Off Topic » Veteran halfback Chad Kackert retired Sunday

TORONTO -- Head coach Scott Milanovich will have to look for another big-play threat coming out of the Toronto Argonauts backfield this season. Veteran halfback Chad Kackert retired Sunday, the opening day of the CFL teams training camp. The five-foot-eight, 206-pound Kackert led Toronto to victory in the historic 100th Grey Cup in 12 but has been slow recovering from a broken left leg suffered prior to last years East final. Kackert, 27, will remain with the Argos as their strength-and-conditioning coach. Hell also continue working to rehab his leg and hasnt completely closed the door on resuming his pro career. "Never say never," he said. "I just dont feel like Im anywhere close to being ready to play football, its an issue of range of motion, to be specific. "I want my leg to get better just because who wants to walk around on a gimpy leg the rest of his life? If its sooner rather than later then I will re-evaluate but as of right Im going to get my leg better and coach this team as far as strength and conditioning goes." Despite playing just three seasons in Toronto, Kackert quickly emerged as an offensive threat. He rushed for 1,467 yards on 228 carries -- an impressive 6.4-yard average -- with 12 touchdowns while adding 50 receptions for 454 yards, two TDs. "Chad was a home-run hitter," Milanovich said. "Hed get a crease and could go to the house and thats nice. "He also brought an intangible. The players loved seeing him succeed. When he got the ball and did well, it just kind of ignited our football team. Well see whos around to replace that but well certainly miss those things." Kackert rushed for 638 yards on 100 carries during the 2012 season -- both career highs -- but was at his best in the playoffs. He ran for 139 yards and a TD in Torontos 27-20 road win over Montreal in the East Division final. The next week before over 50,000 fans at Rogers Centre, Kackert was named the MVP of the 100th Grey Cup game, rushing for 133 yards on 20 carries and recording eight catches for 62 yards in the Argos 35-22 win over the Calgary Stampeders. Kackert appeared in just nine games last year, rushing for 480 yards rushing on 71 carries (6.8-yard average) as Toronto (11-7) finished atop the East Division to secure home-field for the conference final. But Kackert didnt play in the Argos 36-24 loss to Hamilton, breaking his left leg during practice. "It was a no-contact practice, freak injury," Kackert said. "I was just running a route, didnt see the defensive end running his twist. "We knocked shoulders and my foot caught the turf and that was it." Injuries plagued the hard-running Kackert throughout his brief Argos tenure but he knew immediately this one was serious. "It hurt," the former University of Hampshire star said. Still, Kackert spent the off-season working to strengthen his leg, accepting he might even have to spend the early part of the season on the injured list before returning. But Kackert realized Friday he simply wasnt ready to go. "I dont want a handout," he said. "I dont want to come on to a team and take a paycheque while Im sitting around not helping anybody. "Im in a position now where I can help people. Its a different contract but its a priceless opportunity." Milanovich wasnt surprised about Kackerts retirement. "I wasnt expecting him to be here as a player," Milanovich said. "It was a very serious injury, particularly with his style of playing using his quickness and speed, and we were planning all along, unfortunately, to have to replace him." But not let him go altogether. Milanovich said he and GM Jim Barker began discussing about two weeks ago the possibility of offering the immensely popular Kackert the strength-and-conditioning position. "Kack is such an integral part of our team," Milanovich said. "Kack is too good a person to not find a way to let him and make him be a part of this. "Thats where it started and we were lucky it was something he was interested in." Very interested, as it turns out. "Its very important to me because Ive fallen in love with this city and Ive kind of established a home base out here," he said. "Jim is never going to make a decision thats going to hinder the team or not get it to the Grey Cup. "Im really honoured to be able to stay here and help get the guys back to where we need to go." However, Kackert admitted it felt a little odd Sunday in his new job. "Its a little tiring standing for three, four hours straight," he said with a chuckle. "But it felt good, the guys are buying in and I appreciate that from them. "Theyre calling me, Coach, already and asking me for workout tips. It will be fun. Im going to learn a lot, theyre going to learn a lot." Teammate Chad Owens was shocked to learn of Kackerts decision "He told me about it (Saturday) and I was kind of lost for words," Owens said. "Its sad because injuries happen in this game, we all understand that . . . but there are certain guys you pray and hope nothing but great things for just because theyre good people. "Kack is probably the most genuine person Ive ever encountered. He is the epitome of a team player. Im going to miss going into battle with him out there on the field because he brought everything he had. He was a playmaker." Kackerts departure creates an open race for the starters job among the seven running backs in camp. Sophomore Curtis Steele does have the benefit of experience in Torontos offence but Milanovich said rookie Anthony Coombs, Torontos 2014 first-round pick, remains very much in the picture. "Its wide open," Milanovich said. "Curtis has an advantage because hes been here and been in the offence but it could be any of those guys at this point." The five-foot-nine, 190-pound Coombs, a Winnipeg native who played at the University of Manitoba, said Kackerts retirement hasnt changed his approach. "Its pretty much the same because we had a lot of good backs that just came in this year," he said. "Its not like its free pickings now. "It (starting) is a huge possibility . . . but you cant think too far ahead. Ive just got to get used to the speed of the game and its coming along slowly but surely. Whether Kackert is in or out I still have the same mentality: Show up to practice, learn the playbook and get better." NOTES -- Lost in Kackerts retirement was Toronto released offensive lineman Scott Mitchell on Sunday. Mitchell was selected second overall by Edmonton in 2011 and signed with the Argos in the off-season as a free agent. He failed his physical Saturday but theres word the expansion Ottawa Redblacks have an interest in the former Rice star . . . The Hamilton Tiger-Cats signed defensive lineman Ed Laurent on Sunday, The six-foot-one, 303-pound Montreal native spent three seasons with the Eskimos. Brian Dawkins Jersey . Despite 11-1 records, theyre out and Big Ten winner Ohio State is into the national semifinals. Shareef Miller Jersey . -- Navy football player Will McKamey, who has been hospitalized since collapsing at practice three days ago, has died while in a coma. http://www.cheapeaglesjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-mike-quick-jersey . - The Baltimore Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta reached agreement on a five-year contract Friday. Seth Joyner Jersey . On Thursday theyll learn even more. Despite the cloud of uncertainty that has followed them around from the moment general manager Masai Ujiri was brought in to put his stamp on the franchise, the Raptors have surpassed all pre-season expectations. Nick Foles Jersey .Y. -- Mike Zigomaniss goal at 5:53 of the third period stood up as the winner as the Rochester Americans hung on to defeat the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs 3-2 on Saturday in American Hockey League action. HOUSTON -- Jeremy Lin impressed his teammates with his first career triple-double in Houstons win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night. The Rockets were even more surprised that he achieved the feat coming off the bench. Lin tallied 15 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and 10 assists and James Harden returned from injury to score 28 points to help the Rockets to their third straight victory, 106-92. Dwight Howard added 26 points and Terrence Jones had 17. "Thats hard to do," Harden said of collecting a triple-double as a reserve. "Its just hard to be able to score the basketball, grab rebounds and pass the ball and get your teammates involved off the bench as a point guard. Its tough. But hes talented enough to do it and he did it." Lin is the first Rocket to have a triple-double off the bench since Cedric Maxwell did it on March 31, 1988, against Indiana. Two years removed from "Linsanity" with the New York Knicks, the undrafted player from Harvard is thriving in a backup role in Houston, averaging 13.4 points and 4.5 assists. "Its kind of humbling to think about the whole journey and now this," he said. "Its another cool thing." Harden sat out the last two games with a bruised left thumb. It showed no signs of bothering him Saturday, when he also had four assists and three rebounds. He made 10 of 17 shots after hitting just eight of 24 shots in his previous two games combined. "I need to injure my hand more often," he joked. "I shot it better than Ive been shooting before. I havent been shooting the last couple of days so I didnt know how it was going to react to it, but I just had confidence in my abilities and just went out there and did it." Patrick Beverley didnt score, but helped the Rockets everywhere else with 10 rebounds, eight assists and a career-best five steals. "You have to give credit to their two guards," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "Patrick Beverley and Jeremy Lin played a heck of a game between those guys. Twenty-one rebounds is phenomenal. They just got after it and weent after every loose ball and rebounded.dddddddddddd" Houston led by as many as 19 points in the first half before Cleveland opened the second half with an 11-0 run to take a 63-61 lead, its first since the opening minutes of the game. Clevelands lead was short-lived as the Rockets roared back by scoring the next 11 points to go back on top 72-63 and hold on for the win. Luol Deng had 24 points and Kyrie Irving added 21 with seven assists as Cleveland dropped its fourth in a row. The Rockets used 3-pointers by Lin and Jones to fuel a 7-2 run early in the fourth quarter that made it 93-78. A layup by Howard followed by an alley-oop dunk by Harden with less than a minute to go pushed the lead to 106-90. Lins 10th assist came on Howards layup. Houston was up by six a few minutes after it regained the lead in the third when another run -- this one 8-0 -- stretched the advantage to 82-68. Harden had a one-handed dunk before a two-handed slam by Howard on the next possession ended the run, brought the crowd to its feet and had Brown yelling for a timeout. The Rockets led 84-73 entering the fourth quarter. Five straight points by the Cavaliers got them within seven points early in the second quarter. The Rockets answered with a 14-2 spurt to push their lead to 49-30 midway through the quarter. Lin made six consecutive points in that stretch and Omri Casspi added six points in the run. The Cavaliers missed shots, committed turnovers and fouled on possession after possession as Houston extended its advantage. Cleveland finally got back on track when Deng scored five quick points, including a 3-pointer, as the start of a 17-6 run that got the Cavaliers within 55-47. Deng had another 3 near the end of that run and Dion Waiters also hit a 3-pointer. Another 3 by Waiters with just a few seconds left in the quarter cut the lead to six, but Harden knocked down a 3 just before the buzzer to leave Houston up 61-52 at halftime. NOTES: Houston G/F Francisco Garcia missed his eighth straight game with a sore left knee. ... Irving has scored at least 20 points in eight of his last nine games. 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