Matthew Cauz
CFL.ca
While watching Edmonton push around Hamilton on Saturday night, several obvious storylines kept leaping out towards me.
The Eskimos dominant offensive line, the impact that Adarius Bowman and Jason Barnes are having on the team’s passing attack and this human locomotive known as Jerome Messam.
I’ll be honest with you all; I had briefly seen Jerome play in Week One and was vaguely aware of his troubles with the B.C. Lions. But after watching him rip off a couple of big runs and finish his outing with 104 yards and two touchdowns, you can be sure I fired up ye’ old Google machine and started doing some digging.
Let’s start with the simple stuff: Jerome on the field.
Messam has been on the CFL’s radar screen for several years. Back in April of 2008 former Argonauts Director of Player Personnel Greg Mohns acknowledged that Messam, despite playing for tiny Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, would generate interest in the NFL Draft.
He was productive, but at such a tiny school it’s easy to fall through the cracks.
As for Edmonton’s win over Hamilton I recognize this is a tiny sample size that we are dealing with, but really when it comes to Messam, nothing is “tiny”.
At 245 lbs., Messam is easily 20 pounds heavier than the next biggest starting tailback.
So what makes Messam so dangerous is that he brings an unusual combination of speed and cutting ability for a player of his stature. That sort of size is usually reserved for your “short-yardage” backs and as we all know, short-yard is code for “I’m slow”.
But with Messam, he has enough speed to break free into the second and third level of CFL defences and also has the ability to make some moves.
Trust me, I watched him juke out some all star players.
Yeah, it was just one game, but Hamilton has the best linebackers in the league and Messam looked like the real deal. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a 250 lbs. running back dominating in the CFL?
I know, I know the past several sentences are completely knee-jerk and Edmonton has a stable of capable backs, but aren’t I allowed to be giddy of a young player displaying all of his talents?
Now I think it’s time we talk about Jerome off the field.
I’m not going to compare him to some of the NFL heavyweights in terms of his off-field shenanigans but let’s just say that Messam has done a lot of living. From alleged fights with bouncers and Paris Jackson to bringing a woman into the team’s dorm during training camp, the guy has been busy.
You know his time was done in B.C. when the decision to exile him came not just from upper management and the coaching staff but the players as well.
In general, players will always stick up for each other so when you get voted off the island by your own peers you know you’ve done something wrong.
What concerned me about Messam were some of his sound bites after initially being traded to Edmonton. Considering all the trouble he’s been involved with I expected more from him.
“I wouldn’t say I wish I would have done things differently (with the Lions),” he said. “I wish I would have made a few smarter choices.”
Maybe it is too much to expect to ask but I was hoping for a little more contrition. Here was a player with so much skill during his collegiate days and was then on the verge of exile. On the flip side there have been some positive glimpses of hope from Messam during his post-game interviews on Saturday.
Messam acknowledge just how dangerous his actions were to his future: “It could have ended my career, but it didn’t.”
“I’m thankful to be here, to still have a job, to be in the league. The guys accepted me in this room since I got here. I never felt any separatism or distance … I’m very appreciative, very happy to be here.”
I’m not demanding Messam to fall on his knees and beg for forgiveness. All you want from your “troubled” professional athlete is a dollop of self-awareness.
Acknowledge your actions, and do whatever it takes to become a productive player both on and off the field once again.
A couple more games like this and it will be easy to see how fans and critics will decry B.C.’s decision to jettison their troubled young running back.
Usually this is the moment in the article where I take one side, but not in this case.
This is boring to say but I fully understand the motives for both teams. The Lions could not keep Messam. Once your teammates believe you don’t belong, well then you don’t belong. His presence would just have been a distraction and no amount of talent can overcome the damage he could have done in the locker room.
For Edmonton, a team that went 7-11 in 2010 and was dealing with injuries at the running back position, why not take a chance on Messam? Judging by some of his quotes Messam is happy to be under the wing of Coach Kavis Reed. Here’s hoping Reed can be the positive influence Messam needs.
I have no idea what the future has in store for Messam, he may be a one hit wonder and he may become a star but either way he has caught my attention and I’m going to enjoy watching how this football/morality tale plays out.
