McNall Touch Made Difference for Ismail : Football: Former Notre Dame star feels ‘at peace’ after signing $18.2-million contract to play in CFL.

After signing a four-year guaranteed contract worth $18.2 million to play for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, Raghib (Rocket) Ismail was asked if becoming an instant millionaire will change him.

“As of right now, I still don’t have any money in my pocket,” Ismail said during a news conference Sunday at an airport hotel.

That will change quickly for Ismail, who is guaranteed $4.5 million a season for the next four years.

“What’s the first thing I’m going to buy? I’m going to call Mom up and we’re going to have a meeting of the minds and take it from there,” he said. “But there is nothing I need.”

Ismail, who decided to sign with Toronto last week, said he spurned the NFL because of his respect for Bruce McNall, owner of the Kings and Argonauts.

“Mr. McNall didn’t treat me like a piece of meat,” Ismail said. “ I’ve met a lot of NFL owners and I got a different feeling when I met Mr. McNall and the people in his organization. I felt at peace.”

The star Notre Dame wide receiver/kick returner doesn’t regret not playing in the NFL.

“I know that I played against the best in college week in and week out,” Ismail said. “If they do well (in the NFL), I know I’d do well. “I’m satisfied with everything I did. My motto in life is don’t have any regrets.”

Although McNall could wind up paying Ismail as much as $26.2 million, he feels he will recoup the investment if Ismail boosts attendance and advertising revenue and helps the team secure a lucrative TV contract.

“The Canadian Football League has had its ups and down, but I thought if we could add people in the stands and increase our television coverage and advertising, we feel its a very sound investment,” McNall said.

“I really wanted this. In all my businesses, I’ve tried to go after the best in the world, whether it was a coin or a hockey player or a great football player. I have a feeling that this is the right thing to do. It’s the right thing for the Canadian Football League and the Toronto Argonauts.”

Although CFL teams are bound by a $3-million salary cap, McNall got around that by signing Ismail to a personal services contract and a standard CFL player contract.

Ismail will be much better compensated than Toronto’s established stars such as quarterback Matt Dunigan, who made a reported $225,000 last season, and running back Mike Clemons, the CFL’s most valuable player, who earned $100,000 last season.

How does McNall justify paying Ismail more than the stars of the team?

“His salary with the Canadian Football League will be in line with the salaries of the other Canadian Football League players,” McNall said. “He will be one of the higher paid wide receivers and kick return specialists in the league.

“But this is a unique situation. I don’t think every player is going to be looking at NFL-type numbers. The CFL doesn’t command that at the moment. My goal is to bring it there. It’s not going to happen overnight. All the people in the league understand what we’re trying to do here.”

After signing Ismail Saturday night, McNall staged a lavish news conference for him here with another scheduled for Toronto on Tuesday. As Ismail stepped to the podium in a hotel ballroom decorated in blue and white balloons, Elton John’s song “Rocket Man” blared over loudspeakers.

McNall quipped that the last major news conference he had staged was after the acquisition of Wayne Gretzky.

And McNall hopes that his partnership with Ismail will be as rewarding as his partnership with Gretzky, who has rejuvenated the Kings.