Argos looking for the next Byron Parker (BB player) ?

[ArgoGabe22]

Interesting to see Rosetti trying to contact two former basketball players who are Canadian. They are Olu Ashaolu and Harouna Mutumbo

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/HMutombo22">@HMutombo22</a> Harouna, my name is Chris Rossetti and I am a scout with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL. Interested in speaking w/ you via DM.</p>&mdash; Chris Rossetti (@ChrisRossetti9) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisRossetti9/statuses/388340178864979968">October 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Here are some articles...

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2012/05/nba-pre-draft-tour-harouna-mutombo/

http://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Olu_Ashaolu/ALM_Evreux_Basket/105008 Olu played in France this season according to this site.

So is this a smart, out of the box move or a slap to the face for Canadian football? I am curious to what OV thinks

[Tau Ceti]

I don't think it's a slap to the face for Canadian football but it does seem a bit of a publicity stunt. You couldn't find the guy's agent and had to do a shout out on Twitter? Hmm. I think he wants to show the Argo faithful how creative the team's being in scouting even if the play is a long shot.

But I won't come down on the general idea. The CFL pays modest but livable salaries and if you can poach a big, reasonably talented guy from another sport then go for it. I'm sure the athletes won't feel lied to if they land a spot. A glance over at Google suggests Harouna Mutombo hasn't made a headline since May last year and Olu Ashaolu is probably earning in France about what he could make at home.

[ArgoRavi]

Anyone who has a problem with this would have had a problem in signing Byron Parker back in '05 and that hardly turned out to be a bad move. There is nothing wrong with beating the bushes to find good players. It isn't like the Argos have drafted poorly in recent years either so one would have to say that their evaluation of Canadian players hasn't been too bad.

[Mulder]

I don't think it's a slap to the face for Canadian football but it does seem a bit of a publicity stunt. You couldn't find the guy's agent and had to do a shout out on Twitter? Hmm. I think he wants to show the Argo faithful how creative the team's being in scouting even if the play is a long shot.


Lots of these guys don't have agents to start off. Chris has been attempting to contact people via twitter since last season. I'm not sure if he's been successful or not.

[mchesher03]

i'm for any and whatever means they have of scouting out talent. it's not like Chris is going to offer him a guaranteed contract over twitter - just trying to get as much talent into next year's training camp as possible and let Scott and the staff evaluate from there.

We're not always going to find guys like Pat Watkins and Marcus Ball just purely through those open try-outs down south.....