jerrym
11-27-2012, 02:45 PM
Great article in the National Post and Vancouver Sun on Argo team chemistry. I really think Barker, Milanovich and Chris Jones of picking the "best 46 players" to build team chemistry rather than the "46 best players" individually, as the article says. That's why Boyd, in the long run and as talented as he is did not fit.
"Ricky Ray saw it coming out of training camp. These Toronto Argonauts had a special bond. They might not have been the biggest, fastest or most heralded. But they had each other’s back.
Ray, who came over from the Edmonton Eskimos in a blockbuster off-season trade, credits GM Jim Barker and rookie head coach Scott Milanovich for choosing the right pieces in assembling what was to become a Grey Cup champion squad.
“Scott and the staff and Jim coming out of training camp didn’t necessarily pick the best most talented guys,” said the veteran quarterback. “They picked guys that were going to be good teammates over some of those guys.
“That’s where it’s got to start with, it’s got to start with the locker-room and how everybody gets along and everybody playing for each other out there. I think that’s been the biggest difference for us.”
Milanovich referred to that brotherhood in his pre-game speech Sunday.
“Find strength in your teammates when things gets tough,” he said.
An even-keeled coach who prepares meticulously, Milanovich laid out what was expected. Argos players knew they didn’t have to worry about the changing moods of their head coach or jump through hoops, just execute what they were told.
Every pro athlete has a history. And the Argonauts do not have a patent on hard-luck stories.
But their offensive leader pointed to the ties that bind.
'Everybody on this team, you ask them, somewhere they had to overcome something to get to this point,' Ray said prior to Toronto’s 35-22 win over the Calgary Stampeders. 'We’re a family, we just came together, stuck together and just played great football.' "
(much more in the article below)
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/11/26/ricky-ray-credits-argos-grey-cup-win-to-team-chemistry/
"Ricky Ray saw it coming out of training camp. These Toronto Argonauts had a special bond. They might not have been the biggest, fastest or most heralded. But they had each other’s back.
Ray, who came over from the Edmonton Eskimos in a blockbuster off-season trade, credits GM Jim Barker and rookie head coach Scott Milanovich for choosing the right pieces in assembling what was to become a Grey Cup champion squad.
“Scott and the staff and Jim coming out of training camp didn’t necessarily pick the best most talented guys,” said the veteran quarterback. “They picked guys that were going to be good teammates over some of those guys.
“That’s where it’s got to start with, it’s got to start with the locker-room and how everybody gets along and everybody playing for each other out there. I think that’s been the biggest difference for us.”
Milanovich referred to that brotherhood in his pre-game speech Sunday.
“Find strength in your teammates when things gets tough,” he said.
An even-keeled coach who prepares meticulously, Milanovich laid out what was expected. Argos players knew they didn’t have to worry about the changing moods of their head coach or jump through hoops, just execute what they were told.
Every pro athlete has a history. And the Argonauts do not have a patent on hard-luck stories.
But their offensive leader pointed to the ties that bind.
'Everybody on this team, you ask them, somewhere they had to overcome something to get to this point,' Ray said prior to Toronto’s 35-22 win over the Calgary Stampeders. 'We’re a family, we just came together, stuck together and just played great football.' "
(much more in the article below)
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/11/26/ricky-ray-credits-argos-grey-cup-win-to-team-chemistry/