Well .. the Combine list of participants is out. Pretty weak showing, to be honest. Lots of top prospects not attending.

NOT ATTENDING: Auclair, Senior, Gray, Herdman, Ankou, Ekakitie, Simonise ... that's all of the top 5 prospects, as well as a handful of other ones.

Notables that ARE attending ... Alex Singleton's brother is coming, I'm curious to see how he does. Bladek, Mulumba, Luke, Woods, Boateng

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/02/09/rosters-set-cfl-reveals-list-2017-combine-participants/

59 minutes ago, tracker said:

I would rather watch a Canadian player from Sarnia, ON or Vegreville, AB than an American from Detroit or Houston.  Yup- I am a homer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me too is why I suggested keeping the ratio as an overall roster management tool not a guaranteed starting ratio tool for Cdns...we still have to have Canadian players and would still benefit if they could start.. just wouldn't guarantee that they have to start.

The NI rule is a real thought provoking topic. 

Each Canadian players story does provide local interest somewhere in this country. "My son played against Harris...", "I've played golf with his dad...", or running into Walby at the liquor store. You can't buy those kinds of ties that create loyalty to a player. Unique and personal anecdotes that creates value for its fans. Story's like that are created because these cities provide a lifetime of reverance for the players that want to stay part of the community and marry our sisters, have children that compete with our kids and grand kids. Our flag is beautiful! 

Someone have a serviette?

Wasn't the Canadian content rule put in place because the Bombers were the dominant force during the Ploen/Grant era using American players? Our Bomber squad was so good, they changed the rules.

One of the nuances of the Canadian game, ie. the CFL, is one of the very things that set this game apart, and that is the Canadian ratio. It's taken years to get to the number of NI players each team must carry. It works. It's up to each team to maintain a proper ratio of rookie NIs and proven NIs all under the SMS in place. When teams don't pay attention, you get the recently bad Bomber teams and Rider teams - no depth. 

Never has the Canadian player been so in demand as in recent years. And people want to change that? Because that's what will happen. Sure, the best players get scooped up, at least for a time, and that will never change, but limiting the number of roster spots doesn't seem to be a good idea in keeping the attraction for playing in the CFL.

Football at the college level is thriving right now and producing better players. And you want to limit the opportunities? Doesn't make sense. 

Our game is fine. More than fine. 

Leave it alone.

I'm kind of torn on it... on one hand, I don't really care where the players come from, I just want a winning team... we all cheer for Nichols, Dressler, Denmark, Wild and Leggett b/c they play for the Bombers, not because of where they were born...

on the other hand, it is kind of cool to see an underrated kid from Winnipeg emerge as one of the top RBs in the CFL... and then to have him come home and play for the Bombers makes a nice little story... but it doesn't make or break the game for me...

I will never complain about an industry where Canadians get paid more than American imports.

If anything, I think the ratio could be increased to 8 - CIS talent level has really increased in the last ten years.

at the very least, there should be Cdn roster spot exemptions/rewards if teams want to carry more than the minimum...  

Draft picks should be under team control in an RFA-style format too...  like drafting teams maintain their rights for five years or something 

 

On ‎2017‎-‎02‎-‎11 at 11:11 AM, Kluchk said:

Yes. A brand new facility I'm sure has everything to do with why they aren't coming. And I'm sure last year's combine was a turn off to. 

With the brand new facilities to offer Regina has moved up from armpit of the prairies to butterface of the CFL.

22 minutes ago, Floyd said:

I will never complain about an industry where Canadians get paid more than American imports.

If anything, I think the ratio could be increased to 8 - CIS talent level has really increased in the last ten years.

at the very least, there should be Cdn roster spot exemptions/rewards if teams want to carry more than the minimum...  

Draft picks should be under team control in an RFA-style format too...  like drafting teams maintain their rights for five years or something 

 

Two would be sufficient.  That allows for a team to maintain the rights of a player returning to school for their final year and still be property of the team.  With Inzandt, for example, we would have his rights until the end of this season.  Under the current system (as I understand it), he could have signed with any other team as soon as he was cut from training camp last year.

