Monday, April 14, 2014

THE INTERVIEW THAT NEVER WAS

"Coke Bottles" Carl submitted this to the Riders on June 27, 2013....  We'd assigned him to interview, a now, anonymous injured Green player.

ZERO RIDER RESPONSE???

Well........ you kind readers know how it is with Carl. Sad bastard. 

Everything he sets his hands to, invariably goes sideways to a shit show. 

Thank Christ, along come Betty. She stumbled on it-- in a pile of unpublished blog posts and said, "what the damn hell, run it eneways.... maybe edit a little first, ah?".

So, The Dilke Debate & O-Line Critique Society

........NOT SO PROUDLY PRESENTS........

PART OF THE INTERVIEW WITH AN ANONYMOUS INJURED RIDER THAT NEVER HAPPENED!!!

"Coke Bottles" Carl:  bla bla, bla bla bla?

ANONYMOUS INJURED PLAYER: ............................................

CB Carl:  Injuries suck! It's a rare guy who doesn't get sniped by the Football Gods at some point. You're there, right in the thick of it then BAM!!....... you're out. What does the time line for a return to game ready look like?

ANONYMOUS INJURED PLAYER: ..................................................

CB Carl:  You a history buff, at all?

History as it pertains to your injury. You have a great-- time window opportunity--  to get the injury right, keep your head in it, AND, wait 'til you're 100% to get back under the lights.

See OL' GEORGE REED kickin' around practice sometimes?

Here's a heads up, from another old bull, put out to pasture so long ago-- can't hardly shoot dust no more-- next time you see GEORGE, you thank him personally.

It was George, and a few other guys of his era, who forced the changes that improved the lot of CFL players. When he started in the league, guys used to play with 
novocain shots on bone sticking through the skin type injuries. Or at least manage to get their game gear on. Back then if you didn't dress for the game you didn't get paid. 

(And we're not talkin' about freezing a tender-- whiny, Dunnigan type collar bone-- believe that)

Those were some hard core dudes!!!


Later, the trainer from that era-- Roy "Sandy" Archer-- who'd earned his chops as a medic in WW II, used to call us pussies because we wouldn't play with jagged bits poking through the epidermal layer. He'd say George and those guys would do it. 

But, Sandy was a jewel of a guy, everyone loved him. Ya, he was crusty, but after what he'd been through, seen and done-- as a medic; alleged concussions, soft tissue swelling, stretched/torn ligaments and the like, didn't impress him much. 

Can't hardly blame him, neither. 

Plenty of history in your Rider organization.



You shake George's hand, give him a pat on the back.... hell, give him a big hug and a HEARTFELT THANK YOU--  and you done right.


Thanks to George, even though you ain't playin' -- you're still cashin' cheques.

If then CFL commissionaire-- Jake Guadaur, and them, had their way nothin' would'a changed, never. 

Kind'a like what's goin' on now-- with the exploitation level-- low salaries.

On behalf of the entire Dilke Debate & O-Line Critique Society, good luck with the healing process, rehab and  we look forward to seeing you back out there.

ANONYMOUS INJURED PLAYER: ...........................

x

2 comments:

  1. Because of this blog I took the opportunity to speak to George at Pros and Joes, about 15 mins one on one. He certainly improved the lot of injured players. Great man to talk to, hope the opportunity comes up again. BTW he sure does get fired up about the 1972 Grey Cup game. DJR

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  2. Very gratifying to hear that reading this blog spurred you to engage George. Thank you for the report. The man is a living legend.

    Yes he did improve the lot of injured players as well as many other vital and significant issues such as pensions.

    He doesn't beat his own drum much, but his legacy to the well being of CFL players is MASSIVE.

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