https://www.tsn.ca/naylor-many-questions-but-few-answers-on-a-2021-cfl-season-1.1543725

The Canadian Football League has been outrageously quiet since it pulled the plug on its season more than two months ago, leaving behind a wake of speculation about where things are headed next.

With the reality setting in that COVID-19 is likely to still be around in some form next summer, there is real concern about what the 2021 season might look like or if it will occur at all.

There are teams that believe it is vitally important to play in 2021 and that without a season the CFL is in danger of being mothballed. Whether every team believes that is another question. And there is a lot to sort out before anyone can accurately predict what a season might look like and how much pain the teams are collectively willing to stomach to make it happen.

The league and its franchises are currently running through various scenarios for next season, trying to get a handle on true costs of each and working at ways to trim budgets and save money. That’s likely to continue until the league can truly choose a course of action, which feels like next April at the earliest.

Why? Well, there’s not much point in fully committing to a scenario that’s seven months away if that scenario might be totally unrealistic by the time you get there.

There has been no 2021 business plan presented yet, only regular updates to the presidents and governors about what the league is doing to prepare for the unknown.

It should be noted that teams will need to make decisions about retaining assistant coaches with expiring contracts by December, which will be the first real economic commitments to a 2021 season. Restrictions on signing players will need to be lifted well before the opening of February free agency, where players are likely to meet a cautious market – one in which signing bonuses will probably be absent.

There’s a collective bargaining agreement to amend, if not renegotiate, with the players, which will require some kind of pressure point because it always does. But the league can’t sit down with the players until it gets a true handle on revenues and it can’t do that until it chooses a course of action.

Will CFL teams be allowed to have full stadiums next summer? It doesn't seem likely. But just what percentage of capacity will be allowed – if any at all – is impossible to guess. It seems as if the league is counting on the restrictions that currently prevent fans from being in stadiums being lifted. But to what degree?

When will we see a schedule? Good question. Or could we see multiple schedules for different scenarios? Never say never.

Could it be a 21-week, 18-game season played in home stadiums? Unlikely, given the losses teams are expected to take with reduced numbers of fans in the stands. Could we see a return to the 10-week bubble? Maybe. A nine-game schedule played in home stadiums before fans? Perhaps.

The point is no one knows, so demanding answers to questions that can’t possibly be answered right now is a waste of time.

All we know is that there’s going to be a lot less revenue for teams to operate with under any scenario, not just because of crowd restrictions but also due to older fans choosing to stay home for their safety. The CFL’s fan demographics do it no favours in this regard.

Getting consensus on a best course of action won’t be easy for the CFL’s nine teams. Back in the summer, there were teams that were willing to play without government support and teams that weren’t. And just like then, the biggest challenge commissioner Randy Ambrosie faces now is finding a scenario they can all live with.

Adopting a revenue-sharing model so that each team absorbs the same amount of red ink would certainly make consensus-building easier, which many believe should be the direction for the future, COVID-19 or not.

The other elephant in the room is federal government, which many in the CFL believe left it high and dry last summer after months of back-and-forth talks where the league believed it was making progress.

Is the CFL prepared to go down that road again, knowing it doesn’t control the timeline and larger forces can change things in an instant? Perhaps, although it’s not as though the feds don’t have a long list of people coming at them with their hands out.

There will be voices demanding the owners suck up the losses of playing a season under any circumstance, as owners have done in other sports. But the business calculation in sports such as MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA is different because of the percentage of revenues those leagues derive from television.

Losses sustained by playing in those leagues can also be viewed as investments towards protecting massive franchise values. That’s not the case in the CFL, where teams can’t just float money on the backs of their franchise values, and where one third of the teams are publicly owned.

It would be beneficial for the league to soon announce its formal commitment to play some kind of season in 2021.

But beyond that, get ready for months more of waiting with lots of questions and speculation but very few answers.

8 minutes ago, Pete Catan's Ghost said:

Assuming many players are under one year contracts, I wonder if Bombers don't try and re-aquire Lucky from the Lions. Guy looked like he was close to tears during Sarah's interview.

Just because Lapo had no use for him doesn't mean long-ballers like Buck and ZC wouldn't salivate over the the prospect of using him the right way.

I think his injury history is going to negate interest, unless money is right. He also seemed less than impressed that Winnipeg never reached out to him prior to FA. On CJOB he gave the impression he felt disrespected and unwanted. So I don't think there's a grand desire on either side...

8 minutes ago, Noeller said:

I think his injury history is going to negate interest, unless money is right. He also seemed less than impressed that Winnipeg never reached out to him prior to FA. On CJOB he gave the impression he felt disrespected and unwanted. So I don't think there's a grand desire on either side...

In an interview earlier this season, Whitehead said that the Bombers showed no interest in re-signing him. There may be issues we know nothing about.

MOS would have a similar record to PLAP with that team. I give you MOS' first two seasons as 'proof'.

38 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

MOS would have a similar record to PLAP with that team. I give you MOS' first two seasons as 'proof'.

I agree. That team does not have the talent level to win. I don't know if Lapo is part of the problem or not but judging their talent level is very easy. It's non existent.

