Thoughts on Stevie Baggs' release?

[KCargosfan]

Is he someone we should pursue?

[AngeloV]

I bet he ends up back in Green and white. He plays the exact same position as Foley. so I say the Argos will not pursue him.

[argotom]

I was watching Baggs quite intensely last year and especially the second half of the season and it looked like he lost more than a step and had hit the wall.
So this move is therefore not surprising.

[Nob]

At $150K per season, plus with Burris and Fantuz, it's easy to see why he is gone.

I think Baggs is a lot of sizzle, but not much steak. It's easy to be attracted to his appeal, but I think if you look at his game that money could be better used elsewhere.

I'm also torn because I don't think that the Argos DL played well last year, and that upgrades are needed there too (with Foley as the exception to that comment).

[ArgoRavi]

I bet he ends up back in Green and white. He plays the exact same position as Foley. so I say the Argos will not pursue him.

Rob Vanstone has already reported that the Riders have no interest in Baggs which isn't surprising as Corey Chamblin was his DC in Hamilton last year and Baggs (and Angelo Mosca for that matter) was not happy with how he was used by Chamblin. Interestingly, Chris Szarka replied to a tweet by Vanstone that he was happy that Baggs wouldn't be returning to the Riders as he considers Baggs to be a problem in the locker room.

Speaking of pass rushers and reported locker room problems who are available, the Bombers have reportedly been shopping Odell Willis (Arash Madani among others has reported this on Twitter) and the B.C. Lions seem to be the only interested suitor to date.

[1argoholic]

He can pack his Baggs! He's done.

[argolio]

I bet someone will sign him.

[ArgoRavi]

I bet someone will sign him.

I don't know if the Argos would have interest but I could see Winnipeg signing Baggs after they trade Odell Willis.

[RoRoYoBoat]

Baggs and Willis are similar players just at a different stage of their run. Both have shown to have limited bag of tricks and propensity to be selfish. Which is too bad because if they shut up and were more coachable they could have had long runs in the CFL.

[jerrym]

I always take talk of a player being a poor teammate with a grain of salt. In 1969, I had a girlfriend whose two uncles had played for the Ottawa Rough Riders in the 1940s, who had seasons tickets and because of her uncles knew many of the players on the Riders personally. She assured that the players all thought Russ Jackson was very self-centered. In 1972, after applying for 95 teaching positions, I get a phone call - from Russ Jackson. He was retired and principal of a high school. He said he was sorry but there were no jobs at his school but having read my application, he wanted to encourage me to keep looking as he thought I would make a good teacher. He continued to encourage me for fifteen minutes without ever mentioning a word about football. Nobody else has ever done that in for any job I have ever applied for in the last 40 years. In 40 years of teaching, I have students tell me everything from I am the greatest to the worst teacher they have ever had and everything in between. I don't know how Jackson interacted with his teammates, but I do know he show more consideration towards me than I would have ever expected.

[1argoholic]

Wasn't Jackson at Brampton Centential? I remember running a cross country meet there in the late 70 and seeing him.

[ArgoRavi]

I always take talk of a player being a poor teammate with a grain of salt. In 1969, I had a girlfriend whose two uncles had played for the Ottawa Rough Riders in the 1940s, who had seasons tickets and because of her uncles knew many of the players on the Riders personally. She assured that the players all thought Russ Jackson was very self-centered. In 1972, after applying for 95 teaching positions, I get a phone call - from Russ Jackson. He was retired and principal of a high school. He said he was sorry but there were no jobs at his school but having read my application, he wanted to encourage me to keep looking as he thought I would make a good teacher. He continued to encourage me for fifteen minutes without ever mentioning a word about football. Nobody else has ever done that in for any job I have ever applied for in the last 40 years. In 40 years of teaching, I have students tell me everything from I am the greatest to the worst teacher they have ever had and everything in between. I don't know how Jackson interacted with his teammates, but I do know he show more consideration towards me than I would have ever expected.

I absolutely agree with you, Jerry! What a great post! In the case of Baggs, he seems to be quite popular among teammates too so Szarka's claim could simply be sour grapes and the reality is that you can't please everyone.

[jerrym]

When Jackson phoned me in 1972 he explained that the reason he could not offer me a job was the Ottawa high school he was teaching at was being converted in September from a English-language school to a French-language school because of the growing demand for French schoools in the area. He was being transferred as principal to another English language high school but was not yet in charge of hiring and could not offer me a job. The name of the school was also changing to a French name. However, I cannot remember either name. He may well have been a principal in Brampton later, but I do not know that. I do remember he was head coach of the Argos in the late 70s or early 80s and despite the poor record of the Argos during those years, I never remember him being anything but a gentleman in TV interviews despite the great pressure he was under due to the losing record and tough questions he was asked.

[paulwoods13]

I do remember he was head coach of the Argos in the late 70s or early 80s and despite the poor record of the Argos during those years, I never remember him being anything but a gentleman in TV interviews despite the great pressure he was under due to the losing record and tough questions he was asked.

1975-76. He had the misfortune of being saddled in 1976 with Anthony Davis, possibly the biggest prima donna to ever set foot in Canada. Plus he never had any decent QBs to work with -- Matthew Reed and Chuck Ealey being the main pivots during Russ's tenure.

Interestingly, Russ's Wikipedia entry makes no mention of his stint as Argo head coach or his time as a colour commentator on CBC's CFL broadcasts. Someone should edit that.

[OV Argo]

The Argos could think of drafting and developing one of what seems like a pretty good crop of DEs in this coming draft - Gascon-Nadon, Pall, Cappiciotti, Hazime (and not to mention Crawford who is probably NFL bound so a potential wasted draft pick); and maybe they get another Foley or at least a decent rotation guy or back-up; no to over-rated types like Baggs or Willis and who would command pretty big CFL buck$ for the sucker GM types thinking they're very good players.

And not that i think the Argos should address DE with their top pick (#9- rather see them go O-Line or receiver there) they currently hold - they have Robinson plus signed FA Pierre-Etienne (strong CIS DE, plus formerly played DI ball) - like to see both of these guys get a real shot for playing time at DE (Flemons a lock for a job?) - but maybe at #24 if one of them is still available?

[Area 51]

Baggs and Willis are similar players just at a different stage of their run. Both have shown to have limited bag of tricks and propensity to be selfish.



Couldn't be farther from the truth. Willis is the most one dimensional player in the CFL. Doesn't matter if it's 2nd and 20, or 2nd and 1 - - Willis will not play the run, he's rushing upfield on every snap. Baggs will actually keep contain, but with Willis there's no concept of playing the run. Biggest difference is the effort they give in downfield pursuit. Can't remember how many times I'd see a handoff and then Willis pull up and basically stand still in the backfield watching the play head downfield. He's got a nice spin move and times the snap very agressively, but other than that Willis has nothing.




I bet he ends up back in Green and white. He plays the exact same position as Foley. so I say the Argos will not pursue him.



That's another reason why the Argos should sign him. Let Baggs take over at wide side end. That would allow Foley replace Felmons on the short side where he'd be much more effective in rushing the QB without having to worry about keeping contain and playing run first on the wide side. Of course the drawback to that is Baggs doesn't have the speed Foley does so he'd have to play a shade wider and force the RBs inside. Which means they'd be relying on the DTs to stuff the run and the LBs to make tackles - - both were major areas of weakness for Toronto last year.

[RoRoYoBoat]

Baggs is the same. He could not catch a donut rolling uphill.