Alouettes quarterback Rakeem Cato stormed out of an interview with Montreal Gazette beat reporter Herb Zurkowsky after the team’s walkthrough at Tim Hortons Field on Thursday.
Cato, who was involved in a practice confrontation with Alouette receivers Kenny Stafford and Duron Carter this week, became upset when Zurkowsky asked if he felt “bullied” by his teammates. He walked away, proclaiming loudly “I’m never talking to you again.”
Cato them returned and asked to speak to Zurkowsky off the record. But after another brief exchange, Cato refused shake Zurkowky’s hand and was escorted from the field by offensive coordinator Anthony Calvillo.
Zurkowsky reportedly asked Cato if he felt “bullied” by his teammates.
Cato’s emotional state may be partially explainable. During an earlier media session, Cato said that a close friend had been shot to death in Miami this week.
“Everything is going out to him. I was just talking to him 48 hours ago, saying how we were going to play basketball in the off-season,” Cato said. “These are things I’m going through, personally. The thing with Kenny and D.C., that’s secondary. That ain’t nothing.”
For his part, Carter said he had not spoken to his quarterback about the altercation on Tuesday and, in fact, the two do not appear to be on speaking terms at all beyond football necessities.
“No, I haven’t said anything to him. I don’t got nothing to say,” Carter said. “I guess it’s a perception thing and I don’t care how people perceive me.”
