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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Tick... tick... tick

Armstrong's refusal to play Thursday could turn into an explosive situation

By: Gary Lawless

Posted: 07/4/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

‘I don’t take anything back. I’ll stand firm. I believed in what I did at the time... But we’ve moved on. I want to retire a Blue Bomber and I’ll be at practice when we get back to work. I’m looking forward to winning some football games’ -- Derick Armstrong (JOE BRYKSA / FREE PRESS ARCHIVES)

WINNIPEG — Derick ARMSTRONG'S strong-arm tactics did not impress Winnipeg head coach Mike Kelly but it appears the situation has been resolved... for now.

The Blue Bombers receiver dressed but refused to play in Thursday's loss to the Edmonton Eskimos because he felt insulted when told that he would not be starting but instead would be rotated into the offence as a designated import. The militant stance didn't go over well with Kelly, the first-year Bombers coach.

"I'm disappointed on a lot of levels, from the moment it was conveyed, to right now," Kelly said Friday afternoon when the club had returned to Winnipeg. "It is resolved. I've met with Derick, it's being handled internally, things are resolved, and we move on."

Kelly added that it looks like Armstrong will practise this week and suit up when the Bombers host the Calgary Stampeders on Friday. "I'm anticipating that, yes. Um, all indications are..."

Kelly did not discuss a fine or other form of discipline for Armstrong.

Armstrong, a 10-year pro, has turned in back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Bombers and despite a chronic bad knee is considered one of the CFL's top receiving threats.

"A little misunderstanding between me and the coaches. I didn't feel any love at the time," said Armstrong in a telephone interview Friday afternoon. "It was mostly over them wanting me not to start and to be a backup. I wasn't comfortable with the role after the years and dedication I've put into this game. But hey..."

Kelly, who in his short time as the top man in Bomberland has had to deal with fallout from his comments about former GM Brendan Taman, the province of Saskatchewan and waged a war with local TV outlets over filming practice, now has a full-blown player crisis on his hands.

The coach explained why the staff elected to make Armstrong a designated import.

"We had to take a long look at our ratio with the absence of (Canadian D-lineman) Doug Brown, and we went through an hour-and-a-half of different scenarios in case certain players went down... what would be of best service to our team," said Kelly. "I'm just gonna leave it as, 'we're gonna handle this whole thing internally.' That's all that needs to be said."

Finally, Kelly fell on his sword.

"Ultimately I'm in charge of everything that happens here, just like I took responsibility for not coaching well enough, this wasn't handled well enough, and I'll take full responsibility for it," he said.

Armstrong is in his fourth season with the Bombers and in the off-season spoke of filling a larger leadership role in the absence of retired wideout Milt Stegall.

"I wanted to play. I love to play the game but I felt stronger about some other things in other areas," Armstrong said Friday. "It was selfish of me but I think I owe it to myself to be selfish. Maybe I should have been thinking about the team. Because I am a team player. I guess in this situation I felt like I wasn't part of the team."

Armstrong said he wouldn't change his course of action if given the chance.

"I don't take anything back. I'll stand firm. I believed in what I did at the time," said the 30-year-old from Monticello, Ark. "It was just one of those things and one of those times. But we've moved on. I want to retire a Blue Bomber and I'll be at practice when we get back to work. I'm looking forward to winning some football games."

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 4, 2009 D1

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