Paris Jackson had better offers, but in the end he chose to stay with both is immediate and CFL family over the other options.
The BC Lions announced following the Super Bowl that the popular veteran non-import receiver had extended with the Lions for another year plus an option.
Jackson assumed a back up role for the team last season and helped mentor younger receivers such as Akeem Foster, Shawn Gore and Marco Iannuzzi. He’ll assume that role again and also be ready to make a clutch catch when called on, as he did in last season’s Western Final and Grey Cup game.
“Paris has always been a very good receiver and in recent years he has developed into both a leader and mentor for our younger receivers,” said VP of football operations and GM Wally Buono. “He is an important part of our team and this is another offseason win for the club to have him returning.”
More details on the signing can be found at BCLions.com and at Lowell Ullrich’s Fifth Quarter blog.
The BC Lions have added another key potential free agent Thursday evening with the announcement that the team has re-signed place kicker and punter Paul McCallum.
General Manager Wally Buono is thrilled to have the 19 year veteran and CFL record holder for consecutive field goals back in the lineup.
“Paul has been one of our most consistent and dependable players since coming here in 2006,” said VP of football operations and GM Wally Buono. “He has been one of the very best at his position and this is a very important signing for the club.”
The BC Lions will be looking for a new middle linebacker in 2012, as the agent for Solomon Elimimian announced on Twitter Wednesday that his client had signed with the Minnesota Vikings.
Lowell Ullrich of The Province reported that the Lions may have had the chance to make an offer on Wednesday to the all-star linebacker but no offer was made. If that was the case, one has to wonder how good the NFL offers were. According to the Ullrich report, the Lions say no official request for an offer was made.
The off-season loss is the second in as many seasons to the Vikings, who plucked wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux from the black and orange last year.
Elimimian recorded 175 tackles and 9 sacks over his two seasons with the Lions and in 2010 was named the leagues defensive player of the year.
Khalif Mitchell – Photo: Canada.com
The BC Lions gave their fans a great start to the week with news that all-star defensive lineman Khalif Mitchell had signed a new contract with the club. The signing came after reports that the popular defender had signed with the Dolphins earlier this month.
It’s not clear what happened with that situation and how Mitchell became a Lion again, but fans are glad to hear it and you can bet that new head coach Mike Benevides was as well.
“Khalif was an impact player and big part of our championship last season.”, said the new head coach. Given the choices he had, I believe this signing says a lot about our league and our organization and I am very pleased to have him back.”
Following the win in the Grey Cup, an emotional Mitchell talked about how much the Lions meant to him, and how they were family:
The Lions also shocked fans by announcing the release of defensive back Tad Kornegay. Kornegay was given some of the credit for the Lions turnaround last season and helped solidify the defence by allowing Korey Banks to return to a more traditional role in the secondary instead of the hybrid nickleback position he had been playing.
Twitter erupted with shock from Lions fans over the release of the popular @Thadito but the experienced Twitter user quickly calmed the masses with these tweets:
“Take it easy twitter fam. This was set in my contract the first day I sign. My intentions as well ask Coach Bene is to be in BC. #Patience”
“Just a Procedure that had to be upheld cause it was in writing. Now it does make me open to other teams but I plan to be Lion.”
Tad also let fans know his return to BC wasn’t automatic:
“But I must say….I am business man. Lol. I love money that makes me financially comfortable. Lol”
Stay tuned!
The new contract extension for non-import running back Andrew Harris is great news for fans of the Lions and of course the team itself. Considering the fact that the Lions may not have ended up with Harris had he made the grades to get into University, his emergence has been the result of some good fortune by the reigning Grey Cup champions.
Having attended all the training camps that Harris has been a part of, I’ve often left with the belief he was the most talented running back in the Lions system. However, age and experience were against him when it came time to cracking the lineup. Since Harris was in junior and not the CIS, the Lions had the luxury of using a territorial exemption on Harris which kept him from being exposed to other teams. That clause to allow Harris to practice with the team and groom him into the player he’s become today.
