Each week, Toronto Argonaut linebacker Mike O’Shea answers your
questions. To submit a question to Mike please send an e-mail to askoshea@cfl.ca.
Hey Mike,
You’re an absolute machine…16 seasons in the most physical position on the field is incredible…My question for you is this….Do you think you’ll retire from this great game on your terms or will you make them carry you off the field…Do you think you’ll go back to long snapping to extend your career a few more years…haha….Best of luck this seaon,
Ryan E.
A: Actually, you have asked two questions and I’ll answer your second question first. Long snapping is no joke, just ask any of the young guys (or old for that matter) who tried in training camp before they brought Randy Srochenski back. Suffice to say that if I was a long snapper, my career would have been 16 years shorter.
Now to your first question regarding retirement “from this great game”. It’s hard to put this in print because of the mixed feelings and conflicting ideas surrounding this subject. If you love doing your job but you are not allowed to do it anymore is it really on your own terms? Most professional athletes are told by management when their careers are over, not the other way around. From early on in my career, I have heard most ex-players say “play as long as you can”. One such player went so far as to “steal a year”. The problem is if you have played as long as you can, management already believes you are stealing.
Hey Mike,
You guys are playing Edmonton in back to back games this week. Do you like playing the same team twice in a row? How does it change your preparation?
Bill T.
A: It seems like back-to-back games have become commonplace in the CFL. If I recall correctly, we had three pairs of back-to-backs in a row last season. When you lose, you want to play your opponent the next day. In terms of preparation, you tend to prepare based on what that team did with the understanding that they will always hold something back to add a new wrinkle. They know we are going to over-prepare for the plays that hurt us…but we know they know that.
Mike,
Who is the best defensive player you have ever played with? In your 16 seasons you have played with some of the All-Time greats, can you please list the top 5?
Sharon G.
A: As in a previous question a few weeks ago asking me to rank defensive schemes, I would also have trouble ranking the top five defensive players I have played with. All the players at this level are good, that is why they are pros and every team I have been on has had its share of great players. Also, your criteria for greatness would certainly be different than mine. I can’t possibly do this justice to this question. Fans and the media always have their favourites but every time I step on the field, I believe I am playing with the greatest players.
Mike O’Shea enters his 16th CFL season in 2008. He is a
three-time Grey Cup champion and the captain of the Toronto Argonauts’
defence. He is the CFL’s all-time leader in defensive tackles by a
Canadian and is second all-time on the overall list. In 1999 he was
named the league’s outstanding Canadian player.
