Something was wrong with Time .
It was supposed to be my time, my
turn, but there seemed to be a problem. When I looked up, the punt
was heading into the stratosphere in slow motion. When I looked down
field, the defensive hoard was charging at me in fast frame. I looked up - the
ball now coasted leisurely like a hawk caught in a thermal. I looked down - too
many, too fast, too soon. I finally cradled the ball and started to
pivot to the left just as one of the attackers became airborne. I
didn't make many yards unless you count the ones that I was driven
sideways.
Early sixties, late spring, Hamilton, home of the Tiger Cats. How I
got to training camp that year was more a matter of minor influence
peddling, and self promotion than it was of any real proven track
record. You see, I had convinced myself that I was just like Garney
Henley, that good things could come in small, fast packages. I saw
myself as the new phenom who would be running back kicks and
sprinting over the goal line to the roar of the home town crowd.
It was a chance to play with my heroes of the game. Perhaps it was
a little different then because these were the days before the
multimillion dollar salaries, running shoe endorsements, and media
hoopla that generally puts sports heroes out of the reach of the
common sports fan. Most of the players were very approachable, heck
Bernie Faloney was a phys. ed. teacher at my high school and Frank
Consentino coached the rival football team. Maybe working two jobs
just helps to bring you down to earth.
We were in an offensive huddle and this time the quarterback
Bernie Faloney gave me the nod. "Go out ten yards and then turn
around."
"Turn left or right?"
"Just turn around."
I caught the ball all right because that pig skin was thrown so
hard that it punched into my stomach causing my hands to involuntarily
cover it. I have often wondered how my life would have been different
had I spun off that first tackle and then put on the jets to zig zag
down the field and sprint across the goal line. Would I have had my
own collection of Grey Cup rings, and lived in a city where like
Cheers everyone would know my name ? Unfortunately, the instant that I
was being impaled by the ball some guy who had the size and speed of a
Mac truck and most probably a cute nick name like "The Crippler",
slammed me into the ground. I was lucky to have held onto my insides,
never mind the ball.
Given my lack of size, I knew that my stint as a defensive lineman
wasn't going to be pretty. There were some terribly intense people
who wanted on that Tiger's line. Some were top rated American college
players and some were already pros or even team regulars like Angelo
Mosca who prowled along the sidelines looking like he couldn't wait to
test out anyone who was showing real promise. The guy across from me
was from the US college leagues and he wore some cast affair on his
forearm. At the "hut", I found out why. His forearm came up and
connected with my jaw. My body twisted as I flew backwards. As I lay
face down the first person to run up my back was the ball carrier.
After him came everyone else involved in the play. Probably from both
teams. As I lay there struggling to push my shoulders off the ground,
Vince Scott came over and offered some advice. "Son, you've got to
learn to back up!"
In the end they never actually cut me from the roster so much as I
just knew not to come back. Not getting to wear the uniform didn't
stop me from remaining a loyal fan. Every year when the smell of lilac
fills the spring air and I know that the new crop of lads are out
clashing in the field, I close my eyes, play back the memories and
smile. After all, I was almost a Tiger.
Fact File
Vince Scott- member of the CFL Hall of Fame, selected an All-Eastern
Guard 10 times
Angelo Mosca-member of the CFL Hall of Fame, 9 Grey Cup Games, CFL
All Star 63, 70, elected an Eastern All-Star Defensive Tackle 5 times
Frank Consentino -Tiger Cats 1960-66 including 63 and 65 Grey Cup
Championships
Bernie Faloney- CFL Hall of Fame member Schenly Award in 61 for Most
Outstanding Player, Grey Cup record for most completed passes, most
yards thrown, most touchdowns, career-1,493 pass completions, 24,264
yards, 153 touchdowns
Garney Henley-CFL Hall of Fame Member, defensive back, wide receiver,
20 punt returns for Hamilton Tiger Cats, 1960-75 career receiving
yards 4,657
Ken McLeod -no officially recorded yardage
turn, but there seemed to be a problem. When I looked up, the punt
was heading into the stratosphere in slow motion. When I looked down
field, the defensive hoard was charging at me in fast frame. I looked up - the
ball now coasted leisurely like a hawk caught in a thermal. I looked down - too
many, too fast, too soon. I finally cradled the ball and started to
pivot to the left just as one of the attackers became airborne. I
didn't make many yards unless you count the ones that I was driven
sideways.
