Blog

May 25, 2008

Been a long off-season and all I can think about is how we let one slip away in November ... (23-19) ... and how we are going to do this year! I have worked my butt off since January to prepare myself to be a dominate player this year and do my part in bringing the Grey Cup to Winnipeg ... Man can't wait to go! But the purpose of this message is for you guys, the loyal and great bomber fans... I had just come back from working out and I decided to go online and check my email and check to see if you guys had sent me any questions from my website. Now I'm feeling pretty good and excited about what's going to happen next week... That's right TC08' will be here and I know that I'm so ready to go, just as y'all are ready to get things going too, then I read something that really bothered me!

So I looked and read in the Winnipeg Sun an article written by Jim Bender that really bothered me. He was doing a interview with Brendan and some things was said that I feel was wrong and needs to be addressed, not later but now!!! We all know that I am going into my option year in my contract and for some reason this guy wants to quote ME as saying "I demanded more money"... which is bogus and so far from the truth. What we have here is a guy that is reaching for something to make a story out of nothing. Last year when we lost at the Grey Cup and I was doing an interview with some reporter's and things were brought up about me and my contract. They say well Ike how do you feel about your contract situation? I say well I don't like it but hey what can I do about it, should I be making more money, yeah ... Then I said I would like to be paid like the other OLB's are making in the league but never have I said I demand more money. Never once said that I was going to hold out or be a distraction to the organization if I don't get what I'm I know I'm worth. So with this being said things got put in the paper that shouldn't have. It really gets to me because all I have done is bust my butt here in Winnipeg and play for chips since I been here but never have I ran to the media to discuss this issue. They bring this stuff to me so obvious it's on there mind to keep bringing this stuff up, and try to take my focus from my job. But you know what It will not happen! I love playing here in Winnipeg that is why I came back last year. You guys probably wouldn't know this if you read some of the things written but hey I took less to come back last year but this guy said "I demanded more money"... Wow if that's the case why did I sign to play for what I signed last year. So why bring this up now a couple days before the start of the season and the words are not true. I wish these guys would stop twisting these interviews around and really say what we really speak about in them. Oh I get it they need to sell papers, but that's not the way to do things. Now I might be wrong but I don't think so...

Sorry you guy's had to get this type of blog and not the typical blog from the IceMan, but it was needed. My goal this year is to play my butt off and help my team get to the Grey Cup and win it that's it. Yes this is my contract year and some of my teammates have had the luxury of getting new deals guess they where more important right now to get done. As for me, I'm not going to worry about it cause at the end of the day Ill continue to play at a high level and be a good teammate have fun and enjoy what I love to do, play football for the best fans in the league. This contract stuff will take care of it's self hopefully its here in Winnipeg but if not I'll have to move on but first after we win the CUP... I'm not some greedy football player that Jim Bender wrote about but one who is very determined to be successful that's all... Brendan and the Bombers have done some great things this off-season to put us in position to win and be successful. So big props to Brendan for getting things done. Let's write about that and not this ...

If you have any questions about contract stuff you are going to have to speak with my agent ( Ray Savage) from Savage Sports Management ... Thanks and no more of this type of ramp from me ... Only positive things!

IceMan#0