Breaking News... Printers cut!

[Blitz]

Sometimes life aint fair and when it isn't....it can damage the soul...

I try to look at the situation through Casey Printers eyes.

I sign with the B.C. Lions in 2003, for $60,000 a season. I make the team as the third string quarterback. I play four pro snaps my first season. I learn. In my second pro season, I come to camp really prepared, working out hard in the off-season and watch a ton of film. I compete hard at training camp and am moved up on the depth chart to the backup quarterback position behind Dave Dickenson, who was signed as free agent to a huge contract in 2003. Dickenson gets hurt in each of his first three games and I go in. I get my first pro start in my fourth game. I'm excited.

My first season as a pro starter becomes magical. Steve Burratto is my offensive coordinator and he guides me on the sidelines. He's a very experienced coach who won a Grey Cup. He tales a lot to me on the sidelines, advises me, calms me when I need it, shows confidence in me. We are winning, the football we're playing is exciting. I hurt my toe badly. Its turf toe, a bad one. I get it shot up before every game. The pain is unbelievable but I'm going to keep playing. They've built me a special shoe. The crowds grow larger and larger, the excitement builds. I play my game, attacking, running, escaping. I pump up the crowds. What's this? There are only a few games to go and my offensive coordinator is now kicked upstairs to the spotters booth. Chapdelaine, the receivers coach is now on the sidelines calling the plays. He doesn't talk to me. He just signals plays to me. and ignores me on the sidelines.Our game plans become more conservative. Still, we're winning. Everyone says I'll win the Most Outstanding Player Award. In the Western Final, I hurt my shoulder. Dickenson comes in. Things look bad as McCallum lines up for a winning field goal, a chip shot. He misses!! We win the game in overtime. We're going to be in the Grey Cup. My shoulder is ok and I'll be starting again next week in the Grey Cup, the Big Dance. I have a chance to lead our team, after this special season, to a Grey Cup victory over a weaker Toronto team. What? I'm not starting? I'm the league MOP. I've played all season with a painful turf toe. Dickenson has lobbied hard for the start. I say nothing. My teammates are shocked and say nice things to me. The game is played. I never get in for one play. I feel very hurt and disillusioned. We lose the game. I worked my ass off all season as the starter. It doesn't seem fair. I say nothing.

The season is over. I'm not sure what to think. The media and press are all over Wally. The Grey Cup is huge in Canada. Most of the sporting nation in Canada is furious that I didn't even get into the game. Coach Burratto is not returning and Chapdelaine is now the offensive coordinator. I'll miss him. I say nothing. Coach Buono, with the vast majority of B.C. Lions fans furious with him, announces that I will get to compete with Dickenson next season at training camp for the starters job. I wonder if he's just trying to pacify upset B.C. Lions fans. Buono offers me a new contract. It pays me less than Dickenson. The message is clear to me. Dickenson is their guy. Chapdelaine is the offensive coordinator and he and Dickenson are very tight. Dickenson has a strong contigent of players loyal to him. My shoulder is hurt from playing with the turf toe and wearing the special shoe.

I go to the 2005 training camp and basically say that this is Dickenson's team. I know I can't win this competition. Dickenson has the press and media with him..they see him as the underdog little guy with the huge heart. He's also a smart quarterback, on and off the field. Chap is in his corner. Dickenson returns as the starter but gets hurt often. I learn I'm starting against Saskatchewan just before the game. Chap has known that Dickenson has had back spasms for a couple of days but no one prepares me for a potential start until just before game time. Whenever Dickenson and I are both healthy, Wally won't announce the starter until just before game time. However, Dickenson always seems to know ahead of time..and its always him. The media is going crazy, running with the quarterback controversy. The media glare is relentless and they all seem to be on Dickenson's side, waiting for me to say something they can turn into a huge story. I wish Wally would just name the starter at the beginning of the week. The whole team feels that way. I believe in myself and say so. I've proven I can start and lead this team but I try as best I can to not stirr anything up. The media attention is relentless. lot of politics going on behind the scenes. ILater that season, my shoulder is worse. I'm being pushed to play through the pain but a shoudler cuff injury needs rest.

