As NBC play-by-play man Al Michaels started to sing the praises of surprise Super Bowl hero Chris Matthews on Sunday night, Roughriders general manager Brendan Taman had no problem with his anecdote about how the Seattle Seahawks found the receiver working in a Foot Locker store.

“I wanted him to stick with the Foot Locker story,” Taman said Thursday.

Taman is only half joking, because Matthews actually spent the previous two seasons in the CFL. Michaels was eventually alerted to that fact and let the more than 100 million viewers know that he spent his first two years as a pro playing north of the border.

The NFL had already been paying attention to the CFL, but in the past few years they’ve really been analyzing the talent even more. After Matthews broke loose for four catches, 109 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl, Taman expects the attention will increase even more.

“I just think it’s important for our league to keep our good guys as long as we can,” Taman said. “I mean, if they’re a free agent, they’re a free agent and they can go to the NFL or the CFL or wherever. But the trend is that the NFL is coming to get our good players. That’s the trend. That’s where this is going.”

The Roughriders lived that earlier this week when the Indianapolis Colts signed their right tackle, Ben Heenan, to a contract that includes guaranteed money. Heenan was the first overall pick in the 2012 CFL draft, while the first overall selection in 2011, linebacker Henoc Muamba, also signed with the Colts last February.

Taman mentioned several times during the interview that he doesn’t want to come across as someone with sour grapes since he lost Heenan only a few days ago. He doesn’t have to worry about that because he’s right. NFL teams are now taking a look at Canadian talent even at the CIS level, especially after the University of Regina’s Akiem Hicks became a starter with the New Orleans Saints, and now they’re waiting for them to finish their first contracts before plucking them.

It used to be that Canadian players would give the NFL a shot right out of school and go to the CFL if it didn’t work out. Now that they’re leaving after a few seasons, teams have to think twice about drafting that ratio-breaking middle linebacker.

It’s enough to keep general managers up at night before the draft.

“It’s an element now that you have to add into play,” Taman said. “The first one is: Do you get him? The second one is: How long do you have him if you do get him?

“The league is definitely staring at a reality of not having player continuity like it used to. Compounding that are the one-year contracts. That’s going to lead to (a lack of continuity) in itself. And when you add the NFL’s angst to grab our good guys, we’re just asking for trouble.”

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BANKS RETURNS TO TICATS

The man who nearly won the Grey Cup for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats is coming back in an attempt to finish what he started.

Kick returner and receiver Brandon Banks opted to pass on becoming a free agent on Tuesday and instead signed a three-year contract with the Ticats on Thursday afternoon. He would have been one of the most coveted free agents on the market next week.

“Brandon is one of the premier playmakers in the league with the ability to change the game every time he touches the ball,” Ticats general manager and head coach Kent Austin said in a press release. “We are extremely happy that he will be with our team for the next three years.”

Banks returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown in the final minute of the 102nd Grey Cup last November at B.C. Place, but the play, which would have given the Ticats a 23-20 lead over the Calgary Stampeders, was called back due to an illegal block.

Banks appeared in 41 games for the NFL’s Washington Redskins from 2010-12 before joining the Ticats late in the 2013 CFL campaign. He led the CFL in combined yards last season, which included 42 catches for 529 receiving yards and five TDs. He also had one punt return TD and another on a kickoff return, and was named a CFL all-star on special teams.

Banks turned up his game even more in the post-season, returning two punts for scores against the Als in the East Division final.

There was criticism for Banks after the Grey Cup, however. He wasn’t on the field for Hamilton’s final offensive drive after his touchdown was called back, apparently because he was too emotional following the penalty call.

kirk.penton@sunmedia.ca