John Tapscott Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 No doubt this is a move to make room for Casey Printers and his salary demands. I don't care who else the Argos have on the field, if they don't have a decent QB, they won't go anywhere, except down. It would be extremely foolish, in my view, to bring back Damon Allen next year. He is so slow now with both his release and on his feet. And none of the current back-ups have shown enough potential to play the position consistently. Once in a while Bishop got lucky with a bomb or two, but it seems like the Arena Football League is his niche. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Jeff Garcia made the front page of USA Today yesterday! The upper left corner is reserved for a couple of sports headlines and a photo, and yesterday's photo was of Garcia. The article in the sports section was just the usual, suggesting that because the Eagles have won the past three games they are a force to be reckoned with. The Eagles play the Cowboys this week, and if they win they will be in first place in the NFC East with the advantage of the tiebreaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Now the Argos have cut Clifford Ivory! He has been with the team five years, and was an all-star for three of them. I guess the Argos have decided that they can't stand pat, but they're letting their best players go! I agree with John that they are making room for Casey Printers' salary, but Printers' can't win it by himself. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Tor...877140-sun.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tapscott Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 I love seeing the ex-CFL'ers like Garcia do well in the NFL. And I dig those crazy boots Garcia wears. I've never seen anything quite like them. They look more like toe slippers than football shoes. Oh, it would be wonderful to see the Eagles beat the Cowboys this week. Wasn't Terrell Owens a real thorn in Garcia's side when they were together in SF? Time for a little payback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted December 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2006 Olympic Stadium, home of the Montreal Concorde (!), is finally paid off! It took thirty years. I once saw a game on TV, I think it was the last year of the Alouettes before they folded, and the announced crowd was 4,000; but 400 would have been more like it. Great plays were made to complete silence. It was like watching a scrimmage. I attended the '79 and '85 Grey Cup games there. I'm pretty sure a Grey Cup game there in the near future is scheduled, but I don't recall when. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...portsOther/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed S Posted December 20, 2006 Report Share Posted December 20, 2006 I have a soft spot in my heart for the CFL. As a border town denizen I had access to Canadian TV through my cable company - Hockey Night in Canada and CFL games. I have Directv now and the Canadian stations are gone now, unfortunately. But I do follow the league casually. I'm wondering when the heck the Ottawa situation is going to be resolved. I've been following the most recent developments and wonder if they are going to have a team or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted December 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2006 Ed, I don't think Ottawa will get a team in the forseeable future. There is now only one applicant for the franchise, and he has received negative opinions coming from the anonymous sources who always seem to be right. It's not clear to me that the Ottawa community wants a team. The Renegades had the highest rent in the league. If Ottawa didn't already have a ballpark in place, I don't think it would be under discussion. ***** The Globe & Mail is reporting that the league is set to announce a new TV deal paying each team $2 million a year for five years. CTV/TSN will get internet rights as well as cable and broadcast rights. The past two years the league has shown its games live on its website for those who have broadband - pay per view set at $9.99 per game (or I think $6.99 for archived webcasts). I'll be curious to see if the price will come down for the internet webcasts. Maybe they will charge $30-40 for a season's subscription. This new deal doesn't start till 2008. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted December 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 It was announced today that cable channel TSN (The Sports Network) will have the exclusive Grey Cup broadcast rights for five years starting in 2008. I guess people like me who don't have cable will just have to go to a sports bar to see the game. Also, all of the TSN broadcasts of the league's games will be in high definition. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed S Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 Thanks for the info. I did not realize that they were down to one (undesirable) candidate. If Ottawa didn't already have a ballpark in place, I don't think it would be under discussion. I guess that's an issue with some of the other possible cities that have been mentioned for possible expansion like Quebec City and Halifax. It's a shame to see that stadium sit empty. On a related note, I saw the stadium in person last winter. My boys and I skated the Rideau Canal from the Confederation Park area to see an Ottawa 67s game at the Civic Center, then back again to our hotel. Pretty cool way to get to a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted December 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2006 Very cool, Ed! **** The other day the Argos traded Keith Stokes to the Als for Richard Karikari. Both guys are former stars who played their way onto the bench this past season. Maybe new surroundings will help them both. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Tor...895419-sun.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted January 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 The Eskimoes signed Josh Ranek today. Ranek was great with Ottawa, but he was a dud with the Ticats this year. The Ticats released him because they signed Jesse Lumsden to carry the ball. Now Edmonton will have both Ranek and Troy Davis in the backfield. I think they still need some help in the o-line to open some holes for them. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted January 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 I see also that the Ticats released James Cotton today. Cotton was a great one, but I guess he is getting up in age. Nevertheless, as I recall he played half the season with a cast on his hand. Assuming that the hand has healed, he should be able to help someone. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Ham...2753924-cp.