KptKrunch

Yes it's a silly debate. The CFL is what the CFL is. My biggest fear though, still, is Toronto getting an NFL team. If that ever comes to pass, in a few years, you can kiss that big TV contract goodbye.

Yep - it's useless because the league isn't really a major league. It's not the 'final destination' and 90% of players are not here for the long term. They just want to play and hone their skills for the NFL. Striking won't accomplish that. Guess what though, you live in Canada. The CFL is indeed the major leagues here in Canada. I'm not sure how people fail to understand that Canada is not part of the USA. Why is the CFL not major league? because why? your reasons are flawed, 90 percent of NFL players dont last long either. What makes the CFL not the major leagues in the country you live in? The fact that Canada has like 300 ++ million less people than the USA does? In Canada, the CFL is as big as it gets, therefore it's a major league, just cuz its not on the same level as the NFL doesn't mean it isn't. The NFL should change its name to the AFL because basically its the american football league. You get it now? in Canada we got the Canadian football league. OMG - I love the CFL. It's not major league because if you look at the revenues that the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL generate you'd see it not even close. In fact, MLS has much higher revenues' than the CFL. The players that come here, including our own (like Henoc Muamba - ever hear of him?) are willing to do 'anything' for a shot at the NFL - the 'big leagues'. Why is the CFL not a 'major league'? REVENUE! You gotta face facts my friend. Me, I grew up on the CFL and I love the game. But by no means have I ever considered the CFL major league. I don't fool myself that way. If it were, we'd have a lock out / strike guaranteed. Don't be so sensitive.

Yep - it's useless because the league isn't really a major league. It's not the 'final destination' and 90% of players are not here for the long term. They just want to play and hone their skills for the NFL. Striking won't accomplish that.

We did play starters last season, Pierce started the game, all our staring receivers, our oline everything. This is why I lost it when Toronto brought rubes and some second stringers and we couldn't even score a TD (I really don't care about wins/loses in pre-season, I do care about how the players perform on the field though and they didn't) It was the Hamilton game we didn't take any starters and got blown out 58 to 0. Those two games right there told me all I needed to know - poor coaching + players signed through YouTube. Embarrassing. This year will be much different I can feel it.

Hey, someone on here gets it. What I said a few times - there'll be no strike. When was the last time any of you heard of a 'minor league' go on strike. I never have. Now it is a bit difference because we are an independent league, but the bottom line is these guys all want to play in the NFL or they just want to play and this is their part time gig (like Lacrosse players). So striking for them does nothing, and in the end the owners will win no matter what, or the league will fold. Either way, NFL hopefuls lose another road to get there, and the guys that play for the love of the game lose that. I said no missed regular season games. My bet is the owners told the PA that for every dime lost on pre-season games, that's how much their offer would go down by before the players agreed to it. If you're a player, what are you going to do. That plus what I bolded above - owners have all the cards

I've heard that but I've also heard they aren't dismissing it as a possibilty either. From what I gather, the Players would strike, but would come back to work to start the season even if a contract was not in play, it would be at that point the owners would 'lock them out'. People speculating on talk radio (I don't even know if that would be legal TBH) is where I heard that from.

They're not idiots both sides are just looking for the best deal. Revenue sharing won't happen that's for sure so the players are going to concede that. No preseason games (that hurts the owners) but I highly doubt these guys will miss a paycheck.Only thing I'm curious about, will it be a strike,or a lock out?

I can't see us going with three imports. More likely they put them together to make it easier to determine which ones are worth starting (better to evaluate them when they are all playing at the same time is it not?). Max we'll go with is two, ideally one but we don't have that depth. If we do three, we're doomed this year (though tbh I think we're doomed again this year anyway - I just hope we finish ahead of Ottawa but if I were to bet I'd take the REDBLACKS).

