Thanks, Cope

Sorry for the silence - but I have a decent excuse.  I was in Hawaii.  So, yeah. 

Talk about horrible CFL news to come home to, though.  I'll get to Sandro later, but first let me talk about Jeremaine Copeland being traded to the Toronto Argonauts. 

Jeremaine Copeland saved the Stampeders.  There, I said it. 

Look at the record.  Cope came to Calgary for the 2005 season.  The previous two years, the Stamps had gone 5-13, and 4-14, respectively.  That's nine wins in two seasons.  Nine wins in one season is enough for a .500 record, and maybe a road ticket to a semifinal playoff game. 

I was a season ticket holder then, so I can tell you: the stench of death was on this team.  It wasn't a young team just trying to gel, a once-proud team decimated by injuries, or even all that competitive.  The defence was respectable, but the offence simply could not move the ball.  In an 18 game season, the Stamps were competitive in perhaps 8 of those games.  That's far worse than the 2009 Argos. 

Fans can tell.  True fans are patient.  They can rationalize spending money and supporting a bad team if they feel it's at least heading in the right direction.  "Rebuilding" is not a dirty word. 

But when a team is just incompetent, fans start to drift away - and you can't blame them. 

What happened?  Cope happened. 

Jeremaine Copeland signed with the Stamps as a free agent after the 2004 season.  I remember my giddy disbelief - he's coming HERE?  Why?  I mean, thank God - but why? 

Today's Jeremaine Copeland plays the role of savvy veteran, but back then, he was the human highlight reel.  He proudly told the Calgary media he was working on 20 new (!) and distinct (!!) touchdown dances (!!!) for all the touchdowns he was going to score in Calgary. 

And like that, there was hope. 

Over his time in Calgary, he evolved from no#1 threat to secondary option, but that's fine.  He understood he had to make way for Nik Lewis and Ken-Yon Rambo, and was fine with that.  He was a professional.  And yet...when the team needed him, he was there. 

This season in particular, the offence seemed to gum up.  Fall out of rhythym, trip itself up, whatever - but you could see the frustration, especially in Henry Burris' very expressive face.  When that happened, Cope would find ways to get open and carry the team. 

Now, he's off to Toronto to help Jim Barker save another team.  Good luck, Cope.  You won't be forgotten here.