Bombers ask Simpson to stay away

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/09/2009 (5853 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG – Barrin Simpson is now persona non grata in the Winnipeg Blue Bomber clubhouse and his days with the team are now all but officially over.

The Bombers have asked the veteran linebacker — who requested a trade a couple of weeks ago when told his playing time would be reduced — to steer clear of the locker room, the team’s meetings and practices apparently after an incident on Monday. They’ve also cleaned out his locker.

In a paperwork move, the organization has asked him to sign a ‘do not report’ form, which means he is only appear at the team’s offices for treatment on his turf-toe injury.

According to two sources within the organization, the last straw came when Simpson was overheard making a sarcastic and derogatory comment about the organization to new players Odell Willis and Titus Ryan when they arrived after being acquired in Sunday’s trade with Calgary.

Simpson’s remark so enraged one veteran player, he later met with head coach Mike Kelly and asked that he do something with Simpson "before I punch him out."

Simpson, through his agent Mark Maren, is vehemently denying that accusation and story. The Simpson camp said the linebacker was contacted by Kelly Monday night and told he was not to report as to avoid further distractions with the team and the media, a decision with which they agreed.

But Simpson insists he has never even met Willis or Ryan, let alone made any negative comments about the team to them.

“This is the first time the club has asked Barrin to stay away,” said Maren Tuesday. “If this was a major concern, then why wasn’t this brought up before? We totally agreed with (the decision), understand that and respect that. The last thing Barrin wants to do is be a distraction for his team or his teammates.

“But the fact that this story is now being elaborated on, that a veteran player approached (Kelly) to say that Barrin is saying this and this and this about the club and meeting the new guys… that’s where we draw the line. Then it becomes an attack on my player and his character and that’s what we’re responding to. Then it becomes the Bombers said this was the case, he said that was the case and we’ll never hear from the player who apparently told coach Kelly this (about wanting to ‘punch him out.’)

“Now it’s who do you believe? If they had just let this alone and told us they didn’t want him to be a distraction, we would have ridden off into the sunset. But this other part has ticked off Barrin and it has ticked me off. Barrin has told me he has never met these two new players, he’s never had a conversation with these players. He’s always been a teammate, always put the team first.”

Even before this latest incident, the situation with Simpson and the Bombers was bizarre, to say the least. His request to be traded and the team’s decision to keep him around while the rest of the players prepared for the loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Banjo Bowl and last Sunday’s loss to the Montreal Alouettes created an odd working environment which one player, speaking on condition of anonymity to the Free Press, referred to as "toxic."

Meanwhile, the CFL’s board of governors ruled today in favour of Simpson’s grievance that he was placed on the nine-game injured list by the Bombers without his consent. The Bombers argued they have followed the bylaw in the collective-bargaining agreement, stating that as long as the player is made aware he is being placed on the nine-game list – which means his salary does not count against the cap – he does not have to sign the form.

In a statement, the league said: "After a review of all of the issues and a careful consideration of the situation, the Commissioner, in consultation with the Board and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, has determined the player in question will be placed on the one-game injured list. The Blue Bombers have raised some important issues, and the interpretation of our by-laws will continue to be considered after the season."

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In the interim, trade talks for Simpson had been almost non-existent although it is believed he was originally to be included as part of the deal with the Montreal Alouettes on Monday that sent quarterback Ricky Santos to the Bombers.  Instead the Bombers shipped Canadian defensive ends Riall Johnson and Shawn Mayne to the Als for Santos.

Now with Simpson moved to the one-game injured list, the Bombers may be forced to release him outright if they can’t find an interested trade partner.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca