Okay, so the off season officially begins now that the Grey Cup is over. Lots of topics for discussion in the months to come with the Bombers & the League. A new CBA needs to be negotiated sooner rather than later.  Will there be an eventual agreement or a lockout? How much will the salary cap go up? Randy Ambrosie is on record that wants the cap to significantly go up so that is a positive.  Will Bo Levi Mitchell sign with an NFL or perhaps another CFL team? What about Mike Reilly & Trevor Harris who are also free agents? There's a new start up league called the  AAFL & there are legit concerns that it'll draw star CFL players away or hamper free agent signings with CFL teams. Coaching changes in BC & Toronto. The continuing evolving story of the expansion Halifax Schooners & possible exhibition games in Mexico. 

Edited November 27, 20187 yr by SpeedFlex27

Unless I've missed it, I haven't seen a response from the league regarding the delay in negotiations. That's really disappointing to me...I'd like to at least know WHY they're doing it.

1 minute ago, Noeller said:

Unless I've missed it, I haven't seen a response from the league regarding the delay in negotiations. That's really disappointing to me...I'd like to at least know WHY they're doing it.

Agreed. Without an explanation, real or contrived, I'm forced to make things up in my head. 

An effort to break the players' will?
Ambrosie is in Brazil, signing another 2.0 deal?
Ambrosie is auditioning for the role of Benny in a reboot of LA Law? 

Could be anything, really. 

13 minutes ago, JCon said:

Agreed. Without an explanation, real or contrived, I'm forced to make things up in my head. 

An effort to break the players' will?
Ambrosie is in Brazil, signing another 2.0 deal?
Ambrosie is auditioning for the role of Benny in a reboot of LA Law? 

Could be anything, really. 

Maybe they have more important issues like Montreal. Its early April. They got time. Montreal needs an owner like now. 

Edited April 11, 20196 yr by Goalie

1 minute ago, Goalie said:

Maybe they have more important issues like Montreal. Its early April. They got time. Montreal needs an owner like now. 

Maybe but the Montreal issue isn't new and, on good authority, I've heard they can multitask. 

But, why not just say, they're dealing with Montreal? 

35 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Maybe they have more important issues like Montreal. Its early April. They got time. Montreal needs an owner like now. 

Amazing how Ambrosie can't multi task. 

36 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Maybe they have more important issues like Montreal. Its early April. They got time. Montreal needs an owner like now. 

Training camps open mid May. How can you say they have time? 

Can hardly wait..

 

25 minutes ago, Mr Dee said:

Can hardly wait..

 

Hope it was worth the wait for you!

 

I have zero concerns about the CBA.  The pie they are cutting is very small and with limited chances of growing it much.  Nobody is making much money in this enterprise, with the exception of a handful of players and coaches/GM's.  And they make peanuts compared to any other professional sports league.  The players options are to play for the CFL or punch a clock.  Schmucks like the rest of us have few chances of getting a standing ovation or creating a highlight reel for doing our everyday jobs.

They are not negotiating very much.  They don't need a lot of discussion because both sides know where they are going to end up.  The CFLPA needs to show their members that they are doing everything they can.  So, they need to own the media on this.

2 hours ago, MC said:

The players options are to play for the CFL or punch a clock

And quite a few of them do both...

a very bitter and sarcastic Drew from 3DN

 

On 2019-04-08 at 10:50 AM, Bigblue204 said:

I'm thinking it's a home town team thing. 

I don't think so. He also has a try out with Toronto.

 

Edited April 12, 20196 yr by Jacquie

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

a very bitter and sarcastic Drew from 3DN

 

Agree. Ambrosie is a snake.

Historically this has been the pattern in CBA negotiations. Squeeze the players to the end. Most are broke by this time in the off season and the CFL knows it. The irony is you start the season sooner, add a bye week and if there is a strike or lock out you have a built in cushion for delays.

14 hours ago, Noeller said:

a very bitter and sarcastic Drew from 3DN

 

 

Drew's rancorous opinion toward the League has softened since he was expelled from the safety of the Ecuadorian embassy.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 20196 yr by Pete Catan's Ghost

5 minutes ago, Pete Catan's Ghost said:

 

Drew's rancorous opinion toward the League has softened since he was expelled from the safety of the Ecuadorian embassy.

 

 

 

 

He's The Mandarin!!

Chris puts it succinctly:

Pay the players, get back to the table and set things straight. This would go a long way towards a new agreement..

Never ends...

https://3downnation.com/2019/04/12/get-wrecked-johnny-manziel-just-called-davis-sanchez-a-*****-on-twitter/

 

10 hours ago, Mr Dee said:

Chris puts it succinctly:

Pay the players, get back to the table and set things straight. This would go a long way towards a new agreement..

Better yet,  Ambrosie quits. 

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Never ends...

https://3downnation.com/2019/04/12/get-wrecked-johnny-manziel-just-called-davis-sanchez-a-*****-on-twitter/

 

Only one way to settle this... Fight to the death, then hang the winner. 

If the season is cancelled teams pay for bonus not earned how stupid do they look? 

7 hours ago, Jpan85 said:

If the season is cancelled teams pay for bonus not earned how stupid do they look? 

They don't look stupid at all. They look like they paid the players what their contracts say they will get paid.

 

 

1

On 2019-04-12 at 9:37 AM, Mr Dee said:

Chris puts it succinctly:

Pay the players, get back to the table and set things straight. This would go a long way towards a new agreement..

Players stick together. The league is wise to not pay the bonuses which are part of the players 2019 contracts and pre-payment on what they hope the players will do during the 2019 season. I can assure you that if the league paid the bonuses and a collective bargaining agreement is not reached the players would not be paying the money back. The league would refund season tickets and sponsors.  Negotiations are tough but even tougher when they pay money to the party you are negotiating with and then try and negotiate. 

Unlike the league, the players union really seems to be taking everything public and throwing a pity party for themselves to try and divide fans. 

3 hours ago, Colin Unger said:

Unlike the league, the players union really seems to be taking everything public and throwing a pity party for themselves to try and divide fans. 

The P.A. has never had much bargaining power and they know it, they're just trying to make as much noise as they can.