Luc Mullinder
The JOB INTERVIEW never stops in professional football. Every waking minute of this Production-Based business is spent on finding ways to become a better PRO or risk getting replaced. Unfortunately, this job interview process is as lengthy as it is deep. If one expects to have any longevity in this glorious business, then one must understand that the microscope is constantly examining the moves that one makes, on and off, the field. It’s all part of the deal.
Saturday’s game against the struggling Toronto Argonauts is another important phase of the interview process for the 2016 Saskatchewan Roughriders. With all things considered, for many of these men, this may be the most crucial chapter of their journey towards being a member of the 2017 Training Camp roster.
Week 17 is all about finding out which of these players can continue to be relied on as leaders. MATURITY is the characteristic that will be searched out against the Double Blue, and we may get a glimpse of how far this team has come as early as the first few plays of the opening quarter.
The opportunity to put a team away early has never been present the way it is right now against the Boatmen. This is where this relatively young Saskatchewan squad has to make the next step as a team, and as individual PROS.
A fast start against the Argonauts will be a fantastic check-mark in everyone’s job interview process because it will signify the fact that the Green and White have learned how to focus on the task at hand (which is always a WIN) despite the many potential distractions of a week-long stay in one of Ontarios, shall we say scenic, locations.
Keep in mind, that this is a team that travelled to Montreal and Hamilton earlier on in the year during Week 6 and 9, and got outscored 94-10 (in total) during two losses. As a former coach suggested to me, “They may have been defeated by the likes of St. Catherine St. before they even hit the field.”
This is where the job interview process that we speak of today actually works in a professional athlete’s favour.
One always gets a chance to show that they are able to make the necessary adjustments to their game. Sometimes one has to learn the hard way that being a professional entails far more than just showing up on game day and relying on tremendous athletic ability.
It wasn’t the selfies with the handsome Canadian Prime Minister that provided the potential distraction this week. It wasn’t practising outside the Parliament Building either. The distractions loomed behind the curtain with all the down time and extra per diem money that the players had access to.
The last three victories for the Saskatchewan Roughriders have been a HUGE testament to the players, and this coaches who continued to TRUST THE PROCESS despite setback after setback.
With all things considered, this will be the biggest win of them all. It will mean that this team has grown-up mentally. It’s the most important part of the most grueling job interview on the planet.
