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Riall Johnson has some extra incentive to beat the Argonauts tomorrow night.
Now with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after an off-season swap that sent Zeke Moreno to the Argos, Johnson said he has lost most of the bitterness he harboured against his old club. But it's clear some sour feelings remain.
"They did me a favour when they traded me," Johnson said during a telephone interview yesterday. "Small things like trying to prove a point can give you motivation. But I'll play hard regardless. If that's what you need to play better, then you should not be playing football."
Johnson, a defensive end, grumbled through much of last season when he was not starting and had some nasty things to say when the season ended. When acquired by the Bombers in February, Johnson declared 2008 with Toronto "the worst football season in my entire football career."
Said Johnson yesterday: "It was a circus. But there were more people who put more blood, sweat and tears into that team who got treated worse. But all the stuff that happened, that's last year. I'm past it and they're past it."
About Schmidt
As long as the Argos like what they see out of long-snapper Steve Schmidt, they are unlikely to use Randy Srochenski for the long-snapping duties. The Argos want Schmidt to be the guy.
"Right now we are pretty happy with Steve," coach Bart Andrus said. "I think we will be okay, but Scorch (Srochenski) is always an option if the bottom falls out."
Schmidt said there's an art to long-snapping.
"It's fingertips to fingertips, but it's easier said than done," Schmidt said. "The more I do it, the more my courage builds up."
