Anthony Davis on The David Steinberg Show

[ArgoRavi]

I just watched an old David Steinberg Show on the Comedy Gold network from 1976. It was funny to see the special guest was Argonaut Anthony Davis who I guess had just signed on with the team. Martin Short's character ends up sabotaging Davis' attempt to sing a song on the show. John Candy, who would become an Argo co-owner 15 years later, was a regular on the Steinberg show and was featured in this episode as well.

I found it interesting that Davis was on this nationally televised show as there was a discussion on another thread about how big the Argos were back in the 1970s and this certainly bears that out.

[doubleblue]

That was the good old days (lol) when the Argos always won the Grey Cup in June. But we got fooled every year and loved it, I think.

[ArgoGabe22]

Wasn't he the first million dollar player in pro football and everyone hated him for his attitude?

[ArgoRavi]

Wasn't he the first million dollar player in pro football and everyone hated him for his attitude?

Davis only lasted the one year in Toronto as he and head coach Russ Jackson did not see eye-to-eye. I don't think that many of the other players were crazy about him either.

[OV Argo]

The Argos have sure had some impressive and big name American / NCAA/ NFL RB talent signed and played for them: Bill Symons, Leon McQuay, Anthony Davis, Terry Metcalf, Ricky Williams; lesser names - guys who came to the CFL without the shining resume - like Cedric Minter, Gil Fenerty, Pinball or now Chad Kackert - have probably contributed more to Argo success as it turned out. ALL those guys were tremendous RB talents though.

[zontar]

Davis' agent poisoned the atmosphere before Davis could even prove himself. At one point his agent demanded he have a private trailer at training camp.

[AngeloV]

The Argos have sure had some impressive and big name American / NCAA/ NFL RB talent signed and played for them: Bill Symons, Leon McQuay, Anthony Davis, Terry Metcalf, Ricky Williams; lesser names - guys who came to the CFL without the shining resume - like Cedric Minter, Gil Fenerty, Pinball or now Chad Kackert - have probably contributed more to Argo success as it turned out. ALL those guys were tremendous RB talents though.

And let's not forget Robert Drummond...IMO the best of the lot.

[OV Argo]

And let's not forget Robert Drummond...IMO the best of the lot.


Yeah forgot about Drummond there - and he would be on the list with the first group - coming to the CFL from the NFL; certainly a key part of that back to back Argo GC offence - both running the ball and catching passes from Flutie; just goes to show how opinions can vary about individual players though; cause while Drummond was a very good one at RB, he doesn't even come close as an all-time Argo RB talent for me (maybe similar to Minter in that they played on a GC winning team and as a RB caught a lot of passes to go along with tailback / ground game duty)

[doubleblue]

You guys ever heard of Cookie Gilchrest, Dick Shatto and Lionel Conacher. :(

[argolio]

You guys ever heard of Cookie Gilchrest, Dick Shatto and Lionel Conacher. :(Yeah but most of us never saw them play (none of us saw Conacher).

[OV Argo]

Dick Shatto was my favorite player as a young Argo fan - saw him play, but only vague, faded memories unfortunately; another great Argo back who was a real dual threat as both a runner and receiving back - like Metcalf, Minter, Pinball, Drummond.

Doyle Orange and Michael Jenkins (one of my faves) worth noting too in Argo RB history.

[ArgoGabe22]

You guys ever heard of Cookie Gilchrest, Dick Shatto and Lionel Conacher. :(

Well Conacher was Canadian. I believe the original comment was big name American RBs. If you want to talks RBs don't forget The Gold Dust Twins or Crazy Legs. Dave Raimey went to Michigan but only rushed in 1969 and a was an all-star before becoming a DB IIRC.

[OV Argo]

Did some stats research on some of these great Argo RBs - focusing on dual threat guys - who had over 500 yard rushing & receiving in the same season:

Going in chronological order, with their best combined yardage season:

Dick Shatto - 1960 (14 games) - 708 rushing yards / 894 receiving yards (Shatto had 7 seasons over 500 yards rushing, plus many great receiving seasons too )

Bill Symons - 1968 (14 games) 1107 / 536 (first Argo thousand yd. season rusher; didn't realize he had a very good receiving season too till I looked it up)

Terry Metcalf - 1979 (14 games played) - 691 / 568 ( star NFL player / huge CFL signing - but played on weak Argo teams - in last place each of his 3 seasons here)

Cedric Minter - 1982 (16 games) - 563 / 828 (went on to play in the NFL for the Jets)

Michael Clemons - 1994 (16 games played) - 787 / 577 - when he was the main tailback (had a monster 286 / 1268 yard season in 96 when he was more a hybrid slot / RB and Drummond the main tailback )

Robert Drummond - 1997 - (15 games played - missed 3 games) - 1134 / 840 - a monster season on a powerhouse team !



(Gil Fenerty and Leon McQuay were close to this category with a couple of 400 + yard receiving seasons to go with Argos leading rusher)

[Will]

Drummond would have gotten 1000/1000 if not for his injury. Several NFL RB's have done that, but I don't think a CFL RB has yet to achieve it.

[OV Argo]

Drummond would have gotten 1000/1000 if not for his injury. Several NFL RB's have done that, but I don't think a CFL RB has yet to achieve it.


Yeah; and Dick Shatto might have reached that milestone on several occasions if he had been playing in a 16 game NFL schedule, let alone the modern CFL 18 game sched.

[AngeloV]

Did some stats research on some of these great Argo RBs - focusing on dual threat guys - who had over 500 yard rushing & receiving in the same season:

Going in chronological order, with their best combined yardage season:

Dick Shatto - 1960 (14 games) - 708 rushing yards / 894 receiving yards (Shatto had 7 seasons over 500 yards rushing, plus many great receiving seasons too )

Bill Symons - 1968 (14 games) 1107 / 536 (first Argo thousand yd. season rusher; didn't realize he had a very good receiving season too till I looked it up)

Terry Metcalf - 1979 (14 games played) - 691 / 568 ( star NFL player / huge CFL signing - but played on weak Argo teams - in last place each of his 3 seasons here)

Cedric Minter - 1982 (16 games) - 563 / 828 (went on to play in the NFL for the Jets)

Michael Clemons - 1994 (16 games played) - 787 / 577 - when he was the main tailback (had a monster 286 / 1268 yard season in 96 when he was more a hybrid slot / RB and Drummond the main tailback )

Robert Drummond - 1997 - (15 games played - missed 3 games) - 1134 / 840 - a monster season on a powerhouse team !



(Gil Fenerty and Leon McQuay were close to this category with a couple of 400 + yard receiving seasons to go with Argos leading rusher)

Great research OV. As you stated, Metcalf was a great player that played on some bad Argos teams. Poor coaching and QB play over those years. Forrest Gregg and Willie Wood...NFL greats, but were in way over their head in the different league.

[OV Argo]

Interesting too that a number of these backs played 3 excellent seasons for the Argos and then moved on: Metcalf, Minter, Fenerty, Jenkins ( McQuay had 2 big Argo seasons and was into his 3rd when he was traded for Granny Liggins, but did return for his final season, as an Argo; Drummond played on those back to back GC teams of 96, 97 and then went to BC, but returned for his final season, as an Argo); Cory Boyd 2 big seasons and then into a 3rd before he gets cut. Who knows with Chad Kackert now; but be nice to see him have a long career as a star Argo RB a la Shatto, Symons, Pinball.