this business. He has put his body on the line for this team for years and deserves more than a waffling, half-assed endorsement (if you can call it that) from his head coach especially given he could have been the leading rusher in the league and often was the only offensive weapon in the Lions toolbox. I wonder how Tedford would feel about Wally making a similar speech about him?

For shame Lions, for shame.