Akilli Smith Released - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

calf · 10-09-2007, 11:14 PM

Proved nothing in limited chances, and ousted by a CFL journeyman. Burris will be activated to the active roster for Sunday's game, his role TBA
http://forum.gostampsgo.com/showpost...6&postcount=53

WesternCanadaKing · 10-09-2007, 11:23 PM

Good.

After that pathetic performance yesterday it'll be nice to see the back of him.

CrusaderPi · 10-09-2007, 11:30 PM

Why the Stamps thought a guy who hasn't thrown a pass in a game for what, 4 years(?), could be a viable back up I'll never know.

JiriHrdina · 10-09-2007, 11:33 PM

Feel bad for the guy - he seemed like a good team guy and everyone spoke highly of him - but he just didn't seem like he ever was making the right reads at all.

Oh well he's got millions from his NFL rookie contract - still must suck to know you suck.

Dion · 10-09-2007, 11:34 PM

Not surprised by the release. Squandered his chance to prove himself while Burris was injured. Pretty sad when Sankey beats you out for the backup spot.

Juventus3 · 10-09-2007, 11:58 PM

I always feel for guys that get cut, but it was clearly coming after last game. He should go buy a house on the beach and live quietly.

browna · 10-10-2007, 12:00 AM

I know HB will be activated for this week...but there still has to be a good chance of another guy (Maas or..?) being brought in sometime in the next month, no??

604flames · 10-10-2007, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browna

I know HB will be activated for this week...but there still has to be a good chance of another guy (Maas or..?) being brought in sometime in the next month, no??

Didn't Maas just go to Montreal?

Trojan97 · 10-10-2007, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 604flames

Didn't Maas just go to Montreal?

Yes, and the trade deadline passed on Tuesday anyways, so they'll be going with Burris, Sankey and Nealy to end the season.

Here's to Sankey being around for a little GC magic as in 2001.

flambers · 10-10-2007, 07:54 AM

Curious why this story is not found in the Calgary Herald or on Mike Petrie's website?

Flickered Flame · 10-10-2007, 08:05 AM

Good move. I didn't mind Sankey the first time he was a Stampeder. Hopefully Hank is ready to come back in, better yet hopefully he is 100% healthy. Smith to the Esks?

ken0042 · 10-10-2007, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flickered Flame

Smith to the Esks?

Dare to dream Arnold- dare to dream!

Flickered Flame · 10-10-2007, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

Dare to dream Arnold- dare to dream!

It would make my day

worth · 10-10-2007, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flambers

Curious why this story is not found in the Calgary Herald or on Mike Petrie's website?

The news was released pretty late last night. Petrie wrote up a whole article on how Smith may be released that in todays paper, maybe when he heard the news he didn't want to write up another story in an hour to go to the printers.

There is an article on the Sun's website though.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/Sports/Footba...63984-sun.html

STAMPEDRED · 10-10-2007, 09:20 AM

And another highly touted signing by Barker bites the dust!

I do feel bad for the guy... Smith that is. You could tell from the interviews from the receivers once Burris went down that they were really positive for him and were promising to really pick up their play for him.

If he would have used his legs he might've been able to get some better numbers. You need to create in the CFL, not like the NFL were for themost part you sit back and hit your hot routes cause you don't have much time to create back there.

Anyway, once again Barker shows his intelligence by signing all of these QB's that are journeyman (McManus), to guys like Smith who have not played in what, 4 years? How about developing a guy like Buono has done time and time again, just like he did with Sankey and build some chemistry into the team instead of always forcing pieces in.

Sometimes all the talent in the world does not make up for chemistry, and wow Barker, how many more times do you need to prove this to us?

foofighter15 · 10-10-2007, 09:22 AM

would it really hurt to leave him as a third string for the rest of the year?

STAMPEDRED · 10-10-2007, 09:22 AM

On another note, if Sankey was on BC's practice roster when we picked him up, how many other QB's does Wally have developed in the fold that was actually on the team while JJ was running teh offence with Pierce and Dickenson down? Now that is depth!

worth · 10-10-2007, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foofighter15

would it really hurt to leave him as a third string for the rest of the year?

We have a young QB at 3rd string that the team is trying to develop barrick Nealy. Played in the BC game out of Texas State. He could be the future of the club. barrick deserves to be third string in my mind. He needs to learn the system and gain experience from the guys. Smith was doing nothing and would be a waste for him to hang around for no reason IMO. Taking Nealy off the active roster would hurt him IMO. Getting rid of Smith is a good move by me.

I'm sure there are a lot of people that are saying Barrick isn't going to win us any games after the outing against BC, but we need to start developing QB's. We're in this position of revolving door QB's because of our history of bringing veterans in and expecting them to perform or bring raw rookies in and expecting them to perform. Neither strategy has worked. You only get good QB's when you develop them over a period of a few years. Give barrick next year as #3 and maybe the year after we may see what he can really do.

And I believe Smith was only out of the game for 2 years. He played in NFL Europe.

worth · 10-10-2007, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Curtain rises ... without Akili

Now that the Stamps' new 4-3 defence has been unveiled and the quarterback situation resolved, the team has decided to re-open practice today, and probably for the rest of the week.
The quarterback picture was cleared with the release of Akili Smith, as Stamps GM Jim Barker confirmed on QR77 last night.
This was expected because of the return of Henry Burris, the rise of Ben Sankey and the upside of Barrick Nealy. There was no place for Smith and, frankly, didn't show enough to make the team feel he was worth keeping.
MP

http://communities.canada.com/calgar...r/default.aspx

philip1985 · 10-10-2007, 09:47 AM

I wish Smith all the best, but it just wasn't working out in Calgary. After the play of Sankey in the second half and with the probably return of Burris sooner rather than later, it is a good move by the Stampeders. Smith was awful in the few chances he got, he needed to capitalize in order to stay. With Smith out, I hope Sankey has a good game this week.