2025 @CFL hot stove league

[GA Russell]

Bob Young and Bob Bratina announced today at a joint press conference that they have agreed to have the Ticats remain in Hamilton for the next twenty years. Ivor Wynne will be renovated to the tune of $115 million, which will result in a 25,000 seat stadium.

The City Council still has to approve the deal.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/tiger-cats-to-renovate-ivor-wynne/article1865362/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/stephen-brunt/tiger-cats-staying-put-in-hamilton/article1866300/

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=348918

[GA Russell]

The Stampeders have traded Mike Labinjo to the Als for future considerations. He has been injured the last couple of seasons, and apparently John Hufnagel gave up on him.

I can't remember the last time a player in either league was traded for future considerations. That used to be standard procedure when I was a kid.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Montreal/2011/01/12/16862621.html

[GA Russell]

Prechae Rodriguez has signed with the Als.

http://www.cfl.ca/article/prechae-rodriguez-signs-with-als

[GA Russell]

Wally has told Paul McCallum that the Lions plan to use Sean Whyte next year as their kicker. McCallum isn't ready to retire, so Wally will have to decide whether to cut him or trade him or keep him around. McCallum was the team's nominee for Most Outstanding Player last year.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=349644

*****

Eskimos LB Mark Restelli has signed with Miami.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=349838

Edited January 18, 2011 by GA Russell

[GA Russell]

The league announced today its plans for the Ottawa expansion draft. They realize that the way they did it for the Renegades left the team too weak to attract enough people to pay the bills, so they are going to make the new team stronger.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/cfl-develops-expansion-plan-for-ottawa/article1875499/

[GA Russell]

The Stampeders have traded Mike Labinjo to the Als for future considerations. He has been injured the last couple of seasons, and apparently John Hufnagel gave up on him.

I can't remember the last time a player in either league was traded for future considerations. That used to be standard procedure when I was a kid.

http://slam.canoe.ca...2/16862621.html

The Mike Labinjo trade has been voided. Basically, he didn't pass his physical with the Als.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=350145

[GA Russell]

Stamps DL Tom Johnson has signed with New Orleans.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=350176

[GA Russell]

Stamps DB Brandon Browner has signed with Seattle.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=350432

[GA Russell]

Here's a nice remembrance of the days of Cookie Gilchrist and the Big 4.

http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/alex_walling/?id=349445

*****

Emmanuel Arceneaux has tweeted that he intends to sign with Minnesota.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=350561

[GA Russell]

Herb Gray has died. I had his bubble gum card in 1964. In 1993 he was voted the league's best all-time defensive end.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=350904

*****

Ryan Thelwell has retired. I had no idea that he was 37.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=350995

*****

The Hamilton City Council voted 10-6 to approve renovating Ivor Wynne to allow the Ticats to remain in the city. But they capped their obligation at $45 million, which still leaves $55 million to be found. The deadline is Feb. 1.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=350966

*****

TSN is reporting that Ben Cahoon will retire this week. This year he set the career record as the league's leading receiver and he won the Grey Cup, so he's going out on top.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=351078

[GA Russell]

Ben Cahoon made it official today.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=351078

[GA Russell]

I don't normally mention when a player re-ups with his team. I don't think it's normally news. But today Anthony Calvillo announced that he has signed a new two-year contract, despite the recent removal of his thyroid gland and Ben Cahoon's retirement.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=351449

*****

The Lions have released Sherko Haji-Rasouli.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=351477

[GA Russell]

The Riders today hired Richie Hall to be their defensive coordinator.

Over the past fifteen years, the two defensive coordinators considered the best in the league have been Hall and Greg Marshall. Now Marshall is the team's new head coach. I have to wonder if this will be a case of too many cooks spoiling the pot.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=351902

[GA Russell]

Some news about kickers:

BC has paid Paul McCallum his bonus, so it looks like they won't cut him after all.

Montreal is talking with Nick Setta because they are afraid that Damon Duval will leave.

Hamilton is open to signing a new kicker, considering the poor year Sandro DeAngelis had.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/mccallum-likely-to-remain-a-lion/article1891018/

[GA Russell]

Rob Lazeo announced his retirement today.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=352113

[GA Russell]

Andy Fantuz has signed with Chicago.

I give him little chance because I think the NFL values speed more than the ability to catch the ball. I guess production of Fantuz Flakes will be suspended until he returns.

Steve Buratto will be the Riders' O-line coach this year.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/roughriders-andy-fantuz-signs-with-chicago-bears/article1894841/

*****

Ticats DL Garrett McIntyre will sign with the New York Jets, and try out for outside LB.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=352408

[GA Russell]

Chris Bauman was let go by the Ticats last week, and today he signed with the Eskimos.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=352869

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Edmonton/2011/02/07/17186556.html

*****

The league announced today that they will again play a regular season game in Moncton this year. Details will be announced when they release the season's schedule.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=352879

[GA Russell]

Jeremy O'Day announced his retirement today.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=352982

*****

Despite published reports that he would sign with the New York Jets, Chad Owens re-signed with the Argos today through 2013.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=352960

[GA Russell]

The Als will sign Ahman Green.

I don't know why. They are sold out season tickets, so they don't need the publicity. Former stars who sign with the CFL are always busts.

Green is 34, and played last year alongside Jeff Garcia for Omaha in the UFL.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=353123

[GA Russell]

This year's Hall of Fame inductees have been announced:

Don Matthews

Danny McManus

Terry Vaughn

Joe Montford

Ken Lehmann

Chris Flynn

Gino Fracas (builder)

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=353310

*****

Larry Taylor has signed with the Stampeders.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=353863

*****

Free agency begins tonight at midnight. Here's a short list and a complete list of who will be available:

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=353928

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/feature/?id=34189

[GA Russell]

Here's the up-to-date list of free agent signings.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/feature/?id=34189

Avon Cobourne to Hamilton

Geoff Tisdale to Calgary

Dwight Anderson to Montreal

Wes Lysack to Toronto

Tad Crawford to Montreal

*****

The Ticats will play the Stampeders in Moncton this year.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=354376

*****

The league has announced the 2011 schedule. The season will begin June 30.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=354393

[GA Russell]

The finalists for the CFL Awards have been announced.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=340723

My picks are:

Calvillo

Fantuz

Owens

Knowlton

Elimimian

Archibald

A couple could go either way!

The CFL Awards were announced tonight. And the winners are...

Burris

Fantuz

Owens

Knowlton

Elimimian

Archibald

I suspected that the writers would name Burris as the league's Outstanding Player when they named him ahead of Calvillo when picking the All-Star team.

All six were first time winners. Owens was a unanimous selection.

http://slam.canoe.ca...5/16321561.html

BC has signed Ben Archibald. As a left tackle who received the award for best offensive lineman, I'd have to think that this is a huge benefit for Travis Lulay.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=354846

*****

Edmonton has released Jason Maas. The surprise to me was that they kept him around as long as they did. He hurt himself years ago.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=354932

[GA Russell]

The Eskimos are a community team, so they report their balance sheet each year. Here's an article about this year's report.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=354942

*****

Saskatchewan has given the federal govt a deadline to come up with the money for a domed stadium for Regina, or else the deal is off. Personally, I think that a domed stadium would be a horrible mistake. The winds of Regina are a league asset, and therefore a national asset.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/saskatchewan-gives-ottawa-ultimatum-on-stadium/article1916029/

[GA Russell]

In something of a surprise move, the Riders have released Omarr Morgan.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=355850

[GA Russell]

It looks like Sask won't get their $430 million domed stadium. Not only is that too much money, but too many other cities want the federal govt to pay for new arenas.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=355987