Henoc on his way to Hamilton & Toronto for visit

[KptKrunch]

I can't remember any other player taking a CFL tour to talk to several teams to decide where they want to play. Anyone else remember this happening before? 

 

Nope - but weeks are going by fast. One other thing to consider - wherever he signs, he won't be ready to play the first week. Not at full time MLB anyway. Maybe special teams. I just wish he would decide already. As someone mentioned about 30 pages ago - this is more and more looking like a stalling. He's waiting for the next round of NFL games, seeing if there are any injuries and if so if he gets a call from the NFL. He'd run to Cleveland a lot faster than he would run to any CFL team - even for less money. If he does sign, the length of his contract will be interesting. 

 

Other thing I want to add - Jamal Westerman, after a slow start, is playing great. But from Dressler to Fantuz to any QB (including Ricky Ray - he was much better BNFL than AFNL) when a player tries and fails in the NFL and comes back here, he never seems to be the same. If Henoc does sign here, I don't expect him to be any better than what we're getting from Sam Hurl right now - but at a much higher price tag. I could be wrong, I just won't be surprised in the least. 

[iso_55]

I can't remember any other player taking a CFL tour to talk to several teams to decide where they want to play. Anyone else remember this happening before? 

Never, ever. 

[M.O.A.B.]

I think this is more Hardaway's than Muamba's.

[voodoochylde]

I don't doubt this is an attempt by his agent to market his player and create demand / increase his client's pay day but you almost get the sense they are dragging their feet a bit in an effort to buy time and see if an NFL team steps up with an offer .. given Hardaway's track record .. the initial fuss when we drafted Henoc (and him making it very clear about his client's NFL aspirations) .. it might be the case. 

 

Who knows.  Whomever lands Muamba is going to get a very talented .. impactful player.

[iso_55]

I don't doubt this is an attempt by his agent to market his player and create demand / increase his client's pay day but you almost get the sense they are dragging their feet a bit in an effort to buy time and see if an NFL team steps up with an offer .. given Hardaway's track record .. the initial fuss when we drafted Henoc (and him making it very clear about his client's NFL aspirations) .. it might be the case. 

 

Who knows.  Whomever lands Muamba is going to get a very talented .. impactful player.

For maybe 8 weeks.

[voodoochylde]

 

I don't doubt this is an attempt by his agent to market his player and create demand / increase his client's pay day but you almost get the sense they are dragging their feet a bit in an effort to buy time and see if an NFL team steps up with an offer .. given Hardaway's track record .. the initial fuss when we drafted Henoc (and him making it very clear about his client's NFL aspirations) .. it might be the case. 

 

Who knows.  Whomever lands Muamba is going to get a very talented .. impactful player.

For maybe 8 weeks.

 

 

If you're a cup contender .. that's all you need him for.  And then, after he's had a taste of winning with your organization .. it makes it easier to re-sign him if / when his NFL shot flames out.

[Fatty Liver]

Interview with Henoc in the Edmonton Journal.

 

http://edmontonjournal.com/sports/football/cfl/edmonton-eskimos/five-reasons-why-henoc-muamba-might-sign-with-the-eskimos

 

Whenever Henoc Muamba’s Canadian Football League tour ends, the free-agent linebacker will catch his breath from the zigzagging the country, lay his options out in front of him and make his highly anticipated decision.

After Muamba’s stop in Edmonton on Wednesday, Eskimos general manager Ed Hervey is confident that his Grey Cup-chasing team has a lot to offer. Here are five reasons why Muamba might sign with the Esks.

Family ties

Henoc’s older brother, Cauchy, is in his second year with the Eskimos. The two played together at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia and Cauchy signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2013 to join Henoc, before Henoc left for his shot with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts in 2014.

“It definitely plays a role. He’s my older brother, I’ve got lots of love for him,” Henoc said while Cauchy and the Eskimos practised at the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre field house.

The ties extend beyond the two brothers potentially reuniting with the Eskimos. Twin brothers Jonathan and Frederic (who are freshmen on the Carleton Ravens football team), along with twin sisters Allegra and Gracia, who are involved in track and field, all grew up in Edmonton.

The right fit

Hervey met with Muamba on Wednesday morning before bringing him to the Eskimos’ practice to show what he’d be getting into. The time spent together seemed to be mutually beneficial.

