The B.C. Lions are doing their best to play down an encounter with former teammate Ricky Foley, saying a Friday game against the Toronto Argonauts is too important in the CFL playoff race to be fixated on bad blood.
But the truth is that the Lions still feel the effects of Foley's 11th-hour decision to sign with his hometown Argonauts last year, if not with their sensibilities, then at least with their Canadian content.
One year ago, cornerback Dante Marsh called Foley "selfish" and demeaned his abilities in comparison to other defensive ends. B.C.'s locker room was full of grumbling, which in itself was a backhanded compliment to Foley, but the team made a second-half run without the 2009 most outstanding Canadian player.
This week, the Lions have been careful not to give Foley too much credit, but have said that much water has passed, and that their feathers are back in place. Foley, in return, hasn't fuelled the fire, choosing to reveal that he visited Vancouver last winter and met with B.C. defensive co-ordinator Mike Benevides and defensive tackles Aaron Hunt and Eric Taylor.
"I'll probably meet with a few of them [Wednesday]," Foley said. "Not the day before the game, because I don't like doing that. I live downtown across from the hotel, so I'll go see them, probably grab a bite to eat with some of them."
Marsh said the only reason he was so steamed last year was because he shook hands with Foley in the Lions' offices, believing his old teammate was back. Foley was all set to rejoin the Lions after being cut by the NFL's New York Jets last September. The career Lion arrived at the team's suburban Vancouver practice facility before returning home.
He never returned. Despite a press release stating that the native of Courtice, Ont., had re-signed with B.C., Foley couldn't bring himself to leave his home province and struck a deal with the Argonauts.
"To be honest, I haven't thought twice about him," Marsh said this week.
"The name hasn't even come up," centre Angus Reid said. "[Anger] was our response at the time, but I don't think there are lingering effects."
Perhaps not in the locker room, but definitely on the field.
The Lions will start just one Canadian on defence in their first meeting with Foley and the Argos, and use two non-imports in rotational roles.
Both teams are 2-6 and fighting for the last postseason berth. They play a return match in Vancouver next week.
For B.C., sophomore Cauchy Muamba will make his first professional start at safety and become the sixth Leo to play the position this season, while defensive end Brent Johnson and linebacker James Yurichuk will appear in subpackages.
That ratio deployment has forced the Lions to use a disproportionate amount of Canadians on offence (six starters), which in turn could create another problem. It means just three American receivers are dressing, leaving little room for Manny Arceneaux should he get cut by the Minnesota Vikings and return to the Lions.
Having Foley would have allowed B.C. to start a second Canadian on defence and opened up an import spot on offence. The Lions are starting three Canadian linemen, two Canadian receivers and a Canadian tailback. Not exactly a traditional, or ideal, manner for deploying domestic talent, and should injuries strike, B.C. could run out of Canadians down the stretch.
Reid said that Foley's presence would not have changed what has been a disappointing season, but everyone, including Marsh, still recognizes the importance Foley had on their team.
"He's a ratio guy," Marsh allowed, "and that would've helped."