I'm told I have to learn to fight through the pain.I can't even raise my arm above my shoulder. I can't practice except to throw underhand. I start the last 6 games of the season but Dickenson is healthy by the last regular season game but Wally starts me. Dickenson wants in and keeps walking in front of the coaches. They put him in but take him out again. It looks like I'll start the Western Final. Dickenson is very rusty. Wally announces to the media that Dickenson and myself will compete during the next two weeks to see who will start the Western Final. I know its a joke. Chap and Dickenson are very tight. There are leaks to the media from the Dickenson contigent. Dickenson starts and looks rusty. The offensive line is a patchwork, with Mantyka hurt and Mo Elonowibi starting at left tackle. We're losing to third place Edmonton. The game plan is conservative and predictable. Wally puts me in with three minutes to go. Not much time. I think I''m throwing the winning touchdown when Simon is interfered with. No call. The season is over..no Grey Cup chance this year.

Post game is a scramble, with Dickenson being interviewed by one group of media and myself by another. Its time to pack up the bags for another off-season. The NFL Kansas City Chiefs are very interested. Wally offers me a big contract to become our Leos starter for 2006. Its a tough decision. Warren Moon advises me to stay in B.C. My agent advises me to go to the NFL. I know if I return to B.C. Chapdelaine will be the offensive coordinator and he will be furious that Dickenson will not be the guy. The press and media will not be happy. There will be a small but strong powerful group of players who will be upset. It's not a good situation in B.C. The NFL is a dream opportunity that may not come again. I decide to take it.

I report to Kansas City. Herm Edwards is the new coach. It's not a good thing. He's very conservative offensively. For that season and the next training camp I practice and play exhibition games with the third stringers. I outplay Brodie Coyle but he's a Number one draft choice. My NFL dream is over. The CFL is still a great opportunity. Every CFL team is interested. Wally phones me but tells me he's interested in me for the following season. I want to play now. Montreal is the place I decide to go but I will be backing up there the following season. Hamilton offers me huge money and the opportunity to start. They tell me they will build an offence around my strengths. I change my mind and take the Hamiton offer. Hamilton turns into a nightmare. The team is in disarray, the talent is very weak, and I run for my life after one second in the pocket. I thought I could carry this team on my back. They thought I could be a savior and so did I. I was wrong. Hamilton cuts me.

No one is interested in me until B.C. calls me. Wally has always been a guy who has said good things about me. Even though he had always chosen Dickenson in the past, Dickenson is gone as our most of his old loyalists. Chap is still there but Wally ensures me he won't be a problem. I'm low on the depth chart but injuries take place quickly and I'm back behind center. It almost feels like 2004 again. The magic returns at times. Things work out very well. I start in the playoffs and play well against Hamilton in the Eastern Final. Playoff wins during the Waly regime in B.C. have been few and far between. However, we stink out the place against powerful Montreal.

Wally offers me a new contract and names me the starter. I go into the 2010 season with a lot of optomism. The press start writing positively for a change. Chapdelaine and Dorazio make a lot of offensive line changes during the off-season. The experriment continues through training camp and the start of the season. Chap wants to run the football less. He wants me to stay in the pocket and manage the offence and not try to do too much. Execution is the key. However, I hurt my knee, I can't excape, and there is no time often for second or third reads. There are no swing, screen, or draw plays. We got off to a bad start. I'm looking after the football, throwing few interceptions and not fumbling. Chap wants to avoid mistakes as does Wally. This is not attack offence the way I like to play it but I'm starting. However, I have a bad game, trying to do too much to escape the blitz, and fumble three times. I start the next game and fumble two more times. We're stil leading 9-0 but I'm pulled and Travis Lulay replaces me.

However, Lulay starts the next three games. He doesn't play well but we're mostly winning. The writing is on the wall. Chap wants Lulay and the coaching staff is going in a different direction. I'll likely be gone at the end of the season. Lulay hurts his finger and Wally puts me in for mop up time. The team comes apart, which has nothing to do with me, and suddenly we're in overtime. Winnipeg is fired up, their rush furious. I complete 4/6 passes, make some key secon down completions but we're losing in the second overtime and I'm sacked on first down. I throw a bad pass to Wilson, under pressure, and its intercepted. It all comes out..all the frustation, the bad luck of the team collapsing when I went into the game, the knowledge that I'll be blamed for the loss, playing in a frustrating Chap offence, the ghosts of not being given the start in the Grey Cup, the Kansas City situaton, Hamilton, playing hurt, the constant Casey haters, etc. the writing on the wall. I blow it all to smithereens at my good friend O'Neil Wilson. I self-destruct. The dream is over!!!!!!!!!!!!

