Article content continued

Is there now reason to expect the 29-year-old product of Middle Tennessee State to no longer be an interception machine?

“Interception machine or a guy who threw a lot of interceptions, when you don’t play a lot and when you’re trying to bring a team back or do too much, you’re going to throw interceptions,” said Maas.

“A lot of times when a guy gets hurt in front of you, that’s what you do. We preach just run the offence. Don’t try to do too much. Don’t force the ball. The best part of the past is you should learn from it. Now is about a new opportunity and going out and making the most of it.”

That’s what Ricky Ray did in 2002.

Maas witnessed it up close and personal. He was the starting quarterback who got hurt.

Ray came in, did exactly what they asked him to do, ended up in the Grey Cup game, took Maas’ job and is going on the Eskimos Wall of Fame.

The remarkable thing in there is that Ray and Maas became best friends.

“Football is a team game. It’s all about those guys in that locker room that you fight for. It’s about playing for a city and an organization. You don’t play for yourself.

“When you’re groomed that way since you were nine years old playing football, you understand that very well and deal with situations that arise. In my case it was going from being a starter to a backup and having respect for the game and respect for the organization and realize my job was to be ready when called upon. I couldn’t control whether I was a starter or not. It was a coaching decision. That when you have to be more about the team than yourself.

“When the decision was to go with Ricky Ray, you support Ricky Ray. And I’ve always said this about Ricky Ray. He made it very easy. To support him, the way he worked, the type of person his, the friendship we formed.

“It was easy to root for him, compete with him and still be able to look myself in the mirror knowing I’ve given everything I’ve got.

“After that 2002 season we talked and agreed that whoever was the starter the following year, we’d support each other. That’s how we went on to win two Grey Cups together and become such good friends.”