Developments over the weekend out of Toronto heralded a move that was long expected and for many probably expected as far back as in the off season when Saskatchewan first sent Kerry Joseph to Toronto.
But now, as the Labour Day yardstick grows closer, Michael Bishop has moved on from the Toronto Argonauts, or to be more correct he’s been moved on.
Bishop was traded to Canada’s hotbed of football this weekend, as he learned the details of his transfer to the Saskatchewan branch of the CFL, in exchange for a conditional draft pick in the 2011 selection derby .
It’s probably a change that should have happened back when the Argos acquired Joseph from the Grey Cup champion Riders, and indeed the fact that Bishop remained on the training camp roster surprised more than a few CFL fans as the pre-season and then regular season got underway.
While the Argos found themselves flush with quarterbacks, as the year progressed there appeared to be no way to satisfy both Joseph and Bishop in the Argo camp, in fact as the Argos have struggled, the rifts between both QB’s and the coaching staff have appeared to become more pronounced.
Neither QB really secure in the confidence of their coaches, neither really excelling when the need was there the most. In short something clearly had to give, and this weekend it was Bishop that was moved out of the east with a westward destination.
He had previously been placed on waivers, a testing of the waters by the Argos which was made public much to the organizations embarrassment and much to the chagrin of Bishop who found less and less to trust about his bosses as the season progressed.
With the trade he is reunited with his former offensive coach from the Toronto days in Ken Miller, a comfortable fit that should benefit both Bishop and the Riders as they begin the second half of the season and the key Labour Day Classic to come this weekend.
Where all of this leaves Marcus Crandell, Stephen Jyles, Darian Durant and the rest of the QB's that have been floating around in Regina these days remains to be seen, but it would appear that somebody(or two) is soon to be moved off the depth charts in Riderland with Crandell expected to be the first to leave.
As for Bishop, there will be no longing glances back at his old Toronto squad, while he may miss a few of the Argonauts individually, his quite angry sounding comments in Sunday’s Toronto Star, certainly paint the picture of a guy that has had more than enough of the way he believes he was treated by Argo management and ownership.
He now has a chance to work with a clean slate in Saskatchewan, perhaps finally reaching the potential that he has shown glimpses of over the last few seasons but never fully developed on a consistent basis.
Rider fans, who regularly fill Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field, will certainly be hoping that a newly freed and now very motivated Bishop will help to keep the Rider atop the west and on track for a defence of their Grey Cup championship come this November in Montreal.
But now, as the Labour Day yardstick grows closer, Michael Bishop has moved on from the Toronto Argonauts, or to be more correct he’s been moved on.
Bishop was traded to Canada’s hotbed of football this weekend, as he learned the details of his transfer to the Saskatchewan branch of the CFL, in exchange for a conditional draft pick in the 2011 selection derby .
It’s probably a change that should have happened back when the Argos acquired Joseph from the Grey Cup champion Riders, and indeed the fact that Bishop remained on the training camp roster surprised more than a few CFL fans as the pre-season and then regular season got underway.
While the Argos found themselves flush with quarterbacks, as the year progressed there appeared to be no way to satisfy both Joseph and Bishop in the Argo camp, in fact as the Argos have struggled, the rifts between both QB’s and the coaching staff have appeared to become more pronounced.
Neither QB really secure in the confidence of their coaches, neither really excelling when the need was there the most. In short something clearly had to give, and this weekend it was Bishop that was moved out of the east with a westward destination.
He had previously been placed on waivers, a testing of the waters by the Argos which was made public much to the organizations embarrassment and much to the chagrin of Bishop who found less and less to trust about his bosses as the season progressed.
With the trade he is reunited with his former offensive coach from the Toronto days in Ken Miller, a comfortable fit that should benefit both Bishop and the Riders as they begin the second half of the season and the key Labour Day Classic to come this weekend.
Where all of this leaves Marcus Crandell, Stephen Jyles, Darian Durant and the rest of the QB's that have been floating around in Regina these days remains to be seen, but it would appear that somebody(or two) is soon to be moved off the depth charts in Riderland with Crandell expected to be the first to leave.
As for Bishop, there will be no longing glances back at his old Toronto squad, while he may miss a few of the Argonauts individually, his quite angry sounding comments in Sunday’s Toronto Star, certainly paint the picture of a guy that has had more than enough of the way he believes he was treated by Argo management and ownership.
He now has a chance to work with a clean slate in Saskatchewan, perhaps finally reaching the potential that he has shown glimpses of over the last few seasons but never fully developed on a consistent basis.
Rider fans, who regularly fill Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field, will certainly be hoping that a newly freed and now very motivated Bishop will help to keep the Rider atop the west and on track for a defence of their Grey Cup championship come this November in Montreal.
No comments:
Post a Comment