Venable retires

[ArgoGabe22]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Argos?src=hash">#Argos</a> LB Winston Venable has informed the club of his decision to retire from professional football.</p>&mdash; Toronto Argonauts PR (@Argonauts_PR) <a href="https://twitter.com/Argonauts_PR/status/869922944004358144">May 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
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[Will]

Unideal to say the least. I had commented that Venable was our best offseason acquisition on the PifflesPodcast yesterday so I jinexed it. I think Ball plays that same spot anyways so I hope he isn't going to miss a beat coming back from the NFL.

[AngeloV]

That's disappointing, but if his heart isn't into it, what can you do? I'm now really happy that Ball is back.

[paulwoods13]

Having Ball back makes this way more palatable. It's amazing how many guys have retired across the league. I wonder if players have decided as a group to start taking bonuses and then retiring. No way of knowing if this has happened a lot, but we know of a few cases where it did. The PA has little power mid-CBA but this is one place where players can flex their muscles.

[Will]

We lost a bit of flexibility with Rico Murray now.

[AngeloV]

Having Ball back makes this way more palatable. It's amazing how many guys have retired across the league. I wonder if players have decided as a group to start taking bonuses and then retiring. No way of knowing if this has happened a lot, but we know of a few cases where it did. The PA has little power mid-CBA but this is one place where players can flex their muscles.

I wonder if the current exchange rate has a lot to do with it. Some may figure that losing 35 cents on the dollar isn't worth it.

[Wobbler]

We lost a bit of flexibility with Rico Murray now.
Yeah. I think he just became a linebacker again.

[Antwon]

Surprised to say the least. He sounded pumped to play for the Argos this year.
I guess it opened up some salary space for Woods.

[Shatto]

It's easy to read too much into this but with Ball signed and probably Woods, he might have suspected, he could have been odd man out. Whatever the case, the team likely gave Venables a good contract and this money can now be used to entice Woods to sign. Or maybe he just lost the desire to play--who knows!

[doubleblue]

Another "wow didn't see that coming". Happens every year where players just decide it isn't worth it anymore, but Venable did seemed pumped to play for the Argos.

[R.J]

Well that sucks - good thing Ball came back.

[Neely2005]

Well that's certainly disappointing.

[argolio]

I wonder if the current exchange rate has a lot to do with it. Some may figure that losing 35 cents on the dollar isn't worth it.Maybe, but NFL guys making big money are retiring with years left on their contracts. Seems like more players are worried about their long-term health.

[gilthethrill]

I really hope Ball is able to return to his CFL form with Venable retiring.

[Argo57]

Opened the TSN app today to see if the Argos had signed Bear Woods and this?
Amazing trend, free agents signing elsewhere then retiring.
If they manage to sign Woods then we are still in really good shape at LB, Marcus Ball returning is huge at this point.

[Stevoman]

Dang it...he was who I was most looking forward to watching this season. Did the Marcus Ball signing threaten his job in some way?

[Rich]

Dang it...he was who I was most looking forward to watching this season. Did the Marcus Ball signing threaten his job in some way?

Well the timing is very strange for sure. They were promoting this guy as one of the big acquisitions of the off-season. As of a few minutes ago his promo video was still up on the website. He said it was really important to him that the Argos made him felt needed and wanted, that's why he signed here. With Both Marcus Ball and Bear Woods looming maybe he doesn't feel so needed anymore.

[gilthethrill]

Well the timing is very strange for sure. They were promoting this guy as one of the big acquisitions of the off-season. As of a few minutes ago his promo video was still up on the website. He said it was really important to him that the Argos made him felt needed and wanted, that's why he signed here. With Both Marcus Ball and Bear Woods looming maybe he doesn't feel so needed anymore.

I don't buy the "don't feel needed anymore" theory. If he has a competitive bone in his body he would fight for his spot. I guess he just doesn't want to play anymore. Also he should never have agreed to be in any promo video. That is the kiss of death for recent Argos.

[Argo57]

Well the timing is very strange for sure. They were promoting this guy as one of the big acquisitions of the off-season. As of a few minutes ago his promo video was still up on the website. He said it was really important to him that the Argos made him felt needed and wanted, that's why he signed here. With Both Marcus Ball and Bear Woods looming maybe he doesn't feel so needed anymore.

Makes no sense, can't see a player feeling slighted because the team tries to upgrade the talent around him?

[Will]

Bear Woods wouldn't be playing the same linebacking spot as Venable so I fail to see how that would play a factor. Marcus Ball does play the same linebacking spot as Venable so that may have been a factor, but we do not know for sure. I will say that if it was a factor then the Argos may have miscalculated on that one.

[AngeloV]

Well the timing is very strange for sure. They were promoting this guy as one of the big acquisitions of the off-season. As of a few minutes ago his promo video was still up on the website. He said it was really important to him that the Argos made him felt needed and wanted, that's why he signed here. With Both Marcus Ball and Bear Woods looming maybe he doesn't feel so needed anymore.

Reading the article in the athletic today, it says that his heart wasn't into it. That can happen during TC. It also said that he did leave the door open to a possible return. Maybe he has some personal things going on that he needs to take care of, that are more important than football.

[paulwoods13]

Bear Woods wouldn't be playing the same linebacking spot as Venable so I fail to see how that would play a factor. Marcus Ball does play the same linebacking spot as Venable so that may have been a factor, but we do not know for sure. I will say that if it was a factor then the Argos may have miscalculated on that one.

The miscalculation could be at either end of the equation -- i.e. maybe they didn't realize signing Ball would chase Venable away, or maybe they didn't realize Ball would become available, thereby making Venable a less valuable piece. Or maybe he would have retired even if there was no competition in camp -- a lot of guys retire when they get to camp and start to remember the toll on their body, the low exchange rate, how much they miss their family back home, that there is a good long-term job opportunity on the table outside football, etc. Who knows why Venable left but as of now, he's gone so we move on with who we have.

[jerrym]

Having Ball back makes this way more palatable. It's amazing how many guys have retired across the league. I wonder if players have decided as a group to start taking bonuses and then retiring. No way of knowing if this has happened a lot, but we know of a few cases where it did. The PA has little power mid-CBA but this is one place where players can flex their muscles.


Maybe, but NFL guys making big money are retiring with years left on their contracts. Seems like more players are worried about their long-term health.

I agree signing Marcus Ball makes this easier to take. I also think taking a bonus, then retiring and health, especially the growing evidence of CTE damage, is playing a role.