Tillman Approaches Buono and Murphy After Losing to Them

[WestCoastJoe]

Tillman had beef with Buono

Rob Vanstone and Darrell Davis, Leader-Post

Published: Sunday, September 23, 2007

The Saskatchewan Roughriders' general manager was Eric The Red-Faced after Saturday's 37-34 loss to the B.C. Lions on Taylor Field.

As the Lions celebrated a last-minute victory, Eric Tillman approached B.C. head coach Wally Buono, shook his hand, and extended congratulations. The remainder of the conversation was not as cordial.

Tillman went on to articulate his view that two Lions offensive linemen - Rob Murphy and Sherko Haji-Rasouli - should have been ejected from the CFL game for alleged indiscretions during an on-field rumble late in the first half.

I told Wally what I thought,'' Tillman said. "I told him, 'You're too good a football team and you're too good a person to condone that,' but the fact that it continues to go on is a direct reflection on the head coach.

"At the end of the day, he's accountable for his team. The fact that sort of thing continues to go on after the whistle over and over and over again is a reflection on their head coach. The sad thing is they are a great football team with a lot of good football coaches and that sort of stuff takes away from greatness.''

According to Tillman, the Lions' Rob Murphy had John Chick by the throat with his fist cocked while holding down the Roughriders defensive lineman. Tillman also offered his view that Haji-Rasouli was guilty of kneeing.

Murphy did receive an unnecessary roughness penalty, but remained in the game. Haji-Rasouli was not penalized. Receiver Cory Rodgers was the only Lion to be disqualified.

"Both guys should have been ejected,'' Tillman said of Murphy and Haji-Rasouli. "The last time I checked, grabbing a guy by the throat and holding him on the ground was against the rules.''

Tillman was also disappointed with the outcome. Geroy Simon's 33-yard touchdown reception with 34 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter supplied the winning points.

"You give them credit for coming back,'' Tillman said. "It was a heavyweight boxing match. We had opportunities to win this game. To their credit, they made plays that prevented us from doing so. Give them credit.

"My issue is not with them being an outstanding football team. They are an outstanding football team and they're very well-coached and they're very talented, but as I said to Rob Murphy at the end of the game, Rob Murphy is a great player, as I've said many times. He doesn't have to do the other stuff. His play speaks for itself. He's an all-star player.''

Buono, for his part, is a future Hall of Fame coach.

"I know it's Wally and I know he expects us to bow at his legendary feet, but don't expect us not to stand up for our football team,'' Tillman said. "The same rules apply to him that do to us.''

While Tillman was breathing fire, Buono was less anxious to discuss the post-game chat.

"Honestly, I can't comment on what was said,'' the Lions' coach-GM said. "That's not something that I feel like discussing. What happens on the field, I've said over and over again, stays on the field.

"You walk off the field, tempers cool down, (and) you want to discuss it? I could be reached.''

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/ ... a5&k=80834

[WestCoastJoe]

Tillman should not approach and talk to players on the opposing team after a game.

Stay off the field, ya little piss ant. You are not a coach or a player. You are a little, red-haired, piss ant.

Cal Murphy was right all those years ago.

[cromartie]

Clash of the Egos.

[OrangeShoes99]

Tillman fails to acknowledge Chick ripping off Murphy's helmet. I thought Murphy was quite restrained in his response.

[joesports]

Tillman should go and watch the incident over again and then comment on why Murphy was holding Chick by the throat after Chick gave him a few shots and ripped Murphys helmet off. If you can gripe about how our team is coached then you had better look at yourselves. Talk about calling the kettle black.

[cromartie]

Tillman fails to acknowledge Chick ripping off Murphy's helmet. I thought Murphy was quite restrained in his response.

There's a whole lot of Rider folk failing to acknowledge anything any of the Riders players did. Not surprising.

Tillman's pity play about Chick being a diabetic at halftime was high comedy. (Not that Chick being a diabetic is high comedy, mind you, good on him for being able to compete with it).

[Blitz]

Just another example of a team being beaten and trying to deflect the loss. Tillman's comment about 'bowing at Buono's legendary feet' is completely out of line!!

