The most amazing thing about this absurdly tumultuous week for the Edmonton Eskimos? It’s all happened during their shortest week of the season.
A timeline:
Tuesday — Ed Hervey breaks his weeks-long silence at a hastily called press conference, expresses his extreme unhappiness in Simeon Rottier and votes him off of the island but not out of the room (audio here). He says Doug Sams will no longer be in charge of play calling; says Greg Marshall’s defence has to be aggressive and puts the rest of the team, including head coach Kavis Reed, on notice.
Wednesday — Kavis Reed defends Rottier, Sams says it’s business as usual and there’s a lack of clarity on who will be play calling. Tension hovers over the team all day as players are asked for their reaction to Hervey’s comments.
Thursday — Rottier is listed as the starting right guard on the Eskimos’ depth chart for the Labour Day rematch. Reed says Rottier will be a scratch and that Rottier’s inclusion on the depth chart is not a defiant act against Hervey.
So here we are on Friday, with tonight’s game against the Calgary Stampeders almost an afterthought. But don’t think that this isn’t an important night. The Eskimos’ response to these strange few days will be seen on the field tonight. Does this bring the team together or does it break them apart and spiral the Eskimos into Blue Bombers territory? If the latter happens, it lines up beautifully for the Eskimos-Bombers home-and-home series that gets underway next Saturday (a.k.a. The Somebody’s Getting A Win Bowl).
What does all of this mean? Are the Eskimos a simmering pot of dysfunction? Can the coaches and players shut all of this out and end their seven-game slide? Can they pick up their first at-home win of the year tonight?
If any of the above interests you, stop by the website tonight at 6:30 to join John MacKinnon and I in a pre-game chat.
