The Wrecking Crew!!
Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:31 pm
Gone are the days of our offensive line being out of shape, easy to beat, and lacking an identity!
Our offensive line arent' 'hogs' and no defensive lineman would ever think of calling them 'fat, sassy pigs'! There is no pork up front on our offensive line...it's all prime grade beef!
Our offensive line now has an identity, a strong sense of teamwork, and most importantly, an attitude unmatched in the league, in terms of aggressiveness and a desire to dominate opponents.
If I was able to create a name for them I would call them "The Wrecking Crew" due to their ability to completely dismantle defensive lines. Lets have a closer look:
Rob Murphy-Left Tackle (6'5", 310) "Demolition Foreman"" Murphy in his first season, in the critical left tackle spot with a right handed quarterback, protects the blind side. Murphy spent time with four different NFL clubs, including Kansas City, Indianapolis, San Francisco, and Detroit, seeing action in 26 NFL games before joining our Leos. Murphy, as we're all aware, was named the CFL top offensive lineman in his debut season. He gave up one sack or no sacks depending on whose version one hears, but his ability to protect our quarterbacks and anchor the offensive line from the tackle position was a key to our Grey Cup 2006 season. Murphy quickly established a new reputation for our offensive line in 2006 by beating on Joe Montford in their first encounter. Relentless, unforgiving, aggressive, protective of his teammates, and a leader Murphy quickly established a new 'don't mess with us' attitude that carried over to his teammates. When his football days are over Murphy will be negotiating real estate contracts...and he'll be good based upon his work on his own contract this past season.
Kelly Bates-Left Guard (6'3", 296 ) "Heavy Moving Foreman" Bates has started for us since 2003 but really established himself last season as a high calibre offensive guard. Bates is a country boy from Humbolt, Saskatchewan and brings that tough nosed, country attitude with him to his left guard position. Bates, playing beside Murphy really elevated his game in 2006, displaying a more aggressive approach to blocking the run while also really improving on blitz pickup. Bates is most comfortable in a pickup truck with country music on the radio, and a fishing pole in the trunk when he's not knocking heads with the opposition's defensive tackle. Kelly will be a physical education teacher when football is over.
Angus Reid: Center (6' 1", 305) Heavy Construction Foreman. You have to be tough and smart to play offensive line against today's complex CFL defenses. You have to be especially smart to play center because the center has to make all the line blocking calls. He has to read the defense with the same ability as a quarterback. We got Angus Reid in a trade with Montreal, sending Adriano Belli back east to bring local boy Angus Reid back to his roots. Reid played at Vancouver College and SFU, where he was an all-American. What most fans don't know is how incredibly strong Reid is or how much he does for the community. He's played for us for five seasons and while he was an all-star in the past Reid is just entering his prime as a center and that is good news for us and bad news for the opposition. Owns his own personal printing business when not making crucial offensive line calls.
Sherko Rasouli: Right Guard (6'6', 326) "Cargo Handling Foreman" Sherko is our biggest offensive lineman and he's a load. Sherko began his trade with our Leos by playing every offensive line position as a backup but got his opportunity to start at right guard after Singh got injured and he took full advantage of it last season. Sherko played on one of the best offensive lines ever in college football in Miami and it was only a matter of time that he became the last of that unit to make it as a successful pro. Even when Singh offered to take a major salary cut the Leos wanted to go with Sherko again this season as our starting guard. He's still young, huge for an offensive guard. and can manhandle big defensive tackles. He's only going to continue to get better. A sharp guy in finance and marketing!
Jason Jiminez: Right Tackle (6'7", 320) "Explosives Foreman"" Jiminez has not recieved the accolades that Murphy has at the tackle position..in part because Murphy plays the challenging left tackle position and in part because of a few very over aggressive penalties that Jiminez took last season. However, due to those factors, it's been overlooked how physically dominating that Jiminez can be...he's without question our most physically dominating lineman..and he plays with a serious edge. The former Green Bay Packer also plaYed lacrosse in college as well as football. He can speak four languages but the language he displays most on the football field is non-verbal.....he can completly physically break down an opposition defensive end and he is so strong and so physical and so aggressive that he can be a nightmare to play against because he'll keep pounding on a guy! Jason's future after football could be in law. Don't mess with his dog Champ!
These guys are going to 'wreck' a lot of defensive plans this season. With hard work they are only going to get better. Playing together for their second season together they will protect our quarterbacks even more effectively this season, open bigger holes for the running game, and create even more anxiety for defensive lines and linebackers before each Leos game. With Dorazio as "The Wrecking Crew' supervisor they are such a key to our Leos opportunity to win a second Grey Cup!!
