Some people around here don’t like multiple threads.   For all events in 2020, here is a thread for you.

PS Mods, keep up the good work and allow threads when people start them.  

2 hours ago, Eternal optimist said:

As is typical of governments in power, Trudeau will use CFL as leverage and only let the funds flow starting in 2023, just in time for the next federal election...

Last time I checked Trudeau wasn’t responsible for negotiating an agreement between the CFL and the CFLPA.

I sure as hell wouldn’t pay for this roller coaster ride that we’re on...

 

11 hours ago, Noeller said:

I'm not going to bet on either scenario (Play vs Not Play) until it's 100% official. I'll never bet against Wade Miller... that said, if they can financially survive without playing games in 2020, then I think that might be for the best. Just spend all your time focusing on how to make 100% sure that 2021 goes ahead as "normal". Give us something to look forward to.

Its just such a damn shame for a lot of these older players. For guys like Bighill and Harris on the wrong side of 30, missing a year could spell the beginning of the end. Everyone loses a step as the years go by and its hard enough staying in shape when you know youre going to be playing, never mind be off for a year and a half+.

1 hour ago, Bubba Zanetti said:

Its just such a damn shame for a lot of these older players. For guys like Bighill and Harris on the wrong side of 30, missing a year could spell the beginning of the end. Everyone loses a step as the years go by and its hard enough staying in shape when you know youre going to be playing, never mind be off for a year and a half+.

At least Bighill has a career in financial planning going for him if football falls through. 

15 hours ago, DR. CFL said:

Last time I checked Trudeau wasn’t responsible for negotiating an agreement between the CFL and the CFLPA.

I was alluding to the government relinquishing its' funds, actually.

3 hours ago, Eternal optimist said:

I was alluding to the government relinquishing its' funds, actually.

How do you relinquish something that has never been there?

I don’t know, I don’t know...

Marty York
Things could be starting to shake in the CFL.

“I don’t come out with many CFL scoops anymore, but I have one for you tonight,” York wrote from Toronto. “The league WILL be back in business soon and there WILL be a shortened season – and the Feds WILL give the CFL a few million dollars, about a sixth of the $150-million originally sought.”

All this contradicts the Friday morning report by Sportsnet’s Arash Madani that multiple privately-owned CFL franchises don’t want to play in 2020 for a variety of reasons. However Marty York stated that the Argos and Lions are “coming around”.

https://rodpedersen.com/sunday-cfl-update/

 

Marty York still exists?

4 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Marty York still exists?

In his hey day, Marty York was great for the CFL. He was always coming out with stories in the Globe & Mail about the CFL & scoops. The guy still loves the CFL but has no love for the other sports teams in Toronto, especially the Blue Jays. If we had more Marty Yorks in the national media this league would be in a lot better place on the Canadian sports landscape.  The CFL certainly would be relevant in Toronto.  I follow him on twitter.

Edited August 16, 20205 yr by SpeedFlex27

Not sure if this was posted elsewhere, William Stanback, former Als RB returns to NFL camp tryouts after tragically losing both of his parents in the span of 10 days.

https://www.cfl.ca/2020/08/12/cfl-als-sending-best-wishes-former-rb-william-stanback/

My sincerest condolences, that is very tough to go through in these trying times.

 

Again, no season

Denied the loan.
Although it’s probably for the best, it’s still a very sh__ty minor league call from the Feds

 

Al

Edited August 17, 20205 yr by Mr Dee

Well I'm glad Trudeau can give MasterCard 50 million but not the CFL....

The toughest sell was getting Canadians to allow muricans to come into Canada

I'm not going to look at this as the season being cancelled, I'm going to look at this as the Bombers winning the Grey Cup without lifting a finger lol

Edited August 17, 20205 yr by iHeart

Ambrosie should be gone by the end of the week. He has bungled this badly from the beginning. 

- Went to Gov't without a plan. 

- Went to Gov't without communicating with the PA. 

- Has kept everyone in the dark throughout this.

- Ignored the fans. 

 

As they say in wrestling.... 

 

And STILL champions of the world, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers! 

Edited August 17, 20205 yr by JCon

1 minute ago, JCon said:

Ambrosie should be gone by the end of the week. He has bungled this badly from the beginning. 

- Went to Gov't without a plan. 

- Went to Gov't without communicating with the PA. 

- Has kept everyone in the dark throughout this.

- Ignored the fans. 

 

I'm not saying Ambrosie did a good job but there have been press releases throughout the process to keep fans in the loop. Nobody was "kept in the dark". I'm not sure what "ignored the fans" even means. 

Again, I don't know if Ambrosie has done a good job but we also don't really know that he's done a bad job. It sure seems like they've had their nose to the grindstone and been working diligently to get something done. 

5 minutes ago, Noeller said:

I'm not saying Ambrosie did a good job but there have been press releases throughout the process to keep fans in the loop. Nobody was "kept in the dark". I'm not sure what "ignored the fans" even means. 

Again, I don't know if Ambrosie has done a good job but we also don't really know that he's done a bad job. It sure seems like they've had their nose to the grindstone and been working diligently to get something done. 

There has been little to no communication. They only admitted that they had gone in front of gov't after it was already leaked. 

They went in front of gov't with zero plan. That in itself is amazing in incompetence. 

But, we have a good international player, so all is good. 

 

Edit: Just checked CFL.ca and there zero information on what is going on. Interesting article on the 2 QB system. 

Edited August 17, 20205 yr by JCon

There is only one place to assign blame, if that’s the direction we want to go....it’s the Federal Government. They could have made it happen, but chose to ignore the valuable impact this league made all across Canada.

Shameful.

Well, the bright side of cancelling the season is...

At least I'm not in Saskatchewan. Man that place blows.

1 hour ago, Mr Dee said:

There is only one place to assign blame, if that’s the direction we want to go....it’s the Federal Government. They could have made it happen, but chose to ignore the valuable impact this league made all across Canada.

Shameful.

Tough call....no money piss off football fans....give the money and piss off the non sports fans...tough to win that one. I like to think if there had of been an agreement worked out between the PA and the CFL in July perhaps there would have been a better chance of a loan. Perhaps too much indecision.

2 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

The toughest sell was getting Canadians to allow muricans to come into Canada

Don't agree. The NHL is almost half American with players allowed into Canada from almost every State plus the Euros coming back. You do know of the two NHL bubbles, right? That wasn't the issue at all. The feds didn't want to be involved & that was it. 

I'm okay with shutting things down for 2020 and putting everything they've got into making sure there's a 2021. It sounds like the feds are fully committed to making sure the CFL stays alive. The league, and all of its member clubs, will have to open up every book and show the government everything, but I think they'll find a way. As Naylor said, the single most important thing will be figuring out if they will be able to have fans next year. Impossible without that. 

Guaranteed the sticking point and rightfully so.. Half the league is American. Big bomber fan but i can't justify my tax money going to pay American players. Bottom line here.. They didn't get the loan cuz they aren't 100 percent Canadian.