By: Justin Boone
jboone@ticats.ca
At the end of the 2007 season, it was obvious to everyone and their neighbour that the Ticats needed an infusion of talent if they were going to make a serious run for the playoffs in 2008.
So the Ticats brain trust, led by new general manager Bob O’Billovich, went to work, scouring the football world for fresh legs that could give the Black and Gold the advantage they were missing.
Of the 21 new players on the roster, two were CIS stars who joined the team through the draft, 12 came to Hamilton through free agency and four came to the club in trades orchestrated by O’Billovich. Canadian rookies enter the league with a wide-eyed excitement as they hope to crack the lineup of whatever team they end up on and free agents get to take their pick of potential destinations, but those who arrive in deals with other teams are forced to pack their bags for a new city.
“It’s all part of the business and you have to take it how it comes. You have to go into it with a positive attitude no matter what happens, and try to make you’re new team better,” said defensive back Chris Thompson, who was added to the roster along with linebacker Mike Botterill from Edmonton, in exchange for wide receiver Brock Ralph.
“They really wanted me here, so I just got ready for it, and just focused on coming in trying to win some games this year.”
While Thompson found himself in a new town that he didn’t know much about, it was a homecoming of sorts for Botterill, a native of Ontario, who enjoyed a successful career at McMaster. It was a similar situation for running back John Williams, acquired from Toronto in February. The special teams ace was born 15 minutes away from Ivor Wynne Stadium, in Millgrove, Ontario, and was more than happy to return to the Hammer and don the Black and Gold for the first time as a professional.
“It’s about time I got back home,” said Williams with a smile. “Hamilton is the perfect fit for me. It’s just a pleasure to play for the Cats.”
After playing with the Argos, Williams wasn’t forced to relocate when his rights switched hands, the same cannot be said for linebacker Markeith Knowlton. Two seasons with the B.C. Lions saw him be a part of 29 wins including a Grey Cup, but he’s relishing a new beginning in TigerTown.
“This is exciting. It’s a place where I can make a change, and hopefully I can come here and we can do the same thing we did when I was in B.C,” said Knowlton.
Getting the team off to a strong start is one task, but if the Ticats are to accomplish that, it will test the relationship building skills of everyone on the team.
“It’s one of the great challenges in coaching, especially when just under half your team is first year players,” explained head coach Charlie Taaffe. “You have about three and a half weeks to bring all of these diverse people together in training camp.You have Canadians and Americans, you have English and French, you have players from around the world like Marwan Hage from Beirut, Lebanon, people from all different backgrounds.”
“It’s a great educational experience, but yet in a very short period of time you have to mold all these diverse people into one team. People have to be unselfish and they have to be committed to the cause. That’s the true challenge, to get everybody thinking like that.”
My Favourite TigerTown Moment
If you haven’t already, be sure to get your favourite Tiger-Cats memory in before the contest closes June 30, 2008.
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