CFL All Decade Squad: Where are the Argos?

[jerrym]

The CFL All Decade Team as chosen by fans, a selection committee and the media has been released. While it does include SJ Green, Ryan Bomben (why?), and Justin Medlock, who did play for the Argos, there is not a single player who played most or all of his career with the Argos on the first team. On the second team, Chad Owens and Chris Van Zyl are the only players who played the majority of their career with the Argos. The other Argo second teamers are: Ricky Ray (9 years Edmonton and 7 with Argos, should be on first team IMO), Derel Walker, Keon Raymond, and Patrick Watkins.
Voter bias much?

FIRST-TEAM ALL-DECADE

POSITION	NAME	TEAM
OFFENCE
Quarterback	Bo Levi Mitchell	Calgary
Running Back	Andrew Harris	BC and Winnipeg
Receiver	S.J. Green	Toronto and Montreal
Receiver	Adarius Bowman	Winnipeg, Edmonton and Montreal
Receiver	Weston Dressler	Saskatchewan and Winnipeg
Receiver	Emmanuel Arceneaux	BC and Saskatchewan
Receiver	Nik Lewis	Calgary and Montreal
Centre	Jon Gott	Calgary and Ottawa
Offensive Tackle	Stanley Bryant	Calgary and Winnipeg
Offensive Tackle	Jovan Olafioye	BC and Montreal
Offensive Guard	Brendon LaBatte	Winnipeg and Saskatchewan
Offensive Guard	Ryan Bomben	Montreal, Hamilton and Toronto
DEFENCE
Defensive End	Charleston Hughes	Calgary and Saskatchewan
Defensive End	John Bowman	Montreal
Defensive Tackle	Almondo Sewell	Edmonton
Defensive Tackle	Ted Laurent	Edmonton and Hamilton
Linebacker	Solomon Elimimian	BC and Saskatchewan
Linebacker	Adam Bighill	BC and Winnipeg
Linebacker	Chip Cox	Montreal
Defensive Back	Jovon Johnson	Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Saskatchewan
Defensive Back	Ryan Phillips	BC and Montreal
Defensive Back	Delvin Breaux	Hamilton
Defensive Back	Brandon Smith	Calgary
Safety	Craig Butler	Saskatchewan and Hamilton
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker	Justin Medlock	Toronto, Hamilton and Winnipeg
Punter	Rob Maver	Calgary
Special Teams Cover	Mike Miller	Edmonton and Winnipeg
Special Teams Returner	Brandon Banks	Hamilton
HEAD COACH
Head Coach	John Hufnagel	Calgary

https://www.cfl.ca/players/patrick-watkins/158606/

[jerrym]

Here's the CFL Second Team All-Decade:

SECOND-TEAM ALL-DECADE

POSITION	NAME	TEAM
OFFENCE
Quarterback	Ricky Ray	Edmonton and Toronto
Running Back	Jon Cornish	Calgary
Receiver	Greg Ellingson	Hamilton, Ottawa and Edmonton
Receiver	Brandon Banks	Hamilton
Receiver	Fred Stamps	Edmonton and Montreal
Receiver	Derel Walker	Edmonton and Toronto
Receiver	Bryan Burnham	BC
Centre	Luc Brodeur-Jourdain	Montreal
Offensive Tackle	Chris Van Zeyl	Toronto and Hamilton
Offensive Tackle	Derek Dennis	Calgary and Saskatchewan
Offensive Guard	Scott Flory	Montreal
Offensive Guard	Matt O’Donnell	Edmonton
DEFENCE
Defensive End	Willie Jefferson	Edmonton, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg
Defensive End	Odell Willis	Winnipeg, Saskatchewan, Edmonton and BC
Defensive Tackle	Micah Johnson	Calgary and Saskatchewan
Defensive Tackle	Eddie Steele	Hamilton, Edmonton and Saskatchewan
Linebacker	Alex Singleton	Calgary
Linebacker	Henoc Muamba	Winnipeg, Saskatchewan and Montreal
Linebacker	Simoni Lawrence	Edmonton and Hamilton
Defensive Back	Ed Gainey	Montreal, Hamilton and Saskatchewan
Defensive Back	Keon Raymond	Calgary, Toronto and Hamilton
Defensive Back	Jamar Wall	Calgary
Defensive Back	Patrick Watkins	Toronto and Edmonton
Safety	Tyron Brackenridge	Saskatchewan
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker	Rene Paredes	Calgary
Punter	Richie Leone	Ottawa and BC
Special Teams Cover	Jason Arakgi	BC
Special Teams Returner	Chad Owens	Toronto, Hamilton, and Saskatchewan
HEAD COACH
Head Coach	Dave Dickenson	Calgary

https://www.cfl.ca/2020/11/19/votes-...s-decade-team/

[Will]

