I LOVE science fiction
I love reading it, watching it
Hopefully one day writing it.
One of the most commonly used devices in scifi is the Parallel Universe.
It serves as a tool to imagine our world
if one (or more) historical events had gone another way
Or it can be a warning...against a decision that might take us in an undesirable direction
To this end...I've tried to briefly imagine the possible directions this team might take this year
And into the future
(Naturally...as in all "what if" scenarios...only one element is the fulcrum of all change. That factor is Anthony Calvillo...and his possible succession)
I'd like to list these scenarios...in descending order of likelihood
whether that's the likelihood of premise or conclusion I leave up to you
- Anthony Calvillo plays/starts every significant game this season.
He continues to have magnificent performances...at times
These performances continue to bolster the confidence of his ardent supporters
Unfortunately...the 2012 season is in reality marked by increasingly inconsistent performances by our 40 year old quarterback.
The team makes the playoffs, but not in 1st place.
They lose at some point in the playoffs
While there will continue to be grumblings about AC's declining abilities (and increasing vulnerabilities)...his supporters will again put most (if not all) the blame on Special Teams and the Defence.
Ignored and frustrated...Adrian McPherson leaves the Alouettes and signs on with another team.
Calvillo attempts another season/s but is injured and never fully recovers to game shape.
The Alouettes spend several years trying different quarterbacks...with varying degrees of successs
In the meantime attendance continues to drop...sometimes to frightening levels
Before they can find any answer to their QB dilemma, the team goes belly up (3rd time's a charm)
And is packed off to Ottawa
- Anthony Calvillo plays/starts every significant game this season.
He continues to have magnificent performances...most games.
These performances continue to bolster the confidence of his ardent supporters
The 2012 season is in marked by miraculously consistent performances by our 40 year old quarterback.
The team makes the playoffs, in 1st place
They win the East Final and go on to play in the Grey Cup
There is little if any discussion of AC's declining abilities (and increasing vulnerabilities)...and no one will care about Special Teams and the Defence.
Ignored and frustrated...Adrian McPherson leaves the Alouettes and signs on with another team.
Calvillo attempts another season/s but is injured and never fully recovers to game shape.
The Alouettes spend several years trying different quarterbacks...with varying degrees of successs
In the meantime attendance continues to drop...sometimes to frightening levels
Before they can find any answer to their QB dilemma, the team goes belly up (3rd time's a charm)
And is packed off to Ottawa
- Calvillo and McPherson share games/starts this season
AC continues to have magnificent performances...at times...and when he's off McPherson takes over...brilliantly.
Calvillo's ardent supporters and detractors are thrilled to see what amounts to the best quarterback duo since the Eskimos won 5 straight Grey Cups under Wilkinson/Moon
The 2012 season is marked by amazing performances by both quarterbacks...defenses have no answer to the Alouettes Dynamic Duo
The team makes the playoffs, in 1st place
They win the East Final and go on to win the Grey Cup (and many more)
There is no mention of AC's declining abilities (and increasing vulnerabilities)...when AC is having an "off" game we answer with AD.
His dreams finally realised...Adrian McPherson leads the Alouettes eventually and goes on to a long and brilliant career.
Calvillo spends several more years with the Alouettes. He eventually retires...sain et sauf.
The Alouettes have unparalleled success with the two quarterbacks at the helm...eventually breaking the record of Edmonton's GC Dynasty.
In the meantime attendance continues to rise. So much so that the Alouettes feel increasing pressure to use the Olympic Stadium as a venue (much to the chagrin of many purists and die-hard football lovers)
Eventually Adrian McPherson reaches the end of a long career...a new and exciting quarterback rides into town...and i have to write this thing all over again.
And Ottawa never gets off the ground
I've spent the last few years supporting Adrian McPherson
When I started...there were few who had any confidence he'd amount to much.
And...by way of apology...I have to admit that when I DID start touting AD, Calvillo had only won one Grey Cup and his career was marred by unremarkable and dissapointing failures. He's since redeemed himself in that respect...and has mine.
All good things come to an end, however.
And while it was going on...even the most fervent Calvillo supporters were calling for AC to be yanked from last week's game.
Honestly...the number of two and outs...the increasing strain it put on the defense...
AC didn't so much pull out a miraculous victory
As Kevin Glenn and the Stamps handed us the win on a silver platter
Don't get me wrong...I'm glad we won
But it's now 2 out of 3 games where AC looked pretty bad
And last game he looked like a broken toy EVERY time he got up from a hit
The fact that I listed the most successful scenario as 3rd isn't because it's the least likely to be successful
It's simply because...regardless of the fact that it's our BEST recipe for success
For some reason...it's the least likely to ever be adopted.
Obviously...there's a certain amount of stylised sardonic humour involved here
I have my doubts the Alouettes will be trucked off to Ottawa...for instance
Still...I think that regardless of my advocacy, Adrian McPherson has one everyone's respect and confidence
Isn't it time we looked at things with open eyes and did what's best for this team?
I Hope So