The Dirty Dozen - your all-time fave Argo defensive team

[ArgoGabe22]

I just always remember being awed by Byron Parker's athleticism. I'd always want him in my 12 somewhere.

I started watching in 04 so I can't list any of the older players. I would defs put Parker in my lineup just for entertainment sake. A fun player to watch and will always be a special player that was a part of my childhood Argos.

[ArgoRavi]

There was also some sort of all-star events challenge into the 80s? I recall arm wrestling: Dieter Brock won the smaller guys (RBs, receivers, DBs) event; then went on to win the next round against bigger guys (LBs, fullbacks. etc.); but declined to try to take on the winner of the big guys category (linemen) - didn't want to get his throwing arm maybe broke; there was also QBs throwing into a moving target (basket mounted on a moving vehicle); some sort of races for fast guys too? . Fun stuff, that they could maybe try again ?

That sounds like the All-Pro Countdown from the 1970s, OV. I think that ended by the 1980s.

[CrazyCanuck89]

And now for the Argo dirty dozen - Canadian edition:

DE - Corrigall & Glenn Kulka

DT - Noah Cantor & Cleyon Laing

LBs - O'Shea, Moen, Eiben

DBs - Ed Learn, Chip Barrett, Paul Bennett, Wayne Shaw, Jermaine Gabriel (note - the Argo D-backfield has featured some all-time great Canucks: John Wydraney - all-time great CFL safety started an Argo before going on to be a CFL all-star with the Esks: Laurent DesLauriers & Ken MacEachern played one Argo season after being CFL all-stars out West - pure talent wise all 3 would be on this team, but I'm going by more Argo valuable service)

I'm a Ti-Cats fan, but love that you went all Canadian in the linebacking corps.

[Will]

I firmly believe that Moen-O'Shea-Eiben could be argued as the all-time Argos LB trio.

[OV Argo]

I firmly believe that Moen-O'Shea-Eiben could be argued as the all-time Argos LB trio.

Cept for a guy by the name of Willie Pless, who IMO is arguably about the greatest defensive player all-time in the CFL. The other 3 all played much longer with the Argos though.

[OV Argo]

I'm a Ti-Cats fan, but love that you went all Canadian in the linebacking corps.

That version was ALL Canadian players.

[Will]

Cept for a guy by the name of Willie Pless, who IMO is arguably about the greatest defensive player all-time in the CFL. The other 3 all played much longer with the Argos though.

But, yet you can probably make the argument. I believe that TSN when they released that COVID all-time team named Moen, O'Shea & Eiben to the team.

[Argo57]

Cept for a guy by the name of Willie Pless, who IMO is arguably about the greatest defensive player all-time in the CFL. The other 3 all played much longer with the Argos though.

I have a customized Pless Argo jersey from his rookie season 1986.
You could tell from the first preseason game he was a special player, a shame he couldn’t have played his entire career in Toronto.

[ArgoRavi]

It shouldn't be forgotten that Pless was a Leo Cahill recruit.

[paulwoods13]

It shouldn't be forgotten that Pless was a Leo Cahill recruit.

Pless in 1986 and Fenerty a year later. Leo still had an eye for talent even when he was under Sazio's thumb.

[Will]

Pless in 1986 and Fenerty a year later. Leo still had an eye for talent even when he was under Sazio's thumb.

Leo may have also been responsible for the signings of Reggie Pleasant, Jearld Baylis and Darrell K. Smith as well.

[OV Argo]

Finding small school guys like Fenerty or DK Smith is more impressive than tabbing NFL draft picks like Pleasant or an all-American star college ball linebacker like Pless was, IMO.

[Will]

Finding small school guys like Fenerty or DK Smith is more impressive than tabbing NFL draft picks like Pleasant or an all-American star college ball linebacker like Pless was, IMO.

I suppose, but the Argos secondary needed a bit of an overhaul by the time 1986-1987 came along, so Cahill can still be credited for finding young guys such as Pleasant, Selwyn Drain and Ed Berry.

Jearld Baylis didn't come from a big school either.

[ArgoGabe22]

This is from 04 and onwards. Maybe not the best possible lineup on paper but players I enjoyed watching. I'm just listing all secondary as DBs and making a secondary based on personnel.

Steinhauer
Younger
Parker
Peters
Ivory

Eiben
O'Shea
Ball

Brown
Belli
Oakman
Foley

Really struggled with a DE to compliment Brown. Orimolade's one season isn't enough. Can't have Lemon on there although I enjoyed his short stint. Patrick Watkins could easily switch for Ivory or Peters. Huntley for Belli as well. McManis could beat out Ball but I wouldn't put him over Osh.

[ArgofanIan]

Still wish Leo's name was up with the names on the Banners in the south Rafters at BMO... for some of the people he brought in mentioned above ...and because he was an ARGO icon.... like Pinball and for me as well John Candy.

[ArgoRavi]

Pless in 1986 and Fenerty a year later. Leo still had an eye for talent even when he was under Sazio's thumb.

I would add that Leo still had an eye for talent even as Ottawa's GM in 1996. I have always felt that the Rough Riders would have become contenders under Leo if they hadn't folded at the end of that season. He turned them into a competitive team over the last half of that season and many of those players were claimed by other teams and were contributors. One of the players he recruited that season was Orlando Steinauer.

[Will]

I guess they were losing closer games, but that was going to be dysfunctional with Horn Chen (not) at the helm.

[ArgoRavi]

I guess they were losing closer games, but that was going to be dysfunctional with Horn Chen (not) at the helm.

They definitely needed a new owner. I believe Chen abandoned the team either before or early on in the 1996 season.

[Will]

They definitely needed a new owner. I believe Chen abandoned the team either before or early on in the 1996 season.

I saw an article a few days ago that basically said the CFL realized that Chen abandoned the team by June or July 1996.