Chris Williams

[Jacquie]

He's an idiot, he has likely ruined a very promising career.

 

If he doesn't get a sniff from the NFL there will be CFL teams lining up to sign him.

[MOBomberFan]

 

He's an idiot, he has likely ruined a very promising career.

 

If he doesn't get a sniff from the NFL there will be CFL teams lining up to sign him.

 

Exactly. With his talent, the CFL will wait for him.

 

I'm a bit disappointed but ultimately not surprised that people on this board would begrudge the guy for chasing his NFL dream. The window is narrow and slams shut pretty quickly. I don't blame Williams for fighting tooth and nail to get out of this bogus third year at rookie wages. Too bad for him it took as long as it did to wrap up; he is missing valuable training camp time, so this may be all for naught.

[iso_55]

Bogus? Just who was this guy a couple of years ago? Oh yeah, some guy who couldn't make it in the NFL. Without the CFL where would this guy be?? Bagging groceries somewhere.

[The Unknown Poster]

Assuming he'd be in tough to make the NFL right now, wouldnt the best solution be for Hamilton to allow other CFL teams to talk to him and if he's willing to play out the rest of this year, trade him?

[Valderan_CA]

 

 

http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/4055951-ontario-curt-rules-former-ticat-chris-williams-now-a-free-agent/

 

 

This article has a link to the court ruling. Before anyone craps all over Williams any further, it actually sounds like the Ti-Cats tried to pull a fast one on him, and nearly pulled it off if not for this ruling.

 

Really it is the CFL's fault for not following their own rules.

 

It wasn't the CFL that wasn't following rules, it was the Ticats. This is from another article about the court ruling:

 

Palmer also found Hamilton had picked up the option on Williams's contract last October in accordance to the CBA but didn't use the exact language surrounding the renewal as laid out in the agreement.

 

But he also ruled that wasn't enough to null the agreement.

 

Palmer was the arbitrator btw. It seems the Court disagreed about it not being enough to void the contract.

 

 

 

Not that it wasn't sufficient or disagreeing with the arbitrator... the court ruled that what the arbitrator ruled on being evidence of the Ti-Cats picking up Williams option wasn't actually what Williams received from the Ti-Cats to pick up his contract.

 

Basically - The arbitrator said evidence L2 showed the Ti-Cats provided sufficient notice to Williams that they were picking up his option.

 

The court found that evidence L2 was not relevant to the discussion about providing notice to Williams because it was actually just stuff he received when he first signed the contract.

[MOBomberFan]

Bogus? Just who was this guy a couple of years ago? Oh yeah, some guy who couldn't make it in the NFL. Without the CFL where would this guy be?? Bagging groceries somewhere.

I only call the third year bogus because Hamilton, through some shady and evidently improper methods, tried to have a third year tacked on to his contract following Chris Willams' Rookie of the Year season. If Williams knowingly agreed to a 3 year contract before he ever set foot on the field, then I'd agree with everyone who says he welching on a deal and is a puke and yadda yadda harrumph. But that's just not what happened! 

 

In what world would Chris Williams, coming off his rookie of the year season, have agreed to a third season without so much as a raise?

[MOBomberFan]

There is only one victim in this story, and his name is Chris Williams.

[TrueBlue]

The ironic thing about how the situation is being played out is that Hamilton's appeal won't likely be as expedited as the initial ruling, and according to The SP, may drag on past February when Williams would have become a free agent anyways had he just played out the last year of the contract. 

 

http://scratchingpost.thespec.com/2013/08/another-twist-in-chris-williams-saga-and-what-it-means.html

[17to85]

 

Bogus? Just who was this guy a couple of years ago? Oh yeah, some guy who couldn't make it in the NFL. Without the CFL where would this guy be?? Bagging groceries somewhere.

I only call the third year bogus because Hamilton, through some shady and evidently improper methods, tried to have a third year tacked on to his contract following Chris Willams' Rookie of the Year season. If Williams knowingly agreed to a 3 year contract before he ever set foot on the field, then I'd agree with everyone who says he welching on a deal and is a puke and yadda yadda harrumph. But that's just not what happened! 

 

In what world would Chris Williams, coming off his rookie of the year season, have agreed to a third season without so much as a raise?

 

Lots of teams try and get guys coming up to sign a 2 years plus an option (ie. 3 year) deal just so that if they happen to break out like WIlliams did they're under contract for longer. It's pretty common actually. Williams signed it and apparently either misunderstood what the option year meant or just wanted out anyway. 

[TBURGESS]

The 3rd year of the contract isn't bogus.  It's a standard part of the CFL contract and Williams signed it.

 

The Arbitrator said the letter that the Ticats sent was proper notice of picking up the 3rd year.  The court disagreed.  Hammy will need to start using a better contract in the future to make sure this doesn't happen again.

 

The CFLPA and Williams say he is a free agent now.  The CFL and the Ticats disagree and have sent NFL teams notice that they will appeal the decision, which will take some time.  Until then, no NFL team will sign Williams.  No CFL team till get a shot at Williams until he takes his NFL shot, which probably means around this time next year.  At that time, a lot of CFL teams will have interest in him.

