Re: Paul McCallum to sign with Lions
Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 12:15 pm
Any scuttlebutt yet on how McCallum has looked in practice so far?
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Both Mccallum and Simon were aging players who were beat out by younger, cheaper players with higher potential. They both chose to extend their career another year. It's a competitive business. Wally is paid to make the hard decisions. If the players had their way, they'd keep playing into old age. You can choose to go gracefully on your own terms, or let the market make the decision. Neither way is right or wrong. Maybe Simon and McCallum had their feelings hurt, but it seems that they have gotten over it.Blitz wrote:
True...but I'm not buying it and neither did McCallum. Certainly Tedford and Wally had to sit down in the off-season and talk about the kicker and punter duties for 2015. Certainly its more than possible that Tedford himself wanted to go with a younger kicker/punter.
But why was McCallum signed in the off-season then? Why was he brought to training camp. And even more, why was McCallum cut only 5 days in? I believe it was pre-arranged to sign McCallum, bring him to training camp, and then try to get him to retire. Don't forget McCallum was a highly paid kicker.
Wally doesn't have to deal with the fallout of not signing him in the off-season and both Tedford and Wally get him to retire. If Tedford didn't want him, he could have said he wanted to go with a younger kicker before training camp and have McCallum released. I highly doubt that Tedford made the decision after only 5 days of camp. They don't even get much done on the first couple of days.
I believe the decision was made before training camp and likely before even signing McCallum. That's what Paul thinks and looking back at the Geroy Simon scenario, Simon also believed that Wally had tried to get him to retire and was having none of it. There was bad blood for Simon, before fences were mended and Simon was hired back here.
A big part of that was the reaction of fans, media, and community who were not happy that one of our greatest Lions ever had not only been traded to the Riders, rather than end his career as a Leo, but was also offered a job in their organization. Pressure was brought to bear, a job was offered to Simon here, and Simon laid down his axe.
Things are not always as straight forward as they seem. Its a nicer way to think that Tedford just came in here and decided that McCallum did not have the leg anymore. I wish I could believe it just happened that way but I don't.
I totally agree that its a competitive business. Hard decisions to have to be made. Many players want to play at least a year past their due date. Wally is paid to make the hard decisions and he has no problem making those hard decisions. Wally has been given credit for making those hard decisions with vets. Sometimes he has been a year too early but most of the time he has gotten them right.Both Mccallum and Simon were aging players who were beat out by younger, cheaper players with higher potential. They both chose to extend their career another year. It's a competitive business. Wally is paid to make the hard decisions. If the players had their way, they'd keep playing into old age. You can choose to go gracefully on your own terms, or let the market make the decision. Neither way is right or wrong. Maybe Simon and McCallum had their feelings hurt, but it seems that they have gotten over it.
maxlion
Dante is our Leos all-time tackles leader. Howe did he find out that he would no longer be a Leo? Marsh received confirmation that he was on the way out after he picked up a packet with his final pay cheque in it — minus an option form for him to sign. This is what Dante said at the time:“It’s not like I went to Las Vegas and partied and posted stuff on Instagram,” Marsh explained. “In 2007, when I tore my MCL, I was allowed to go home for a month and a half. People know my long service. They know I have a history with this team They know I put in the time to stay in shape. I have equity built up. I’d already talked to them about going home. Then I came into the locker room (after the Oct. 11 game against Ottawa) and I heard — ‘If you’re not at the rundown tomorrow, don’t bother coming back.’ Nothing I could do here (rehab) I couldn’t do at home."
To make matters even worse, even though Wally didn't want him back, Wally would not let him find out if other teams interest in him until the end of January, making it tougher for Dante to attempt to sign with another team. Not a respectful way to treat a vet....at all..“Normally, it would be in there,” Marsh explained. “There were some medical forms for me to sign, but it (option form) was missing
That is Wally's thinking but does he have to say it out loud? Aragki has a family, friends, and feelings of his own. Why make the comment?.... We’re not in the fair business. What do I care if a guy’s been here nine or 10 years. He’s paid very well to cover kicks (the one concession the Lions have made, Arakgi is paid like a starter). But he doesn’t have entitlement to an opportunity.