[joe kapp22]

Well, here is the way I see it Dylan:

"Casey was not given a fair shot"

Let me speak about that idea, you are probably right, when CP played the team, the offence, was a mess, injuring his knee made things worse. However, there is no such thing as "fair" in football, that implies a guarantee of an opportunity and football does not work like that, football is a Right Now sport, when an opportunity comes along a player must seize it and make the most of it by any means they have to use.

Casey did not do so, Lulay did, I'm not 100% behind the release of Printers at this point in time and feel Wally B took a huge gamble in so doing.

[truth-hurts]

@pauser,

As QB you are either a starter or a backup. The starter's job is to go out and get it done. The back ups job is to be ready to go in, and be good teammate. Printers failed at both roles. WB would have risked losing the entire team if he has basically said "well, this guy is playing like crap, treating his teammates like crap, but he's a QB so we'll keep him around". WB could have kept Printers on the sideline as the #3, but as long as he was on the team he would be a divisive figure while Lulay and JJ would always feel like CP was lurking over their shoulders. There is a very good chance that CP would not have set foot on the field again in 2010, but what damage might he have done to the team from the sidelines?

I'm surprised at the move, but I can understand it. If WB is sending a message to the rest of the team that he believes in them, and that no one player is above the team, then I support WB in this move.

Great post Belize...

[truth-hurts]

You can't throw your teammate under the bus like he did. I don't care if emotions got the best of him. Totally bush league. Wally must have had it, here he is thinking he's coaching a professional football team, and he has to deal with all these undisciplined babies. I wonder if Casey would have liked it if O'Neil Wilson would have yelled at him to the point where one of the Hamilton coaches had to break it up, after Casey fumbled away the game against the ti-cats?

Quite honestly, I was very disappointed with Casey's overall performance yesterday. On top of the team's choke job. I don't know if Lulay is the answer, but with him I get the sense there's more to be seen/untapped potential. I think Casey was pretty what you see is what you get. He's no longer the guy from 2004 (really the only time he's done anything in the CFL.)

I totally agree!

[truth-hurts]

Last game he was better period . His early games were poor and got him those bad stats , but you overlook the experience level of the two in this comparison .Two QB's going in opposite directions . Lulay is the future , CP is gone . From football period IMO .

Was he really? This is the same Lulay who put up a measley 1/5 for 4 yards in the first quarter. Are you seriously saying that was better than Casey? This is the same Lulay who put up a measly 8 points in the first half, after getting shutout in the first half of his last start. Really?? You can't be saying this with a straight face...Lulay had 1 great quarter last game, after a game where he won the game with his legs. That's it. Printers has been our best QB this season by and gave us the best chance to win.

Ah, duh, Pauser, that's what pennw is saying. Is stats and numbers all you got to backup your reason why Casey is our best QB this season? WHO CARES??? At this point of the season don't we just wanna WIN? Does it matter if Lulay puts up 4/20 for 125 yards for a WIN? It's a WIN for goodness sakes! But I guess according to you Casey putting up 20/20 for 500 yards for a LOSS is so much more admirable. "Numbers versus WINS". "6 yrs experience and not getting the job done versus 2 yrs experience and getting the job done." Since you like numbers so much, why don't you do the math? Oooops, sorry. Guess you can't. Casey's no longer here to do the math!

[bclions16]

Id ayn't spellin, Sparky. Idz too differnt wurds. Fare nuff?

Oh my! I couldn't care less about spelling and grammar here. I'll call people out for certain things, but that "ayn't" one of them, Sparky. Thoughts are written quickly and errors are perfectly acceptable given the nature of the medium. It wasn't me that pointed out a spelling mistake (if "fare" is spelled f-a-i-r it's still a spelling mistake), I was pointing out the irony and minutia of CatsEyes making the correction. I also find this post ironic: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18923&p=273406#p273406

[bclions16]

I try to look at the situation through Casey Printers eyes.

