Another open letter to Jim Barker
I think a round of applause are in order for Jim Barker. Maybe a couple of rounds.
Dear Jim Barker,
I write to you regarding my “colorful” letter I wrote to you just before the season started, regarding my distaste for some of the decisions you made since taking over as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts.
Anyway Jim, I think this time calling you Jim would be a little more appropiate than Jimmy, I started off my letter last time by expressing my belief that there were better candidates out there for the Toronto Argonauts to hire as a head coach this off-season, such as Scott Milanovich, offensive coordinator of the Montreal Alouettes.
As it turns out, I guess I was wrong. Your Argonauts are 5-2-0, tied for first place in the East Division with the Montreal Alouettes. This is following two consecutive seasons where Toronto missed the playoffs. Under your reign Jim, the Argonauts have gone from lovable losers, to an average team and finally to a contender. It would have been hard for another coach to duplicate that.
After that comment in my previous letter, I went on to criticize some of the moves you made in the off-season, such as not re-signing running back Jamal Robertson, who was the team’s biggest offensive threat last season. You eventually decided on Cory Boyd as your starting tailback. All he’s done is so far is lead the league in rushing with 711 yards and has also added four touchdowns. Woops, my bad.
But, Jim, the biggest concern I expressed was your decision to name Cleo Lemon as your starting quarterback instead of Dalton Bell.
Was I justified in this criticism? I think so. After all, Bell had more CFL experience than Lemon. In the preseason, Bell had gone 18/26 for 341 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, while Lemon had gone 10/26 for 99 yards and one interception. Bell clearly outperformed him, yet you still called Lemon a great “practice quarterback”.
As with the Robertson comment, I have had to eat my words. On the season, Lemon has gone 112/185, with 1,467 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Not great, but then again, pretty good for a first-year CFL starter. The big thing though, as has been brought up a lot this season, is that Lemon has led the Argonauts to a lot of victories. ‘Elite’ quarterbacks like Ricky Ray, Casey Printers and, for the most part, Kevin Glenn, haven’t done the same.
Once again, my bad.
After that, the rest of my original letter gets kind of fuzzy. I might called you stubborn, said the Argonauts were doomed and predicted you would quickly be fired. But hey, we’re all good, right?
I’ll admit it, pretty much everything I said in that original letter turned out to be wrong. Sometime this season, Jim, we can grab a beer and laugh about this whole thing. Well, I don’t drink, but I could grab a Pepsi or something.
Best of luck on the rest of your season, that is, when you are not playing the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Yours truly,
Jonathan Hamelin
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About the Author
An aspiring journalist who has a freelance contract with the Regina Leader-Post and is a veteran online CFL columnist. Hamelin currently attends the University of Regina and is enrolled in the pre-journalism program. After this year, he will apply for the school of journalism. Hamelin has had work published in his highschool paper, university paper, Regina's paper and a number of online sites. For a look at all of his work, visit http://jonathansjournalismportfolio.webs.com/View Author Profile
Add my name to that letter, FOR NOW….. Except for the playing the Riders thing. Step it up Jim when it comes to the Green and White! ;-)
I am pretty sure a bunch of names could be added to the letter.