Derrick Armstrong Returns to the CFL.

So Derrick Armstrong returns to the CFL, but with the much hated Winnipeg Blue bombers. This has enraged many fans of the Riders for two reasons; one because he used to be a Rider and naturally he should return as one, and the other being the fact that he landed a contract with, of all teams, the Bombers. Had he signed with Hamilton, Montreal or Toronto the sting might feel a bight smaller. But some say that he should have returned to the team that gave his professional career a bit of a resurrection in the first place. Some of those same fans are also saying that it’s because Eric Tillman is here and not Roy Shivers that he did not return. Some of the more level-headed fans are saying that his signing with Winnipeg has a lot more to do with relationships with both Milt Stegall and former teammate Kevin Glenn.

The fact remains that Armstrong will be playing for the Bombers and NOT the Riders, and that sucks. He made quite an impact in his short stint with the Riders, playing in half the 2001 season and all the 2002 season. He will make in immediate impact o the Bombers roster, but not enough to get them into the Grey Cup game. In his time with the Riders the team performed admirably, but he wasn’t able to complete the teams turn-around himself, and won’t be able to do it in Winnipeg either.

The fans in Winnipeg are already planning a Grey Cup parade with the news of the signing. I seem t recall the team being uber-excited about another former NFL player joining the team at the beginning of the year, Onterrio Smith. However that signing ended up being more hype than anything and I think that this may just turn out to be something similar. Armstrong, after having a taste for the NFL, will be much like Casey Printers, and latch on to every chance he has at a return to the NFL. For his case and ours (Rider fans) lets hope his dreams of being in the NFL or at least our dreams of having him return to the green and white do come true.

Thanks for reading!

Under Miner