You are totally entitled to your opinion, and these are still just the basic opinion you have long held. Framing it "through Casey's eyes" doesn't change the the fact that much of this is just your opinion and not fact or CP's thoughts.

[jerepeters]

I have been a hugh Casey printers fan ever since he came on the scene with the BC lions yesterday I was so ticked that I think what I had put on lionbackers was removed cause of language my mistake the Tantrum he had in Wnnipeg was dumb plain dumb. I feel betrayed as a fan of Casey Printers I have all his Jerseys signed got pictures with him, but in all it's not all casey's doing either Like Coach Buono said it's the players they put on the field and if Casey was a cancer why didn't the whole team say something to him it is a team game maybe they did the offence coach should be gone out of here the whole team melted down against winnipeg we had a huge lead did we not I am 1st Nations and in our culture we have warriors I have a son and family we have season tickets I tell them about this warrior for the BC Lions he wears # 1 Jersey for the BC lions. well Casey was not a Warrior against Winnipeg

I do not know who to be mad at I am angry with the BC Lions for letting Casey go but I always will be a Bc Lions fan I may not be football savy in some senses but do like to read what other fan's have to say on here lionbackers

[Spud387]

Sometimes life aint fair and when it isn't....it can damage the soul...

I try to look at the situation through Casey Printers eyes.

I sign with the B.C. Lions in 2003, for $60,000 a season. I make the team as the third string quarterback. I play.........

Get piece of writing. Ever thought of getting into FICTION novels? :p

That is your opinion on what his thought process might have been. Don't try to convey it as anything else.

People here seem to be taking too hard of a stance one way or another. I have never been a huge Casey fan (I was always in DD & Buck's corner), but I don't necessary feel his play warranted him getting released. If the decision was performance based, I thought he deserved another game. If there were other reasons, I support the decision.

Trying to sell him as a saint or as a pitiful person is laughable guys.

[footbrawler]

That is such a load of....... I have seen all the QB throw tantrums this year. Casey being released was just to cover up a BIGGER problem with the BC Lions. This year whether it's been the O-Line ( not being able to block squat), injuries, penalties, lack of confidence and just overall lack of discipline, the Lions have issues. It is hard to say anything negative against Wally, but all he has done by making this decision is defer all the talk to Printers instead of the major problems he has with his club. If this is the correct move, then i guess the Lions will win out and win the Grey Cup, right ???????? Yeah right.

Wow, I just took time and read all the posts on the recent move ( Casey Printers ) in the Lions den. Other than the Pauser and a few others, I did not realize there were so many easily diverted Lions fans. Anyone who believes that Printers was the issue should actually start watching some BC Lions football games!!!! He was simply a SCAPEGOAT for the Lions. The only player that has actually been able to stay upright and not scramble for his life has been Geroy. Good job, 100% passer rating. Yeah it was Casey's fault the Leos blew another lead going into the final quarter. I would like to congratulate Buono. He has gotten virtually everyone in this province to talk about this ( Printers release ) move, rather than his undisciplined, out of sync football team.

[Whisperin' Jimmy]

I have never been a huge Casey fan (I was always in DD & Buck's corner), but I don't necessary feel his play warranted him getting released. If the decision was performance based, I thought he deserved another game. If there were other reasons, I support the decision.

Some very thoughtful posts here. I would agree that Casey's performance on the field perhaps did not justify this dramatic, late-season dismissal. But there is more going on here. The Thanksgiving Day Collapse was a soul-destroying, confidence-sapping nightmare. How do a team and its fans get past that?

In 1757 Admiral Lord Byng of the British Royal Navy failed to prevent Minorca from being captured by the French. His own side court-martialled him and put him in front of a firing squad. The French were perplexed by the barbarity of this. But the writer Voltaire explained the real reason for Byng's execution: in England, he noted, "...il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral pour encourager les autres." (Sometimes it is worthwhile to kill one admiral, to encourage the others.)

You can't sack Davis and Sanchez and Mitchell and Printers and a half dozen others who lost their minds in the fouth quarter. But you need a big, dramatic gesture to turn the page. And Casey was: a.) the last guy to embarrass us on Monday, and b.) a guy who didn't produce any redeeming upside and looked expendable, and c.) a leader with greater responsibility than his comrades.

