Familiar face back with Argos In honour of Shark Week on the Discovery Network, you could say that lack of normalcy clings to the Toronto Argonauts like a remora to a great white shark. But as TSN Radio's Mike Hogan writes, the most surprising sight of the season might be the return of a member of the 2012 Grey Cup championship team - linebacker Brandon Isaac.

Mike Hogan TSN Radio 1050, Host Archive

In honour of Shark Week on the Discovery Network, you could say that lack of normalcy clings to the Toronto Argonauts like a remora to a great white shark.

To begin the 2015 CFL season the club held its opening 'home' game in Fort McMurray, Alberta, some 4.000 kilometres across the country.

On Friday night the club arrived in Regina, greeted by the sight and smell of a massive cloud of grey smoke covering the province, courtesy of forest fires burning in the northern part of drought-ravaged Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the southern Nortwwest Territories.

Yet the most surprising sight of the season so far may be the return of the man starting at the Sam linebacker position, donning the number 28 he wore all too well as a member of the 2012 Grey Cup championship team.

Since that victory, football has not been friendly to Brandon Isaac.



He was released by the Argos four games into the 2013 season, catching on with the arch-rival Tiger Cats. From a team perspective all went pretty well that season. Hamilton went to the Grey Cup, losing badly to Saskatchewan. Isaac, however, didn't seem to be the same player.

Last year was even worse, as both the Ticats and Roughriders let him go before the regular season began.

Being out of the game was tough, but the 30-year-old South Carolinian made it back to camp and realizes he has a second chance at playing a game he loves and misses dearly.

"I really do appreciate it," said Isaac. "When it was taken away I took a lot of things for granted. Now I understand what I've got to do to keep my job. I prepare each and every day as if it's my last."

There were no guarantees. The fact that Isaac is still on the team is a bit of a surprise. He was battling incumbent linebacker Matt Ware in training camp, but it was the man known to teammates as 'B.I.' who won the spot, surprising even General Manager Jim Barker.

"Brandon Isaac had as good a camp as anybody out here," Barker said the day after final cuts were made. "He was dynamite. Starting out Matt was ahead of B.I. (on the depth chart) and B.I. beat him out."

Revealing words from the GM, but something that didn't mean much to Isaac.

"Coming in, my objective was to make the team," said the linebacker. "I didn't care where I was on the depth chart, but give me some plays, allow me to play football, and I'll show you I'm a heck of a football player."

Isaac has shown that to the team's harshest critic, head coach Scott Milanovich.

"He's got a ton of talent," admits the coach. "He brings so much to your team in terms of energy, explosion, the ability to make the big hit, and that's what I was looking for. And leadership. He knows the league; he understands splits and route combinations and what an offence is trying to do to you. It's has gone as well as I had hoped."

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Isaac was born and raised in Blackville, South Carolina. He played his NCAA ball at the University of South Carolina. In his home state, it's been an unfathomable couple of weeks after a lone gunman went into the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston and opened fire, killing nine innocent victims.

It had a major effect on Isaac.

"It was devastating," said the South Carolinian. "It was very unfortunate, however you try to look at the bright side of things and it's bringing a lot of people together, bringing a lot more unity and understanding that there's going to be trials and tribulations, but if you continue to strive and have hope and have faith, things will get better.

Rookie wide receiver Tori Gurley also has ties to the area. Though he spent his early years in Birmingham, Alabama, he grew up near the border between the Carolinas, and like Isaac - though he missed being his teammate by one year - played at the University of South Carolina.

He too, was moved by the tragedy.

"It definitely hit home," said Gurley. "I immediately dropped to my knees and prayed because I know that could have easily been my mom, or my aunt, or my brother because they go to bible study on Wednesday and church on Sunday. I even said a prayer for the shooter."

Both men talked about how removing the confederate flag - a symbol that has grown to symbolize racism against African Americans - from monuments around South Carolina, would be a positive step.

They also were moved by President Barack Obama's eulogy for Reverend Clementa C. Pinckney at the church a week ago. They viewed it from their hotel room in Fort McMurray, the day before the team's season opener.

"Brandon and I watched it together," said Gurley. "It was one of those things where we even sang along a little bit, as it was a church song we all have sang before. It was very moving to see that, and see the people of Charleston come together and grieve, and pray, and move forward from this bad situation."

Isaac concurred.

"I thought it was exceptional." said the linebacker. "He stepped away from being the president and stepped into more like a pastor's role."

Trials and tribulations. The apparent loss of a career, the tragic loss of life back home. Yet as Isaac said, ‘If you continue to strive and have hope and have faith, things will get better.’

As far as his football career is concerned, that's been the case this season.