“I truly believe that an organization and a team really takes on the personality of the people at the top and so meeting Mr. Hervey and talking with him and understanding his mentality to the game (was helpful),” Henoc said. “Seeing those guys gives me an understanding of what the team is about.”

“We need an opportunity to get to know a player,” Hervey said. “When we’re in free agency, we don’t get many opportunities to bring a player in and talk with him because of some of the restrictions. We want to have a chance to talk with him and we think he’d be a good fit here.”

A Chris Jones defence

The biggest grin that came across Henoc’s face in his 10 minutes with the media was spurred by the mention of playing in Jones’ defence.

“I’ve always been a fan of the Jones defence,” he said. “It’s interesting, intriguing. I like the way he moves guys around and that’s one of the things that coaches like about me: I’m a little flexible. That appeals to me on this defence and coach Jones and this system.”

Money

There’s love of the game, but Henoc knows there are dollars to be made in this move. A Canadian linebacker that plays at an all-star level can pull in somewhere around $200,000 a season in the CFL.

“I’m fortunate and glad to have a great agent in Johnathan Hardaway, who’s always taking care of business from that standpoint,” Henoc said. “We’ll sit down and have everything out and make a decision.”

The Grey Cup

Muamba was a special teams player and rookie with the Bombers in 2011 when Winnipeg lost in the Grey Cup game to the host B.C. Lions. Were he to join the Eskimos — currently 7-4 and serious Grey Cup contenders — he could be back in that big game this year and for many more to come.

“I’m a competitor, but … I really want to look into the environment,” Henoc said. “I believe in environment and I believe in the leaders of teams. If a team is not winning now, but I know that they have what it takes to win for the long haul and for a long period of time (it would influence the decision positively). Again, it’s the environment, one of the major factors is going to be there.”

Muamba’s tour started in Hamilton on Sept. 12, went to B.C. on Sept. 15 and continues on to Montreal on Thursday.

[Geebrr]

Some of you take this far too personally.

And you lecture too much.

It is a lecture to tell grown adults to stop feeling personally offended by someone doing something which should have no tangible impact on their life?

Hilarious that you make such a comment when lecturing Muamba on how to live his life.

Here is some reality:

1. You are an adult, sports is entertainment, stop allowing it to impact your life. You aren't on the team.

2. Some here take their opinions, and professional sports far too seriously.

3. Henoc Muamba can take a day, a month, a year, or 10 years to do whatever he wants, his life, he can do it the way he wants, and he isn't wrong. He didn't ask for, nor does he care, nor should he care, what anybody thinks about how he is going about it.

[IC Khari]

No fair ... reasoning

[iso_55]

 

 

Some of you take this far too personally.

And you lecture too much.

It is a lecture to tell grown adults to stop feeling personally offended by someone doing something which should have no tangible impact on their life?

Hilarious that you make such a comment when lecturing Muamba on how to live his life.

Here is some reality:

1. You are an adult, sports is entertainment, stop allowing it to impact your life. You aren't on the team.

2. Some here take their opinions, and professional sports far too seriously.

3. Henoc Muamba can take a day, a month, a year, or 10 years to do whatever he wants, his life, he can do it the way he wants, and he isn't wrong. He didn't ask for, nor does he care, nor should he care, what anybody thinks about how he is going about it.

 

If this ain't lecturin'...  And dude, before you get your panties all in a knot, we all do it. We all lecture here at times.

[Fan Boy]

That Edmonton interview sounded very political or the reporter slanted it a bit. It sounds like Edmonton is totally a front runner until the last section where he does not rule out a losing team if they look like they are on the right track. That almost sounds like a willingness to commit long term. However this tour does seem like  waiting for another NFL tryout before making a CFL decision which I totally agree with. That doesn't surprise me. What surprises me are the guys like Bruce Johnson and Westerman who have tasted more NFL gravy than Muamba and seem to be happy here. I would imagine big money NFL would have big money politics just like the difference working for a small family business and working for a Fortune 500 company.

[M.O.A.B.]

Maybe when he finally paid a visit in Winnipeg, Westerman can talk to him for a bit...

