How Much of a Disraction Was Printers...Really??

[Blitz]

From the Vancouver Sun....

While there has been considerable turnover in the Lions locker-room since Printers left, the few holdovers from 2004 say they don't anticipate any problems and insisted that Printers's divisive presence within the room was overblown.

"I've been thinking the last few days while there's been a lot of Casey Printers talk that he was never a distraction here," said receiver Geroy Simon. "Maybe for [the media], that's something you guys wanted to pursue. But in that locker-room he was never a distraction. We were very comfortable with him here."

Simon, who enjoyed some good chemistry with the strong-armed pivot, said he believes Printers has learned from the adversity of the last few years and will be a better quarterback.

Centre Angus Reid also downplayed Printers's reputation for being a cancer in the locker-room.

"I think a lot of the issues were not locker-room issues. They were other things that got spilled out in the media. I don't really recall anything actually being bad in the locker-room. Casey's a good guy."

[Lionut]

It all depends if the team is winning or losing. When you are winning, a guy like Casey is just "outspoken", a "free spirit", etc., and it is no problem. When you are losing, everything gets on your nerves. It's at that point that players with outsized personalities become irritating. Then again, when you are losing, everything bugs you - the music in the room, the food, the temperature on the bus, your teammates, etc.

[Rammer]

It all depends if the team is winning or losing. When you are winning, a guy like Casey is just "outspoken", a "free spirit", etc., and it is no problem. When you are losing, everything gets on your nerves. It's at that point that players with outsized personalities become irritating. Then again, when you are losing, everything bugs you - the music in the room, the food, the temperature on the bus, your teammates, etc.

Truer words were never spoken for team situations in general, let alone when that team/player is in the media spotlight like the Lions and the frenzy that the media can stir all on their own.

[Lion Guy]

It's history now anyway. He's here and I wish him well; for all our sakes.

Go gettum CP!!

[PigSkin_53]

The biggest distraction was not knowing who would start the GC in 2004 which continued on into the following season, and though I realize there is a reason and a strategy for doing so, there is also great risk of drawing too much attention to competative Qb’s, and causing division in their fan’s support to who should be starter and who should be backup.

The unfortunate side of this is the sports media (LU & MB excluded), who drink up this sort blood like wine.

[Spud387]

It's history now anyway. He's here and I wish him well; for all our sakes.

Go gettum CP!!

Get who? He is on the practice roster :p

[Lion Guy]

It's history now anyway. He's here and I wish him well; for all our sakes.

Go gettum CP!!

Get who? He is on the practice roster :p

Future tense.

[WestCoastJoe]

In regard to 2004 and 2005 ...

Dave Dickenson was sensational in his early years while he was healthy. He sliced and diced his way through the league.

When he was hurt, Casey got his chance. With a totally different style, very athletic, very intuitive, with lots of improvisation, throwing on the run, and scrambling, Casey also tore up the league.

There was a natural competitiveness between the 2 amazing QBs, and a natural desire for each to be the starter. That is not an easy situation.

Add in the disruptive, interfering agent/uncle and it was easy for Casey to "look" like a bad guy. His teammates did not think that.

Wally did not think that. He offered Casey top CFL money to come back in 2006 as the starter. Casey wanted to take his shot at the NFL. Why not? Who could pass up such an opportunity? Flutie, Garcia, Moon, Ray, Burris. They all take the shot when they get it.

After a long, roundabout journey, with many lessons along the way, Casey is back, where he started. It won't happen right away, but the story has many chapters still to be written ...

[David]

I do recall an alledged incident in 2004 when Casey's star was on the rise. CP kept Beamish waiting to get his story, while he showered first etc., and then deigned to talk to him "on Casey time" (sports writers have very tight deadlines in which to file stories after 7:30pm games conclude, and like to get their quote and get out of locker rooms). He never recovered in that writer's eyes and IMHO, most stories in the Vancouver Sun thereafter painted Casey in a slightly negative light.

If indeed he ever was the spoiled, coddled prima donna quarterback portrayed in the media, after this week's media interviews, I feel he's matured into just a likeable, well-spoken, humble man.

DH

[LFITQ]

Media savvy and what not out of the way. My main concern with Casey is whether or not he can play. In 2004 he started tailing off as defenses tightened up around him and his reading of them began to decline. In 2005 we saw more decline and and an injury prone Casey. Now how much of that had to do with saving himself for a shot in the NFL and general dissatisfaction with the Lions, who knows. Then we have the debacle in Kansas City and eventually the inability to get anything going in Hamilton.

There are still lots of questions in my mind if Casey can play at the level he once achieved (was it a flash in the pan?).

the media portion of it is the least of my concerns. He has a decent agent now and he has done some maturing. That part has been taking care of IMHO.

Now can he still be "The One" as in the marketing poster I have of him hanging on my wall? That is what I am curious about.

[CatsEyes]

He never recovered in that writer's eyes and IMHO, most stories in the Vancouver Sun thereafter painted Casey in a slightly negative light.


DH

Don't you mean painted him in a "Neg-a-tive Li-i-i-i-ght!"

[obs]

The biggest distraction was not knowing who would start the GC in 2004 which continued on into the following season, and though I realize there is a reason and a strategy for doing so, there is also great risk of drawing too much attention to competative Qb’s, and causing division in their fan’s support to who should be starter and who should be backup.

I think Buono lated admitted that he mishandled the situation between Dickenson and Printers.




Then we have the debacle in Kansas City and eventually the inability to get anything going in Hamilton.

Jason Maas did nothing in Hamilton, either. (And he hasn't done anything since!)

[hwgill]

Then we have the debacle in Kansas City and eventually the inability to get anything going in Hamilton.

Jason Maas did nothing in Hamilton, either. (And he hasn't done anything since!)

True, no one seems to remember that NONE of the QB's in Hamilton over the years could do anything, Printers was just the last of the series. Even Williams didn't do much after.

[Hambone]

I've long been of the opinion that most locker/dressing room distractions, QB controversies and goaltending controversies are 90% media-induced events to generate readership or to fuel the jock talk shows........and 10% reality. Even if there is some truth I don't believe it comes close to impacting a given team of professionals to the extent the media would like everybody to believe.