2016 CFL Season Thread

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Wait, wasn't that what this was about from day one (yesterday)?

Otherwise, what's the problem?

[Cecil Terwilliger]

However Bo did back down on his comments saying it was just gossip he heard and he can't speak to any validity of the claims.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Wait, wasn't that what this was about from day one?

Otherwise, what's the problem?

Up until last night you had people on riderfans claiming that no one was being paid.

Turns out that not only are they being paid, they're being housed free too.

This should result in a very heavy fine. It's such a blatant attempt to circumvent the SMS

edit: To hell with the fine, the Riders bilk their tractor loving fans of every nickle they have each year. Take away lots of draft picks and stick it to them where it hurts: Canadian player depth

[MoneyGuy]

I think we Esks and Stamps fans have finally found a common enemy. We unite in our hatred for the Riders. It's intensified this season for me. ABS!

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Up until last night you had people on riderfans claiming that no one was being paid.

Turns out that not only are they being paid, they're being housed free too.

This should result in a very heavy fine. It's such a blatant attempt to circumvent the SMS

Yeah that's exactly what was at issue when this first came out.

Except no one is sure if they are actually breaking rules, even if they are paying them. The rules seem to indicate that they can't have them practice with the main team. It may be totally against the spirit of the rules and really stretching the rules though.

There have now been more accusations to other teams, albeit some of those from hack arash madani who is hilariously ripping the CFL while he's in brazil providing third rate coverage for his joke of a network.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Yeah that's exactly what was at issue when this first came out.

Except no one is sure if they are actually breaking rules, even if they are paying them. The rules seem to indicate that they can't have them practice with the main team. It may be totally against the spirit of the rules and really stretching the rules though.

There have now been more accusations to other teams, albeit some of those from hack arash madani who is hilariously ripping the CFL while he's in brazil providing third rate coverage for his joke of a network.

If they're paying them, that's a violation of the SMS. If they're housing them for free, that's also a violation of the SMS.

If they aren't paying them and they're practicing with the team, that's a violation of the SMS.

They're violating the SMS is what I'm saying

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

If they're paying them, that's a violation of the SMS. If they're housing them for free, that's also a violation of the SMS.

If they aren't paying them and they're practicing with the team, that's a violation of the SMS.

They're violating the SMS is what I'm saying

Probably but I can't find any reputable reporting source who knows the SMS system and the league rules on this. The article I posted yesterday, by some person at yahoo that I don't know, seems to think it isn't a problem.

Honestly, can anyone quote the relevant SMS rules? We don't exactly have a sureloss/getbak for CFL needs.

The best source on the CFL is TSN and they are so obsessed with Olympic coverage that this story barely made their front page.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Probably but I can't find any reputable reporting source who knows the SMS system and the league rules on this. The article I posted yesterday, by some person at yahoo that I don't know, seems to think it isn't a problem.

Honestly, can anyone quote the relevant SMS rules? We don't exactly have a sureloss/getbak for CFL needs.

The best source on the CFL is TSN and they are so obsessed with Olympic coverage that this story barely made their front page.

3rd down nation is where I'm getting that from

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

3rd down nation is where I'm getting that from

Yeah but what i mean is that all I've seen is a bunch of "this might be cheating" type stuff.

No one has actually said, "this is in violation of article 4 subsection 2 of the SMS blah blah blah".

The Riders have said they have extra players around on tryout, they haven't hidden that fact. Many reporters have said that it is widely known that they have extra players around who practice after the main practice (in accordance with league rules). There are reports these guys are being paid/fed/housed. This very well could break SMS rules, but I can't find anyone who seems certain. Gary Lawless and Dave Naylor have both referenced bending rules and accusations of cheating, but no one seems to want to actually say they know it is strictly against the rules.

[MissTeeks]

http://3downnation.com/2016/08/11/so...oster-players/

After Stamps quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell lifted the lid on the Riders roster recon in Riderville, more information is emerging about Saskatchewan’s off-the-books player program.

Sources say the Riders have two houses where the extra players are living and that players are being paid by the club. Non-rostered quarterbacks receive $1,000 per week while everyone else gets $300.

