Seven year itch gets the better of Toronto Argonauts

by mr.zoltanblack | August 28, 2008 at 07:44 pm

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CFL Week 9 Review:

A slow week on the field provided a ton of "good" football and even more action away from the gridiron.

Scores:

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Saskatchewan 10 @ Edmonton 27 - Saskatchewan loses second straight, Edmonton’s A.J. Harris ran for 189 yard on just 21 carries

Friday, August 22, 2008

Calgary 36 @ B.C. 29 - Wow what a game, this is what "good" footballs all about, Calgary place-kicker Sandro Deangelis was a perfect five for five from three-point land while adding three extra points on three attempts

Michael Bishop:

The Toronto Argonauts started the season with two starting quarterbacks, too good to be true! Right ?

Wrong, at least that’s what Argo’s management lead us to believe. They told us two quarterback would mean more options, a greater level of competition and a quality insurance policy glued to the bench.

Of course things didn’t work out quite how Argo’s management had expected. Joseph, last years CFL most valuable player won the Argo’s starting position and despite struggling early on in the season Argo’s management decided to invest more in their new acquisition by allowing him to call his own plays. Bishop was relegated once again to the permanent role of clip-board jockey.

Michael Bishop’s relationship with the Toronto Argonauts franchise goes all the way back to 2002 when the Argo’s acquired Bishop’s rights from the Calgary Stampeders, who owned Bishop’s rights despite the player never having suited up for the team.

Bishop’s casual schedule as a member of the Argo’s from 2002 until 2005 saw Bishop as an infrequent starter well being a steady back-up to the likes of future hall of famer, Damon Allen.

Bishop’s relationship with Argo’s management seemed ideal, the Argo’s invested the minimum required to keep their back-up QB happy well Bishop was free to pursue other options such as the Arena Football League where Bishop played during the 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 seasons.

On May, 15, 2007 well a member of the Grand Rapids Rampage Bishop was placed on the Rampage reserve list citing "left squad". The move was in preparation for Bishop’s return to the CFL where he would re-take his newly acquired starting role with the Toronto Argonauts.

The 2007 season was a gem for Bishop who returned to an 0-6 Argo’s squad leading the Boatmen to a 9-1 finish and first place in the CFL’s eastern conference. The Argo’s would fall to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 19-9 in the eastern division final. Bishop’s 300 yard performance was not nearly enough, he finished the game completing less then fifty percent of his passes and inevitably the blame fell squarely on the shoulders of the former K-State standout.

On March, 5, 2008, just under four months before the Argo’s season opener the Boatmen scooped up 2007 CFL player of the year Kerry Joseph from the Saskatchewan Rough Riders.

Toronto’s media was extremely suspect?

How could two established staring quarterback survive under one dome? How would Michael Bishop react to the new guy chasing his job? How did the Argo’s intend to keep both of these guys happy? Does this mean Bish is the back-up again?

All these questions and many more were smoothed over by management during a press conference that feature both stud quarterbacks flanking new head coach Rich Stubler. Fantasyland.

A three win, five loss record teamed with a steadfast dedication to speedy MVP Kerry Joseph caused Fantasyland to come to a crashing halt. On August, 23 the stumbling Argo’s traded Michael Bishop to the Saskatchewan Rough Riders ending a seven year love affair between Bishop and the Toronto Argonauts as bitterly as any other relationship that could not pass the seven year itch.

Zoltan Black