[b151d8b2]Charleston, South Carolina[/b151d8b2]

After finishing the inaugural CFL season with a 13-3 record and a playoff berth, the Charleston Monitors, led by Player of the Year Timothy Gordon, were set on filling what few gaps there appeared to be at the time. Gordon, who signed a four-year extension mid-season, topped off one of the more balanced rosters in the league. From the fans and all the way up to the media, the answer to moving further through the CFL playoffs was clear. Acquire a pass-rushing end in free agency and make an already stingy defense even more effective. It was that simple. Or so it seemed.

Then the wheels fell off.

[i151d8b2]In business, communication is key[/i151d8b2]

As free agency began Charleston had only a handful of key players left unsigned. The decision to put the franchise tag on cornerback Orland Pilcher was made leaving four four-star players without contracts while the Sixpacks had plenty of cap space remaining. Center Kelly Cannon played a large role in what turned out to be an overachieving running game. Inside linebacker (and bold character) Eugene Lemmons was second on the team in tackles. Starting fullback David Evans made significant strides throughout the season and seemed poised to play a larger role in Charleston's future plans. But perhaps the team's largest priority lied in signing sixth-year tight end James Robertson. Robertson, who was Gordon's number one target during the 2003 season, led the Sixpacks in receptions (69) and was second on the team in receiving touchdowns with seven. Besides not being currently signed to contracts, each of the four players also had another common link* (read below). Their agent. Drew Boras.

It was a secret that was kept very stealth throughout the league. Former Charleston GM, OldGiants, and Boras were both members of CHS's Class of '86 and both had pretty good arms. The story went that Boras, who was CHS's original snap caller, was seriously injured only two games into each player's senior year season. CHS went undefeated all the way to the championship game with OG in the huddle and a tough decision would ensue. Boras could play and thus thought he should. But OG had already found a place in the fans' hearts and to this day still remains there as CHS went on to win one of the greatest high school football championships in South Carolina's history. Boras would never forget and would get his revenge.

[i151d8b2]March 1, 2004[/i151d8b2]

Though renegotiation talks were troublesome throughout the whole football season, OG and other Sixpacks officials remained confident that they could reach terms with at least three of the unsigned players, if not all of them.

It didn't happen.

One could imagine now, Boras leaning back on his Italian leather office chair smoking a cigar and laughing as though he had just laid down four aces. He already had all of the cards in place. As early as mid-February tentative agreements had already been made with three other CFL teams. Lemmons was heading down (and to the left) to Honolulu after agreeing to a 11 million dollar contract (over 4 years). Fullback David Evans would relocate his services across the country to Sacramento. Anchorage ended up with a sweet dessert. Cannon and top priority Robertson both reached deals with the Snow Leopards. Cannon was signed to a 3-year, 9 million dollar contract while Robertson would head back closer to the northwest after signing a four-year deal that would pay him an average of five millions dollars a year.

All the sudden things weren't looking so bright and ocean blue in coastal Charleston....more to come very soon (Post-Free Agency and the 2004 CFL draft next)

_________________
GM of the 2004 CFL Champion Charleston Sixpacks - #1 Hater of Hawaii

ImperialFL Co-commish