Greene No Longer Wearing Green

Lots to talk about lately - the CFL dispersal draft and the subsequent trading of quarterback Nealon Greene.

Alright. The dispersal draft. The Riders had little choice in selecting Ottawa quarterback Kerry Joseph first overall. It comes as no surprise to anyone across the league. Shivers was try to trade for him over the winter. This despite the fact that I watched Danny Barrett on TV earlier this week say they were happy with their quarterbacks and weren't looking for more. Really, management had little choice. Rider Nation would have been up in arms if something was not done about the quarterbacking situation.

They also picked up Jason Armstead, which is a great thing. A lot of people missed the fact that the Riders was receiving corps was complete shit in 2005, and they were at least partially to blame for the poor quarterbacking. But none of these guys ever took any heat. There were so many dropped balls last year I could have cried. I mean, give ME a friggin' jersey. I'll catch some of that shit. Why on earth Jason "Oops" French was re-signed, I'll never know. I thought for sure he would be let go. Just this week, Corey Grant was put on waivers, but he could be resigned. We also lost Jamal Richardson to Calgary, and Travis Moore, who played just about better than anyone on the team while slowed down by age, has retired. So we're really only left with Matt Dominguez. So this was a smart move. Also today in the Canadian draft, the Riders first pick was a receiver. Good.

Ok - back to the dispersal draft. We also lost Corey Holmes to get Kerry Joseph. Not a big deal in my opinion. While Holmes was the team's best and most popular player, running backs are easily replaced in the CFL. We still have the best offensive line in the league. Hamilton does not. Whoever they get to fill that hole (the under-performing Keith? Dorsey? New Guy?) it won't change much.

With Joseph now in the fold, that meant one had to go, the lucky one being the team's biggest goat, Nealon Greene. Which is a real shame. I like Nealon, and I've met him once. I think it was a travesty when he broke his foot in the first game of the 2004 season. I really think that would have been his breakout year had that injury not occured. I remember him being on fire in the opening minutes of that game. Had he not broken his foot, things would have been much different. I think his confidence took a huge hit after that, and he was never able to recover, especially with the pressures of the re-signing of Henry Burris, and later Marcus Crandell. It doesn't help a guy out psychologically when suddenly he gets surrounded by possible replacements.

ANYWAYS, Nealon is sent to Montreal for a defensive back, and is reunited with old coach Don Matthews. There's something like 5 quarterbacks who will be at camp in Montreal, including former Toront backup Marcus Brady and former NFLer Quincy Quarter. Montreal's training camp will be one to watch to see who gets to back up Calvillo.

So long Nealon. You didn't get a fair shake here. Maybe you will in Montreal.