ys Cheap College Jerseys China Cheap Foo | Forum
123
Jan 28 '19
EDMONTON -- Its been almost 10 years since that fateful 2003 Labour Day melee when Ed Hervey lost his mind with rage and clocked a linesman in the head with his helmet. Dan-Axel Zagadou Jersey . It made headline news across the continent and loomed as the last straw for the lightning bolt Edmonton Eskimos receiver who had used fleet feet to escape the drugs and gangs of south-central Los Angeles only to discover the violent culture had followed him north to the fields of the CFL. "This is personal. This is payback," Hervey, now the Eskimos general manager, said in a boardroom interview overlooking the field at Commonwealth Stadium. "Everything thats done from when I wake up in the morning is simply to win and deliver for the organization that has helped me escape that damn hellhole that I grew up in. "And I know this is going to work." The hellhole was in Watts and in Compton, blighted neighbourhoods of burned-out homes and cracked asphalt, freeways encircling communities where no one ever got out. In the 1980s, it was a crack-addled urban war zone punctuated by gangland slayings and drive-by murders. Bloods and Crips battled each other for territory, for drugs, or just because. Hervey, his sister, and mom were in the middle of it, in the notorious Nickerson Gardens housing project. One day in front of their window 14-year-old Ed and his sister watched one teen murder another by shooting him in the head following a street craps game gone awry. Neighbours came to stare at the corpse. Blood congealed by the Herveys front door. Hervey lived in Watts but went to school in Compton, meaning every day he took his life in his hands taking the bus from the Bloodlands to Crips territory and back again. A Blood resident in a Crip zone or vice versa was an invitation to get pulped -- or worse He kept his head down on the bus but invariably some tough would sidle up to him and deliver those dreaded three words: "Where you from?" "Hey, man, I dont bang," Hervey would reply. "I didnt ask you that. Where you live?" Hervey learned to talk his way out, fight if need be, or if necessary run. And man could he fly. Young Ed realized by Grade 4 his feet could take him a long way. In the 60-yard dash he beat the best in Grade 5 and was nipped at the wire by the top Grade 6er. In high school, hed race for money. In a furtive corner of phys-ed class they would put their dollars down to see who was fastest. "Ed," his friend Orlando would brag, "can beat all yall." He eventually ran track, but his first love was still football. He was too poor to play organized ball as a kid but was the quarterback in endless sandlot games, drawing up plays in the dirt. He played high school ball as a quarterback and got a football scholarship to the University of Southern California while establishing himself as one of the elite track stars in California. At USC he was switched to wide receiver and was drafted in the fifth round by the Dallas Cowboys in 1995. He was never more than training camp and practice fodder, and by 1999 he joined the Eskimos. It was the last stop, the last chance to trade football for a decent paycheque and buy a better life for his family. He turned heads with his speed, became the deep threat that helped lead the team to Grey cup wins in 2003 and 2005. He was a league all-star in 2001 and 2003. In his minds eye Hervey can still picture his favourite route: the deep post. The safety is cleared out. Its man coverage. Hervey explodes off the line. The defensive back backpedals furiously. Hervey catches him. The d-back turns to give chase but its too late. Herveys gone, running to daylight. From behind the tangle of bodies at scrimmage the ball is launched, as if from a catapult -- high, deep, long. "You look up and see the ball coming," said Hervey. "You take a few more strides and you can hear the separation between you and the defender. And then you reach out, grab the ball. "The next thing you know youre in the end zone and you make eye contact (with the defender) where you both know -- he knows -- its going to be a long day." But Hervey had some serious anger issues. In 2001 he was ejected from a game for throwing a ball at a referee when a touchdown was called back. In 2002, as the Grey Cup game turned sour against Montreal, offensive co-ordinator Danny Maciocia got in his face on the sidelines, dressing him down in front of everyone. Hervey snapped, bashing his way into Maciocia until teammates separated them. Then came the infamous 2003 Labour Day game against the Calgary Stampeders. Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray got hit out of bounds, slammed into the Gatorade jug, and the brawl was on. Viewpoints vary, but Hervey said he saw Stamps cornerback Davis Sanchez sucker punching teammates, then came after him. Hervey was holding his helmet. "Its hit or be hit," Hervey recalled. His instincts took over. He swung his helmet. "I just heard someone yell out No! It turned out to be the official, but it was too late." Head linesman Brent Buchko crumpled into a heap and needed medical attention, but was OK and went back to his day job the next day. Hervey was done for the day, kicked out of the game. As he sat in a daze in the dressing room, the crowd outside going crazy, he turned to Eskimo public relations man Dave Jamieson and said, "Man, what did I just do?" The Eskimos didnt even wait for the league to act, suspending Hervey for one game. "He is a person who you push and push and push, and then he explodes. That is scary for me," then-Eskimo president Hugh Campbell said of Hervey at the time. "It is not the Eskimo way," echoed team COO Rick LeLacheur. Friends and family saw the story on U.S. headline news, The deepest cut came from his mom, Velma, who told him: "Dont embarrass us like that." Looking back, Hervey, now 40, said he learned that while he had avoided the gangs, the street instincts were hardwired in from a childhood where your courage was tested daily, where perceived cowardice could prove fatal. "I put my entire career, reputation, livelihood on the table and spun the wheel, so to speak," he said. "Fortunately for me there were people here that wanted to give me a chance to redeem myself versus discarding me as some street thug. "It never happened again." In 2007 Hervey retired as a player ready to begin his new life setting up a trucking firm. But Maciocia, by then running Eskimo football operations, had another idea in mind: being a scout. He had been bowled over by a back-of-the-napkin player evaluation Hervey had done. Like the child learning football in the sandlot, Hervey was a self-taught scout. As a player he was a film room rat, studying not only his opponent across the line, but the other positions, too. He would sit in with the offensive and defensive lineman and pester them with questions: Why did you take that move? Explain that technique. "I just wanted to know. I always like to know what everybodys doing," he said. Last December, after six years evaluating talent and a promotion to head scout, he was given the chance to lead the team as general manager. Its been a struggle. The team is off to a 1-5 start, and the Eskimos lead the league in getting booed off their home field. Hervey said patience is key. He could overhaul the roster right now, he said, with flashy one-and-done NFL scrubeenies seeking to exploit the Eskimos to pad their stats for one more shot down south. "Im not going to build like that. I refuse to build like that. "Were talking about sustainability. Were talking about (getting) a core of veteran players. "Stats are nothing. If thats what you dream for, youre a loser. The only two stats you want are wins and championships." Hervey takes over at a time the roles are reversed. The Eskimos -- once the leagues flagship franchise -- have become perennially mediocre, a dismaying Tilt-A-Whirl ride of coaches, players, and broken promises. That dysfunctionality, said Hervey, is why he is sticking around. "I cant repay this organization for what theyve done for me and my family with anything other than hard work and determination to turn this around," he said. "And anybody who doesnt buy in to what Im trying to do wont be here." Nuri Sahin Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Custom Borussia Dortmund Jersey . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. http://www.footballdortmundpro.com/Kids-Lukasz-Piszczek-Jersey/ . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. They knew it was the longest of shots. The supporters in the Stragglers Café knew it; the members in the Colin Atkinson knew it; and the players gathered in the 1875 Club knew it most of all.But since when did knowing ever stop you hoping?All the same its the hoping that leads to the hurt. After the pain of 2010 Somerset supporters knew that, too. Yet, here they were at Taunton, just wondering if this could be the one.Nothing, like something, happens anywhere, wrote Philip Larkin, and for half a day the nothing that was happening at Lords had meant everything to the players in their track suits and the supporters in their polo shirts or sweaters as they gathered together and took comfort from the fact that they were facing this thing together.And when it was all done with and Middlesex were being acclaimed as county champions, there was no bitterness from the runners-up, only congratulations to the victors and recognition of what a wonderful Championship season it had been for Chris Rogers and his side.Declarations were part and parcel of the game years ago, said Somersets director of cricket, Matt Maynard, as he reflected on the way Middlesex had won the title at Lords. Neither side were going to give us the title. They had to come to an agreement and from the outset it looked like a very fine declaration.It needed Tim Bresnan to carry on for another three or four overs to take it into that last over with 12 needed but unfortunately it didnt get to that stage. But fair credit to Middlesex, theyve gone through the season unbeaten and a number of their players have had outstanding seasons.Theyve been very consistent and I think they are deserved champions.Maynards was speaking at the end of a day which Somerset loyalists will remember for one heart-breaking reason and several heart-warming ones. It had been a day which began with a good group of supporters in the ground floor of the new pavilion, although their number swelled very rapidly over lunchtime and into the