20 years and still auditioning

A bit of empathy for Damon Allen, 20 years on into his CFL career and the guy still has to prove himself to yet another batch of critics. Allen who has led teams to Grey Cups, rattled off records and quietly proven to be one of the leagues top leaders is back at camp, fighting for the starting job.

Allen who is the leagues passing leader, heads into Saturday’s exhibition game against Hamilton looking to claim the number one spot as his. He has been battling third year pro Marcus Brady for the starting spot after Brady had such a strong end to the 2003 campaign. Allen, who is forty years old, is fully aware of the pressure on him these days to perform. But says it’s nowhere near as intense as the pressure he puts on himself.

Saturday’s game will go a long way to helping Kent Austin and Pinball Clemons decide who will start the season as the field general for the double blue. Marty York at Sportsnet is reporting on his website that the Argos are leaning towards Brady. According to Marty, it will take an outstanding performance by Allen to recapture the top dog position.

York goes on to stir the pot by suggesting that Michael Bishop may be moving up the depth chart as well, with the possibility that Allen may end up being cut by the end of the training camp at which point he’ll be offered the back up role but a greatly reduced rate of pay from his current 250,000 a year salary, which includes a number of performance bonuses.

Clemons for his part denies that any hot seat is being sat upon by Allen and that two pre season games would not be the deciding factor on who get the start when the season opener rolls around. Regardless, Allen seems to thrive on the pressure; it seems every year he’s on the bubble with whatever team he’s at. The same story repeated itself during stops in BC and Edmonton, yet twenty years later we’re still talking about Damon Allen at quarterback.

That if nothing alone is testimony to his ability to play and his mental toughness. Should the Argos go with their youth movement it would not be surprising to see Allen take his gunslinger arm off to another Dodge, his credo: “have arm will travel”. Somebody always needs one; refuse his services at your own peril.