10 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I agree. That team does not have the talent level to win. I don't know if Lapo is part of the problem or not but judging their talent level is very easy. It's non existent.

The problem is it’s been heavily documented that Lapo has a lot to do with the talent level 

44 minutes ago, Mike said:

The problem is it’s been heavily documented that Lapo has a lot to do with the talent level 

I imagine like any HC he has input into what players the team goes after, and we even saw some of that here (Jade Etienne) but at the end of the day it is the GMs job to sign and retain talent. I can't imagine that Lapo wanted the dog's breakfast that is the Ottawa OL, or the complete lack of NAT talent on the roster. I agree that he likely was part of the Nichols conversation/decision, Tim Flanders, and the all rookie receiving corps but with or without these guys that offence was doomed behind a pitiful OL. That being said it does seem troubling that Lapo seems to be able to call his shots in many circumstances and does not appear to be a particularly good judge of talent.

Edited October 27, 20214 yr by GCn20

2 hours ago, Mike said:

The problem is it’s been heavily documented that Lapo has a lot to do with the talent level 

If we are to believe Desjardins.     I'm  50/50 if he's telling the truth or throwing others under the bus for his  incompetence.  

 

Huh !?? No deals made today before the CFL trade deadline ??? 
Walters is sleeping, cut him now !!! 

😂😆😁

 

42 minutes ago, Brandon said:

If we are to believe Desjardins.     I'm  50/50 if he's telling the truth or throwing others under the bus for his  incompetence.  

 

There were a couple of mentions about this on 3downnation well before Desjardins got fired. 

 "You media guys make it seem like GMs have all the power, but coaches always want at least some say in the roster. Some want a lot of say. (Ottawa Redblacks’ head coach) Paul LaPolice is one of those guys."

 

1 minute ago, bigg jay said:

There were a couple of mentions about this on 3downnation well before Desjardins got fired. 

 "You media guys make it seem like GMs have all the power, but coaches always want at least some say in the roster. Some want a lot of say. (Ottawa Redblacks’ head coach) Paul LaPolice is one of those guys."

 

Seconded by Naylor. Lapo want a lot of say especially on their QB situation. 

21 minutes ago, M.O.A.B. said:

Seconded by Naylor. Lapo want a lot of say especially on their QB situation. 

I mean, obviously?

But I care less about the guys that Lapo brought in and more about the guys that left over the last two seasons before Lapo.

43 minutes ago, Jesse said:

I mean, obviously?

But I care less about the guys that Lapo brought in and more about the guys that left over the last two seasons before Lapo.

How does the world keep giving an offensive guru a pass for never developing a quarterback and never running an efficient or good offense as a head coach?

Again, 4 full or partial seasons as a head coach and worst or 2nd worst offense in all major categories in all of them, even the Grey Cup team in 2011.

Even with the 2011 season included a historically awful win percentage among head coaches all-time and particularly with the number of games he's coached in this generation.

If you owned or ran a CFL team how would you have any confidence going into 2022 with Lapolice as your head coach?

As a counter, Dave Dickenson can throw a raw rookie QB out there and win games, compete.  He's done it multiple times in a similar length of career as a head coach.  Khari is winning with multiple QB's.  Hamilton puts anyone out at QB and competes.  Why does Lapo have such difficulty? 

Edited October 27, 20214 yr by JuranBoldenRules

4 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

As a counter, Dave Dickenson can throw a raw rookie QB out there and win games, compete.  He's done it multiple times in a similar length of career as a head coach.  Khari is winning with multiple QB's.  Hamilton puts anyone out at QB and competes.  Why does Lapo have such difficulty? 

I generally agree with your takes on Lapo. But this isn't at all a fair comparison lol. Dickenson has never had to take over a Dumpster fire team. Comparing what CGY is (was?) and what Lapo has had to work with just isn't fair. It's bordering on apples to oranges imo.

Just now, Bigblue204 said:

I generally agree with your takes on Lapo. But this isn't at all a fair comparison lol. Dickenson has never had to take over a Dumpster fire team. Comparing what CGY is (was?) and what Lapo has had to work with just isn't fair. It's bordering on apples to oranges imo.

Sure, but BLM goes down and the next guy is ready to play, even a raw rookie.  Regardless of the whole team, who is one QB that you could say Lapolice developed into a reasonable CFL quarterback?

1 hour ago, M.O.A.B. said:

Seconded by Naylor. Lapo want a lot of say especially on their QB situation. 

Does no one remember when O’Shea hired lapo all the talk from lapo about wanting more say on the players he had on offense? He basically implied Mack didn't give him the input he wanted when he was head coach here and he didn't want to go through that again. (More evidence of his arrogance) so he clearly got some more saying Ottawa and it doesn't look good on him. 

Lapo has some definite strengths. But he also has some weaknesses that hold him back as a coach. 

Just now, JuranBoldenRules said:

Sure, but BLM goes down and the next guy is ready to play, even a raw rookie.  Regardless of the whole team, who is one QB that you could say Lapolice developed into a reasonable CFL quarterback?