Early sixties, late spring, Hamilton, home of the Tiger Cats. How I
got to training camp that year was more a matter of minor influence
peddling, and self promotion than it was of any real proven track
record. You see, I had convinced myself that I was just like Garney
Henley, that good things could come in small, fast packages. I saw
myself as the new phenom who would be running back kicks and
sprinting over the goal line to the roar of the home town crowd.
It was a chance to play with my heroes of the game. Perhaps it was
a little different then because these were the days before the
multimillion dollar salaries, running shoe endorsements, and media
hoopla that generally puts sports heroes out of the reach of the
common sports fan. Most of the players were very approachable, heck
Bernie Faloney was a phys. ed. teacher at my high school and Frank
Consentino coached the rival football team. Maybe working two jobs
just helps to bring you down to earth.
We were in an offensive huddle and this time the quarterback
Bernie Faloney gave me the nod. "Go out ten yards and then turn
around."
"Turn left or right?"
"Just turn around."
I caught the ball all right because that pig skin was thrown so
hard that it punched into my stomach causing my hands to involuntarily
cover it. I have often wondered how my life would have been different
had I spun off that first tackle and then put on the jets to zig zag
down the field and sprint across the goal line. Would I have had my
own collection of Grey Cup rings, and lived in a city where like
Cheers everyone would know my name ? Unfortunately, the instant that I
was being impaled by the ball some guy who had the size and speed of a
Mac truck and most probably a cute nick name like "The Crippler",
slammed me into the ground. I was lucky to have held onto my insides,
never mind the ball.
Given my lack of size, I knew that my stint as a defensive lineman
wasn't going to be pretty. There were some terribly intense people
who wanted on that Tiger's line. Some were top rated American college
players and some were already pros or even team regulars like Angelo
Mosca who prowled along the sidelines looking like he couldn't wait to
test out anyone who was showing real promise. The guy across from me
was from the US college leagues and he wore some cast affair on his
forearm. At the "hut", I found out why. His forearm came up and
connected with my jaw. My body twisted as I flew backwards. As I lay
face down the first person to run up my back was the ball carrier.
After him came everyone else involved in the play. Probably from both
teams. As I lay there struggling to push my shoulders off the ground,
Vince Scott came over and offered some advice. "Son, you've got to
learn to back up!"
In the end they never actually cut me from the roster so much as I
just knew not to come back. Not getting to wear the uniform didn't
stop me from remaining a loyal fan. Every year when the smell of lilac
fills the spring air and I know that the new crop of lads are out
clashing in the field, I close my eyes, play back the memories and
smile. After all, I was almost a Tiger.
Fact File
Vince Scott- member of the CFL Hall of Fame, selected an All-Eastern
Guard 10 times
Angelo Mosca-member of the CFL Hall of Fame, 9 Grey Cup Games, CFL
All Star 63, 70, elected an Eastern All-Star Defensive Tackle 5 times
Frank Consentino -Tiger Cats 1960-66 including 63 and 65 Grey Cup
Championships
Bernie Faloney- CFL Hall of Fame member Schenly Award in 61 for Most
Outstanding Player, Grey Cup record for most completed passes, most
yards thrown, most touchdowns, career-1,493 pass completions, 24,264
yards, 153 touchdowns
Garney Henley-CFL Hall of Fame Member, defensive back, wide receiver,
20 punt returns for Hamilton Tiger Cats, 1960-75 career receiving
yards 4,657
Ken McLeod -no officially recorded yardage
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