Yves Longpre?
Ticats.ca Staff
When the CFL’s free agency period began last Wednesday at noon, the Tiger-Cats football ops staff quickly went to work, executing their plan to land some of the biggest fish in the free agent pond – players capable of providing more firepower to a roster that already boasted some impressive talent.
After a quiet couple of days in TigerTown, the action heated up on Friday morning.
The free agent frenzy started when the Caretaker, Bob Young, sent an email to Ticats season seat holders and corporate partners on Friday morning, letting them know that the club was “bringing Andy Fantuz home.” The Caretaker had hinted at his team’s pursuit of the 2010 CFL Most Outstanding Canadian via his twitter account earlier in the week.
Fantuz – a Chatham, Ontario native who starred at London’s Western University before cementing his status as one of the CFL’s top pass catchers with the Saskatchewan Roughriders – leapt at the chance to compete for a Grey Cup closer to his birthplace.
“I’m coming home. After a very difficult deliberation process, the opportunity to play for my local team, in front of family and friends, was impossible to refuse,” Fantuz said in a press release.
With 289 receptions, 4,311 receiving yards, 23 touchdowns, a CFL Most Outstanding Player award and Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian honour under his belt, the addition of Fantuz will give head coach George Cortez’s offence an immediate boost.
“He catches the ball as good as I’ve ever seen anybody catch it up here,” said Cortez. “He is a more physical player than anybody realizes, and he will fit in with our plans are pretty well.”
The Tiger-Cats continued to strengthen the roster on Saturday by adding three more key pieces to the Black and Gold; import defensive end Greg Peach, non-import linebacker Kevin Eiben and non-import offensive lineman Tim O’Neill.
Peach has made 13 sacks during three seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos. In last year’s Western Semi-Final versus the Edmonton Eskimos, the three-year CFL vet also made three tackles in two quarterback sacks to help propel the Esks to a playoff win.
Vice president of football operations Bob O’Billovich praised Peach’s “relentless effort and intensity on the field” after the signing, qualities that are evident by watching the former Big Sky Defensive MVP’s previous work. At only 26 years of age, Peach is an asset not just for the present, but also for the future.
After 11 seasons with the Toronto Argonauts, Kevin Eiben has traded in his double blue for black and gold and a much more friendly Ivor Wynne reception on Labour Day. In his extensive tenure with the Ticats arch-rivals, Eiben recorded over 700 defensive tackles, leading the CFL twice (2004 and 2005). His invaluable experience in the league will make him a key asset on both defence and special teams, and gives the Tiger-Cats another talented non-import to add to their already-impressive Canadian talent.
“I’m very excited to join the Ticats organization for their 2012 Grey Cup run. I’m looking forward to sharing my 11 years of CFL experience with the team and building camaraderie with my new teammates. I can’t wait for training camp,” Eiben remarked.
Tim O’Neill is coming off a solid season in which he started 15 games at centre for the Calgary Stampeders. O’Neill can play both the centre and guard positions and gives the Ticats offensive line added depth and flexibility.
Like Bob Young said in his e-mail that publicized the Fantuz signing, “It’s been a very exciting off-season in TigerTown to date.” With 130 days until the season opener at Ivor Wynne Stadium, the excitement has just begun.
See what George Cortez had to say about the addition of Andy Fantuz, on Ticats TV:
