It is always a different perspective at the heart of a fan-base. Sometimes the main supporters of a club have tinted glasses on, sometimes they are more knowledgeable on a given situation because they watch said team closer than others.
All that said, Mitchell has been the focal point of some great play mixed with some low moments (not even going to argue whether he was right/wrong/was blown out of proportion/whatever...he was at the center of it any way you shake it). How do the home team fans feel on this move?
My wife and I had the opportunity to speak with Khalif on a more personal level than one normally gets. There is a side to Khalif that is as gentle as a teddy bear. It isn't for show, it is just in his nature. There also appears to be a confused side where he lacks good judgment. Some of the stuff I saw Khalif pull off confused me after getting to know the man. His behaviour on the field was inconsistent with some of the things he purports to stand for. For me Khalif needs to learn to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. He is old enough and mature enough to know this.
His athleticism did a lot for the club. And he was well paid. His attitude hurt both his image and the image of the Lions and CFL. Hopefully he has his act together when he starts playing for Toronto. No team needs a loose canon that cannot control his emotions. Khalif will be able to bring a lot the Argo's D if he can control himself.
I am not sad to see him go but I'm not rejoicing either. Hopefully this opportunity will give Khalif a fresh start to erase the reputation he has earned thus far.
I'm glad he's gone. If i were in Wally's shoes, he would have been gone right after the throat slashing gestures... or at least right after his explanation for them. "I was doing the sign of the cross"... yeah.. and the sign of the cross goes across the throat does it? Two strikes in such a short period of time, I wouldn't have let him get to 3.
For a man that tweets a LOT about God and being religious... I'd be concerned if I were him. Cuz if there is a God.. Khalif will have some explaining to do if/when he meets him.
Above is a terrific post on April 2nd, by beaglehound, right on point. Nice work, Beag.
Mitchell still has too much of the kid in him for his own good, clearly earning nothing from Buono' or Benevides' previous admonitions seriously. Khalif is a ferocious, dominating tackle, very tough to play against, a guy who is always double-teamed and still stops running backs and takes pressure off the rush ends by getting sacks inside. He famously failed to keep his emotions in check a few times on the field, throat slash and the rest. The Rottier incident was undoubtedly the last straw for Buono. Wally kept Mitchell around last year for two reasons: Partly because he was contractually obligated until the end of last season and wanted to get the work he's paid for out of him, and because Eric Taylor was banged for part of last year, the only other big body tackle on the team. Now that Taylor is healthy and re-signed and the Lions' newest defensive linemen—Jabar Westerman, Julius Williams and Ekom Udofia —are signed, Wally can safely jettison his problem-child player, without having to give up a roster player. Udofia gives the Leos Mitchell's big body presence inside, while likely playing for less $$$ this season than Mitchell would have.
I was taken aback by the tone of some Lions' tweets post trade: "Good riddance" by Andrew Harris being the most outspoken. Clearly there were plenty of Lions who had had enough of Mitchell's act. Marsh's tweet that he had done all he could further shows the frustration Mitchell's teammates had for his immaturity. Moving Mitchell is BC's gain, basically addition by subtraction.
What would I say if I could speak to Khalif? Thank-you for your service with the BC Lions. Apologize to Braley and the Argos brass. Embrace your new team and teammates in Toronto, which represents a fresh opportunity for you to regain starter's status and help Toronto win another Grey Cup. Understand that as you age in adulthood you must lose some of the kid in you, particularly as it relates to impulse control. To whom much is given, much is expected. If somebody is holding you all game long, the correct behaviour is to play harder and beat your man cleanly. Complain to the referee about it, don't try to rip your opponent's arm out of its shoulder socket in a fit of juvenile frustration.
Finally, remember that you are only one of a 42-man team, in a league that is continuously changing and re-evaluating personnel. If you wish to remain employed, act like a grown up and keep your size-10 head out of your ass.
Some of those sentiments were brilliantly expressed Dooger. Way to go! All constructive. I will make a comment about your reference to Harris's remarks. I was quite disappointed when I heard Andrew Harris speak of a team mate in that way. Andrew Harris is an excellent athlete but really needs to understand what is appropriate and what is unprofessional.
Let us say that, heaven forbid, Khalif was crippled or even killed in a serious head-on collision. Would Andrew Harris honor Mitchell by attending his memorial service? I would hope the entire organization would. Unfortunately, Harris cannot take his words back, though he may be the first to ask why he ought to. I hope Andrew Harris does not live to regret what he said in one way or another.