A new quarterback can not in any way be developed with a team that is in a perpetual state of desperation for a win...that's a football fact!...and centring the focus around the whole organization crossing it's fingers that it's "de-facto" leader either brings his arm, positive attitude or skills to a game.... and losing that gamble at a ratio of 1 to 5?......it's getting comical almost and not only to us as fans, but to the entire CFL.....
When are Ticat fans going to finally understand that concept?.....this is why we have lost countless good QBs who never get solid and controlled training in the Hamilton organization.....
Eakin was the last awesome QB who was pretty much destroyed by the Tiger-Cats due to the above mentioned "desperation".......I hope we bring him back and finally do it properly.....
Chang/Eakin or Eakin/Chang (if played properly as a tandem) will bring the Tiger-Cats nothing short of a dynasty in my ever so humble opinion...the whole team will respond in kind and that's a guarantee.....those two are like the fuel to an engine....
.....continuing to repeat what we are doing right now is a continued road to failure....this is not rocket science here.....
Mikey, I love the SENTIMENT of the post, but I am SLIGHTLY disappointed with the thread TITLE ...
I REALLY wanted a "SIGN EAKIN!!" topic of discussion!
Peace.
P.S - For ALL the "Eakin self-destructed" or "Eakin is horrible" posters - please, SAVE IT ... there is NOTHING you can say to DISPUTE the kid's TALENTS - NOTHING. He was just ANOTHER victim of the ABYSMAL Organizational state of the Franchise at the time. I'll go one FURTHER, too ... Personally, I think his skill set is BETTER than that of Timmy Chang's - specifically the CANNON of an arm he possesses.
with our offensive line Eakin would not
make much of a difference. He is still
not mobile enough. What we need is
someone like printers.(who can throw well
on the run)
Well put in me down in the NO THANKS column. I never saw what so many other posters seemed to see in Eakin. All I saw was an immobile QB (death in the CFL; perhaps acceptable in NCAA, NFL, or Europe) who reminded me of a deer in the headlights. Put him behind that Swiss Cheese O-line that Hamilton has this year, and he'd be in McMaster Medical Centre in no time.
Start Chang, let Williams play some, they are both mobile, let's see what they can do. I am not a Maas-basher, but the team is 1-7 and regressing not progressing based on the last game, so shake things up and see how Chang and Williams do.
Nothing would make me happier than to see Bishop fall flat on his face on Labour Day and for the Ticats to rack up a big win.
This really is a good post, well said and its exactly what so many of us are thinking.
Why go back to the past especially when the past failed… lets go to the future and somebody that has a potential upside (Chang) rather than somebody that has been either cut or demoted from every single pro league on the planet over the past year.
I really want to comment on some of the things I have read in this thread like the words dynasty and Eakin in the same post but i wont waste my time.
I have 2 words to describe what im thinking though…
Well, I don't PRESUME to speak for ANYONE other than myself and I happen to think your post (crash) was a really bad one, and not very well said, but I'll WASTE my time rebutting anyway.
First of all, the leagues Eakin has played in, and been cut from, are the very SAME Leagues Timmy 'the saviour' Chang has played in and been CUT from.
The so-called FAILURE you speak of last year was one so TOTAL, and ABYSMAL that it could hardly be laid at the feet of Kevin Eakin. For the RECORD, Eakin ASKED for a RELEASE from his CONTRACT ... otherwise he would STILL BE in Hamilton.
As far as UPSIDE, and POTENTIAL go - Eakin is younger than Chang, and has a SIGNIFICANTLY stronger arm. His MOBILITY - despite what some around here think - is not a problem, either.
It is appropriate that Michael Bishop's name has been mentioned in this thread - because he, TOO, looked like a FAILURE for the first couple or more seasons of his CFL career. However, after receiving a CHANCE to learn the CFL game, and develop - he has BLOSSOMED into a top-flight CFL QB.
Peace.
P.S The Khari Jones reference completely BAFFLES me ??? What, prey tell, does an aged QB with a surgically compromised shoulder have to do with Kevin Eakin ??
P.P.S There is ZERO Chance Michael Bishop will "fall on his face" ... the man has paid his dues and successfully traversed the CFL LEARNING CURVE. He is now at a stage of his career where he can USE his talents without THINKING SO MUCH.
Meanstreak I agree and disagree with your last two points. I as well fail to understand the reference to Khari Jones...a puzzler in this context.
As for saying, however, that there is ZERO chance of Bishop falling on his face, leave yourself some room on that one......after all you are the poster who, on 27 June of this year, stated, and I quote: "Butler WILL NOT get picked up another CFL squad, period, end of story."
Madjack:
Re the Swiss cheese O-line....I cannot imagine the O-line continuing on like this either. It will improve. So using our present leaky O-line to decide on which QB we need for the future makes no sense. If we need a mobile QB to fit into our future plans....OK But lets not find one just to make up for the deficiencies we have in the present.
This team needs improvement in so many areas but I hope moves are not made out of sheer desperation.
I would like to see a new QB in town who could step in if Chang doesn't work out...along with Williams who may very well have more potential than we know.