[Fatty Liver]

That Edmonton interview sounded very political or the reporter slanted it a bit. It sounds like Edmonton is totally a front runner until the last section where he does not rule out a losing team if they look like they are on the right track. That almost sounds like a willingness to commit long term. However this tour does seem like  waiting for another NFL tryout before making a CFL decision which I totally agree with. That doesn't surprise me. What surprises me are the guys like Bruce Johnson and Westerman who have tasted more NFL gravy than Muamba and seem to be happy here. I would imagine big money NFL would have big money politics just like the difference working for a small family business and working for a Fortune 500 company.

Winning is fun and Henoc probably experienced enough losing in his time with the Bombers to last a lifetime.  Couldn't blame him at all if he signed on with a front-runner like Ham. or Edm.  The Bombers just can't offer the same certainty of success at this point.

[WBBFanWest]

 

 

Some of you take this far too personally.

And you lecture too much.

It is a lecture to tell grown adults to stop feeling personally offended by someone doing something which should have no tangible impact on their life?

Hilarious that you make such a comment when lecturing Muamba on how to live his life.

Here is some reality:

1. You are an adult, sports is entertainment, stop allowing it to impact your life. You aren't on the team.

2. Some here take their opinions, and professional sports far too seriously.

3. Henoc Muamba can take a day, a month, a year, or 10 years to do whatever he wants, his life, he can do it the way he wants, and he isn't wrong. He didn't ask for, nor does he care, nor should he care, what anybody thinks about how he is going about it.

 

Goes onto a sports forum, tells people to not worry so much about sports.  Good luck with that.

 

But here's the deal as I see it:  You are absolutely right when you say that Henoc can take as much time as he wants and use whatever strategy he likes in making his decision.  But at the same time, I'm free to come on this board and give my opinion about it.   It's sort of why these sites exist.  So again, in my opinion, I think his process is a farce, just like I think that your opinion on posting is way off base. 

[The Unknown Poster]

Rod Pedersen @sportscage

Riders are OUT of the Henoc Muamba Sweepstakes. Made the inquiry, it's too rich, and there's little cap room

 

So Riders suck and have no cap space?

[Jacquie]

That Edmonton interview sounded very political or the reporter slanted it a bit. It sounds like Edmonton is totally a front runner until the last section where he does not rule out a losing team if they look like they are on the right track.

Since it's not the Winnipeg media, I would go with slanting.

Funny the articles says he should pull in around $200,000 while Lawless says around $250,000.

[IC Khari]

 

That Edmonton interview sounded very political or the reporter slanted it a bit. It sounds like Edmonton is totally a front runner until the last section where he does not rule out a losing team if they look like they are on the right track.

Since it's not the Winnipeg media, I would go with slanting.

Funny the articles says he should pull in around $200,000 while Lawless says around $250,000.

 

This must mean we're a lock!

[holoman]

 

Rod Pedersen @sportscage

Riders are OUT of the Henoc Muamba Sweepstakes. Made the inquiry, it's too rich, and there's little cap room

 

So Riders suck and have no cap space?

 

My first thought as well

[Geebrr]

Rod Pedersen @sportscage

Riders are OUT of the Henoc Muamba Sweepstakes. Made the inquiry, it's too rich, and there's little cap room

So Riders suck and have no cap space?

Welcome to a Taman run team.

[Tracker]

 

Rod Pedersen @sportscage

Riders are OUT of the Henoc Muamba Sweepstakes. Made the inquiry, it's too rich, and there's little cap room

 

So Riders suck and have no cap space?

 

Its sort of like having bad breath and sucking.

[BigBlue]

So the cost this year for Henoc is 1/3 of season and next year we can use Picard's salary

[Jacquie]

So the cost this year for Henoc is 1/3 of season and next year we can use Picard's salary

You're assuming there would be a next year on Henoc's contract.

[LeBird]

 

So the cost this year for Henoc is 1/3 of season and next year we can use Picard's salary

You're assuming there would be a next year on Henoc's contract.

 

If it's just a six game deal do you even bother?

[Guest J5V]

I can't remember any other player taking a CFL tour to talk to several teams to decide where they want to play. Anyone else remember this happening before? 

Nope. I find it somewhat ... strange and a little self-important. 

[holoman]

The longer this draws out, the less interest I have.

Seriously. ...who has a cross Canada tour for free agency in the middle of the season?