the 4th star

In a 4th Star exclusive, former Canadian Football League quarterback Matt Dunigan sits down with former Canadian Football League quarterback Matt Dunigan for a one-on-one interview. For those of you who don’t know, the 14-year veteran with nearly every team in the league now serves as a football analyst for TSN and occasionally takes control at the barbecue over at the Food Network — a channel which apparently is starving for content.

Matt Dunigan: Hey Matt. Thanks for agreeing to do this. Big fan over here. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.

Matt Dunigan: Pleasure’s mine, dude. You want a skewer?

MD: Naw, thanks though. I’m good. Just had some corn on the cob — right off the grill if you can believe it.

MD: That’s good shit. Sorry, for the cussin.’ I mean, *good eating*…

MD: Hey, no problem. Don’t worry about it. So, let’s get down and dirty and talk some football. What’s your take on this whole Winnipeg Blue Bombers-Hamilton Tiger-Cats scouting practice thing-a-ma-bob situation?

MD: No big deal. I know Mike Kelly. He would never do anything that would bring im-pri-tee to his club.

MD: I think it’s pronounced ‘impropriety’ but I understand what you’re saying. What about that Kelly? Is he a class act, or what? Did you see that press conference?

MD: Outstanding. Loved it. Loved the way he gave it to those scrubs. Mike told those print guys that he wasn’t going to talk about it and they kept after it. I’m gonna start calling him Mad Mike. He reminds me of Bill Belichick. Not the cheating part, though.

MD: Me, too. I was just going to say the same thing. What part about Mike reminds you of the three-time Super Bowl champion?

MD: The winning. He’s a winner. I think he’s the best.

MD: ME, TOO!

MD: Remember when I threw for that 700 yards in Winnipeg?

MD: It was 713 yards, but go on…

MD: Yeah, that’s what I meant. He was the guy who ‘got me’ in that town. We really connected, you know, like in not just a football way. Man, I would love to go back to Winnipeg and have Mad Mike ‘coach me up’ there again. Mad Mike and Mad Matt! Then we could throw a few shrimp on the grill after the game and talk about how much football rules and shit.

MD: I agree. He’s a brilliant offensive mind. One of the all time greats. You know, I could’ve been his OC in Winnipeg this season, eh?

MD: Yeah, I heard that. You should have done it. What a chance to learn the game from one of the smartest offensive minds since Joe Pao Pao.

MD: Maybe next year. It will be tough trying to follow up Mike’s Grey Cup season, but that shouldn’t be an issue.

MD: A non-issue…?

MD: Hahahahaha.

MD: Hahahaha. That’s great…listen, thanks again for this, Matt. Oh…it looks like one of your assistants is signaling that the ribs are ready.

MD: Let’s do it!

(jumps out of chair and smacks his hands together for a personal high-five)

After watching the clips on television and reading the many, many, many stories on the subject, I have a couple more thoughts on this Winnipeg Blue Bombers-Ron Trentini-Hamilton Tiger-Cats mess. This might be the end of this topic. Or maybe not. Who knows? What embarrassment do the Bombers have planned for next week?

1. The Bombers state they had no knowledge Trentini was going to do this, and insist he acted alone. That may very well be true. What I find interesting about that is how everyone is so quick to believe what the Bombers are saying. Didn’t they issue an apology to the Ticats and to the league? Hmmm. People don’t usually apologize unless they did something wrong. Expand that out further, and you’re looking at a Bomber organization that is apologizing for something they say they had no knowledge of. Throw that on the pile of incidents the club has been written up for since Mike Kelly moved into the captain’s chair (the free-agent camp in Florida and the ‘QB School’ immediately come to mind) and where the line of trust actually starts becomes blurred. If you’re a fan and you’re reading this, how do you believe what Kelly is saying?

Yes, the workouts are open to the public and yes, there are no rules in place to prevent clubs from sending their people to opposition practices to gain an edge. But just because there is no official parameters on the subject doesn’t mean it isn’t frowned upon or considered unethical. Whatever side of the fence you sit on, this whole thing stinks.

2. Though I still have no idea what he does for the team, I actually feel bad for Ross Hodgkinson. Poor guy. He got sent to the wolves by the Bombers yesterday, and looked very uncomfortable having to explain the club’s position on the whole scouting dealio. Not the organization’s finest moment, that’s for sure.

“When this first happened that was my first thought: this is a blemish on the organization. It’s a difficult business. It’s a competitive business. As much as you’d like to apologize or do whatever, I mean, people will always be skeptical as to what the intent was and how it came about. I can’t do anything about that. All we can do is be forthright and forthcoming as we were with the league immediately upon being aware of this.”

Funny how he was the guy the team sent out. Whether it’s Bobby Dyce having to tell Derick Armstrong that’s he not starting or Hodgkinson having to explain cheating allegations he probably had no hand in, one thing is certain: That Coach Kelly sure is a straight shooter. Tells it like it is. That’s how they do it in Philly, I guess. Just Mike being Mike.

Blemish, indeed.