The Quarterback Lottery

Staying away from available veterans like Buck Pierce, the Toronto Argonauts have signed a presumptive starting quarterback in Gibran Hamdan, who has precisely zero CFL experience.  The quarterback lottery spins again. 

What's the quaterback lottery, you ask?  There are three ways to find a decent starting quarterback in the CFL. 

You can develop them.  They usually have to sit and watch for a year or three, but it's often worth the wait.  Exhibits include Jeff Garcia, Darian Durant, and Casey Printers.  The Stampeders hope Drew Tate or Barrick Nealy will be examples down the road. 

You can let someone else develop them, and cherrypick them when they chafe without playing time.  Exhibits include Damon Allen and Danny McManus.  Adrian McPherson wants to be another one. 

You can sign an established star, either from the US or another CFL team.  Exhibits include Doug Flutie and Joe Theismann.

Finally, you can climb on board the quarterback lottery, and sign an NFL practice squad retread and/or minor pro star.  Exhibits include Ricky Ray and David Archer. 

As far as vagabond quarterbacks go, Hamdan has a decent resume.  He's bounced around the practice squads and clipboard spots of several NFL teams, including Washington, Seattle, San Francisco, and most recently, Buffalo - where he was (briefly) no#2 behind Trent Edwards. 

He started in NFL Europe, which puts him in company with Jake Delhomme and Brad Johnson, both of whom started Super Bowls, as well as viable CFL pivots like Jarious Jackson and Michael Bishop.  Of course, it also puts him in company with Suth Burford, Jim Ballard and TJ Rubley. 

You'd be forgiven for never hearing of any of those guys.  Ballard had a cup of coffee with the Argos a few years ago, but TJ Rubley is an interesting case. 

Then-Winnipeg Blue Bombers coach Jeff Reinebold brought Rubley in with much fanfare before the 1998 season.  Rubley had starting experience in the NFL (7 games with the LA Rams) and NFL Europe, and was expected to perform well in the CFL. 

Didn't happen.  He barely lasted a year.  His career ended shortly thereafter. 

What's the lesson?  There isn't one.  For every TJ Rubley, there's quarterback lottery ticket that actually pans out, like David Archer.  Similarly, Archer had played some in the NFL, backing up Randall Cunningham in Philadelphia.  He won the second World Bowl in Sacramento, and followed that franchise into the CFL. 

How did that turn out?  He lasted five years in the CFL, throwing for 120 touchdowns.  While certainly not elite, he was better than average. 

Will Gibran Hamdan be another TJ Rubley, or another David Archer?