By Richard Obrand
MontrealAlouettes.com
Notes from the ’09 Draft
As Saturday’s CFL draft came and went, fans across Canada jumped at the opportunity of receiving up-to-the-minute draft information regarding their favourite teams.
Canadians logged onto CFL.ca for the latest reports on the league’s newest rookies and tuned into TSN for the most accurate and in-depth analysis available.
However, while many received their fix via the off-field components of the draft, coaches and general managers around the league were focused on selecting the next “big thing” for their football clubs.
In Montreal, general manager Jim Popp had eight slots to work with.
With his first pick, Popp and his team selected Dylan Steenbergen from the Calgary Dinos.
Steenbergen was the first of three offensive linemen picked by the Alouettes.
In BC, the Lions traded up to the third overall slot with Hamilton and selected the highly touted Jamal Lee out of Bishops University.
Interestingly enough, earlier last week, Lee signed with the Carolina Panthers of the NFL and hopes to stay there as long as he can.
“I’d love to make it here,” Lee said Sunday after finishing his final minicamp practice with Carolina on TSN.ca. “The CFL is a great league and I’m really proud of the guys up there.
“But right now this is where I want to be.”
Forever young
Five years ago, Dan Giancola walked away from the game he loved, and now, at the grey age of 39, he’s back.
Wednesday, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed the placekicker to a deal after he worked out at Canada Inns Stadium a few weeks ago.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“I’m 39,” Giancola told the Winnipeg Free Press on Tuesday. “And I know a lot of people out there are going to say, ‘Oh my God… he’s 39 years old. Why don’t they bring in (Troy) Westwood? Why don’t they bring in Bob Cameron? Why don’t they bring in Lui Passaglia?’ I respect that. I’ve been out of football since 2004. But what people don’t know is the love I have for the game.”
Giancola began his CFL career 10 years ago with the Argonauts before having a very brief stay in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills. He then played the role of journeyman, signing with the Lions, Alouettes and Argonauts before retiring in 2004.
“People can say what they want and I know there are going to be naysayers,” Giancola said to the Free Press. “You know what? I’d be one, too. But if anybody knows anything about me, they should know never to count me out. And I was going to keep going until I got that blessed chance again.”
Ralph extends
Four months after being traded to Winnipeg from Edmonton, receiver Brock Ralph has signed an extension with the Blue Bombers, Tuesday the club announced.
”We’re pleased to extend Brock’s contract. Brock solidifies our receiving corps and at the same time, the extension provides him and his family with some financial security,” said head coach Mike Kelly on TSN.ca.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
He is 28.
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