Not that he needed a lot of grooming; he just needed the chance and the experience at the pro level. As pointed out in this piece by Ed Willes of The Province, his junior numbers from his days with Vancouver Island Raiders in the CJFL are jaw dropping. The most impressive of all, a 14.5 yards per carry average in his final season in 2009.
Heading into last season the club had designs on an all-Canadian backfield with Jerome Messam and Jamall Lee, who was coming off a major knee injury, in the picture. After making the team in 2010 and seeing primarily special teams work, Harris himself was recovering from a torn pectoral muscle as training camp began. But during camp he showed signs that he had healed well and was likely ahead of schedule. Another training camp incident for Messam saw him dealt to the Eskimos, while Lee’s recovery hampered his ability to have an impact early forcing the Lions to abandon the non-import idea.
When the Lions struggled out of the gate, Harris eventually replaced veteran Jamal Robertson. He got his chance to shine and never looked back and his emergence as the starter coincided with the turnaround of the club. Where Harris’ age and experience were once a negative factor when it came to getting him into the lineup, those factors have become huge positives for the Lions moving forward. He’ll be 25 years of age at the start of camp and hasn’t even hit his prime yet. The experience he gained last year may have set the table for him to have a dominant season in 2012.
A healthy Harris and Lee combined with the option of using Rolly Lumbala more, means the Lions could take another look at the non-import backfield scenario entering 2012. They’ll have to sign Jamall Lee for that chance though, as he’s eligible for free agency and may get some offers with his yet to be realized potential, strong special teams work and his birth certificate.
In the meantime, the Lions at least have Harris in their back pocket and the best thing is he’s just getting started.
The BC Lions recent Grey Cup win was the sixth in franchise history and veteran Dante Marsh has been patrolling the corner for two of those titles. Marsh has just completed his eighth season with the team and will hopefully be joining them for a ninth.
We had a chance to talk to Dante about the 2011 season, the future and about an auction he is holding to make a donation to CFL Fans Fight Cancer and Hannah’s Heroes. Dante is auctioning off two pairs of his cleats from the 2011 Grey Cup championship season. One pair are pink Nike Vapor cleats that Dante wore on October 22, 2011, when the CFL allowed players to wear pink items in support of women’s cancer awareness. The second pair of cleats were worn in the 99th Grey Cup Championship game in which the BC Lions defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by a score of 34-23.
We’ll get you the link to the auction below, but first our interview with the BC Lions veteran cornerback, Dante Marsh.
BCLD: Dante, it was a season that will never be forgotten. The team started slowly before turning things around to end the season with a Grey Cup victory at home. What was that like and what do you feel was the one thing that turned the season around?
DM: It was amazing to say the least. I mean it still hasn’t really hit that we won the 99th Grey Cup. Starting out 0-5 after a sluggish 1-7 start in 2010 was extremely frustrating. We felt like we were the team to beat coming out of training camp especially the way we ended the 2010 season. However that did not happen and once again we sputtered out of the gate. I think our attitude was the one thing that changed which enabled us to get over the hump. We were just tired of losing.
BCLD: Personally you had one of your best years in the league, as your stats show. You were named a West Division all-star, you won your second championship and now you’re eligible to become a free agent. What does the future hold for Dante Marsh and do you want to end your career in black and orange?
DM: I would like a couple more rings. I feel like I have done my part as far as my job goes. I feel like I have had a very good career so far and I would like to finish up where I started and thats in black and orange. This has been maybe my best all around season but like I have said before I think I have had really good seasons other years and they were over looked to an extent. I am scheduled to become a free agent this winter for the first time ever which is exciting but yet gives you an unsure feeling. Exciting to see what your value is to others but at the same time I bleed orange and black and hopefully I can retire as one of the best to ever do it at my position in a Lions uniform.
