Zach Collaros wore a green tie. He said all the right, diplomatic things when he met the media in his new role as Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback.
He praised the fan base. He lauded the organization. He spoke about last season and how disappointing it was for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the CFL team that traded him to Saskatchewan for a second-round draft choice. And he spoke about being healthy and prepared for the upcoming season when he hasn’t been promised anything more than an opportunity to compete with returnee Brandon Bridge for the job as Saskatchewan’s starting quarterback.
That job comes with its own hazards. Throw an interception, lose a regular-season game or forget to be humble and Collaros will find out what Darian Durant learned during 11 seasons with the Roughriders: It’s a fishbowl in Saskatchewan, where the pro football team’s quarterback can be the most popular guy in the province one day, a “washed-up bum” the next.
Collaros is 29, mature, talented and ready for the fishbowl.