Butler Promoted To 2nd String QB By Argos

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1

An article by Rick Matsumoto in today's edition of the Toronto Star reports that the Argos have promoted Rocky Butler to second string quarterback for the time being until Michael Bishop and Eric Crouch return from injury.

"Argos giving Butler a break

'Now I've got a new life and I'm ready to step forward,' says pivot

Jul 30, 2007 04:30 AM
RICK MATSUMOTO
SPORTS REPORTER

Timing, they say, is everything.

Rocky Butler's was perfect. Eric Crouch's, lousy.

Butler was discarded by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at the end of training camp, but was salvaged by the Argonauts three weeks ago, strictly as an insurance policy, when starting quarterback Michael Bishop broke his right wrist.

He became the No.3 signal-caller behind Mike McMahon, who was elevated to No.1 status, and veteran Damon Allen.

But with McMahon having flunked his test as the starter and Allen regaining the starter's role that he's occupied for most of his 23-year CFL career, Butler suddenly finds himself in the No.2 spot.

And should Allen falter or suffer an injury, the former Saskatchewan Roughrider could find himself as the team's starter – at least until Bishop returns in action.

That's the position Crouch, who is in his third season with the Argos, might have been in, but for an unfortunate knee injury suffered in the first pre-season game.

He won't be ready for reinstatement until after the Labour Day game.

"I guess you can look back and say, `What if' a lot," said Crouch. "But things happen for a reason and when you get an opportunity you have to make the best of it. I just haven't had a chance to get out there and prove myself, yet.

"And timing is everything, so when I hope I'm healthy and ready to play I get that opportunity."

Meanwhile, Butler took all of the second rotation of plays behind Allen in practice yesterday, while McMahon was reduced to running the other team's plays against the first-string Argo defence.

"I'm just here to help," said the 28-year-old Butler. "We just have to have a smooth transition from No.1 to two to three."

Butler, who spent five years with the Riders before being traded to Hamilton last winter, said he's ready to step in behind centre should the need arise.

"I just have to get more reps with the receivers, but other than that I've got the playbook pretty well down. Now it's just reputation."

Butler agreed his career looked pretty bleak when the Ticats released him.

"Now I've got a new life and I'm ready to step forward.

Head coach Mike Clemons said bringing in Butler was not a haphazard move.

"We brought him in because he's won in the CFL before," Clemons said. "He's not a guy who's going to champion us into the playoffs. That's not our expectations. Our job is get there and if we need a guy that can help us to do that then he can be that guy."

Clemons said Argos have not written off McMahon." We want him to settle in and kind of go back and take the pressure off and start building again.

"We don't want to destroy him."

2

I think this last line might be a little insight to all the “for the love of God put Timmy Chang in!” cries as to why Charlie Taaffe hasn’t installed him as the starter just yet.

I don’t want to start this into a Maas vs. Chang debate so I will stay on topic. I think Pinball and his staff have done the right thing. They aren’t expecting Rocky to be the starter like the Ticats were when they made the trade for him. And it didn’t cost the ____s anything to pick him up, so there is no pressure to perform. It isn’t a slight to the Ticats staff and player evaluators at all, he just doesn’t look like starter material. Which is something that the Ticats were searching for when they acquired him.

I never met Rocky before, but I wish him luck with the ____s. That city hasn’t been very kind to quarterbacks as of late!

  • paul
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You can send McMahon to that bar run by Stanley Jackson.......

He can sit at the bar with Tee Martin, Ted White, Mike Quinn, Dan Crowley, Kevin Eakin, and all the other failed QBs. He'll never amount to anything in the CFL.

Rocky Butler, in my opinion, still has some upside; he has won games in the CFL as a starter (and NOT just the 2 games against Hamilton last season); McMahon has won NOTHING and looked ATROCIOUS in his two starts.

Move on....

4

If Butler puts up points for the args, it will sure be a crappy day for ticats fans :oops:

5

There’s a big difference between McMahon’s play and Chang’s. McMahon has looked lost and confused whereas Chang has held his own. Chang has shown signs that he might be the real deal and McMahon, well, he’s terrible (always was in the NFL too).

6

Big deal Butler is second string...
Mcmahon was and is horrible..
Once Crouch and Bishop get healthy..Butler will be gone..

7

so in a nutshell we traded two starters,so the Argos could get a Q.B. and we ended up with diddly,and people wonder why were the leagues doormats!! Flick would be our best receiver right now,and Smith is looking not to bad either

8

I agree about DJ. Gagne-Marcoux and Dyakowski are both playing great, are younger, Canadian as well, and UNINJURED.