In a sport where the average career is less than 4 years, 5 would be unreasonable.

29 minutes ago, Floyd said:

I will never complain about an industry where Canadians get paid more than American imports.

If anything, I think the ratio could be increased to 8 - CIS talent level has really increased in the last ten years.

at the very least, there should be Cdn roster spot exemptions/rewards if teams want to carry more than the minimum...  

Draft picks should be under team control in an RFA-style format too...  like drafting teams maintain their rights for five years or something 

 

Considering the CFLPA is mostly repped by NI players, it would not be surprising to have it move in that direction eventually.

15 hours ago, bb1 said:

You know it's really time the CFL looks at reducing the required amount of Cdn who have to start...why do they have to start? Make so many that have to be on the roster instead,cause year after year CDN players are holding CFL teams to scrambling in the draft and having to pay big bucks for key positions in free agency...why should the CFL be required to start Cdn players when they have to now compete with the NFL who have no restrictions and make billions of bucks? Times are a changing, the CFL to survive needs to change too imo.

nope.  we change the ratio and I'm probably done with the CFL.   I love it BECAUSE it requires Canadian content, not in spite of it.  you want American football, go watch the NFL. 

4 hours ago, mbrg said:

There is an easy solution.  The NFL is on 4 nights a week starting in September.

*virtual highfive*

 

4 hours ago, tracker said:

I would bet that fewer homegrown players would translate to fewer Canadian viewers of CFL games- it would diminish the appeal for me.

you wouldn't be in the minority I think.  It would cheapen the experience for myself and probably to the point of turning away from the game if they removed the requirement drastically enough.

 

 

I love my Canadian content.  blue Jays are really the only MLB team I follow, Raptors are the same for the NBA.  We lose the identity that makes our game great and I think its a big time detriment..

4 hours ago, Noeller said:

I want more Canadians if anything. That's why I watch this game. 

I like your thinking.

Lets try this another way...

Neufeld or Bond (at way less money BTW)?

JFG over any of our import receivers?

Hurl over Bass/Bennett?

Personally, I'll take the better players.

1 more thing...

Folks seem to have taken reducing the NI ratio by 1 or even 2 players to mean getting rid of all the Canadian players in the league, which is never going to happen. We're talking about losing the two worst NI's on every team. Players that most fans couldn't even name.

3 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

Lets try this another way...

Neufeld or Bond (at way less money BTW)?

JFG over any of our import receivers?

Hurl over Bass/Bennett?

Personally, I'll take the better players.

1 more thing...

Folks seem to have taken reducing the NI ratio by 1 or even 2 players to mean getting rid of all the Canadian players in the league, which is never going to happen. We're talking about losing the two worst NI's on every team. Players that most fans couldn't even name.

Bond over Neufeld because you need to protect your QB (but neufeld isn't a starter and this argument pertains to starters..)

ditto import over JFG (same scenario, not sure if JFG is going to be the bonafide starter outta camp yet.. but this MAY be the only one truly relevant here)

a special teamster LB versus a starting American?? 

 

if you want to make this argument, at least reference starters for starters.. would you rather Muamba versus bass?  Greenwood? Id take the Canadian hands down..

 

 

BUT I am in the camp that would much rather see a Canadian over an American in the "talent" spots..  I value that curveball our league has.. how to overcome the differences..  how each team looks at getting around the "problem" some people think it to be..

I could handle seeing the ratio reduced by one starter. I like seeing Canadians play too, but it's hardly a deal breaker... I just like CFL rules. If the NFL switched to CFL rules today I'd have Sunday Ticket by tomorrow.

Just now, MOBomberFan said:

I could handle seeing the ratio reduced by one starter. I like seeing Canadians play too, but it's hardly a deal breaker... I just like CFL rules. If the NFL switched to CFL rules today I'd have Sunday Ticket by tomorrow.

I dunno if I would myself.  I love our Canadian content and less pompousness and pageantry..

 

maybe I'm just a hick from the sticks but I like how our game feels more.. grass roots. 