Casey in our scenario is Admiral Byng. Admit it, don't we all feel better now? I was down in the mouth over the humiliation of that loss and debating whether I really felt like making the transit trek to Empire on Saturday. Now I'm hopeful again. The page is turned. If the players feel the same way, then Wally has done his job.

(Why, yes, I did quote Voltaire. Pretentious? Moi?)

[Blitz]

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the release of Casey Printers and his breaking of the unwritten code amongst professional athletes.

There is no question that Casey Printers broke the code by embarrassing a teamate publically on the sidelines. As a quarterback and leader, he is expected to present a high standard of professionalism and he didn't.

There is also no question that O'Neil Wilson also broke the code. He engaged with Printers, lightly pushed Printers and played a role in the verbal altercation. He is held to a lesser standard as a player but there should have been consequences.

There is no question that Wally constantly breaks the code by publically embarrassing players in the press and media. Wally's almost schizofrenic approach to who will be our starting quarterback, since Grey Cup 2004, from Dickenson to Printers to Pierce to Jackson back to Printers, Lulay, etc. has hurt the emotional fabric of our Leos team. You can't keep changing your offensive leader like he has and not expect frustration. Dickenson was frustrated with Wally as wes Printers, Pierce, and Jackson. Wally's unpredictable regarding starting quarterbacks creates problems and his often public criticism of them is a code breaker.

There is no question that Angus Reid badly broke the code by publically airing out his views of an ex-teammate and player in a very derogatory way. Reid is a veteran and a leader. His comments included discussion of the dressing room, a place that is the inner sanctum of the players. Reid's comments will not go down well with some of his teammates.

In the end, Casey Printers has been criticized for being a selfish individual. Printers, off the field, was a very unselfish person. Printers is no more selfish that most pro players. Angus Reid talked about Dave Dickenson and how he handled things. Dickenson was very selfish. He went to Wally before the 2004 Grey Cup game and demanded to play. In 2005, in the last regular season game, Dickenson paced back and forth, in front of his coaches, in a public display of wanting to replace Printers, who was starting. The difference between a Dickenson and a Printers is not selfishness but emotional intelligence. Dickenson knew how to conduct himself. He knew how to lobby his case privately. If there was one serious problem that Casey Printers had was that he lacked emotional intelligence and emotional maturity.

Angus Reid also lacks emotional intelligence. Printers was released. All Reid had to say was we support Lulay and move on. Wally, who is media savvy, at least explained his decision, without a lot of additional comment, and wished Casey Printers well.

Right now, based upon the Winnipeg game, there is a lack of emotional intelligence on our Leos team. We've lost 6 games this season while leading in the fourth quarter. When pressure hits, we don't have the emotional maturity as a team to deal with adversity. Comments by Reid , blowups by Sanchez. Brown losing his cool at a rookie teammate on the field, Phillips and Marsh arguing over whose fault it was all reflect a lack of emotional maturity.

If our Leos team is to come back from the disaster of Winnipeg and a season and a miserable season so far. individuals on this team need to take the high road. Wally needs to assume responsibility and accountabilty. If he criticized players privately, supported individuals publically, and stopped trying to deflect attention away from himself when things go wrong, he would be respected more by his players. It would really enhance team unity.

If vets like Angus Reid, as a spokesman for the team took the high road, rather than airing out his comments about Printers the way he did, younger players would see how player leaders are supposed to operate, rather than hear him on television venting stuff that shouldn't be discussed with the press and media. Of course the press and media love Angus for a quote but it did nothing in terms of player leadership in moving the team forward or setting an example.

Its time for everyone on this team to step up, especially the coaching staff and player leaders. You don't dig yourself out of a hole this way. Hopefully, we can see a higher standard the rest of the way this season. It starts with Wally. It starts with player leaders. It trickles down.

Its time the Code was in effect for every Leo!!!!

[ik17]

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the release of Casey Printers and his breaking of the unwritten code amongst professional athletes.

Yeah... about 8 different threads worth. Another one can't hurt.

[Lion Guy]

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the release of Casey Printers and his breaking of the unwritten code amongst professional athletes.

