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December 3, 2009
Fans alright with Red & White
Annual Sun feedback poll suggests hometown gridiron lineup is on the right trackBy IAN BUSBY, SUN MEDIA
Though hardly scientific, it appears nearly three-quarters of the Calgary Stampeders fan base would bring back this group of players for another run at the Grey Cup. The results of the Sun's annual You Be the Boss survey showed that an average of 72.5% of supporters would give the 52 players we asked for evaluation on a vote of confidence. Of course, there are a few exceptions, but none of the core group did anything to draw ire from voters. By the same token, only eight players drew more than 10% of support in terms of getting a raise this off-season. What this means is most people must believe this team played up to expectations, especially after losing top receiver Ken-Yon Rambo to injury early in the season. Rambo, who will be fighting to work back from a torn ACL, was the second-lowest player in the fire-him category behind popular running back Joffrey Reynolds. It seems if Rambo can regain the form that had him lead the CFL in receiving yards last season, fans would love to see him wearing Red and White again. There's no question GM-head coach John Hufnagel needs to resign Reynolds if he wants to keep fans happy. An astounding 52% of you want Reynolds to get a raise, while just 8.1% want the team to part ways with the West Division's most outstanding player, tops in both categories. We asked whether you were comfortable with the coaching staff and the votes were basically split, with 53.9% saying there needs to be changes. Hufnagel escapes the ire, with only 15% of voters saying they want him fired, but the offensive and defensive co-ordinators didn't get off as easy. Offensive co-ordinator George Cortez had 42.2% of fans saying he should get fired, with defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones getting by with 36.4%. When asked if the team has enough talent at the skill position, the vote was split down the middle as well, but when it comes to upgrading the defence through free agency, 64.2% of you said Hufnagel should do it. Among the fire-him category, four of the top 10 most favourable numbers were along the offensive line, led by West Division's most outstanding lineman Ben Archibald. The left tackle was third with only 12.7% of voters wanting a change there, while right guard Dimitri Tsoumpas (13.9%), left guard Jesse Newman (16.2%) and backup guard/centre Tim O'Neill (17.3%) are all popular with the fans. The most decisive player to be fired is Canadian Markus Howell (60.1%), who's main role is that of punt returner. The team obviously finds Howell more valuable than the fans, being that he's a backup at both receiver and defensive back and plays on the majority of special-teams units. He signed a multi-year deal this past off-season and isn't likely going anywhere. Voters are also fed up with backup QB Barrick Nealy, who took a step back to third-stringer this season after starting as the No. 2. A total of 42.8% voters believe Nealy should get let go. IAN.BUSBY@SUNMEDIA.CA QB HENRY BURRIS Keep him 66.5% Fire him 31.8% Give him a raise 1.7% QB DREW TATE Keep him 75.7% Fire him 21.9% Give him a raise 2.4% QB BARRICK NEALY Keep him 56.1% Fire him 42.8% Give him a raise 1.1% RB JOFFREY REYNOLDS Keep him 39.9% Fire him 8.1% Give him a raise 52.0% RB DEMETRIS SUMMERS Keep him 70.5% Fire him 26.6% Give him a raise 2.9% RB JON CORNISH Keep him 76.3% Fire him 20.8% Give him a raise 2.9% FB