BCLD: You played eight seasons under Wally Buono as a coach and now your defensive coordinator Mike Benevides is widely speculated to be Buono’s replacement. How might the team be different under a Benevides coached team if he were to get the job?
DM: I am not sure things will change all that much. Benny has been one of the coaches I have had a real good relationship with since my rookie year when he was the special teams coordinator. In fact I think you can keep the same structure and continuity within the team if he is ultimately hired. Benny is a players coach easy to talk to and is open to suggestions so I think everything will just keep flowing smoothly.
BCLD: Your off-season training is well publicized and you train with CFL legend Milt Stegall. How has the old “G.O.A.T.” as you refer to him helped you train for a long and successful career in the CFL? Can you tell us what G.O.A.T. stands for?
DM: Well the G.O.A.T. stands for greatest of all time. Milt has been very influential in my career as far as the knowledge he has shared with me since I moved here to Atlanta in 2006. He has shown me how to be a pro, how to train better, eat better, focus on the business side of the game more like contractual issues and pension decisions. Milt has shown me how to push myself further and further and one of our sayings is, “How can they beat you if they cant out work you?”
BCLD: Dante, let’s get you your charity auction. This is the second year now that you’ve done a charity event for Cancer research. You’ve graciously offered to give half of the proceeds for this auction to our cancer charity of choice, Hannah’s Heroes’. I know that the tragedy that your good friend Korey Banks went through is close to your heart. Can you tell us how that event has made cancer research important to you?
DM: It’s an opportunity for me to give so someone else can have. I feel like if you’re in a position to help someone other than yourself and you dont you are truly missing out on one of life’s greatest moments/feelings. I have always wanted to make an impact on someone elses life. There are people who cant walk, cant see, can’t have the normal life because of cancer or some other ailment and these are little things we often take for granted on a daily basis. When Korey went through that ordeal with his son Kamari, it hit close to home and I wouldn’t want anybody to ever have to go through that. So yeah I just feel its one of my duties to help in any way I can.
BCLD: Dante thank you for taking the time to do this for Hannah’s Heroes and for talking with us. We wish you all the best in the future, and hope you’ll be back in BC to defend the Grey Cup championship in 2012.
DM: As always I appreciate you Brian and thank you for taking the time to put this Q and A session together. CHUUCH!!!
How you can bid:
For the current auction of Dante’s cleats you can head to the Ebay page they are listed on.
If the auction ends without the reserve being met, get the latest on Dante’s website.
These cleats are one of a kind collectors items and would be a great addition to any CFL memorabilia collection. You’ll also be helping fund cancer research for childhood cancer. For more information on Hannah’s Heroes visit their web site.
Wally Buono has his work cut out for him when he returns from his annual Hawaiian vacation later this month. several BC Lions are about to become CFL free agents this off-season and more are in the option years of their deals.
