PLAYER #78 - JOE THEISMANN (1971-73)

They didn't call Joe Theismann "Joe the Throw" for nothing. He could launch the football a mile, and like any good quarterback, able to talk a mile when the game was over.

"He had the stereotype quarterback personality," recalled teammate Peter Martin. "He was a young, cocky, hell-bent-for-leather sort of guy."

And he had the stats and schooling to back up the swagger.

A graduate of legendary Notre Dame University, Theismann appeared on numerous college all-star teams and was the runner-up in Heismann Trophy balloting in 1970, behind only U.S.C's Jim Plunkett. Drafted by the NFL's Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 1971 draft, Theismann instead opted to begin his professional career in Canada with the Argonauts.

It took some gentle persuading by coach Leo Cahill, as well as a fair bit of wining and dining, to get the deal done, but Leo's charm worked as always, bringing what was hoped to be the last piece of the Grey Cup puzzle to the Double Blue.

Theismann did not disappoint in his rookie year, either. When he wasn't handing off to fellow rookie Leon McQuay, Theismann was putting the ball in the air, going 148-for-256 for 2440 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also had a penchant to take off with the ball as well, finishing second on the team in rushing behind McQuay with 564 yards on 81 carries.

"He was an incredible talent, one of the most competitive people I've ever met," said slotback Dave Cranmer, a recipient of many of his passes that year. "He had all the attributes to be a good one, but he needed to mature."

He did some of that the next year out of necessity, since a broken leg in the first regular season game against Montreal forced him to miss half the season. He finished the year 77-of-127 for 1157 yards and 10 touchdowns, but all-in-all it was the sophomore jinx for Theismann and the team in 1972.

Both had a rejuvenation of sorts in 1973, when a healty Theismann guided the Boatmen back to the playoffs and he had his most yardage passing in a season, 2496 yards on 157 completions.

The following year, Theismann went to the NFL and joined the Washington Redskins, who had acquired his rights from Miami. After biding his time backing up the likes of Sonny Jurgenson and Billy Kilmer, Theismann finally got his chance to start in the late '70's, and led the 'Skins to a 27-17 Super Bowl victory in 1983 over the team that drafted him, Miami. However, a second broken leg, this one a particularly grisly sight suffered at the hands of Lawrence Taylor on Monday Night Football and replayed throughout North America on highlight reels, ended his playing career in the mid-80's.

However, he stayed in football, using his other attributes, namely his verbal skills, as a commentator on NFL telecasts on ESPN and TNT in the U.S. He is also one of the authors of a pre-season football guide, which is available at many bookstores in the Toronto area.