TEYO JOHNSON Keep him 60.1% Fire him 37.0% Give him a raise 2.9% FB ROB COTE Keep him 79.2% Fire him 15.6% Give him a raise 5.2% R BRETT RALPH Keep him 59.5% Fire him 37.6% Give him a raise 2.9% OL GODFREY ELLIS Keep him 64.2% Fire him 35.3% Give him a raise 0.5% OL JESSE NEWMAN Keep him 80.3% Fire him 16.2% Give him a raise 3.5% OL JON GOTT Keep him 69.9% Fire him 29.5% Give him a raise 0.5% OL JEFF PILON Keep him 64.2% Fire him 30.6% Give him a raise 5.2% OL BEN ARCHIBALD Keep him 68.2% Fire him 12.7% Give him a raise 19.1% OL TIM O'NEILL Keep him 75.2% Fire him 17.3% Give him a raise 7.5% OL DIMITRI TSOUMPAS Keep him 73.4% Fire him 13.9% Give him a raise 12.7% OL ROB LAZEO Keep him 72.3% Fire him 18.5% Give him a raise 9.2% R JEREMAINE COPELAND Keep him 65.3% Fire him 24.3% Give him a raise 10.4% R NIK LEWIS Keep him 64.7% Fire him 26.6% Give him a raise 8.7% R ROMBY BRYANT Keep him 63.6% Fire him 29.5% Give him a raise 6.9% R ARJEI FRANKLIN Keep him 64.2% Fire him 33.5% Give him a raise 2.4% R JERMAINE JACKSON Keep him 53.2% Fire him 44.5% Give him a raise 2.4% R KEN-YON RAMBO Keep him 78.0% Fire him 12.1% Give him a raise 9.9% R RYAN THELWELL Keep him 56.0% Fire him 41.6% Give him a raise 2.4% K SANDRO DEANGELIS Keep him 56.0% Fire him 24.3% Give him a raise 19.7% P BURKE DALES Keep him 69.4% Fire him 22.0% Give him a raise 8.6% LS RANDY CHEVRIER Keep him 76.3% Fire him 19.6% Give him a raise 4.1% KR MARKUS HOWELL Keep him 38.7% Fire him 60.1% Give him a raise 1.2% LB TIM JOHNSON Keep him 71.7% Fire him 22.5% Give him a raise 5.8% LB DWAINE CARPENTER Keep him 73.4% Fire him 23.1% Give him a raise 3.5% LB SHANNON JAMES Keep him 71.7% Fire him 24.3% Give him a raise 4.0% LB MALIK JACKSON Keep him 70.5% Fire him 23.7% Give him a raise 5.8% LB MARC CALIXTE Keep him (119) 68.8% Fire him (47) 27.2% Give him a raise (7) 4.0% LB TRISTAN BLACK Keep him 56.1% Fire him 42.8% Give him a raise 1.1% DB KEON RAYMOND Keep him 71.7% Fire him 24.3% Give him a raise 4.0% DB MILTON COLLINS Keep him 71.7% Fire him 22.5% Give him a raise 5.8% DB BRANDON BROWNER Keep him 65.9% Fire him 17.9% Give him a raise 16.2% DB JOHN EUBANKS Keep him 73.9% Fire him 21.4% Give him a raise 4.7% DB WES LYSACK Keep him 71.2% Fire him 23.7% Give him a raise 5.2% DB DWIGHT ANDERSON Keep him 64.7% Fire him 20.2% Give him a raise 15.0% DB RONNIE AMADI Keep him 39.9% Fire him 59.9% Give him a raise 1.2% DL FERNAND KASHAMA Keep him 56.1% Fire him 43.4% Give him a raise 0.5% DL ALAIN KASHAMA Keep him 54.4% Fire him 45.1% Give him a raise 0.5% DL CHARLESTON HUGHES Keep him 69.4% Fire him 15.0% Give him a raise 15.6% DL MIKE LABINJO Keep him 60.1% Fire him 34.7% Give him a raise 5.3% DL JUSTIN PHILIPS Keep him 70.5% Fire him 27.7% Give him a raise 1.7% DL JUWAN SIMPSON Keep him 60.1% Fire him 38.1% Give him a raise 1.7% DL TOM JOHNSON Keep him (121) 69.9% Fire him (50) 28.9% Give him a raise (2) 1.2% DL TEARRIUS GEORGE Keep him (132) 76.3% Fire him (31) 17.9% Give him a raise (10) 5.8% DL DEVONE CLAYBROOKS Keep him (132) 76.3% Fire him (36) 20.8% Give him a raise (5) 2.9% DL MIGUEL ROBEDE Keep him (122) 70.5% Fire him (46) 26.6% Give him a raise (5) 2.9% DL JIM DAVIS Keep him (128) 74.0% Fire him (38) 22.0 Give him a raise (7) 4.0% HEAD COACH/GM JOHN HUFNAGEL Keep him 75.1% Fire him 15.0% Give him a raise 9.9% 'O' CO-ORDINATOR GEORGE CORTEZ Keep him 52.6% Fire him 42.2% Give him a raise 5.3% 'D' CO-ORDINATOR CHRIS JONES Keep him 57.2% Free him 36.4% Give him a raise 6.4% PLAYER PERSONNEL DIRECTOR JIM BARKER Keep him 58.4% Fire him 30.6% Give him a raise 11.0% |