The Lions potential free agent list is as follows:
WR Emmanuel Arceneaux*, DT Aaron Hunt, OL Andrew Jones, RB Jamall Lee, WR Robert Long, CB Dante Marsh, K Paul McCallum, LB Anton McKenzie, DT Khalif Mitchell, DB Ryan Phillips, WR Anthony Russo
Here are the remaining teams and their potential free agents this off-season:
MONTREAL
S Etienne Boulay, LB Marc-Olivier Brouillette, CB Mark Estelle, G Scott Flory, LB Ray Fontaine, DE Jermaine McElveen, DL Jeff Robertshaw, LB Walter Spencer,DB Paul Woldu
TORONTO
QB Dalton Bell, DB Matt Black, DE Alex Buzbee, LB Kevin Eiben, DE Ben Ishola, FB Jeff Johnson
OL Rob Murphy, CB Byron Parker, OL Dominic Picard, S Willie Pile, LB Jason Pottinger, OL Taylor Robertson, CB Jordan Younger
HAMILTON
FB Agustin Barrenechea, LB Isaac Brown, WR Matt Carter, DE Justin Hickman, T Jason Jimenez, DT Matt Kirk, K Justin Medlock, OL Simeon Rottier, DE Garrett McIntyre*, DB Jason Shivers
WINNIPEG
QB Buck Pierce, QB Alex Brink, QB Joey Elliott, WR Aaron Hargreaves, WR Greg Carr, OL Brendon LaBatte, OL Glenn January, OL Steve Morley, OL Andre Douglas, LS Chris Cvetkovic, DT Don Oramasionwu, S Brady Browne, S Ian Logan
DE Phillip Hunt*
SASKATCHEWAN
RB Graeme Bell, RB Wes Cates, SB Jason Clermont, WR Andy Fantuz, RB Stuart Foord, LB Jerrell Freeman, CB Nick Graham, DE Brent Hawkins, DB Tristan Jackson, P Eddie Johnson, WR Cary Koch, DB Leron Mitchell, OL Marc Parenteau
CALGARY
LB Marc Calixte, P Burke Dales, WR Arjei Franklin, DB Brandon Isaac, OL Tim O’Neill
EDMONTON
FB Mathieu Bertrand, RB Chris Ciezki, LB Rod Davis, RB Samuel Fournier, OL Kyle Koch, DL Etienne Legare, RB Calvin McCarty, WR Andrew Nowacki, DE Greg Peach, LB Mark Restelli, K Derek Schiavone
Before Lord Grey’s mug gets handed off this Sunday let’s review what in August was inconceivable, the Lions chances for winning it all.
I’m not going to delve into all the scenarios based on team records to win a Grey Cup, which was done with my previous article here. Instead let’s focus on the two teams that made it. Statistics look to be on the Lions side so far this year because everything that should be happening is happening. Case in point the two best teams in the league should be meeting at the dance and that’s exactly what we have with the Lions sporting a better record in a tougher conference. Edge Lions.
The Lions regular season winning record of 11-7 is tied with a 13-5 record for making the Grey Cup nine times; this is the most of any other records in the last 20 years. The Lions 11-7 record does not have the highest winning percentage at the Grey Cup, winning two out of the nine games for a paltry 29%. Fear not, the Bombers record is worse! A 10-8 record has made the finals six times and has just one win for a pedestrian 20% winning percentage. Edge Lions.
Interesting to note the one and only time in the last 20 years an 11-7 team played a 10-8 team in the finals was at our barn and the better record won. The 11-7 Eskimo’s beat the 10-8 Alouettes in overtime in 2005. Edge Lions.
The Lions were tied for the most offensive points in the west with 511 compared to the Bombers 432. Edge lions.
On defense you would believe with all the Swaggerville hype all season Winnipeg would support the stingiest defense in the league. You would be wrong. That impressive statistic would befall the Lions allowing a mere 385 points against to lead the league in that category. Edge Lions.
And here’s quite possibly the biggest edge. Since Wally Buono took over the Lions in 2003 the team has been a juggernaut at BC Place Stadium. They have a combined 49 wins to 18 losses record, which results in a 73% winning percentage in the regular season. Edge Lions. Although it’s important to note during Buono’s tenure in playoff home games the Lions are 2-2 for a .500 record.
In 1994 when the Vancouver Canucks made the finals and subsequently had a riot, the Lions picked B.C. sports fan spirits way high by winning the Grey Cup at home in a memorable run. They were also the last team to win a Grey Cup on home soil. So I ask you are we about to experience déjà vu all over again?
Enjoy the game everyone.
The 99th Grey Cup championship may be sold out but if you’re willing to do a little sleuth work and have a bit of luck, you could win tickets to the big game as well some sweet VIP perks.
Tourism Vancouver is giving away two tickets to the Grey Cup, along with two nights accommodation, and VIP access to Doolin’s Irish Pub and the Roxy Nightclub.
