Eric Crouch

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Eric Crouch

Crouch takes centre stage

By FRANK ZICARELLI -- Toronto Sun

Argos drift away from Flutie

Ricky goes for repairs

Missing Ricky

The future has arrived early for Eric Crouch.

By necessity, the Argos were forced to thrust Crouch into football's limelight during Saturday's game in Regina where the team ended a three-game losing streak by beating the hometown Saskatchewan Roughriders 26-23 in a CFL classic.

With incumbent Damon Allen nursing a broken finger and backup Spergon Wynn rushed to hospital at halftime following a devastating hit to his head, Crouch was asked to manage the Argos offence and make plays.

Perhaps no bigger play to the Argos' early season was produced when Crouch hooked up with receiver Arland Bruce III. The 94-yard completion led to a Jeff Johnson touchdown run.

The Argos would survive two late Saskatchewan touchdowns, two on-side kicks and a failed two-point convert to improve to 2-3 heading into Saturday's home game against the B.C. Lions.

"I'm far from the player I want to be," Crouch said. "I'm getting closer every day."

Officially, Crouch made his CFL debut on a third-and-short gamble in the first half, but he made the biggest impression in the wake of Wynn's injury.

Following the game, Wynn spoke volumes about Crouch.

"That's why football is such the ultimate team game," Wynn said. "There's going to be injuries -- it's inevitable. Guys have to be prepared to step up."

Ricky Williams broke his left forearm in the first half and will be out indefinitely. The Argos and Miami Dolphins consulted yesterday and the running back was to have surgery today.

Despite speculation that Williams never will play again as an Argo, the club is hopeful its starting running back will be back for the Labour Day clash in Hamilton. John Avery is expected to re-assume his starting tailback duties.

The Argos will spend the next couple of days monitoring Wynn and seeing if there are any lingering effects from the crushing blow delivered by Scott Schultz.

Saturday's remarkable day began with news the Argos tried to entice Doug Flutie out of retirement.

"I can't worry about that," Allen said of the team's courtship of Flutie. Allen says he expects to practise at full speed when the Argos return to business today.

Head coach Michael (Pinball) Clemons says the team will not rush Allen back and can't say who will line up under centre against the Lions.

It was first speculated Allen would be back at full health for the Aug. 3 game against the Alouettes in Montreal.

Crouch, meanwhile, can conceivably start this week.

"Eric showed such great poise," Clemons said. "He managed the offence, he used the clock. He wasn't necessarily accurate with his throws, but he threw safely."

The challenge for Crouch is completing the intermediate throw. His deep ball has never been questioned and it was evident when he hooked up with Bruce in a defining moment that may have saved the Argos' season.

 
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I watch CFL all the time! I've been waiting for Crouch to get his chance to shine! Too bad it had to come at someone else's expense though.

 
Crouch, 94 yard bomb? You're kidding me right? He probably threw a quick 4 yard out and the guy ran it 90 yards......j/k , love Crouch and wish him well up there.

 
IMO, Crouch should have taken over after Allen went out with the finger injury. Wynn is a good passer, but has no pocket presence or escapability. I think Crouch would make the Argos offense a little more versatile.

 
If anyone is interested, Altitude Sports and Entertainment is showing the CFL games. They are showing Toronto's next game Saturday July 29 @ 5:00pm. Hopefully EC will be starting so I can see him play.

Here is the link

 
I think Crouch has some seriously excessive hubris. It's a good thing that he's doing well in the CFL because he's a former NU player, but that's so disappointing considering his potential. He needed to accept the fact that he was never going to be an NFL QB, and he could have been like Antwaan Randle El.

Anyone else remember how his ego alone neutralized Bobby Newcombe?

 
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dont count Eric out as an NFL QB, remember Warren Moon and Doug Flutie spent many years in the CFL before getting a chance in the NFL. Eric might just supprise alot of us

 
If he wants to be a QB in the NFL then he will definately have to prove himself in the CFL. Maybe he can prove the disbelievers wrong, but I still think he should have just been a receiver and be happy with that. :dunno

 
dont count Eric out as an NFL QB, remember Warren Moon and Doug Flutie spent many years in the CFL before getting a chance in the NFL.  Eric might just supprise alot of us
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Well yes, but Crouch is just not an NFL-style QB. Also, because of his refusal to play anything but QB in the NFL then kind of wandering around for a few years, he is starting to get a little older. He certainly has some productive years left for sure, but if he played for 3 years in the CFL before hopping over to the NFL he'd be 30. I just don't see it happening. That said, I wish him all the best as a former NU player in spite of my intense dislike of his ego.

 
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I know as a kid I would have done anything to have his talent and play any position the coaches told me to. I wish him luck, but i will not be looking for him any time soon in a nfl uniform. How long did moon and flutie have to wait?

 
Well Flutie joined the NFL in 97 or 98 after being there since the 80s. He had been playing in Canada for a while. I think he won 6 MVP's and a few Greycups(championships). He had done it a while, but in college he threw the ball a lot more, and was a better passer overall.

 
Anyone else remember how his ego alone neutralized Bobby Newcombe?
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that and Bobby's apparent narcolepsy on the sidelines...

FWIW, prior to joining the CFL he had put the QB thing behind him. He went to NFL Europe to play safety; at the time he said he was willing to play whatever it took to make it to the NFL.

When CFL rumors came up he said, he'd play safety, but not QB because he knew he wouldn't make it to the NFL under center... an about face from his QB-or-nothing stance.

Unfortunatly he's a better NFL QB than he is an NFL safety so after NFL Europe he didn't last long with the Chiefs. when the CFL did come calling, it was either CFL QB or nothing.

Going back even further, he had once said he would never play in Canada. He also once said he was retired from football for good and was working in Omaha.

Seems Eric didn't know what he wanted to do and changed his mind quite frequently. I hope he's settled down a bit and learned to be patient and stick with one thing, because his impatience lost him a shot at the NFL and tarnished his reputation.

I also think he's been humbled seeing his NFL chances whither away... maybe he had to learn that as good as he is, he doesn't call the shots in the Pros.

Is there any video highlights of him throwing the 94 yard strike
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http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=videofb&func=view

look for "Toronto @ Saskatchewan game #30 - posted 2006-07-23 01:30:10"

The 94 yard pass, it was about half/half pass and run after catch. still a long bomb from deep in Argo territory.

aside from the 94-yarder he had some decent runs too. a 20 yarder up the middle that showed he certainly hasn't lost his speed.

In a post-game interview Crouch said he was nervous for his first CFL playing time and was forcing passes.

The name Flutie came up quite a bit in comparison to Crouch. Flutie's brother, also a CFL veteran, was the color-analyst for the game.

As for starting- the main starter, Allen, might return from a finger injury.

 
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Though I don't like him as a person, I hope he succeeds with his football career, and makes something of all these chances that he is getting.

 
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