Sep
Esks move on from incident at practice
Courtesy Edmonton Journal:
The Edmonton Eskimos are sweeping the shovel incident from Thursday’s practice under the rug. Burying the hatchet, as it were.
Practice roster defensive lineman Xzavie Jackson and starting centre Aaron Fiacconi both apologized to their Eskimos teammates for the altercation.
Jackson, in a fit of rage after Fiacconi popped him in the right eye (essentially swelling it shut), grabbed a nearby shovel from a garbage collection area after storming off the Clarke Park field during practice.
The angered athlete was walking back toward the field with it, when confronted by several members of the organization, including head trainer T.D. Forss, general manager Danny Maciocia, defensive co-ordinator Jim Daley and head coach Richie Hall.
“I think you guys are exposed or privy to various things concerning our ball club, but when it comes to dirty laundry, there are things that should be behind closed doors,” said Hall, when asked of the outcome. “I think the players involved and the players on the team have a real good indication of what transpired, from top to bottom that it’s not acceptable. I know the players know it’s not tolerated.”
Hall said both players had a chance to speak to their teammates Friday morning regarding the incident. Any other consequences (fines or any form of suspension) will be kept strictly to the team.
“We addressed some issues, are putting it behind us and we’re moving forward,” said Hall.
Both players went through the team’s walk-through Friday morning in preparation for Saturday’s game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and spoke to the matter.
“It’s one of those things that happened. Football is an aggressive game, we’re all teammates here,” began Fiacconi, who will play Saturday. “I respect him to the utmost and we can’t complete this journey without one another.
“Things get a little heated, but you have to have some control out here. It got away from us (Thursday) a little bit and it won’t happen again.”
A series of drills between the offensive and defensive lines led to the altercation.
“I think I let it get too far. When it gets to a point when you’re throwing punches against a teammate and someone I respect, who has helped me get better throughout the season and vice versa … I don’t anticipate that will happen again,” said Fiacconi.
Jackson, donning sunglasses that covered a patch over his swollen right eye, was just as eager to put the altercation past him.
“I wasn’t disappointed (in Fiacconi) at all,” he insisted. “It was just two grown men trying to get better at a game that they love. Tempers are going to fly. It’s a part of the game, if you can’t deal with it, then you shouldn’t be here.”
But Jackson, who remains on the practice roster, did admit he was wrong to grab the shovel.
“(Thursday) got the best of us. I’m very disappointed. That’s not me, that’s not my character,” he said. “I know I could have made a better choice than that. I apologized to my teammates and that’s all. … We’ve talked to the team, to each other and the coaching staff. It’s all resolved now.”
