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By Josh Martin, Sports Editor

he face of this franchise,
the MVP who came back

to the Lions line-up after
having such a successful time with
them before; the Lion you see
on bus stops and advertisements
everywhere...has been released.
Yup, Casey Printers, the confident,
comfortable, cool leader went from
being a starting QB in the CFL
about a month ago to being a free-
agent on the outside looking in.

It’s funny how things work out,
not exactly how anyone plans it...
especially for coach/GM Wally
Buono. The CFL quarterback was
let go last Wednesday from the
B.C. Lions after Buono finally had
had enough with the veteran. His
season came to an abrupt end in
a 47-35 double overtime loss to
the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last
Monday where he was called upon
after starting QB Travis Lulay
injured his finger on his throwing
hand. Printers threw an interception
which ultimately cost him his job.

Afterwards, Printers threw his
helmet on the sideline in frustration

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and angrily blamed his teammate
O’Neal Wilson, who was the
intended receiver on the play. His
reaction towards the mistake that he
made finalized Buono’s decision to
release him.

“Over a period of time,
things started to go in the wrong
direction...and it pretty much
came to a head at the end of the
Winnipeg game,” said Buono. “I’m
disappointed for Casey because I
felt genuinely that it could work.”
Buono said in a statement shortly
after announcing Printers’ release
from the club.

Buono was the one guy who had
full confidence in bringing Printers
back for round two last year and
fully believed that he was capable
of leading the Lions for the next
couple of seasons. This not only
ends Printers’ career with the Lions
but severely hurt his reputation in
getting a job with another CFL club.

The 29 year old had a
54 percent completion rate
which ranked 13" among CFL
quarterbacks and ten touchdown
passes with six interceptions.
Printers’ performance was looking

shaky of late and wasn’t very
consistent throughout the season,
losing the number one position a
few weeks ago after throwing five
interceptions in 39 minutes of play
over a span of two games. Now with
Printers out of the mix, Lulay will
remain the starting QB and Jarious
Jackson will be the back-up on the
second string.

During his first year with the
Lions, in 2004, Printers’ finished as
the CFL’s MVP and lead the Lions
to the Grey Cup final after starting
quarterback Dave Dickenson went
down with an injury. However,
Printers wanted to see how he could

 

do elsewhere so he left the Lions
organization in an attempt to crack
an NFL line-up only to make the
practice roster with the Kansas City
Chiefs, so shortly after he returned
to the CFL to sign a contract with the
Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

A couple years later, in 2009,
Printers made his way back to the
West Coast where he ultimately
finished his stint as a B.C. Lion.

The inspirational advertisements
on the buses and bus stops all over
Vancouver will have to be taken
down, and a new leader will soon
take his place...as Printers is no
longer a Lion.

 

 

 

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