PDO
11-22-05, 3:10 PM
Maas still has the ire in his belly
Esks QB plays best when he's angry
Vicki Hall
The Edmonton Journal
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
EDMONTON - A few years back, Jason Maas showed up at the team office barely able to speak.
"I've just tried horseradish for the first time, and I'm so angry," he spat. "Why didn't I try it before? I've wasted so much time."
So where does this rage come from in Maas? Why is this young man so angry?
Turns out the 30-year-old searches the universe for irritants that make him explode. He has no trouble finding such triggers in everything from sandwich toppings to intoxicated fans in the crowd.
"When I'm in a fit of rage, I play better," he said Monday. "Sometimes, I try to get myself to get to that point. I look for little things to fuel my fire."
On Sunday, the backup quarterback rallied the Edmonton Eskimos to victory in the Western Final like an enraged army general preparing his troops for a deadly battle.
He hollered. He swore. He slapped his teammates on the back. He demanded they play better, that they rise to the occasion with starter Ricky Ray on the bench and the game tied.
His men followed their marching orders. Trevor Gaylor snared a 15-yard pass in the end zone to propel the Eskimos to a 28-23 victory and a trip to the Grey Cup this Sunday in Vancouver.
His mother, Vicki, recalls the time her boy heard a fan heckling him at Commonwealth Stadium prior to a game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
"Maas, you're going to be riding the pine next year when Ricky
Ray comes back," the spectator screamed.
Furious, Maas completed 22 consecutive passes to shatter the CFL record of 18 straight completions set in 1979 by B.C. Lions quarterback Joe Paopao.
After the final gun, someone handed Maas the game ball as a souvenir.
"Go give it to that fan," Maas snapped. "He's the one who deserves it."
A few years back on Labour Day, the Calgary Stampeders ran out onto the field in their black jerseys. For some reason, Maas took this as a personal afront.
"He went nuts on the sideline before the game," recalled head coach Danny Maciocia. "He's yelling, 'They're in black. They're in black.' "
Maciocia shook his head.
"Yeah, they're in black, Jason," the coach said. "So what?"
"That's disrespectful," Maas bellowed, before ripping off a string of obscenities.
To no one's surprise, Maas lit it up that day. The Sherwood Park resident plays better when he's angry, and he's learned to embrace that tendency with help from Edmonton sports psychologist John Dunn.
"I don't know where the anger comes from," Maas said. "It's deep-rooted."
A dedicated father and tireless volunteer, Maas conceded the roots of his rage probably lie in the death of his own dad. Police officer Gary Maas died in a flurry of bullets at an Arizona bus station when Maas was 10. The
officer returned fire and killed one of the suspects. The other is serving two life sentences.
For awhile, it seemed Maas was sentenced to a life of pain due to the loss. He started acting out in school.
"We wanted him to go see somebody, to talk to a psychiatrist or some kind of group therapy," his mother said. "He didn't want to.
"But I don't remember Jason being a bad kid. He went through a rebellious stage. He mooned his teacher in Grade 6. But that was about it."
With football as his salvation, Maas worked through his pain. He's made national headlines in recent weeks for his unselfish attitude and constant support of his good friend, Ricky Ray.
Ray is slated to start in the Grey Cup, leaving Maas on the bench ready to help if needed.
If he gets the call, Eskimos fans can only hope he finds something to be angry about.
"Maybe I'll step on his toe or something," said wide receiver Ed Hervey. "That should do it."
:rollover:
I still love him! :laughing:
Esks QB plays best when he's angry
Vicki Hall
The Edmonton Journal
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
EDMONTON - A few years back, Jason Maas showed up at the team office barely able to speak.
"I've just tried horseradish for the first time, and I'm so angry," he spat. "Why didn't I try it before? I've wasted so much time."
So where does this rage come from in Maas? Why is this young man so angry?
Turns out the 30-year-old searches the universe for irritants that make him explode. He has no trouble finding such triggers in everything from sandwich toppings to intoxicated fans in the crowd.
"When I'm in a fit of rage, I play better," he said Monday. "Sometimes, I try to get myself to get to that point. I look for little things to fuel my fire."
On Sunday, the backup quarterback rallied the Edmonton Eskimos to victory in the Western Final like an enraged army general preparing his troops for a deadly battle.
He hollered. He swore. He slapped his teammates on the back. He demanded they play better, that they rise to the occasion with starter Ricky Ray on the bench and the game tied.
His men followed their marching orders. Trevor Gaylor snared a 15-yard pass in the end zone to propel the Eskimos to a 28-23 victory and a trip to the Grey Cup this Sunday in Vancouver.
His mother, Vicki, recalls the time her boy heard a fan heckling him at Commonwealth Stadium prior to a game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
"Maas, you're going to be riding the pine next year when Ricky
Ray comes back," the spectator screamed.
Furious, Maas completed 22 consecutive passes to shatter the CFL record of 18 straight completions set in 1979 by B.C. Lions quarterback Joe Paopao.
After the final gun, someone handed Maas the game ball as a souvenir.
"Go give it to that fan," Maas snapped. "He's the one who deserves it."
A few years back on Labour Day, the Calgary Stampeders ran out onto the field in their black jerseys. For some reason, Maas took this as a personal afront.
"He went nuts on the sideline before the game," recalled head coach Danny Maciocia. "He's yelling, 'They're in black. They're in black.' "
Maciocia shook his head.
"Yeah, they're in black, Jason," the coach said. "So what?"
"That's disrespectful," Maas bellowed, before ripping off a string of obscenities.
To no one's surprise, Maas lit it up that day. The Sherwood Park resident plays better when he's angry, and he's learned to embrace that tendency with help from Edmonton sports psychologist John Dunn.
"I don't know where the anger comes from," Maas said. "It's deep-rooted."
A dedicated father and tireless volunteer, Maas conceded the roots of his rage probably lie in the death of his own dad. Police officer Gary Maas died in a flurry of bullets at an Arizona bus station when Maas was 10. The
officer returned fire and killed one of the suspects. The other is serving two life sentences.
For awhile, it seemed Maas was sentenced to a life of pain due to the loss. He started acting out in school.
"We wanted him to go see somebody, to talk to a psychiatrist or some kind of group therapy," his mother said. "He didn't want to.
"But I don't remember Jason being a bad kid. He went through a rebellious stage. He mooned his teacher in Grade 6. But that was about it."
With football as his salvation, Maas worked through his pain. He's made national headlines in recent weeks for his unselfish attitude and constant support of his good friend, Ricky Ray.
Ray is slated to start in the Grey Cup, leaving Maas on the bench ready to help if needed.
If he gets the call, Eskimos fans can only hope he finds something to be angry about.
"Maybe I'll step on his toe or something," said wide receiver Ed Hervey. "That should do it."
:rollover:
I still love him! :laughing: