The Arland Bruce Saga

Football south of the border officially started this past weekend with the Buffalo Bills opening training camp. At home, the CFL has been playing for several weeks and one of the biggest stories making headlines so far this season, besides the suckitude of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3 QBs in 4 weeks, congrats!) is the outrageous behaviour of Toronto Argos wide receiver Arland Bruce.

In the week 1 game he caught a touchdown pass and to honour the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, he celebrated by removing his pads and pretending to lie in a coffin. This earned him a fine, the ire of broadcasters and his coach and a place on youtube for fans from the US to see his Chad Johnson like antics.

Ever since that incident Bruce has been in the doghouse, but he fought back by going on the air talking about his team, why he should get the ball more, his quarterback - and none of it was positive. His spouting off earned him a suspension from this past weekend's game versus Winnipeg. Many people believe that Bruce has seen his last action in an Argos uniform, especially since the Argos won without him.

Is this a smart move by the Argos brass? Let their most talented, but egotistical wide receiver go while in the middle of a tough stretch of games and with 4 other wide receivers injured including their second best in Andre Talbot. Probably not the smartest move if you ask me. Arland Bruce hasn't been the best teammate in the past couple of weeks, but the Argos offense needs him.

Bruce is unlike many other attention starved players. He got attention with his MJ tribute (why not moon walk?), his comments and by being suspended. His actions will remind football fans of Chad Johnson or Terrell Owens or Plaxico Burress. All of those players have been fined and suspended on different occasions, but as of yet, none have ever been given their release for being a jerk.

If the Argos are going to make an impact this season, they need Arland Bruce or they will see him on the opposite side of the bar burning their secondary in a game later this season.