Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani  8m8 minutes ago

Per @JDunk12: Esks, Riders talking trade. EDM wants No. 1 pick Josiah St. John AND a first for QB James Franklin. SSK, coherently, declined.

Ed Hervey vs. Chris Jones is going to be a real thing to keep your eye on over the coming weeks and months.

To reach for two first round picks, including No. 1 overall, in return for a back-up QB with a handful of pro starts is... hilarious, really

6 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

It's an interesting point, what recourse does the CFL have? The Riders have already shown they don't care and will happily pay fines to cheat, can the CFL escalate the punishment? Can they suspend Jones and make him stay away from the team on game day? Can they go further and forfeit games for them? That would get more attention than simply letting the Riders spend their way out of their issues. 

Draft picks likely.  I'd get rid of their roster advantages almost immediately.  No DI's.  Fewer imports on the practice roster.  Audit the hell out of them consistently even when they start following the rules.

The CFL will then have to look at draft picks...

7 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

It's an interesting point, what recourse does the CFL have? The Riders have already shown they don't care and will happily pay fines to cheat, can the CFL escalate the punishment? Can they suspend Jones and make him stay away from the team on game day? Can they go further and forfeit games for them? That would get more attention than simply letting the Riders spend their way out of their issues. 

I agree. Suspend Jones. Levy some extremely heavy fines to the parties involved so this won't continue. Jones is probably betting this won't happen.

19 minutes ago, iso_55 said:

Why do I think Jeff Orridge will show his weakness here.

Because you've had a hate on for him since Day 1?

Just now, iso_55 said:

I agree. Suspend Jones. Levy some extremely heavy fines to the parties involved so this won't continue. Jones is probably betting this won't happen.

Or maybe he has already factored in that the league has no teeth. It remains to be seen what power the Commish has and what he is able to do.

Just now, Noeller said:

Because you've had a hate on for him since Day 1?

 

Just now, Noeller said:

Because you've had a hate on for him since Day 1?

I just think he's extremely weak. Hired for his marketing skills from Basketball USA. Maybe he'll surprise me.

1 hour ago, Pete Catan's Ghost said:

Scott Mitchell further states that his sources have told him that the Riders have two houses where these types of players are being housed.

Houses of ill repute no doubt.

1 minute ago, JohnnyOnTheSpot said:

Or maybe he has already factored in that the league has no teeth. It remains to be seen what power the Commish has and what he is able to do.

That too. What is the point of actually having a Commissioner who is supposed to be independent of the BOGs if he isn't able or can't enact the proper punishment?

2 minutes ago, tracker said:

Houses of ill repute no doubt.

 

Fines are meaningless for the Rider franchise right now. If it turns out they acted out of line, take away their 1st rounder next year.

And sure, go ahead and check out what every other team does too. If the Bombers are pulling crap like that I'd be on their ass too.

...but it's not like anyone, let alone a star player, has accused us of anything. And it's not like we haven't had other roster violations already this month. Something smells worse than normal in Regina right now. 

2 minutes ago, Jimmy Pop said:

Fines are meaningless for the Rider franchise right now. If it turns out they acted out of line, take away their 1st rounder next year.

And sure, go ahead and check out what every other team does too. If the Bombers are pulling crap like that I'd be on their ass too.

...but it's not like anyone, let alone a star player, has accused us of anything. And it's not like we haven't had other roster violations already this month. Something smells worse than normal in Regina right now. 

There will be no sanctions against the Riders but their paralympic team will be banned from playing.

6 minutes ago, Pete Catan's Ghost said:

There will be no sanctions against the Riders but their paralympic team will be banned from playing.

Sad thing is they probably have one on stand-by.

Fines clearly aren't enough of a deterrent for the Riders. 

I'd definitely take away some of their draft picks, and if this still continues, would support the idea of it starting to impact their game day roster with less DIs.

How about they have to play a Labor Day game in Winnipeg?  That would destroy them and well within league powers to do it.

59 minutes ago, Rich said:

How do these players get into the country without a contract.

Wouldn't this make them in the country illegally?

 

Not if they find other jobs for these guys

I think the league could use the money.  Fine them like a million dollars or whatever. 

   

33 minutes ago, iso_55 said:

I just think he's extremely weak. Hired for his marketing skills from Basketball USA. Maybe he'll surprise me.

Did anyone (besides Rick Campbell) have any beefs with how Orridge handled the Jason Maas controversy during the offseason?  Seems like he made a sensible decision, decisively shut down Ottawa's request for compensation, and did it all in a timely fashion so the Eskies could get on with their business.

Mark Cohon, who basically turned around the league last decade, was also an NBA marketing guy, among other things.

3 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Not if they find other jobs for these guys

If this is what they are doing, then wouldn't they would have to enter the country with a visa for that other job?

Then how easy is it to transfer the Visa to a completely different job (when they want to roster them)?

 

13 minutes ago, Rich said:

If this is what they are doing, then wouldn't they would have to enter the country with a visa for that other job?

Then how easy is it to transfer the Visa to a completely different job?

http://www.canadaworkpermit.com/faq/general.html

5. Once a work permit is issued, can I change employers?

It would generally be necessary to seek a new work permit or a change of terms in order to engage in work with a different employer. A work permit is generally issued on the basis of an intention to work in a specific position and for a specific employer.

(this is from a law firm, not actual Canadian CIC.)

It'd be hilarious if the Roughriders are not only flouting CFL rules, but also breaking Canadian law arranging under-the-table jobs for these guys.  Hilarious for everyone except the players, who are breaking the law in the hopes of a pro football paycheck. Hope those guys don't get **** on too hard by CIC.

Edited August 10, 20169 yr by johnzo

This is crazy if true. Time for the CFL to investigate and if proven true, hammer the Riders. I mean take away their first round pick for a year or more, take away DI and PR spots, suspend and fine Jones.

I'd be interested to see what other teams are up to... I'm sure nobody's hands are totally clean.  I don't think Bo Levi was expecting this big of a reaction.

I'm not sure why folks are so surprised. Milt said the Bombers got him a job his first year in the Peg. He thought it was just a job by name, like in college, but they came and woke him up to make sure he made it to work.

Maybe Jones is overdoing what other teams have always done. I don't know or even care if they keep extra unsigned players in town. If those players were good enough, they could get a shot on another CFL team. I'm sure it would be more money than they are getting 'off the books' in Regina.

 

Just now, TBURGESS said:

I'm not sure why folks are so surprised. Milt said the Bombers got him a job his first year in the Peg. He thought it was just a job by name, like in college, but they came and woke him up to make sure he made it to work.

Maybe Jones is overdoing what other teams have always done. I don't know or even care if they keep extra unsigned players in town. If those players were good enough, they could get a shot on another CFL team. I'm sure it would be more money than they are getting 'off the books' in Regina.

The issue being they apparently have a large number of guys being housed and feed by the team, working with the team and its cheating.

Not the same as getting a player on the roster a job or an endorsement.

You can't have 1 team doing their thing & the others another. Not impressed with the Riders at all. Since Jones got there it's been a total cluster.... .