early afternoon.For a while it had seemed that nothing much was happening at Lords, nothing at any rate to indicate that discussions had taken place between the captains. But everyone could see there was not the time necessary for a normal game to take place.Then with the game in stalemate Alex Lees was brought on to bowl deliberate bad balls to set up a declaration and a few comments began, although not too many. Many of those watching were old enough to remember the days of regular three-day nonsense, and those who werent received a crash course, mdear.The loudest protests followed the declaration and the idea that six-an-over represented much of a challenge to Yorkshires batsmen. Then people remembered that this was a Yorkshire side without Jonny Bairstow and suddenly the declaration seemed less generous on a lifeless pitch.Not that they prevented them hoping, of course.By four oclock there was hardly standing room in the Stragglers and the members in the Colin Atkinson were trying to look vaguely dignified. They failed, God bless em. Some of the players couldnt watch and took a stroll on the outfield. Busy doin nothin.Very quickly, though, it became clear how difficult Yorkshire were finding their run-chase People started talking about the tie and how glorious that might be. Wickets fell, although people were unsure whether this was a good or bad thing. Stalemate was needed and that was clearly the one outcome not on the cards.Chris Rogers and some of his playerrs watched the game on the first floor of the Somerset Pavilion. Roman Burki Jersey. Every dot ball brought a roar of acclamation. In the press box seasoned journos acknowledged that they had seen nowt like this.Then there was that clatter of wickets, a Toby Roland-Jones hat-trick and Middlesex players rolling on the ground in glee. Supporters dribbled out of the Colin Atkinson and others joined them on the outfield. Everyone the roped-off area in front of the Andrew Caddick pavilion - the Caddyshack they call it down here - was ringed by Somerset supporters. There were a few tears and a lot of pride.Somersets chairman, Andy Nash, congratulated the new champions and confirmed that Matt Maynard would have done the same as Gale and Franklin. Maynard, himself, and Rogers spoke with dignity and pride about all that had been achieved. And, yes, all that was to come.There was great belief in the group, said Maynard, We played some good cricket without getting results and we then built momentum though winning games and gaining confidence from that.The contribution of Chris Rogers has been huge. He has been tough on the players in the middle at times and that has taken them back a little bit. You have to challenge them at times. His expectations were terrific and hes made an incredible impact.The biggest thing we can do for Chris is continue his legacy. I was in the Glamorgan team included Viv Richards in the latter part of his career, he was very passionate and we continued his legacy. It is now hugely important that we do the same.We have five youngsters who are coming through and weve also signed Steve Davies. I have a clear idea as to who Id like as captain to take over from Chris Rogers but Im not at liberty to say who that is yet.Somerset supporters may take heart from Maynards comments but they are getting tired of finishing second in the West Country. Even that most equable of men, Marcus Trescothick, who was one of those ambling on the outfield, is getting particularly tired of it.Its a pain in the arse to come second again and it feels just the same as it did last time, he said. Its been such a difficult day and different to the last time we did it because we were playing all day so it has been very strange having to sit around and watch it all on television.It feels no different than last time to end up in second place, the only difference is that Middlesex have been top of the table for a long time and they have come out and won the competition outright, so they deserve to win.I think we were all disappointed to see the game set up in that fashion. It was going along and doing exactly what we wanted it to do and had it been any normal game it would have petered out with a 4.30 or five oclock finish but those are the regulations and its not in our control to worry about that.It was just sad to see because from our point of view we wanted to see the best team win and I guess that Middlesex have at the end of the day, but the fashion in which it was done was disappointing.And with that, it was done. The players drifted away, perhaps to celebrate a season in which a late charge for victory was not quite enough. The supporters, too, with whom the players have a great bond in this county, left the ground they call a home and some may not return until next April.We also suffer who only sit and watch and wait. Wholesale NFL Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys From China Cheap Nike Basketball Jerseys Wholesale Hockey Jerseys China Nike Baseball Jerseys Cheap College Jerseys China Cheap Football JerseysWholesale Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys Canada Wholesale Nike MLB Jerseys Canada Cheap NBA Jerseys Authentic Canada Stitched Soccer Jerseys CanadaCheap Jerseys Canada NFL ' ' '
Share:
