Ticats Cut Murphy add 2 more

Hamilton, Ontario – The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced today the signings of import running back Tre Smith and import wide receiver Willie Ponder.

Smith, a 5-11, 195-pound native of Venice, Florida played five years (2002-06) at Auburn, where he carried the ball 96 times for 1,091 yards and 13 touchdowns while adding 27 receptions for 267 yards and three touchdowns. Smith also returned 19 kickoffs for 301 yards as well as 72 punts for 621 yards – the fourth most in Auburn history.

Ponder, a 6-0, 204-pound native of Tulsa, Oklahoma was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. The Southeast Missouri State product played 26 games for the Giants, returning 71 kickoffs for 1,872 yards (26.4 avg) and one touchdown. Ponder also made NFL stops with the Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams in 2006, combining for 51 kickoff returns for 1,192 yards.

The Ticats also announced the team has released import running back Antoine Bagwell, non-import defensive back Phillip Gauthier and import wide receiver Frank Murphy.

[url=http://www.ticats.ca/index.php?module=newser&func=display&nid=23808]http://www.ticats.ca/index.php?module=n ... &nid=23808[/url]

so that trade with Argos Meant nothing

Both players where cut by there new Teams

the trade meant nothing to me BEFORE either of the players were cut.

It looks like we have two more candidates applying for the positiong of Return Specialist....good luck boys.

Just like last year, when Montreal traded Karikari to Toronto for Stokes, and then both teams released the guy they traded for.

If it makes sense to anyone, please enlighten me.

regarding Willie Ponder- this guy was one of the Giants better return men of the decade. being i Giants fan myself, i know he has the capability to break one. I would not be surprised if he is our starting return man by the start of the season.

We are upgrading, Obie saw film on the players
and made a change…that simple.

Murphy probably had a job until they signed Miles. I would've kept Gauthier as a depth guy--an experienced NI DB.

An Argo-Cat fan

Ponder very fast lead the NFL in returns in 2004 with 26.9 yd average whats to play WR and feels he can excel at that position. I think we should give him the chance. :smiley:

Just as Davis probably had a job until Ebell was acquired. The Davis-Murphy trade, a trade of backups, may have mattered little, but made more sense at the time it happened. But after both teams acquired other players, the ones acquired in that trade became more expendable. Murphy may have had CFL experience, but I think his age may have been a reason he was released. And speaking of Davis, I was wondering if he would be brought back. But I suppose the Smith signing answers that question.

Anyway, I think Ponder will be a good addition to this team.

The Cats are looking at Barker to be starting safety in 2009. Plus, we already have Beveridge, another non-import, vet safety, to provide the depth you suggest. Gauthier, like Beveridge, had been with the team a while, but had never seriously challenged for the starting safety spot. Plus, Obie has aquired other special teams demons who are Canadian (Williams from Toronto and Botterill from Edmonton) to replace Gauthier in that regard. Therefore Gauthier is no big loss.

The fact that Murphy was cut also tells me that Obie thinks a lot of the import receivers he’s bringing in will challenge for starting jobs. With that in mind, I’d actually be surprised if Armstead makes the final cuts this year, given his rumored big salary, and what little impact he made as a Cat last year. Remember, too, Armstead was a Desjardins addition, not an Obie addition, and the 2008 team will have Obie’s stamp all over it.

either Murphy is retiring, has other options elsewhere, or Obie is superbly confident in what he is bringing to camp.
Jo JO by past credentials would be released before Murphy if the numbers at receiver were too high.

I liked Murphy, the only down side to him was his lack of speed but his toughness made up for it.

Don't Look for Jojo to anywhere.
He get shot in Camp Cause Taaffe coached him Collage. Plus he did show some Sign of being Good Last year 2 TD Catching 1 on a Return.
Remember it was his 1st Year.

If Jojo Get beat out then he is gone
Till then he is a Ticat

I think it's obvious from the numbers and the quality of DBs and receivers that Obie is bringing to camp, that he identified these two areas as needing special attention in the off season. I'm guardedly optimistic about these two positions. I wish he'd do something about the LBs though. After Moreno, there really isn't much.

An Argo-Cat fan

That crafty Obie… Lets hope that he is counting on some of the camp prospects at WR and DB (after they have shown their stuff) to be possible trade bait for some help at LB. I have to agree that the Cats are a little thin in the LB corps. I do however, trust Obie’s knowledge, skill, and eye for talent.

Don't forget RAMBO

May 17, 2008 Ken Peters
The Hamilton Spectator

click here

'O'Billovich was high on Murphy,

who caught 37 passes for 614 yards for Argos last season.

But the Tampa native's spouse is expecting and

he wanted to take a shot at making
the Houston Texans of the NFL.

"He doesn't want to play up here," O'Billovich said.

"I'm still high on him

but if a guy is not mentally into it

you can't get anything out of it," O'Billovich said.

P.S.

Obie is a completely confident in his ability
to bring talented football players into the fold
and with his long history of success at it, so am I.

Murphy was on the roster how long before he made this decision?
I'm sure he took a glance at how many rec.s were going to be in camp this year and his mind was made up pretty quick.

I think the only concern at LB is who will fill in for Moreno in the middle if he goes down.

Mariuz and Botterill have one of the other spots covered, and Carlyle and Knowlton have been brought in to fight it out for the other spot. These guys will surprise.

re- BillyDee87 wrote "I have to agree that the Cats are a little thin in the LB corps." ------------ I would agree, But considering, they are moving Dickerson, from FB to DE, and they already have Keith and lousier(sp) at DE, IMHO Dickerson would make a Great ML to compliment Moreno, who could move to o lb -