[MOBomberFan]

The CFLPA and Williams say he is a free agent now.  The CFL and the Ticats disagree and have sent NFL teams notice that they will appeal the decision, which will take some time.  Until then, no NFL team will sign Williams.  No CFL team till get a shot at Williams until he takes his NFL shot, which probably means around this time next year.  At that time, a lot of CFL teams will have interest in him.

That's rough, I didn't know that. Things go from bad to worse for Williams. You're probably right, this time next year some team will be lucky to scoop him up.

[blitzmore]

Williams may have a hard time staying in the NFL unless he cures his propensity to fumble. Gotta say Chad Owens is doing a much better job at hanging onto the ball this year. 

[Fred C Dobbs]

Okay, here's something to think about.

 

Apparently, when a player goes in to his option year his contract expires by default unless his club informs him that they are extending that contact in terms that satisfy the CBA.  The judge ruled that the letter that the TiCats sent to Williams failed to do this.

 

So, If the letter that Hamilton sent to Williams is their standard form letter that they use to tell players that they want to extend their contract then it would seem that all the Hamilton players who received that letter last Feb (including Hage and Dyakowski) are now playing without a contract and are actually free agents.

 

You think we should point this out to Marcel?

[OldSchoolBlue]

Okay, here's something to think about.

 

Apparently, when a player goes in to his option year his contract expires by default unless his club informs him that they are extending that contact in terms that satisfy the CBA.  The judge ruled that the letter that the TiCats sent to Williams failed to do this.

 

So, If the letter that Hamilton sent to Williams is their standard form letter that they use to tell players that they want to extend their contract then it would seem that all the Hamilton players who received that letter last Feb (including Hage and Dyakowski) are now playing without a contract and are actually free agents.

 

You think we should point this out to Marcel?

 

Oh please.

[MOBomberFan]

Okay, here's something to think about.

 

Apparently, when a player goes in to his option year his contract expires by default unless his club informs him that they are extending that contact in terms that satisfy the CBA.  The judge ruled that the letter that the TiCats sent to Williams failed to do this.

 

So, If the letter that Hamilton sent to Williams is their standard form letter that they use to tell players that they want to extend their contract then it would seem that all the Hamilton players who received that letter last Feb (including Hage and Dyakowski) are now playing without a contract and are actually free agents.

 

You think we should point this out to Marcel?

Or, this wasn't actually the standard letter that Hamilton uses, and they did in fact try to pull a fast one on Williams and his unregistered agent.

 

It's easier for me to believe the Ti-Cats are shifty swindlers than it is for me to believe every single one of their contracts is faulty and have been since 2011.

[Jacquie]

Or, this wasn't actually the standard letter that Hamilton uses, and they did in fact try to pull a fast one on Williams and his unregistered agent.

 

It's easier for me to believe the Ti-Cats are shifty swindlers than it is for me to believe every single one of their contracts is faulty and have been since 2011.

Just because the agent was unregistered doesn't mean he didn't know what he was doing. The same agent has other CFL players for clients (including Buck).

[17to85]

 

Okay, here's something to think about.

 

Apparently, when a player goes in to his option year his contract expires by default unless his club informs him that they are extending that contact in terms that satisfy the CBA.  The judge ruled that the letter that the TiCats sent to Williams failed to do this.

 

So, If the letter that Hamilton sent to Williams is their standard form letter that they use to tell players that they want to extend their contract then it would seem that all the Hamilton players who received that letter last Feb (including Hage and Dyakowski) are now playing without a contract and are actually free agents.

 

You think we should point this out to Marcel?

Or, this wasn't actually the standard letter that Hamilton uses, and they did in fact try to pull a fast one on Williams and his unregistered agent.

 

It's easier for me to believe the Ti-Cats are shifty swindlers than it is for me to believe every single one of their contracts is faulty and have been since 2011.

 

It's much easier to believe that this is one player desperately trying to fight his way out of a contract using any means at his disposal. 

[Mr Dee]

Okay, here's something to think about.

 

Apparently, when a player goes in to his option year his contract expires by default unless his club informs him that they are extending that contact in terms that satisfy the CBA.  The judge ruled that the letter that the TiCats sent to Williams failed to do this.

 

So, If the letter that Hamilton sent to Williams is their standard form letter that they use to tell players that they want to extend their contract then it would seem that all the Hamilton players who received that letter last Feb (including Hage and Dyakowski) are now playing without a contract and are actually free agents.

 

You think we should point this out to Marcel?

 

It's an interesting point but still doesn't prevent the Ti-Cats from appealing this kind of ruling and pushing the end date 'til the end of their contract anyways.

But with those guys, they are not unhappy with their situation, and would probably just stick around.

 

With Williams, i just don't understand why he/his agent was not aware of the potential third year option right from the start.

Now I know he has since switched agents but surely someone in William's camp should have known long beforehand that this potential problem existed.

Proper wording on this renewal notwithstanding, they must have known it was coming.

