Arjei Franklin
CFL.ca
In 2008, the business side of this great game has reared its ugly head a couple of times. From the departure of long time Blue Bomber Troy Westwood, and now the trade of outstanding running back Charles Roberts.
I had the pleasure of playing with Charles for only two-and-a-half years. The thing that stood out the most about Charles and his approach to the game; he was often the guy cracking jokes and playing pranks on his teammates during the week. However, as soon as the whistle blew on game day no one could outwork him. He is hands down one of the toughest players I have ever seen. As his teammates, we were all sad to see him go and wish him all the best, and I know for a fact that the city will not soon forget all he did as a Blue Bomber.
The truth is, in a season like this, no one is safe. We are all playing to keep our jobs. I think it is safe to say that if things continue the way they are, we can only expect to see more players come and go. That is just how the business works.
A few of us were talking and we mentioned that if you have played long enough in the CFL the odds are that you will play for more than one team. I’ve also often heard Milt say that maybe only 5% of pro athletes leave the game on their own terms. It’s a sad reality, and all we can do is accept it and enjoy every minute of our time playing football while giving all we have to be successful.
So here we are with two wins and eight losses. With it looking more and more likely that the West will crossover into the East, we understand that third place won’t cut it, so we set our sights on Toronto. This is why this week’s game versus the Argos will play a huge roll in our hopes to making the playoffs.
Some may call me crazy for thinking about the playoffs with a 2-8 record, but even up to this point I still believe in the talent in our locker room. The potential to be great is there, and I guess that is what is most frustrating about our current situation. Nevertheless I still believe we can turn this season around.
Arjei Franklin #86
Arjei Franklin is a third-year receiver with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He was the Bombers’ top pick in the 2006 Canadian Draft.