Opposition teams have really done a great job of campaigning against Murphy and Jiminez because they are so good!! Tillman needs to answer two questions: Why did Rodgers, a small receiver, jump into a pile of huge defensive lineman and start punching them? Secondly, why did one of his players rip off Murphy's helmet before Murphy got angry!

Murphy is going to get a warning at least from the league and he is going to have to be careful in the future. Opposition teams are doing whatever they can to get an edge and they are focuing on our offensive lineman to try to get some officiationg calls against us and take away our aggression. It's disgraceful but then again winning is the name of the game and that's their focus!!

On a side not...Murphy and Jiminez get most of the publicity but Reid, Bates, and especially Rasouli are having excellent seasons. Buono wanted Rodgers to shut up and not keep complaining about being thrown out because he didn't want to lose Rasouli.....and people underestimate how good Rasouli has become!!

[West Coast Blue Fan]

Can someone please post a pic of Murphy ready to go Forrest Griffin on John Chicks grill.

Those of us at the Great Bear Pub last night couldn't get enough of that.....Chick looked like a little b#tch flailing his hands so as not to get destroyed.

Rob Murphy rules.

[Tighthead]

Tillman lacks the gravitas to say what takes away from greatness.

[nelson95]

Tillman is a spikey-headed closet-dweller

[Rick James]

I wear my Murphy jersey proudly. This game is played by men. Murphy Rasouli and Rodgers should hold their heads up cause they have each others backs. This incident was about sticking up for your teammates, and in my opinion the three of them did us proud. Something happened at the bottom of that pile and our boys weren't going to sit back and take it.

Rider fans will whine cause that is what they do.

[Gforce in Edmonton]

Tillman should go and watch the incident over again and then comment on why Murphy was holding Chick by the throat after Chick gave him a few shots and ripped Murphys helmet off. If you can gripe about how our team is coached then you had better look at yourselves. Talk about calling the kettle black.

You got evidence of that? Cause there's sure a lot of video evidence to justify suspending Roussili...Just curious...

[LFITQ]

You got evidence of that? Cause there's sure a lot of video evidence to justify suspending Roussili...Just curious...

Guess you weren't watching the game then. Because it was plain as day when Chick puts Murphy in a headlock and pops his helmet off. Murphy says enough is enough and puts one hand on Chick's upper chest and holds him there daring him to get try and get up. Chick then starts to make the ultimate turtle move.

It's right there in the tape - all one has to do is open their eyes to it. In fact it's even on the same video that the Riders are going to be sending to the League. Instead of looking at Sherko in the top left corner, watch down in the bottom right and you will see the headlock Chick-en puts Murphy into and the helmet coming off. So by sending in a tape on Sherko the Riders will also be providing evidence of Chick-en's crimes.

[Solar Max]

Tillman should go and watch the incident over again and then comment on why Murphy was holding Chick by the throat after Chick gave him a few shots and ripped Murphys helmet off. If you can gripe about how our team is coached then you had better look at yourselves. Talk about calling the kettle black.

You got evidence of that? Cause there's sure a lot of video evidence to justify suspending Roussili...Just curious...

Do you have the game recorded? Have you seen the incident repeatedly? Because unless you have, it all happened way too quickly on live TV, and Walby was being judge, jury and executioner at the same time.

When you slow it down and see it from multiple angles, a lot more becomes clear. If that had been Joseph under the pile, and Williams and Hunt digging and punching him, you'd have felt the same way we do here. They picked on a team that has lost 2 quarterbacks already, and you wonder why the Lions reacted to Schultz and Chick going after ANOTHER Lion qb?

[Retrievil]

Riders certainly weren't without guilt on Saturday. What about that play in the first half when Paris got thrown into the signs well after he was out of bounds, and no flag thrown.

Sask was for sure to blame for hat rumble, but I can't condone Rasouli kneeing and kicking someone in the head when they are near the bottom of a pile. Sure take your shots, I'm not opposed to a good scrap, but you don't boot someone in the head when they are down. Period.

I knew that was it though, Sask was going to lose. Murphy, Jiminez, Rasouli, they live for that *poop*. Once they got that spark going they are a wall.