 

No, for me it still goes back to the original contract that Williams, apparently, was only too happy to sign.

 

 It'd probably be easier to skirt several potential tacklers than to skirt this issue. 

 

Still a lost year...no matter what.

[MOBomberFan]

It's much easier to believe that this is one player desperately trying to fight his way out of a contract using any means at his disposal. 

This, too. Don't get me wrong, obviously Williams is looking out for his best interests, it says as much in the court documents I linked to. But I just can't accept that he would knowingly and willingly accept an extension from 2 years (the initial 1+1) to 3 years after his breakout rookie season without even asking for a raise in year 3. That makes no sense, and is a clear indicator that something about this 'sign to confirm receipt of my 2013 extension letter' bit was fishy and misleading.

 

At the very least, there was a bad mis-communication, and the onus to ensure things are done on the up and up falls to management, not the individual. An arbitrator saw things one way, the courts saw it the other. Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, court beats arbitrator.

[17to85]

But I just can't accept that he would knowingly and willingly accept an extension from 2 years (the initial 1+1) to 3 years after his breakout rookie season without even asking for a raise in year 3. That makes no sense, and is a clear indicator that something about this 'sign to confirm receipt of my 2013 extension letter' bit was fishy and misleading.

 

where is this coming from? This was still his first contract right? 2+1 as opposed to 1+1 no? 

[Atomic]

 

But I just can't accept that he would knowingly and willingly accept an extension from 2 years (the initial 1+1) to 3 years after his breakout rookie season without even asking for a raise in year 3. That makes no sense, and is a clear indicator that something about this 'sign to confirm receipt of my 2013 extension letter' bit was fishy and misleading.

 

where is this coming from? This was still his first contract right? 2+1 as opposed to 1+1 no? 

 

 

Yes that's correct.  There was no extension.  The letter is simply to inform the player/agent that the team is picking up the option year.  The player/agent does not have to agree to it because they already agreed to it when the contract was signed.

[Valderan_CA]

 

It's much easier to believe that this is one player desperately trying to fight his way out of a contract using any means at his disposal. 

This, too. Don't get me wrong, obviously Williams is looking out for his best interests, it says as much in the court documents I linked to. But I just can't accept that he would knowingly and willingly accept an extension from 2 years (the initial 1+1) to 3 years after his breakout rookie season without even asking for a raise in year 3. That makes no sense, and is a clear indicator that something about this 'sign to confirm receipt of my 2013 extension letter' bit was fishy and misleading.

 

At the very least, there was a bad mis-communication, and the onus to ensure things are done on the up and up falls to management, not the individual. An arbitrator saw things one way, the courts saw it the other. Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, court beats arbitrator.

 

 

The court actually said they didn't disagree with the arbitrator, just that the arbitrator got confused and used the wrong evidence as evidence of acknowledgement of his option extension.

[Fred C Dobbs]

 

Or, this wasn't actually the standard letter that Hamilton uses, and they did in fact try to pull a fast one on Williams and his unregistered agent.

 

 

It's easier for me to believe the Ti-Cats are shifty swindlers than it is for me to believe every single one of their contracts is faulty and have been since 2011.

 

 

 

 

Possibly but I find it easier to believe that it was just a case of incompetent management. There's an informal logical principle that goes "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."

[MOBomberFan]

 

But I just can't accept that he would knowingly and willingly accept an extension from 2 years (the initial 1+1) to 3 years after his breakout rookie season without even asking for a raise in year 3. That makes no sense, and is a clear indicator that something about this 'sign to confirm receipt of my 2013 extension letter' bit was fishy and misleading.

 

where is this coming from? This was still his first contract right? 2+1 as opposed to 1+1 no? 

 

One of us is misunderstanding those docs I linked to (I'm assuming you at least glanced at them)

 

My understanding is the following, somebody please correct me if I'm wrong (because I read that turd from start to finish and would hate to be talking out my ass):

 

1) Williams signed a 1+1 from the start

2) Hamilton was obligated to confirm in writing that they were exercising his option (the +1 in a 1+1)

3) In the process of doing so, Hamilton referred him to another part of the document asking him to sign for receipt of 'my 2013 option letter', followed by a poorly worded offer to extend his contract by a year.

4) The court agreed that while the language of the contract could be construed as an agreement by Williams to add a third year to his existing 2 year contract, the document was confusing in part and in whole.

5) The court agreed that it made little sense for a skillful player like Williams to knowingly and willingly give up a full year of opportunity to pursue the NFL, citing risk of injury due to his 'small stature', the fact that the average career length of a CFL footballer is only 3 years, and the massive difference in salary.

 

So that's where it comes from. The article is linked, it's all there. I just wanted to get the whole story for my own interest, but the frikken thing is in legalese.

 

My opinion will change if in fact Williams signed a 3 year deal from the very start. But I don't think that's what happened.

[Mr Dee]

 

 

Possibly but I find it easier to believe that it was just a case of incompetent management. There's an informal logical principle that goes "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."

 

 

Well then, there there was a lot 'attribution to malice' in some recent Bomber decisions.