There is no question that Casey Printers broke the code by embarrassing a teamate publically on the sidelines. As a quarterback and leader, he is expected to present a high standard of professionalism and he didn't.

There is also no question that O'Neil Wilson also broke the code. He engaged with Printers, lightly pushed Printers and played a role in the verbal altercation. He is held to a lesser standard as a player but there should have been consequences.

There is no question that Wally constantly breaks the code by publically embarrassing players in the press and media. Wally's almost schizofrenic approach to who will be our starting quarterback, since Grey Cup 2004, from Dickenson to Printers to Pierce to Jackson back to Printers, Lulay, etc. has hurt the emotional fabric of our Leos team. You can't keep changing your offensive leader like he has and not expect frustration. Dickenson was frustrated with Wally as wes Printers, Pierce, and Jackson. Wally's unpredictable regarding starting quarterbacks creates problems and his often public criticism of them is a code breaker.

There is no question that Angus Reid badly broke the code by publically airing out his views of an ex-teammate and player in a very derogatory way. Reid is a veteran and a leader. His comments included discussion of the dressing room, a place that is the inner sanctum of the players. Reid's comments will not go down well with some of his teammates.

In the end, Casey Printers has been criticized for being a selfish individual. Printers, off the field, was a very unselfish person. Printers is no more selfish that most pro players. Angus Reid talked about Dave Dickenson and how he handled things. Dickenson was very selfish. He went to Wally before the 2004 Grey Cup game and demanded to play. In 2005, in the last regular season game, Dickenson paced back and forth, in front of his coaches, in a public display of wanting to replace Printers, who was starting. The difference between a Dickenson and a Printers is not selfishness but emotional intelligence. Dickenson knew how to conduct himself. He knew how to lobby his case privately. If there was one serious problem that Casey Printers had was that he lacked emotional intelligence and emotional maturity.

Angus Reid also lacks emotional intelligence. Printers was released. All Reid had to say was we support Lulay and move on. Wally, who is media savvy, at least explained his decision, without a lot of additional comment, and wished Casey Printers well.

Right now, based upon the Winnipeg game, there is a lack of emotional intelligence on our Leos team. We've lost 6 games this season while leading in the fourth quarter. When pressure hits, we don't have the emotional maturity as a team to deal with adversity. Comments by Reid , blowups by Sanchez. Brown losing his cool at a rookie teammate on the field, Phillips and Marsh arguing over whose fault it was all reflect a lack of emotional maturity.

If our Leos team is to come back from the disaster of Winnipeg and a season and a miserable season so far. individuals on this team need to take the high road. Wally needs to assume responsibility and accountabilty. If he criticized players privately, supported individuals publically, and stopped trying to deflect attention away from himself when things go wrong, he would be respected more by his players. It would really enhance team unity.

If vets like Angus Reid, as a spokesman for the team took the high road, rather than airing out his comments about Printers the way he did, younger players would see how player leaders are supposed to operate, rather than hear him on television venting stuff that shouldn't be discussed with the press and media. Of course the press and media love Angus for a quote but it did nothing in terms of player leadership in moving the team forward or setting an example.

Its time for everyone on this team to step up, especially the coaching staff and player leaders. You don't dig yourself out of a hole this way. Hopefully, we can see a higher standard the rest of the way this season. It starts with Wally. It starts with player leaders. It trickles down.

Its time the Code was in effect for every Leo!!!!

If the dressing room is this inner sanctum you speak of; how do you possibly know that Dickenson went to Wally and demanded to play? You know this? Are you privvy to this inner sanctum?

As for "the code" and Wally breaking it; it's his to break. He is the boss. He sets the rules.A lot of people here don't like that, West Coast Joe, Blitz, The Lion King at al, but like it or not it's his team to handle how he wants. If they do well so be it, if they don't he'll have to deal with the fallout.

It is our to team to cheer for and being a fan we always know what's best for the team. Don't we.

Perhaps Csey leaving leaving will put an end to the "back in 2004" posts. Its over, he's gone and never to return. So we need to ask ourselves do we still want to cheer for the Lions regardless? I know I do.

[CatsEyes]

At some point we should probably consolidate these threads.

Workin on it!