Monday, July 04, 2005

Just one more reason why I like Pinball Clemons!

Does this guy ever make a mistake? Faced with the vision of his receiver and place kicker going toe to toe on the Calgary sidelines from Canada Day, Michael Clemons today laid down the law and laid it down just right. During Friday's Argo-Stampeder match Argo receiver Robert Baker got into a puchup with Argo kicker Noel Prefonatine. Prefontaine and a number of other Argos had tried to corral Baker who had been in an on field altercation with Stampeder Rahim Abdullah, Baker feeling that he had been spat upon during the fracus. Prefontaine and Baker came to blows as Prefontaine spoke to Baker as he came off the field.

Clemons addressed the issue quickly and correctly when he suspended the Argo wide receiver for one game and insisted that he phone the Calgary president and apologize for his actions. Baker will also have to sit down and apologize to his fellow teammates and offer up and explanation as to the whys and wherefores to his meltdown. And in true Pinball fashion, Baker will give back to the fans, assisting minor football in Toronto this year as a volunteer.

By far it is more than most teams would ask of their players and will serve to remind Baker and all the other Argos that no player is larger than the team he plays on. It also is an example as to how important Michael Clemons is to the Argonauts and to Canadian Football. We can only hope that the Gliebermans in Ottawa start to pay attention to football the Clemons way, a lot less topless and a lot more top down, might go a long way to saving football in Ottawa. In Toronto the game is in the very capable hands of Michael Clemons.

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