Here is what you need to do:
A Mystery Man will be wandering the streets of Vancouver AND Winnipeg starting Tuesday, November 22nd between 8am and 7pm, until he is caught.
To win, the winner must be the first person to find him and say the secret phrase. The secret phrase can only be found on the Tourism Vancouver Facebook Page.
Exclusive clues to the “Mystery Man’s” location at certain times during the day will be shared by with us and other selected bloggers. Since we’ll be mobile during Grey Cup, we’ll be tweeting our clues so you will want to follow us @BCLionsDen. All our contest clues will be tagged with #YVRChase
You should also follow the @GreyCupChase Twitter account to make sure you get all the latest information in case we get caught up in the festivities.
Full contest details can be found on Tourism Vancouver’s Facebook page at: www.Facebook.com/InsideVancouver
Good luck and happy hunting!
Here are your clues for Tuesday Nov.22nd:
Here are your clues for the day. Some are minor hints but the picture clues should give those hunting a good idea of where to find the Mystery Man.
1. At 8:30am the Mystery Man will be having breakfast somewhere in the city.
2. At 10am, the Mystery Man will be roaming the streets near the Harbour Centre.
3. At 12:30pm the Mystery Man will start thinking about having lunch somewhere.
4. At 2pm the Mystery Man will head towards Stanley Park.
5. At 4pm the Mystery Man will grab a drink to warm up.
6. At 5:30pm the Mystery Man will do some shopping downtown.
7. At 7pm the Mystery Man will pack it in for the night.
Ask anyone and everyone you see, they could be the mystery man!
Obviously as a BC Lions fan this latest edition of our Grey Cup 2011 party series may seem a bit biased. But I am quite confident in saying that the annual Lions Den party has become a top notch party over the last few Grey Cups. Last year’s event in Edmonton was outstanding and if the information we have heard about the 2011 event are true, there is reason to think it will be the best one yet.
Rumour has it the Lions have reserved three rooms at the Vancouver Convention Centre East (Canada Place) and that the event will feature sponsorship from Budweiser, the official beer sponsor of the BC Lions.
Admission to the event will be $15.00 at the door and usually features an entry gift, although we haven’t been able to confirm if this will be the case this year. Lions season ticket holders were offered early bird passes that also included priority access, but not guaranteed entry.
The Lions Den has a bit of a different feel to it than the other parties such as Spirit, or Touchdown Manitoba. It’s generally held in a smaller venue, although this year will be an exception. In my opinion it’s more like a good old fashioned house party. There is a large contingent of Lions fans present, but more and more fans from other teams are discovering the Lions Den as a great party option.
Live music will be present and in past years it has been the entertaining “Two For The Show” http://www.twofortheshow.org/ getting the dance floor hopping and looking at their calendar on their web site it’s a good bet they will be headlining the event again. They are a great cover band who adds some humour to their shows.
As for beverages, there will be a selection of Budweiser products as well a selection of liquors and non alcoholic selections. Basic food items will be available for purchase as well.
You can expect the lovely Felions dance team http://bclions.com/cheerleaders to make several appearances. Wally Buono, Dennis Skulsky and owner David Braley usually mingle with the crowd and Lions players and alumni such as Lui Passaglia and Jamie Taras are known to make an appearance or two.
In the past The Lions have given away merchandise as prizes throughout the event, and there will likely be a merchandise for purchase area for fans looking to add a bit of orange to their wardrobe.
As a fan of the Lions this event is a must, especially as the host city. Your $15.00 pass is good for the night that you purchase it only. If you want to go both nights, you will need a pass for each night.
When:
Friday November 25th, 4:00pm to 1:00am
Saturday November 26th, 4:00pm to 1:00am
Where:
Vancouver Convention Centre East – Exhibition Hall A – Ballrooms A, B & C.
Admission: $15.00 at the door. Must be of legal age to enter.
We’ll see you at the BC Lions Den! Look for #99 with the BCLionsDen.ca button and say hello!