Our offensive line arent' 'hogs' and no defensive lineman would ever think of calling them 'fat, sassy pigs'! There is no pork up front on our offensive line...it's all prime grade beef!
Our offensive line now has an identity, a strong sense of teamwork, and most importantly, an attitude unmatched in the league, in terms of aggressiveness and a desire to dominate opponents.
If I was able to create a name for them I would call them "The Wrecking Crew" due to their ability to completely dismantle defensive lines. Lets have a closer look:
Rob Murphy-Left Tackle (6'5", 310) "Demolition Foreman"" Murphy in his first season, in the critical left tackle spot with a right handed quarterback, protects the blind side. Murphy spent time with four different NFL clubs, including Kansas City, Indianapolis, San Francisco, and Detroit, seeing action in 26 NFL games before joining our Leos. Murphy, as we're all aware, was named the CFL top offensive lineman in his debut season. He gave up one sack or no sacks depending on whose version one hears, but his ability to protect our quarterbacks and anchor the offensive line from the tackle position was a key to our Grey Cup 2006 season. Murphy quickly established a new reputation for our offensive line in 2006 by beating on Joe Montford in their first encounter. Relentless, unforgiving, aggressive, protective of his teammates, and a leader Murphy quickly established a new 'don't mess with us' attitude that carried over to his teammates. When his football days are over Murphy will be negotiating real estate contracts...and he'll be good based upon his work on his own contract this past season.
Kelly Bates-Left Guard (6'3", 296 ) "Heavy Moving Foreman" Bates has started for us since 2003 but really established himself last season as a high calibre offensive guard. Bates is a country boy from Humbolt, Saskatchewan and brings that tough nosed, country attitude with him to his left guard position. Bates, playing beside Murphy really elevated his game in 2006, displaying a more aggressive approach to blocking the run while also really improving on blitz pickup. Bates is most comfortable in a pickup truck with country music on the radio, and a fishing pole in the trunk when he's not knocking heads with the opposition's defensive tackle. Kelly will be a physical education teacher when football is over.
Angus Reid: Center (6' 1", 305) Heavy Construction Foreman. You have to be tough and smart to play offensive line against today's complex CFL defenses. You have to be especially smart to play center because the center has to make all the line blocking calls. He has to read the defense with the same ability as a quarterback. We got Angus Reid in a trade with Montreal, sending Adriano Belli back east to bring local boy Angus Reid back to his roots. Reid played at Vancouver College and SFU, where he was an all-American. What most fans don't know is how incredibly strong Reid is or how much he does for the community. He's played for us for five seasons and while he was an all-star in the past Reid is just entering his prime as a center and that is good news for us and bad news for the opposition. Owns his own personal printing business when not making crucial offensive line calls.
Sherko Rasouli: Right Guard (6'6', 326) "Cargo Handling Foreman" Sherko is our biggest offensive lineman and he's a load. Sherko began his trade with our Leos by playing every offensive line position as a backup but got his opportunity to start at right guard after Singh got injured and he took full advantage of it last season. Sherko played on one of the best offensive lines ever in college football in Miami and it was only a matter of time that he became the last of that unit to make it as a successful pro. Even when Singh offered to take a major salary cut the Leos wanted to go with Sherko again this season as our starting guard. He's still young, huge for an offensive guard. and can manhandle big defensive tackles. He's only going to continue to get better. A sharp guy in finance and marketing!
Jason Jiminez: Right Tackle (6'7", 320) "Explosives Foreman"" Jiminez has not recieved the accolades that Murphy has at the tackle position..in part because Murphy plays the challenging left tackle position and in part because of a few very over aggressive penalties that Jiminez took last season. However, due to those factors, it's been overlooked how physically dominating that Jiminez can be...he's without question our most physically dominating lineman..and he plays with a serious edge. The former Green Bay Packer also plaYed lacrosse in college as well as football. He can speak four languages but the language he displays most on the football field is non-verbal.....he can completly physically break down an opposition defensive end and he is so strong and so physical and so aggressive that he can be a nightmare to play against because he'll keep pounding on a guy! Jason's future after football could be in law. Don't mess with his dog Champ!
These guys are going to 'wreck' a lot of defensive plans this season. With hard work they are only going to get better. Playing together for their second season together they will protect our quarterbacks even more effectively this season, open bigger holes for the running game, and create even more anxiety for defensive lines and linebackers before each Leos game. With Dorazio as "The Wrecking Crew' supervisor they are such a key to our Leos opportunity to win a second Grey Cup!!