From what I remember of Eakin's limited play with the Tiger Cats I would think he and Chang could set the field on fire. He might be worth signing for the rest of the season. He would have to be pathetically bad to match what we have now. I can't imagine him being that bad so we would have nowhere to go but up.
Marcel said on radio Monday morning that he expected the game tapes to be reviewed by yesterday (Tuesday) so a decision could be made on the starting QB for Labour Day.
Can anyone going to the practices this week give us any hints?
I like the thread title as mikey posted it just fine. He doesn't need to change it to suit me.
I like Kevin Eakin, and thought he showed good promise during his time here. I'm not sure his mobility was as dreadful as some people here suggest. Besides, even if it's a correct assessment, in another thread here people are commenting very favourably about Danny Mac's career and performance in Hamilton, despite the fact he was quite immobile. Kevin indicated when leaving that he would be open to returning, I hope he still feels that way and that he would have a good opportunity and good coaching in Hamilton.
I like Timmy Chang too. He and Eakin both possess athleticism, leadership qualities, enthisiasm and intelligence. Mikey may have overstated it in predicting a dynasty with them, but I agree they would make a great tandem that could give us long term strength at QB and a real sense of excitement about the possibilities. We haven't signed Kevin yet but I hope we do, I'd love to see him back. Who knows, with the two of them we could have another Clements/Holloway pair like Ottawa in the mid 70s, or Jackson/ Lancaster like Ottawa in the early 60s.
One question: would fans here be patient enough to allow these two young players to "develop" in Hamilton over a period of years? There's a lot of comment here lately (with some history to back it up) suggesting that Cat fans are very impatient with QBs who do not deliver immediate success.
I do hope we give Eakin a chance to be resigned if he does want to come here and if Jason Maas goes elsewhere, makes sense to me.
But man, would Calvillo look nice here, love the way the guy just goes back and sets quick and delivers, little hesitation, love that offense in Montreal but then him and Cahoon have been together for so long, they can read each other. Nice to watch.
I like it. Eakin had some success here, and some...not so much. The deer in the headlights thing could be chalked up to inexperience. Maybe he'd get over that with some playing time. I don't know if you can call him a leader yet though. Either way, it would be good to see what Eakin/Chang could do. Or Williams for that matter.
We have McCarthy, Smith, Rambo and Ham all scouring North America for top QB prospects, and you want us to take 10 steps back by signing Eakin, a guy who proved last year that he was a hundred times worse than Maas?
If Desjardins signs Eakin, I have lost all respect for Ticat management.
The only problem I have with bringing Eakin is Chang and Williams have not been given a good look and what do you do with Maas. I would like to see Chang start and Maas come off the bench if he struggles. I said it before the best way to develop a young QB is to have a veteran back up to mentor him and relieve him when he struggles. Maas could be the best back up in the league. If Charlie had used them both from day one we would have more answers than question right now.
If you look at Buffalo that’s exactly the problem. Lousman has shown signs of brilliance but when he struggles their is no veteran on the bench for support or relieve him. Ricky Ray was at his best with Maas on the bench for support. This has been a problem around here since Danny Mac. We would have no chance at a playoff spot and still management started Mac with no thought of developing a QB. Maas is in the budget, no one is going to offer any value in a trade so lets use him as a mentor and security blanket for a young QB.
As for saying, however, that there is ZERO chance of Bishop falling on his face, leave yourself some room on that one......after all you are the poster who, on 27 June of this year, stated, and I quote: "Butler WILL NOT get picked up another CFL squad, period, end of story."
I realize my BOMBASTIC style leaves me open for some CRITICISM ... however, in my DEFENSE, I'm not sure ANYONE could have predicted the INJURY to 2 starting QB's, and the psychological meltdown of a third ... ALL of which HAD to happen before Butler became an option.
And tell me, has ANYONE actually been IMPRESSED with Butler’s play ?? Cuz’ I sure have NOT been. He is still the same INT prone QB who looks to run out of trouble after his first or second read.
Peace.
P.S I MUST admit, few subjects get my juices flowing like these Fr-Eakin DEBATES !!
Agreed meanstreak, no one foresaw the QB injuries Toronto would suffer. That was rather my point however. Since unforseen things do often happen, and when we least expect them, you would do well to leave yourself some leeway rather than always saying NEVER, NO CHANCE, ZERO, and so on. Just a friendly suggestion so as to avoid you ending up with egg on your face more than is necessary.
And as for Butler's performance so far, I can't say as I've been impressed, but neither have I been unimpressed. He strikes me as being so far an average QB; nothing spectacular but nothing atrocious along the lines of a Ted White or Tee Martin; mind you that's what I would have said about Kevin Glenn a year or two ago, so it just goes to show.....
I have been very impressed, considering he just got there and has a good grasp of their offence and has shown good chemistry with their recievers, also their offensive line has been making ours look like a bunch of allstars. Did you see the kind of pressure he faced against Winnipeg? And yet he was still able to throw deep and put together a decent game. His #1 problem though is reading and recognizing the blitz though, but that is also up to the coaches to sit down and go over film with him to show him what he’s doing wrong.
