By Ed Tait
THE ongoing saga that has been the pursuit of Montreal Alouettes safety Richard Karikari took another bizarre twist late last night.
Karikari, who told the Free Press late Tuesday he had agreed in principle to the Bombers' two-years-and-an-option contract worth an estimated $135,000 annually, has not yet signed his contract proposal and may still back away from the deal.
"I'm not really having second thoughts," Karikari told the Montreal Gazette. "I'm just finalizing everything. Right now, I'm just looking over the information. Nothing has changed. I'm not going to rush a decision that will affect me for three years. I want everyone's full numbers before I decide.
"I'm not leaning toward one team or the other. I made a mistake when I said that. I should have said I'm still looking at the numbers. So don't write that I'm second-guessing my decision. I'm looking over the paperwork."
That development didn't sit well with the Bombers, who spent much of yesterday waiting for Karikari's signed contract.
"We're probably no further ahead now than we were two weeks ago when we got into this," said an exasperated Bombers GM Brendan Taman. "We were told we were in the mix after we made our offer, but now I'm led to believe we might not have him. The kid's obviously got some reservations about leaving Montreal. It feels like we're on a roller-coaster, but these things happen. It's not over yet."
Interestingly, Alouettes GM Jim Popp had already essentially said au revoir to the all-star safety. Popp did speak with Karikari yesterday, telling the 26-year-old to make sure he knew what he was getting into with the move west.
"Nine of 10 free agents we lose come back to me and say they wish they hadn't left," Popp said. "Winnipeg's trying to get back on track. He could have stayed where he's made a name for himself. We're probably going to be a good team, a playoff team, maybe go back to the Grey Cup. Or he can go to the unknown.
"If he's on a Grey Cup team (in Winnipeg), I'll tell him he made a great choice. But until then, I can't understand this."
ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca