McPherson Lighting Up Arena League

McPherson
300 plus yards passing
8 TD passes
2 TD rushes

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Solid 10,000 plus attendance in Tampa Bay Times Forum whom they share with the Tampa Bay Lighting of the NHL since 1997.

That's good for him!

Well, to be fair it's just Arena football. Nothing to really brag about.

Winnipeg sure missed the boat.

He’s a good quarterback. Probably not the right guy for a 300 plays offense like Trestman’s but I think he’s very instinctual and athletic QB who would have done very well with a Cortez or Austin type of coach.

I would have taken him in a heartbeat over Porter, not sure if I would over Hank though, although I don't think Burris is going to have more then 3-4 more years left in him. At least he's going to play and raise his stock, hopefully we'll see him back in the CFL sooner rather then later.

I would probably have agreed with you, Hammer, but for the fact that Jim Popp obviously decided that Porter has more upside than McPherson, and given Popp’s track record when it comes to recognizing talent, I think I’d give him the benefit of the doubt on that choice. Popp has no doubt forgotten more than I know about assessing QB talent (after all, I’m the guy who said that Marcus Brady, Stanley Jackson, and Rocky Butler had great futures as CFL starters, as Mrs MadJack delights in reminding me).

And, since it’s the offseason (still). . . it’s not sooner rather then later, it’s sooner rather THAN later !

:D

We tried to extend him last spring and again in the summer and he wasn’t interested. I’m not sure it is an evaluation thing but you could be right.

. … and, on the other hand, YOU could be right and I’m wrong. … lord knows it wouldn’t be the first time. . .

I don't think he got much of a chance. When you see guys like Joseph, Jyles, Porter get two, three and four opportunities....You would think a team would have been interested. Won't surprise me one bit if he's contacted during the season by one of the teams

He may indeed be contacted by one of the teams this season. The thoough I guess was he has sat around too much to be successful anymore. Unless someone offers him a starting job with starters pay he will most likley take a pass on the CFL this seeaon altogether.
2014 will be many more options for him. There will be an expansion team with no QB yet and most likely a higher salary cap.

Thats exactly what NFL fans say about the CFL. Check your CFK teams rosters and you will see quite a bit of players on every roster who have played in the Arena football League. You are also seeing some former NFL players who have used there options beginning to enter the Arean Football league after the last few years

+1

No need to rag on Arena football. It’s a good league for what it is and it keeps good football players employed (and Michael Bishop).

The Arena League has found its niche in pro football landscape in North America. It started to get a little too big in the 2000s with the Kurt Warner affect and teams became $$$ irresponsible forcing the lockout and in 2009 and rebranding in 2010. Now better players are going to the AFL as a in between for PT, ie McPherson, Rookies from previous years camps who did not land on NFL practice rosters or extended CFL PR. CFL scouts look very heavily at this league and players are often signed to the CFL right out of AFL training camps, ie OT Van Horne from spokane after one game was signed to a CFL contract by BC.
A lot of good football players and they need a place to be seen and the Arena League does that. McPhersons Back UP Shane Boyd spent 3 seasons in the NFL exhausting all of his Practice roster options and played in the Arena League last year who may also get a CFL look as he was actually named the starting QB for game one for Tampa Storm but was changed late in the week to McPherson

It would not surprise me if AM is back in the league with the new Ottawa team next year.

Thats what I have been saying for some time now with a lot of doubts thrown my way.
McPherson took an oppuritunity to get some playing time to prove that not only does he know the CFL game but can still play football a a high level in any league so far.

By upside you mean “Doesn’t have a contract worth anywhere near as much towards the cap” that’s the real reason McPherson was cut loose. Porter has had ample chances here, and going to another team might be what is needed to rejuvenate his career, but even if he turns into AC2, I still will not have held it against management for letting him go.

McPherson could easily start in this league. If Cleo Lemon, Steven Jyles and Kerry Joseph (at his age) can get a start, McPherson should be able to. I’m still surprised Winnipeg or Edmonton didn’t pick him up. Lets be honest here though, the real reason is McPherson wants to start. He knows he’s not improving sitting on the bench in AC’s shadow, that’s why I don’t think we were even in the running. If he came here, he’d be waiting until Hank was done, and at that point, why move? Everyone seems to feel AC doesn’t have many more years left in him and is likely going to be hanging up his cleats before Burris. Just my two cents

the thing is, some cuts are so damned close it comes down to, well, that guy comes in 10 minutes earlier, he played in a more competitive division of NCAA, he has thin ankles, or I seemed to get along a bit better with him, or some other odd intangible. those guys are in the AFL, and CFL. A lot are good enough for the NFL, but not only do you need the talent and attitude (attitude being less of a factor for standouts obviously), the stars need to align to some degree.

Every team has a guy who could have been replaced by somebody in camp that the coaches new darned well was better, but they hoped a certain player could be coached up, had great work ethics, or was simply willing to do anything for the team.

Not surprised McPherson and Montreal parted ways. But I'm shocked that Winnipeg, the only team in the league without a clear-cut starter, didn't bring him into camp to compete for the starter's position.