The only potential one is Darian Durant but I'm not totally sure on his early story with the riders.

9 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Sure, but BLM goes down and the next guy is ready to play, even a raw rookie.  Regardless of the whole team, who is one QB that you could say Lapolice developed into a reasonable CFL quarterback?

He's ready to go and play because of the team around him. Not because he's been developed. How has Arbuckle faired since leaving? Or basically any other back up from CGY? It takes more than a QB to win. Dickenson was a part of developing that team over the years. and then became a HC of a championship calibre team when Huff stepped down. He didn't have to start from scratch like Lapo has.

Shouldn't Ottawa keep PLAP for 6 years even if he doesn't make the playoffs in the first two years or win a playoff game until year 5? Surely it will pay off with a Grey Cup run in year 6 followed by a dominant team in year 7. For it is known that patience is the key. 😁

Lapo has a .18 winning percentage this year, he'd have 6.5 wins so lets say 7 over two years, MOS had 12 his first two years. I'd argue MOS did do better in a dumpster fire situation.

 

Steinhauer is a defensive guy but his time has won not only with Masoli and Evans this year but Watford. Khari has won with Adams and Shiltz this year. 

1 hour ago, Bigblue204 said:

He's ready to go and play because of the team around him. Not because he's been developed. How has Arbuckle faired since leaving? Or basically any other back up from CGY? It takes more than a QB to win. Dickenson was a part of developing that team over the years. and then became a HC of a championship calibre team when Huff stepped down. He didn't have to start from scratch like Lapo has.

The main problem in Ottawa was not having a QB or an offense.  They hired Lapo, he had two offseasons and this is what he puts on the field.  They are worse today than they were when he was hired.

33 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

The main problem in Ottawa was not having a QB or an offense.  They hired Lapo, he had two offseasons and this is what he puts on the field.  They are worse today than they were when he was hired.

Again I agree. I just thought the comparison to Dickenson didn't work.

Is it possible that Desjardins is one of the bigger names that leak info to 3downnation?   Maybe that's why they slant more of the negatives towards LaPo?

39 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Is it possible that Desjardins is one of the bigger names that leak info to 3downnation?   Maybe that's why they slant more of the negatives towards LaPo?

I find them a lot more negative toward Desjardins than most, deservedly so as someone who is quite pompous along with having questionable competence.

10 hours ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

How does the world keep giving an offensive guru a pass for never developing a quarterback and never running an efficient or good offense as a head coach?

Again, 4 full or partial seasons as a head coach and worst or 2nd worst offense in all major categories in all of them, even the Grey Cup team in 2011.

Even with the 2011 season included a historically awful win percentage among head coaches all-time and particularly with the number of games he's coached in this generation.

If you owned or ran a CFL team how would you have any confidence going into 2022 with Lapolice as your head coach?

As a counter, Dave Dickenson can throw a raw rookie QB out there and win games, compete.  He's done it multiple times in a similar length of career as a head coach.  Khari is winning with multiple QB's.  Hamilton puts anyone out at QB and competes.  Why does Lapo have such difficulty? 

Simple answer would be that LaPo isn't a qb. He doesn't talk their language or knows truly what they go through or see on the field as he was a receiver in college. Jacques Chapdelaine was the same. He was never a qb but a slot at SFU & in the CFL. Buck & Dickenson know what a qb needs to succeed. LaPo may think he does as well but he doesn't.

Edited October 28, 20214 yr by SpeedFlex27

My biggest knock on Lapo isn't his ability to coach. We saw what he can do at the end of last year when he has the personnel. I think he overestimates his ability to take a diamond in the rough and make it shine. He seems to favor measurables way too highly at the expense of actual football IQ. He feels he can skip steps in development and get the most out of raw players immediately. He needs a GM who will give him a club heavy on veteran talent and with guidelines on player development. He seems to miss the signals of young players beginning to lose confidence. He is an X's and O's guy and is a very good strategist but he is not a player's coach, tries to be, but ends up falling flat because he does it the wrong way by throwing players to the wolves too early. Buck runs almost the same offence as Lapo just less conservatively. His plays work, his use of progressions are excellent, he just doesn't have the total package to run a room at this point. 

4 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Simple answer would be that LaPo isn't a qb. He doesn't talk their language or knows truly what they go through or see on the field as he was a receiver in college. Jacques Chapdelaine was the same. He was never a qb but a slot at SFU & in the CFL. Buck & Dickenson know what a qb needs to succeed. LaPo may think he does as well but he doesn't.

I somewhat agree with this. I think the biggest difference between Lapo and Buck is that Buck, being a former QB, knows that sometimes you gotta let your QB trust his own eyes and take his shots. Lapo's play designs are brilliant but he is sometimes too rigid and conservative in how he allows his QBs to run them. We saw that a ton with Nichols, primary read then safety valve rinse and repeat. It was effective because we had the league's absolute best safety valve but in Ottawa he doesn't have a mule like Harris that can give him 150 yds from scrimmage a game on check downs. Buck trusts his QBs and allows Zac to improvise, Lapo had his QBs chuck the ball away at the first sign of trouble. Same kind of play books...different philosophies.