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

24 minutes ago, Mr Dee said:

I blame the foggy state of mind he was under that led him to this decision..

I’m surprised by this.  He had an easy path to the playoffs and cup in Hamilton. Sask must have been offering a lot more money.  If the riders are aware the Clark is out long term that may have freed up a lot of extra cap space.

https://3downnation.com/2019/05/09/cfl-players-to-go-on-strike-in-two-separate-waves-if-no-deal-is-reached-union/

siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh......

8 minutes ago, Noeller said:

https://3downnation.com/2019/05/09/cfl-players-to-go-on-strike-in-two-separate-waves-if-no-deal-is-reached-union/

siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh......

Rough start to CFL 2.0

I never knew "2.0" meant we had to start a whole new league because Ambrosie burned the first one to the ground......

What else is the CFLPA supposed to say at this point?  They have to make the only threat they possibly can. 

The veterans would prefer a strike shortened preseason so they don't have to worry about rookies winning their jobs in training camp and then start the season ontime so their paycheques are not effected.

The teams will want training camp to start on time so they can find cheap rookies that allow them to cut veterans.

Who do you think is likely to delay a settlement at this point?

Either way, the season will still start on time. 

Edited May 9, 20196 yr by MC

Just now, Noeller said:

I never knew "2.0" meant we had to start a whole new league because Ambrosie burned the first one to the ground......

Turns out all the Mexican and German recruiting was actually for 'replacement players' this season...

1 hour ago, Colin Unger said:

I was never as impressed by Ricky Ray as Rod Black was.  I’m a sucker for qbs who are more flashy then the slow and steady approach Ray played with.  Wouldn’t automatically put him in the top 10 of all time. 

Seriously?

Flutie, Moon, Lancaster, AC, Dunigan, Etcheverry, Russ Jackson, Jackie Parker and.....???

This could turn out well. Bombers get a complete training camp and Calgary and Edmonton end up missing a few days. That would be pretty sweet! 

4 minutes ago, MC said:

What else is the CFLPA supposed to say at this point?  They have to make the only threat they possibly can. 

After a quiet week, it’s the CFLPA that is making the noise as the deadline is approaching. There are no good guys or bad guys in this hassle, just 2 sides trying to do/get the best deal for themselves. 

The common point remains that this league is not a rich league by any stretch and both sides will have to give and take within the confines of what’s possible. 

To say that one side is not bargaining in good faith is always thrown out or leaked to gain favour, but CFL fans understand the limits of this league and just want to watch the best football...CFL style.

 

7 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

This could turn out well. Bombers get a complete training camp and Calgary and Edmonton end up missing a few days. That would be pretty sweet! 

I think you have it backwards. From the article: "players in B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec have been instructed not to show up to training camp while players in Alberta and Ontario will have report due to provincial labour laws."

5 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

I think you have it backwards. From the article: "players in B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec have been instructed not to show up to training camp while players in Alberta and Ontario will have report due to provincial labour laws."

Not the first time ...  thanks for pointing that out. 

17 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Seriously?

Flutie, Moon, Lancaster, AC, Dunigan, Etcheverry, Russ Jackson, Jackie Parker and.....???

Im just saying that I wouldn’t automatically do it. I would need to do some more research. I’d put Henry Burris above him though off the top of my head. 

I think we are too quick to add players near the top of an all time list and those lists have a tendency of favoring more recent players who may have played in an era where passing is a bigger part of the game.  How many MOP’s did he have over all the years he was in the league? 

Edited May 9, 20196 yr by Colin Unger

2 hours ago, bluto said:

One of those scenarios where it's nigh impossible to compare athletes from different eras in an apples to apples way. My heart loves them both but my head says that RR could be time portal'd back to '83 and started at QB and we win that GC with or without Holloway (or Joe Barnes!)... I can't bring myself to say the same about time portalling Holloway to GC 100 or 105.

Don't think Ray is tough enough to survive any other era of football. He didn't ever take any beatings the way QB's did back then.

28 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Seriously?

Flutie, Moon, Lancaster, AC, Dunigan, Etcheverry, Russ Jackson, Jackie Parker and.....???

Jack Jacobs

Ploen and Dieter I'd have somewhere in the all time best, but there's absolutely zero question of two things, both of which are well documented in the last 20 years: 1) Colin Unger is insane and 2) Ricky Ray is one of the greatest of all time, and EASILY in the Top 3, behind Moon and Flutie...

37 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

. I’d put Henry Burris above him though off the top of my head. 

 

Lol no.

39 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

Im just saying that I wouldn’t automatically do it. I would need to do some more research. I’d put Henry Burris above him though off the top of my head.

I'm legit curious how you figure Burris was better than Ray.  I'll give him credit where it's due though so I give Burris the edge in arm strength, scrambling, cross-dressing and pouting, but that's it!

Edited May 9, 20196 yr by bigg jay

6 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

I'm legit curious how you figure Burris was better than Ray.  I'll give him credit where it's due though so I give Burris the edge in arm strength, scrambling, cross-dressing and pouting, but that's it!

Don't forget blaming others! And playing the victim card. 

Burris isn't even as good as AC, and I don't have AC near the Top 5....

AC played for like 50 years... That's not overly impressive. His numbers are purely based on how many years he played.. Overrated

2 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Burris isn't even as good as AC, and I don't have AC near the Top 5....

Honestly if I am picking a qb between Ray and AC I'm taking Ray. 

 Ray is Top10  but hard to slot him in with the Top 5 all time. Same with Tom Clements. Lanky only won a single GC while Etch put up big regular season numbers in the mid 50's but never won a league championship at all.

 

My Top 5

Doug Flutie

Warren Moon

Damon Allen

Ken Ploen

Russ Jackson

 

Edited May 9, 20196 yr by SpeedFlex27

28 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Ploen and Dieter I'd have somewhere in the all time best, but there's absolutely zero question of two things, both of which are well documented in the last 20 years: 1) Colin Unger is insane and 2) Ricky Ray is one of the greatest of all time, and EASILY in the Top 3, behind Moon and Flutie...

I have the same top 3 as you, but in my top 3 they all exist on different tiers. The fourth tier of QBs on my all time list has a small handful of guys.

Sorry are we badmouthing Anthony Calvillo in here?

29 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Honestly if I am picking a qb between Ray and AC I'm taking Ray. 

well I should ******* hope so! They really aren't close.....Ray did so much more by himself, whereas AC relied on a LOT of help, not the least of which was a perennial best OL....