The Argos had a 75-105 regular season W-L record from 2010-2019. Unfortunately, that isn't conducive to placing many players on the all-decade squad.

[Will]

Ricky Ray would stand a good chance at also being the second team QB if a 2000-2009 team was ever done.

[Wobbler]

The Argos had a 75-105 regular season W-L record from 2010-2019. Unfortunately, that isn't conducive to placing many players on the all-decade squad.

But won 20% of the Grey Cups, which is pretty good in a nine-team league.

I think it's true that Toronto hasn't been overloaded with elite players, but I do see a few omissions. They're claiming that Eddie Steele had a better decade than Cleyon Laing? Come on.

[ArgoGabe22]

Chad Owens got the shaft as well

[AngeloV]

Chad Owens got the shaft as well

Agreed. No disrespect to Fred Stamps, but he only had 4 good years in the decade. Cleyon Laing too. Should have been 2nd team over Eddie Steele.

[OV Argo]

Laing easily over Steele, IMO.

And Craig Butler at first team safety ? - good player, but also played OLB for the Riders; Antoine Pruneau was the way better safety IMO.


Paredes is the better place kicker over Medlock.

[paulwoods13]

These exercises are a mug's game, but one thing this points out is that the Argos had a terrible record of recruiting new talent throughout that decade. Name one player whose first CFL team was Toronto who is worthy of all-decade consideration. This must change in the coming years under Clemons and Murphy or we will continue to be sub-.500 over the long haul.

[doubleblue]

Laing easily over Steele, IMO.

And Craig Butler at first team safety ? - good player, but also played OLB for the Riders; Antoine Pruneau was the way better safety IMO.


Paredes is the better place kicker over Medlock.

Eddie Steele was a good average player but there were many better DT's including Laing. IMO. What about Brown of Winnipeg.

[AngeloV]

Eddie Steele was a good average player but there were many better DT's including Laing. IMO. What about Brown of Winnipeg.

When did Brown retire? I Don’t think he played much this past decade.

[AngeloV]

Laing easily over Steele, IMO.

And Craig Butler at first team safety ? - good player, but also played OLB for the Riders; Antoine Pruneau was the way better safety IMO.


Paredes is the better place kicker over Medlock.

Pruneu also played a lot of LB. To me, Medlock is easily the choice for kicker. As accurate as anyone, plus better range than Paredes, who must have the all time record of attempts under 30 yards.

[Argo57]

When did Brown retire? I Don’t think he played much this past decade.

Correct, Brown retired after the 2011 season, I wouldn’t include him.

[doubleblue]

When did Brown retire? I Don’t think he played much this past decade.

Played two years in the decade 2010 and 2011. Maybe they picked Steele because he played longer in the decade. Dylan Wynn is also a better DT IMO. He has played 3 or 4 years. Two with the Argos and two (?) with Hamilton.

[AngeloV]

Played two years in the decade 2010 and 2011. Maybe they picked Steele because he played longer in the decade. Dylan Wynn is also a better DT IMO. He has played 3 or 4 years. Two with the Argos and two (?) with Hamilton.

Not disputing that Steele shouldn't be there. I think there are a lot of DT's in the decade better than him, like Laing, Wynn, Zack Evans, Khalif Mitchell just to name a few. But I don't think someone that played 2 years at the beginning of the decade like Brown should be there, especially considering his best was in the previous decade.

[KCargosfan]

Pruneu also played a lot of LB. To me, Medlock is easily the choice for kicker. As accurate as anyone, plus better range than Paredes, who must have the all time record of attempts under 30 yards.

Agreed. Medlock is nails as a kicker.