O'Shea backs Argos' promotion of Stubler

Toronto Argonauts linebacker Mike O'Shea had doubts about playing a 16th CFL season in 2008 following the team's "crushing" loss to Winnipeg in this year'sEast Division final.

But things began to change for O'Shea once the initial shock of being eliminated from Grey Cup contention subsided.

"For the first couple of days it was really [about] questioning what I'm doing," the 37-year-old told CBCSports.ca reporter Doug Harrison. "But you realize one of the things you look forward to every day is going to work, so it's tough to change that job."

These days, O'Shea is enjoying a bit of down time and digesting the latest moves by the Argonauts, including the promotion of Rich Stubler.

The Argos' longtime assistant coach and defensive co-ordinator is taking over from former coach Mike (Pinball) Clemons, now the team's chief executive officer.

"Coach Stubler deserves to be a coach in the CFL. [He] has pushed the defence to a new level and now he's going to do it with the whole team," O'Shea said.

With Stubler entrenched in his new role, O'Shea feels good about signing a new deal in the off-season. But the six-foot-two, 225-pounder, who is eligible to become a free agent on Feb. 16, said he doesn't expect contract talks to begin until the new year.

"I'm not in a big hurry," said O'Shea, who has spent 11 of his 15 CFL seasons in Toronto. "I've had a lot of fun playing football. I've had a lot of fun playing football under coach Stubler for a lot of years. Him being a head coach should be as much fun if not more, right?

"I talked to Rich after the season and he expressed interest in having me back, so that makes the decision pretty easy. Anytime you're wanted somewhere it helps in that decision process."

Like last year, O'Shea said he hasn't looked too far ahead as far as life after football.

But it's not as though the North Bay, Ont., native has lost a step.

O'Shea finished the 2007 season eighth in the league in defensive tackles with 74, his highest total since 2004 when he had 89. O'Shea added four special teams tackles and four quarterback sacks.

"I don't think the decision [to retire] is ever going to come from me," the three-time Grey Cup champion said. "Whatever it is that hits people that [tells them] it's time hasn't hit me yet. As it stands now, someone's going to have to cut me.

"And that might change. That might change and something might actually tell me that that's enough, but I can't say what that something is."

The bottom line is O'Shea loves learning football. Working with Stubler the past five years, he gained a better understanding of the game and how to define, accept and flourish in his role.

"He certainly provided me with a [defensive] system that has allowed me to stay in the game," O'Shea said, laughing. "It's a pleasure to be in a system that's fun and allows for success."

Over the past five seasons, Toronto's defence has allowed a league-low 163 touchdowns in 90 regular season games.

Since Stubler took over, the Argos have named 19 defensive players to the CFL all-star team and 27 defensive players to the East squad.

"He certainly put the right players in the right positions in the right system," O'Shea said. "I enjoyed going to work every day with coach Stubler and these guys that we have assembled. I imagine it's going to be the same thing [next season]."