Gibson Just wants to have fun
Receiver wants to have fun
By JONATHAN HUNTINGTON, SUN MEDIA
For Fred Gibson, the NFL really became the No Fun League.
After bouncing around to five NFL teams in less than three years without ever playing a regular-season game, the lanky receiver has signed a two-year-contract with the Edmonton Eskimos.
"Since I have been in the NFL, I haven't had fun," said the 26-year-old import.
"It has been so miserable to me - going team-to-team, that gets old.
"It's like cutthroat (in the NFL).
"Guys every day get cut.
"It has been very frustrating.
"I am just happy right now that I signed a contract with the Eskimos. I hope this will be a new beginning for me."
If Gibson shows flashes of his remarkable college form, the Eskimos will be drooling at training camp.
In four seasons at the University of Georgia, the six-foot-four speedster caught 161 passes for nearly 2,900 yards and 20 touchdowns.
A fourth-round pick in the 2005 NFL draft by Pittsburgh, Gibson was cut at training camp and rejected a spot on the practice squad.
He bolted to the Miami Dolphins, but even though he spent two years with the Fish, he never played a real game.
Since then, Gibson has spent short stints with the Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams and New York Giants.
Unfortunately for the Georgia native, his two-day stopover with the Falcons generated the wrong kind of attention.
In stunning fashion, he was cut on the second day of training camp after missing a team meeting.
"They didn't really give me a good answer for why they cut me," Gibson said from California yesterday. "I know I missed a special teams meeting that morning, but that is not a reason for a player who has never got a warning (to get cut)."
The one-year contract with a club option for 2009 in Edmonton gives Gibson the potential to earn up to $55,000 this season.
"He was a pretty intricate part of what they did at Georgia," said Edmonton head coach Danny Maciocia, who loves Gibson's athleticism and height.
The Georgia Bulldogs were 42-10 during Gibson's run at the school, notching three Bowl victories in the process.
However, his attitude has been questioned before and he will only have three weeks of Eskimos' training camp and two pre-season games to make a positive impact on Maciocia.
Gibson will be competing against Fred Stamps, Quentin McCord, Tramain Hall and likely one more recruit for the two remaining starting import receiver positions.
"I just like the ball to be in my hands. I make big plays when big plays are needed," stated Gibson.
"I can stretch the field. I have got great speed."
Jason Tucker has the other starting import role.
SHORT YARDAGE: Linebacker Tim Strickland - recently cut by the Montreal Alouettes - isn't on the Eskimos' radar.
"Right now, there is no interest," said Maciocia.
By JONATHAN HUNTINGTON, SUN MEDIA
For Fred Gibson, the NFL really became the No Fun League.
After bouncing around to five NFL teams in less than three years without ever playing a regular-season game, the lanky receiver has signed a two-year-contract with the Edmonton Eskimos.
"Since I have been in the NFL, I haven't had fun," said the 26-year-old import.
"It has been so miserable to me - going team-to-team, that gets old.
"It's like cutthroat (in the NFL).
"Guys every day get cut.
"It has been very frustrating.
"I am just happy right now that I signed a contract with the Eskimos. I hope this will be a new beginning for me."
If Gibson shows flashes of his remarkable college form, the Eskimos will be drooling at training camp.
In four seasons at the University of Georgia, the six-foot-four speedster caught 161 passes for nearly 2,900 yards and 20 touchdowns.
A fourth-round pick in the 2005 NFL draft by Pittsburgh, Gibson was cut at training camp and rejected a spot on the practice squad.
He bolted to the Miami Dolphins, but even though he spent two years with the Fish, he never played a real game.
Since then, Gibson has spent short stints with the Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams and New York Giants.
Unfortunately for the Georgia native, his two-day stopover with the Falcons generated the wrong kind of attention.
In stunning fashion, he was cut on the second day of training camp after missing a team meeting.
"They didn't really give me a good answer for why they cut me," Gibson said from California yesterday. "I know I missed a special teams meeting that morning, but that is not a reason for a player who has never got a warning (to get cut)."
The one-year contract with a club option for 2009 in Edmonton gives Gibson the potential to earn up to $55,000 this season.
"He was a pretty intricate part of what they did at Georgia," said Edmonton head coach Danny Maciocia, who loves Gibson's athleticism and height.
The Georgia Bulldogs were 42-10 during Gibson's run at the school, notching three Bowl victories in the process.
However, his attitude has been questioned before and he will only have three weeks of Eskimos' training camp and two pre-season games to make a positive impact on Maciocia.
Gibson will be competing against Fred Stamps, Quentin McCord, Tramain Hall and likely one more recruit for the two remaining starting import receiver positions.
"I just like the ball to be in my hands. I make big plays when big plays are needed," stated Gibson.
"I can stretch the field. I have got great speed."
Jason Tucker has the other starting import role.
SHORT YARDAGE: Linebacker Tim Strickland - recently cut by the Montreal Alouettes - isn't on the Eskimos' radar.
"Right now, there is no interest," said Maciocia.
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