Donald De La Haye Kicker & YouTube Phenomenon signs

[1971GreyCup]

Everything at River City Sports is 100% Authentic.

I stand corrected! The new RealSport link now has global shipping option. Well done Argos!

[argolio]

I'm enjoying the extra publicity and love the Argos are getting through this and hope that he legitimately makes the team.

I think his chances are slim and none.

[Neely2005]

I think his chances are slim and none.

They should put him on the Practice Roster and have him keep making videos.

[argolio]

They should put him on the Practice Roster and have him keep making videos.

Waste of a roster spot unless the Argos think he has potential.

[ArgoGabe22]

Waste of a roster spot unless the Argos think he has potential.

He's apparently doing well as a FG kicker. Not sure of his punting. But his passport may be an issue.

[Neely2005]

Waste of a roster spot unless the Argos think he has potential.

Not for this team. The Argonauts need all the help they can get to draw attention from his dempgraphic.

Here's an example:

Argonauts YouTube Channel
Created 2007
869,000+ Total Views

Deestroying YouTube Channel
Created 2005
179,000,000+ Total Views

[ArgoZ]

They lost games because of Pfeffers terrible FG misses last season. Medeiros was inconsistent. Crapigna is the best place kicker by far, he’s very accurate but not a punter. De La Haye has the best leg and is punting in camp. If the kid is willing, I would say keep him around. Nothing wrong with having a cheap, backup kicker. Definitely not a waste.

[doubleblue]

He looks to have a legit leg for both punting and place kicking. But big plus for the Argos could be drawing power he seems to have. Some guys just have that "it factor", and he seems to have it. If you read his on line following he would sell jerseys especially in the US and tickets to a certain element in the Toronto area.
But he has to show he can translate his practice kicks into games when the bullets are flying. He looks to have the leg and distance to easily hit 50 yard field goals, average 45-50 yards punting. Hang time is good. Going to be interesting to see how this goes.

[ArgoGabe22]

Not for this team. The Argonauts need all the help they can get to draw attention from his dempgraphic.

Here's an example:

Argonauts YouTube Channel
Created 2007
869,000+ Total Views

Deestroying YouTube Channel
Created 2005
179,000,000+ Total Views

As long as he wins the job and can seriously contribute to the team. Just to sign him for his youtube fans is silly but seems something that Ambrosie might propose as CFL 3.0.

[paulwoods13]

Manziel, who also had a large online following, did not move the dial when it came to ticket sales. But a kicker would? I don't see it. If he wins a job because he's the best kicker (or one of the best two), great. But that has to be the reason.

[ArgoZ]

I’d take the realistic approach that 99% of his YouTube followers come from the United States and 98% of them do not have the ability or desire to travel to Canada to attend an Argos game.

[Neely2005]

Manziel, who also had a large online following, did not move the dial when it came to ticket sales. But a kicker would? I don't see it. If he wins a job because he's the best kicker (or one of the best two), great. But that has to be the reason.

JM has a YT Channel?

People are going to Argonauts TC just to meet this guy. When's the last time that you heard something like that?

[Neely2005]

I’d take the realistic approach that 99% of his YouTube followers come from the United States and 98% of them do not have the ability or desire to travel to Canada to attend an Argos game.

As I said earlier:

A percentage will be. And you don't have to attend games to be a fan or be part of the fanbase. For example I know many leaf fans who have never been to a leaf game. They still watch the games and consider themselves leaf fans.

[doubleblue]

The box score has De La Haye receiving 2 catches in the first quarter. Is this a mistaken number situation? I know the guy can run, as he ran a 4.49 (hand held) on his you tube.

[Downtownfan]

I went with my kid's grade six class today: Many of them, who are not Argo/CFL fans, knew about this guy, and got autographs. He would actually make an impact I think, though how much I am not sure.

[paulwoods13]

He saw the least action of all the kickers today. Two kickoffs, I believe. I am 100% confident if he makes the team it will be because he's one of the two best kickers, not because he produces nice videos that some people enjoy watching. Nice day-glo yellow shoes, tho.

[paulwoods13]

JM has a YT Channel?

People are going to Argonauts TC just to meet this guy. When's the last time that you heard something like that?

I don't know or care if Manziel has a YouTube channel (altho for the record millions of people, including me, do. But I am willing to bet that more people (by far) have heard of Manziel than De La Haye.

[Neely2005]

I went with my kid's grade six class today: Many of them, who are not Argo/CFL fans, knew about this guy, and got autographs. He would actually make an impact I think, though how much I am not sure.

These big YouTubers are the new Movie/TV Stars for the under 21 age group.

[Neely2005]

I don't know or care if Manziel has a YouTube channel (altho for the record millions of people, including me, do. But I am willing to bet that more people (by far) have heard of Manziel than De La Haye.

Yeah but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you don't have 1+ Million subscribers to your YouTube Channel.
:-)

It's the demographic that he reaches.

[doubleblue]

He saw the least action of all the kickers today. Two kickoffs, I believe. I am 100% confident if he makes the team it will be because he's one of the two best kickers, not because he produces nice videos that some people enjoy watching. Nice day-glo yellow shoes, tho.

I think it was quite natural that the returning 3 kickers were given most of the work to start with. The box score had Striker doing three kickoff's for an average of 62 yards. De La Haye and Striker both wore number 18 but it's not hard to figure out a kicker wearing #18 would be kicking and not a linebacker wearing #18. Hard to get good help sometimes. Brown missed one field goal outside the 45 which could be his undoing. That has been his weakness going back to college days. Pfeiffer and Medeiros made me nervous kicking field goals out side the forty as well, and with good cause. I don't have a problem with either one of their punting. But if De La Haye can hit those 50 yarders that quite often make the difference between winning and losing in the CFL, I would like to see him get a shot. I timed his punts on one of his you tubes and was getting in the 4.5 to 5 seconds hang times on 50 yarders. Not bad at all. The mighty NFL hang time average is 4.6 seconds.
I don't know how much the Argos make on every sweater/jersey they sell but I'm sure if they keep this guy they will sell more of his sweater's down south than the rest of the team combined. Maybe Jim Popp had it all planned out when he signed De La Haye. Neely2005 gets it. The game has changed both on the field and off. Especially the way teams have to attract the younger generation.