1 minute ago, SPuDS said:

Bond over Neufeld because you need to protect your QB (but neufeld isn't a starter and this argument pertains to starters..)

ditto import over JFG (same scenario, not sure if JFG is going to be the bonafide starter outta camp yet.. but this MAY be the only one truly relevant here)

a special teamster LB versus a starting American?? 

if you want to make this argument, at least reference starters for starters.. would you rather Muamba versus bass?  Greenwood? Id take the Canadian hands down..

BUT I am in the camp that would much rather see a Canadian over an American in the "talent" spots..  I value that curveball our league has.. how to overcome the differences..  how each team looks at getting around the "problem" some people think it to be..

Neufeld was the starter until he got injured (again). Bond's both better and cheaper. Without Bond, we don't win as many games as we did last year.

JFG has to be penciled in as a starter this year. The other candidates are Richards and Coates. All of our import receivers are better than them.

Hurl mostly played special teams last year and took some reps on D. That's the same as Bass and Bennett. I don't think it's going out on a limb to say that Hurl made more money than either of them.

If we reduced the number of starting NI's, we would replace the worst one with an import. That's why I chose the players I chose. They are likely the worst NI's who get starting time. BTW: Muamba isn't that great and Greenwood is still looking for a job because a LB with concussion problems isn't going to get a lot of chances.

The next time there is more $$$ for the players ie raising the cap I would like to see 5 development Cdn players added to each roster  @ somewhere between the league minimum and 50% of it .... taxi players who would dress for home games only .... would also like to see one Cdn QB (a 4th QB) at a salary of 150% of the league minimum .... players like Yantz would have a chance to develop and  other positions could be mentored increasing the supply of players who can develop into starters and then we might get around to starting 8 Canuchs

Well as usual people see what they want to ,where is it mentioned less Cdn talent ? Just less that HAVE to start. If we guarantee so much of the roster is Cdn it's still mostly cdn players on it?  Just looking at ways to give teams in the CFL the ability to survive....how can these teams survive when the Draft has become a total crap shoot between if these players can play or who you lose to the NFL? 

I don't think the draft is as much a crapshoot that it once was.  I think there may be guys that you look at  (3 years after) where they were taken at number 9 and probably should have been taken top 3, but that's it. 

10 hours ago, tracker said:

.  Yup- I am a homer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only tweak I might consider is one which I seem to recall was in force way back- that an import player who was either a landed immigrant, or permanent resident could be considered a non-import after 5 years in the country and CFL.

1 hour ago, tracker said:

The only tweak I might consider is one which I seem to recall was in force way back- that an import player who was either a landed immigrant, or permanent resident could be considered a non-import after 5 years in the country and CFL.

I remember at one point milt talked about doing that. Wouldnt be any less canadian then ben cahoon. Im kind of torn on the idea. But i think it would be used soo seldom it wouldnt be of much impact. 

At a quick glance the bombers that would be eligible would be bryant, denmark, dressler, medlock and randle. Some how denmark still wouldnt get any love. medlock would go up in desirability but not pay. dressler and bryant would make bank of it. I could see it extending the career of mid tier kicker/punters, making wrs and ol a good chunk more money and extending careers as long as bodies held up.

I didnt include qbs cus ratio. If they did some thing like that id want to see the ratio go up to either 8 starters or more bench. But id also like to see more reward for 8 starting NI.  

As far as the draft goes I think we need to seperate it even further from the NFL DRAFT so that all the Canadian prospects have plenty of time so sign up for a tryout with an NFL club ... then say in early to mid May have a draft of the unsigned Canadians ... and then after that have a draft of the NFL signed players who would then stay on the clubs' neg lists ... less guessing and a lot more fair ... who cares how we used to do it; lets do what actually makes sense

7 minutes ago, BigBlue said:

As far as the draft goes I think we need to seperate it even further from the NFL DRAFT so that all the Canadian prospects have plenty of time so sign up for a tryout with an NFL club ... then say in early to mid May have a draft of the unsigned Canadians ... and then after that have a draft of the NFL signed players who would then stay on the clubs' neg lists ... less guessing and a lot more fair ... who cares how we used to do it; lets do what actually makes sense

This is a least a step in the right direction.....gotta do something.What's the point of rating the top 10 if half stick in the NFL?