They'll have even less after the player settlement is reached

Where do you get non-imports ? Ottawa - face it boys, I've whined about this before too, many times. When expanding, the CFL also needs to 'expand' the imports. By not changing the ratio you really water down the league as there just aren't enough Canadians of good quality to fill all the jobs. I'd argue there isn't enough for 8 teams - just look at how pathetic we were with our Canuck talent last year. You think it's bad now - wait till the 10th team arrives.

ah ok got ya - thanks for clearing that up. Explains why he's not here in Edmonton either. They are running at full speed + here. They got 48 players on the field at one time ( both sides of the field, full offense/defense). Practises here are shorter but a lot more intense. All O plays have to be off in 17 seconds - Jones and the other coaches are screaming numbers a they are trying to get the play off. Very very up-tempo. Wonder how the bombers training camp is compared to this, and which one is better. Markus Howard said it best - "If you want to say we were practising at 100 per cent last year, this year we're probably practising at 500%. It's night and day". edit - just read the post above mine. Yeah, opposite of what Jones is doing here with the Eskimos' - great contrast to see which method works (not in terms of wins/losses but in terms of how well the players play on the field).

I have to be honest, this doesn't really surprise me. I'd love for them to take the approach that you can make all Canadian talent fit but I think if there were a player who was the definition of anti-Etcheverry, Ted Laurent would be close to it. I don't agree with the decision to not go after him, but I'm not really surprised. Not sure I understand Mike..... what would an 'anti-Etcheverry player' be like?

I wonder what the deal was???? Something is weird with this.... Read the same thing, then a few hours later heard he was released. Maybe that was rhetoric - trying to get him to be more humble. Who knows? Don't think we ever will. Looks like our RB's will be lame again this year unless there's a 'surprise' player in camp I think you need to read some of our other threads on how good a couple of our new RB's are this year. Yes I will but I reserve judgement on how 'good' they are when they are playing for real, not what they do in practice Well of course, you just made it sound like, from what you've seen, none of them look good. I haven't seen anything yet lol. Wish I could but no such luck. Have to rely on what I read on here. But like I said, until I see them in game action I don't really hold a lot of credence about what I read about players in camp - not saying they're necessarily wrong but I've read about 'great' TC players who didn't make the first cuts, and even more often guys I never read about, fly under the radar, but explode at game time (hence my comment on 'surprises'). That, couples with the worst football program on a professional level I've ever been witnessed to over the past three years and um, yeah, kinda skeptical.

Nice job on the reports - So Cotton eh.... lets see what he can do in an game (has a good name at least, I can prounce it and remember it lol). Inconsistencies on reports - par for the course, different times, different drills, different level's of fatigue Pencer has a cold and stayed home - GOOD - enough of this macho bs. It's training camp. Ever have a cold where you couldn't breathe - great. Next time you have one - go to a boot camp workout outside and get back to me on how you feel. Better yet, get back to the rest of the people in bootcamp you just got sick a few days later and see how 'macho' they think you are. Good on Pencer, it's the smart thing for him and coaches to do. Last thing we need is half a team (or more) sick.

I wonder what the deal was???? Something is weird with this.... Read the same thing, then a few hours later heard he was released. Maybe that was rhetoric - trying to get him to be more humble. Who knows? Don't think we ever will. Looks like our RB's will be lame again this year unless there's a 'surprise' player in camp I think you need to read some of our other threads on how good a couple of our new RB's are this year. Yes I will but I reserve judgement on how 'good' they are when they are playing for real, not what they do in practice

hmmm interesting - sounds a lot like Max Hall's MO - he was injured, retired to coaching, didn't get the job he wanted and came here. Rest is history as they say.

I wonder what the deal was???? Something is weird with this.... Read the same thing, then a few hours later heard he was released. Maybe that was rhetoric - trying to get him to be more humble. Who knows? Don't think we ever will. Looks like our RB's will be lame again this year unless there's a 'surprise' player in camp

There'll be no preseason is my guess, once the regular paychecks are (going) to be missed, they'll be back. We are not the 'main' league and half these guys don't live here. They don't fly up here to stand on a picket line. They'll sign whatever the CFL gives them. Book it

hmmmmm, I liked Duthie when he was on it, but I bet he goes to Sportsnet too. I think a lot of the TSN guys (the good ones anyway) will end up going there). I could see Blackie doing it (I hate him as much as the rest of you) but would prefer Natasha Staniszewski