Stepping away from centre

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/04/2012 (5206 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They say you can tell what a player means to an organization by the number of ex-teammates in attendance at his retirement press conference.

Obby Khan spoke to a full room Wednesday.

It wasn’t so much a packed house in terms of numbers — mind you, there were a lot of former Blue Bomber teammates and coaches on hand — but rather the fabric of individual who came out to see the eight-year CFL veteran centre walk away from the game.

Basically every offensive lineman in and around the Polo Park area came by to check out the announcement, looking to wish a former hog partner good luck and maybe get him to buy dinner later.

Khan said he made the decision to retire last week.

Those in the ‘big eater’ fraternity were surprised to hear the sudden news Wednesday.

“He’s been a great teammate — on and off the field,” tackle Glenn January said. “It’s unfortunate but it’s just the nature of the business.”

That business got ugly for Khan over the off-season, as the writing appeared on the wall the club was preparing to move in a new direction in the middle of the O-line. ‘Pushed out’ is too strong a term to describe the situation that faced the 31-year-old Khan, but the club made it very clear they had younger, cheaper options behind him that needed a look and his starting spot would be up for grabs at training camp.

The Bombers dismissed the suggestion Khan was encouraged into retirement.

“At the end of the day, he retired,” coach Paul LaPolice said. “We had discussions on where our roster would be and different things. … he didn’t want to go to another city and do other things.”

Khan is a smart guy and knows football players don’t play forever. He worked hard this off-season, readying for what would have been his final year, but then his circumstances changed. When asked what those circumstances were, he indicated it was simply time to move on and pursue other options.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while, for pretty much most of the off-season,” Khan said, adding he did have conversations with the club about his future, specifically a Blue and Gold-themed restaurant that he’s been working on for two years now.

Shawarma Khan is scheduled to open later this summer.

“I still think I can play, I really do believe I can still play,” he added. “It’s not an issue of whether I can play or not. It’s an issue of what do I feel I should do with the rest of my life.”

Khan said he “gave everything he could” for the Bombers.

He was gracious in his departure, thanking nearly everyone he came in contact with over his time in the CFL. He mentioned Eric Tillman, who drafted him out of Simon Fraser to be the cornerstone of the fledgling Ottawa Renegades franchise in 2004.

He thanked former Bombers GM Brendan Taman for grabbing him with the second pick in the Ottawa dispersal draft two seasons later and bringing him to his new home. Khan told the story about getting the call from Taman while shopping with his sisters at an Ottawa-area Old Navy and conducting media interviews from the store’s change room.

He spoke of his connection to the dearly departed Richard Harris, gave several acknowledgements to the fans in Winnipeg, and singled out family members, players, coaches and various team support staff for their time and understanding over the years.

Suffering through Crohn’s disease, Khan battled through four surgeries — including having his large intestine removed — in 2007-08 only to return to full-time on-field duty in 2009. He played in 118 games, two playoff games and in the 99th Grey Cup in his eight-year CFL career (six with Winnipeg), and leaves the Bombers as one of their top community ambassadors.

“I feel like I have a great sense of relief and ease in the decision I’ve made,” he said, fighting through moments of emotion Wednesday. “I had an inner peace for the last week that I haven’t felt in a while. The sadness you hear from me is an expression of my love (for the game), not necessarily the sadness in moving on.”

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca

WHO takes over for Obby Khan in the middle of the Blue Bombers’ offensive line?

That’s the immediate question facing the club now that the eight-year veteran has called it a career. The once stable O-line — looking only at one change to replace the departed Brendon LaBatte — is now auditioning at centre to fill Khan’s heavily-taped shoes.

The club identified three candidates following the first day of mini camp at Canad Inns Stadium Wednesday.

“A big opportunity opened up for myself today so it’s time to step up and compete for that spot,” third-year lineman Chris Kowalczuk said, joining fellow non-import linemen Justin Sorensen and Steve Morley on the short list.

Kowalczuk’s experience at the position is limited but the club identified him as the backup to Khan earlier this off-season (after LaBatte signed as a free agent with Saskatchewan). He stepped into the role at a practice in a pinch last summer and handled himself well, leading offensive line coach Pat DelMonaco to continue developing the athletic 27-year-old at the position.

Sorensen, 25, took a few snaps at centre when he was with the B.C. Lions and has had some work handling the ball during practice throughout his four-year pro career. He’s dropped a little weight this winter and is looking forward to the competition, he said.

“This is a chance I’ve been waiting for when I got here last season,” he offered. “They don’t come by too often.”

If Kowalczuk or Sorensen can’t handle the centre responsibilities, the club would consider moving Morley, 30, over from his starting guard spot.

DelMonaco said there is no clear-cut depth chart for the open centre spot, adding decisions regarding the position won’t start to show themselves until main training camp in June.

“Any of those three guys can do it, but it’s a road, it’s a process right now,” he said. “We’ll know soon, I believe. Once we start really looking at these guys, answers will come.”

— Adam Wazny