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Gaston Malenfant has faced many a unique sporting challenge in his years as proprietor at Malen Framing in Ottawa South.
Ottawa sportsmen know well that Malen is the go-to guy when it comes to sports memorabilia, whether he’s creating something to mark a major personal or team accomplishment, a milestone, a celebration of a favourite team, whatever.
Malen had thought he had heard every request and seen just about everything.
That is until he came across the plight of Ottawa REDBLACKS rookie quarterback Danny O’Brien.
O’Brien, who is learning quickly how to dissect defences in the CFL, wants to see if it’s possible to split (in half) the football he threw to receiver Khalil Paden, a pass that was both O’Brien’s first touchdown toss as a pro and Paden’s first touchdown catch as a pro.
The two roommates in the Byward Market hooked up on a five-yard TD pass in a game October 3 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the ball has been sitting in their apartment ever since, the two not sure how to settle ownership. Both want to take it home after the season, O’Brien to Kenersville,, North Carolina, Paden to Granada Hills, California.
That means ‘sharing’ the ball is out of the question.
Initially, they used a coin flip to settle the dispute over the ball and O’Brien won. The joy was short-lived, however, when O’Brien started having feelings of guilt over not being able to give Paden a share of the ‘history’ between the two.
That’s where Malen comes in. The ball is still in one piece and fully inflated. How long it remains that way is a mystery.
“It’s easy to frame hockey sticks and golf clubs,” said Malen. “And we’ve done tonnes of stuff over the years. A guy just brought in a 200-year-old Musket and when we were finished with it, it was beautiful.
“We just did our first REDBLACKS jersey for a Boston Pizza and we hope there’s many more to do. But splitting a football . . . I am happy to come up with some ideas. And I’m already thinking of some.”
That O’Brien wants to share the ball speaks volumes about his personality.
That he has now thrown two touchdown passes also says a lot about how far he has come since arriving late to the REDBLACKS as a longshot to be a third-stringer behind Henry Burris and Thomas DeMarco.
Then DeMarco went down with a season-ending knee injury and suddenly the inexperienced O’Brien is getting a head start towards a 2015 audition to play a significant role in the building of the expansion franchise.
Splitting a seam in a secondary has turned out easier that dividing up a prized possession like a football.
“(Paden) and I have talked and if we can work something out I would like to divvy up the ball,” said O’Brien, the best CFLer out of tiny Division II Catawba College (North Carolina) since Shreveport Pirates punter Aaron Kanner. “(Paden) caught it and I’m appreciative of that. If there’s a way to do it, we’ll do it.”
As important as keepsakes are, the REDBLACKS coaching staff likes O’Brien for more than just his generosity.
| Tiger-Cats vs. REDBLACKS Friday night |
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 The REDBLACKS close out their inagural home schedule when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats trying to play spoilers and put a wrench in Hamilton’s playoff plans.  |
That’s why again this week, O’Brien is scheduled to play at least one series at quarterback per quarter and that could even lead to more playing time, both this week against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and next
week in the REDBLACKS first season finale in Toronto.
They like O’Brien’s arm. They like that he can move around and move the pocket. They also love his approach to the game.
“Let me be careful and get this straight so no-one takes it out of context,” said REDBLACKS head coach Rick Campbell. “His demeanour reminds me of (Toronto’s) Ricky Ray. His demeanour I said.”
“He just doesn’t get flustered. He has a calm presence about him and he’s able to direct people.”
“He doesn’t get too high or too low and he’s a student of the game. He came into (training) camp a few days late and wasn’t flustered by what he missed.”
“He’s always thinking the game . . . always asking questions.”
Then, as O’Brien walked by the head coach, Campbell deadpanned: “and he looks just like Joe Flacco” as both started laughing.
Resemblance aside, the REDBLACKS need to get a look at O’Brien for many reasons.
One is that starting quarterback Henry Burris will turn 40 during training camp next spring. Burris has done everything asked of him in this first season, both on and off the field.
He has never wavered on his commitment to seeing this franchise through its infancy and he has mentored the young players as much as possible. As the face of the franchise, there might just be a place for Burris in the organization when his playing days are done, likely after his contract runs out after the 2016 season.
Just the same, Burris won’t be under the centre when the REDBLACKS turn the corner towards respectability and they need to look at potential replacements.
So just like last week, the REDBLACKS coaching staff has a plan to get O’Brien action, then see how the game develops later on.
There is, after all, nothing quite like game experience for a young quarterback.
“I was very appreciative of how the coaches handled it (last week),” said O’Brien, who didn’t get in until the second quarter due to long, time-consuming first drives by both teams then threw an interception
on his first throw.
“One of the dumbest picks I have ever thrown in my life,” said O’Brien. “I was just trying to throw it away. Next time I’m going to throw it in the stands and give a fan a souvenir. Stupid me.”
Interception-aside, O’Brien showed poise in the pocket and a presence. A player can practice all he wants but playing time is where it counts and it’s all about little steps.
”It wasn’t just ‘get in there’ and I had to go,” said O’Brien. “They would say ‘next drive you’re in’ and it gave me time to warm up.”
“There is no substitution for live reps. The more I get into the game, the more the game slows down for me.”
“You know, coming here as a third-string quarterback, I was just trying to make the team. Now, to get playing time is just great. I am very excited about another opportunity.”
As far as statistics go, O’Brien completed three of five passes for 111 yards, oddly enough one more yard than Burris managed through the air going 12-for-21.
He was also able to shake on the INT to complete a 58-yard pass-and-run to Scott Macdonell down the sidelines that made a game of things early in the fourth quarter at 23-17 Montreal.
One week previous, he was 2-of-7 in what amounted to a cameo appearance with the REDBLACKS in the midst of a 41-3 blowout at the hands of the BC Lions.
There were no souvenir balls to collect after that one.
But, oh, the first touchdown pass . . . that story is still far from complete.
