In the opening weekend of the Canadian Football League season, Toronto Argonauts wide receiver Arland Bruce made some real headlines. After scoring a touchdown in their season opener, Bruce thought he'd pay tribue to late pop star Michael Jackson by laying down in the end zone and pretending to be dead.After finding that trouble with the CFL, Bruce has graduated to finding trouble with his own team. First-year coach Bart Andrus decided to leave Bruce home for the Argonauts' game at Winnipeg Friday night, and Bruce unloaded on his coach, as well as Toronto starting quarterback Kerry Joseph.
Bruce spoke out in the Globe and Mail, angry that Andrus said he wasn't behaving like a professional.
"He's trying to make an example out of me but he can take that back to NFL Europe or wherever he was coming from," Bruce said. "For him to say, 'You haven't been a pro,' made me look at him totally differently. I've been a pro since I've been an Argo. I've was a pro when I was a [San Francisco] 49er. I was a pro when I was a [Winnipeg] Blue Bomber. I was a pro when I was a [Kansas City] Chief."Andrus fought back in a radio show appearance Thursday.
"For him to inactivate me because he says you're not being a pro and fine me on top of that ... this is the second time he's told me he could get rid of me. Instead of worrying about me, he needs to worry about getting the quarterback [Kerry Joseph] right and getting on his ass. I didn't wait six months to sit on my ass because I know I can contribute to this team whether it has an all-star quarterback or a mediocre quarterback. I'm the wrong one to set an example with."
Bruce is evidently hell-bent on behaving like the diva NFL receivers we have all become quite familiar with over the years. Perhaps he feels that he can get attention from NFL teams if he distinguishes himself. However, it's going to be hard for a 31-year-old CFL veteran to catch on in the NFL, especially when he's acting like he's already atop his profession.
As for Andrus, one has to wonder how much of his NFL coaching experience (two separate stints as an offensive assistant with Tennessee) has come into play here.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-23-2009 @ 10:21PM
hey dog said...
Bruce, well never be nothing but a never has been trying to be something that he is not, a good pass catcher, or team mate.
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7-24-2009 @ 10:44AM
Colonial said...
"I've been a pro since I've been an Argo. I've was a pro when I was a [San Francisco] 49er. I was a pro when I was a [Winnipeg] Blue Bomber. I was a pro when I was a [Kansas City] Chief."
Communication issue. Bruce is too stupid to realize that Andrus isn't questioning his literal resume but rather his ability to ACT like a professional.
Yes, Arland you have been paid money to play professional football, but that alone doesn't make someone a "pro".
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7-30-2009 @ 12:38AM
macspectrum said...
Why hasn't anyone jumped all over Argo management for the Kerry Joseph debacle? In 2007 the Argos went 11-7, hosted the Eastern Final and came very close to making it to the Grey Cup. That team had Michael Bishop and Arland Bruce, good offence and great defence. Now, barely over a year later the Argos didn't even make the playoffs in 2008, after bringing in Kerry "the saviour" Joseph. They dumped Bishop because poor Joseph couldn't stand competing for his job as a "professional." Now the Argos are going to dump their best receiver and maybe even for nothing. Where is the blame? Adam Rita? Cinamon and Sokolowski? Why doesn't anyone apologize to the FANS for making such stupid moves that took a very good team and destroyed it. It really pisses me off when executives get away with making huge mistakes that destroyed the team. Bruce can be a jerk at times, but it's obvious he wants to win, he can play at a very high level and the Argos bring in a rookie coach from Europe and won't admit his quarterback sucks. He telegraphs passes which get picked off, doesn't use his legs and gets sacked and how many fumbles? Somebody had better call Michael Bishop and bring back Bruce and let's have an exciting team again. Watching Joseph play make me ill. I've been a lifelong Argo fan, but was so upset with Joseph against Sask., that I called Adam Rita and gave him a piece of my mind. Hey there Cinamon and Sokolowski - if you're trying to destroy the Argos and get an NFL team, you're doing a great job !!!
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7-25-2009 @ 11:16PM
macspectrum said...
oh, and one more thing - why didn't someone give their left nut to sign Dominique Dorsey? He was practically the entire Argo offence last year. So the geniuses at Argo central let him go and keep Joseph who appears to be afraid of his own shadow.
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