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted January 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 (edited) The Winnipeg Sun is reporting today that the Bombers' Board of Directors is considering asking for offers to buy the team. One offer already exists and will be considered. But they don't want to make a decision without multiple options. The concern is not only with the operation of the club but also with the construction of a new stadium. Apparently they have grown tired of the Bombers being a hand to mouth operation. It was just a few years ago that the team had a franchise value of $5 million and a debt of $5 million, making the team essentially of no value. I didn't realize until this past year that CFL teams are having trouble signing players who are practicing with the team. The money for an NFL taxi squad player is so much greater than what the CFL pays that many players just don't want to commit as long as there is a faint chance an NFL team will sign him. For that reason, I see private ownership as the way to go. Community-owned teams (except Edmonton, of course) can't compete with the NFL for practice roster players! However, I think it should be noted what I've never seen publicly discussed: Canada has a problem. There is a shortage of Canadian sportsmen who are willing and able to compete on a world championship level. (I consider the Grey Cup to be the world championship of Canadian rules football.) Montreal lost its baseball team. Quebec City and Winnipeg lost their hockey teams. Vancouver lost its basketball team. This is a Canadian problem. So the CFL, being a Canadian league, has the problem; but it is not a reflection of the CFL. It's a reflection of Canada. If someone with deep pockets offers to buy the Bombers I would do the deal. But I would not sell to anyone whose business plan required the team to be self-sufficient. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Win...176316-sun.html edit for typo Edited January 5, 2007 by GA Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 Media baron David Asper is reportedly an interested buyer. When he was on the board of directors two years ago, he went apeshit on the team. He's certainly more passionate and knowledgable about football than newspapers. The Winnipeg Sun is reporting today that the Bombers' Board of Directors is considering asking for offers to buy the team. One offer already exists and will be considered. But they don't want to make a decision without multiple options. The concern is not only with the operation of the club but also with the construction of a new stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted January 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2007 The Ticats announced today that Ron Lancaster will not be back as a football executive next year. They have offered him a position in community relations. Personally, I thought he did a great job as an analyst teamed with Leo Cahill on the CBC broadcasts years ago; and if it were up to me TSN would hire him for their games. I met him at the '85 Grey Cup game. Real nice guy. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted January 10, 2007 Report Share Posted January 10, 2007 I remember Ron on CBC. He was great. They even used him at the 1988 Olympics. I hope he does return to the broadcast booth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted January 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2007 The Ticats released Terry Vaughn today. If memory serves, he caught for over 1,000 yards for 12 straight years, with the streak ending this year. I'm confident there will be something on the web tomorrow about it. Also if memory serves, he played for Edmonton in 2004, Montreal in 2005 and Hamilton in 2006. So 2007 would be his fourth team in four years. He's getting up there in age, but the Ticats were the worst team in the league last year, so I don't fault him for his numbers. I don't think he's done yet, unless he just wants to retire now and get into the Hall of Fame that much earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted January 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2007 Now the Globe & Mail is reporting that Sask's Kenton Keith has agreed to sign with Indianapolis. Keith was cut by the Jets in 2004, so his sticking with the Colts is not a given. But Sask would miss him big time, even if for only the first half of this season. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted January 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2007 David Asper presented his proposal to take over the Bombers on Sunday. I don't think anything will come of it. It's very possible that Asper would develop the property better than any community board would, but as I understand it the Bombers have plenty of money in the bank and the board doesn't feel any need to step aside. The board's spokesman says that he prefers that the club be community owned, and no one is quoted to disagree. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Win...388608-sun.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted January 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 There have been two news items in the past week. The Ticats cut Tim Strickland because his knee injury is healing too slowly. The Als signed him. I doubt that the Ticats would have cut him if there was a chance he would return to his old form. I suspect he's done. Too bad, he was a great one. Arena football has signed three guys still under contract to CFL teams. I don't think that any of the three are much to be concerned about, but nowadays the Arena league can afford to pay more than the CFL can. If the CFL can't enforce its contracts they are in for a lot of hurting, it seems to me. The Arena schedule now extends to seven weeks deep into the CFL season. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted February 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 Another move by the Ticats today. I guess Marcel Desjardins figures they can't get any worse, so he might as well trade anybody another team will take. Today the Cats traded DJ Flick, who in my opinion is good enough to play for anybody, and lineman Wayne Smith to the Roughriders for Rocky Butler, a backup QB. Draft picks and neg rights were also involved. I'm guessing that Desjardins doesn't know the condition of Jason Maas and whether he really hurt himself and can't play well anymore. The Ticats' two backup QBs didn't show much this year. If Maas isn't hurt (or is fully recovered), they appear to have gained nothing by giving up Flick. IMO, the league was beset by poor pass receivers last year. Dropped passes were common. Flick can catch. I wouldn't have traded him. Of course, the neg list guys and the draft picks may prove me wrong. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted February 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 The Bombers took out ads in two Toronto newspapers (I assume the Globe and the Star) asking developers to step forward with plans to revamp Canad Inns Stadium. This would include tearing it down and replacing it. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Win...507061-sun.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted February 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 The Eskimos signed Kamau Peterson today. I've never liked him. He drops the ball too much, no matter how many TDs he scores. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home ***** Ron Lancaster has accepted the community relations position offered to him by the Ticats. It looks like he may be the color commentator on the radio broadcasts. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted February 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Remember Turner Gill with Montreal? He's now the head coach at the University of Buffalo. Today he hired Danny Barrett as his quarterbacks coach. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted February 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 The Trevis Smith case made the top of the Drudge Report today. He was found guilty, and faces a lifetime in jail. http://www.breitbart.com/news/2007/02/08/0...2.a0ag0uh1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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