Both the housing arrangements and payments would be clear violations of CFL rules. Teams are allowed to have a 46-man active roster and 10 players on the practice roster. Those PR athletes must sign an agreement that entitles them to a minimum of $750 per week plus housing or a housing allowance.

[Drake]

Everyone in CFL circles has know that for yrs. Its called the *Popp advantage* What's the next team he's going to throw shade on? Lol

@ArashMadani:

If the #CFL does an investigation, also pop by Montreal and see how many guys the Als bring in before main training camp starts. Eye opener.

#CFL teams do what they want, often scoff at the league office. Always been a divide between teams and the league. Rubber meets the road now

[Erick Estrada]

With dwindling attendance in BC, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and shenanigans like the coaching carousel in the offseason and now this I fear the league is heading to critical mass. You simply can't have a professional sports league operate like this in this day and age of digital media where everything gets unearthed.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

With dwindling attendance in BC, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and shenanigans like the coaching carousel in the offseason and now this I fear the league is heading to critical mass. You simply can't have a professional sports league operate like this in this day and age of digital media where everything gets unearthed.

It is actually kind of sad how little power the league has and how little this new commish has done.

Suspensions are non existent, drug testing just started IIRC, as you mentioned attendance is a big issue, officiating is terrible, concussion and injury concerns, MLS expansion and popularity etc. The biggest markets are dying and about the only places where it seems to be healthy in terms of fan support are Ottawa, Sask and the Peg. Maybe Edmonton.

For a while it really felt like the league was taking off, now I'm not so sure about the long term viability, especially with all these new stadiums being built.

I am very worried about the long term viability of the CFL.

[dash_pinched]

Jamie Nye@jamienye
Coincidence? One player got a workout after practice. The 'pre-practice squad' we've seen daily was noticeably absent. #Riders

[Cecil Terwilliger]

David William Naylor ‏@TSNDaveNaylor

Am told CFL was aware of questions surrounding @sskroughriders roster size before @BoLeviMitchell Tweeted allegations.

[Sainters7]

I suppose the good news in all this is it may flare up the Riders/Stamps rivalry again. Since Burris left Calgary and the Riders went in the toilet these past 3 seasons, the rivalry's been pretty dead. Something tells me Mosaic fans are going to have a tonne of vitriol directed at a Stamps QB again, like the way it used to be.

[CaptainCrunch]

If you look at the CFL CBA, if housing is part of the financial arrangement for a player then the housing costs go against the SMS. If you pay a player that is not on the regular, injury or practice roster its cap circumvention.

The Riders have been caught red handed, it sounds like it was leaked to Ottawa before their game which is why Jones is now trying to close practice or have people sign in or out.

The league went in and told them to get the players out of town, which looks bad on the league. BLM, kind of forces them into a tough spot.

If they were paying 15 players and housing them to stick around its a pretty significant breech of the CFL CBA. The last punishment I could find would be when the Als were $115,000 over I think in 2008, they were fined $108,000 and lost their first round draft pick (#4 overall).

Since the CFL is being forced to act, they will probably have to investigate every team and every contract. The Rider fans for example are whining about BLM's contract and saying its proof of SMS circumvention by the Stamps because it underpays our QB compared to the other starters in the league.

I would expect that Jones will be hit pretty hard with a fine, he's already been fined once this season for Ratio Breaking. I doubt that they will suspend them because of the appeals process.

The other question that has to come up is more of a legal one, these players need to have a work visa in order to play or practice and get paid up here. If the Riders didn't make sure that they did that then they are in serious trouble with Canada Immigration.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Yeah but what i mean is that all I've seen is a bunch of "this might be cheating" type stuff.

No one has actually said, "this is in violation of article 4 subsection 2 of the SMS blah blah blah".

The Riders have said they have extra players around on tryout, they haven't hidden that fact. Many reporters have said that it is widely known that they have extra players around who practice after the main practice (in accordance with league rules). There are reports these guys are being paid/fed/housed. This very well could break SMS rules, but I can't find anyone who seems certain. Gary Lawless and Dave Naylor have both referenced bending rules and accusations of cheating, but no one seems to want to actually say they know it is strictly against the rules.

From the CFL CBA BTW

Section 17.01 basically states that you can have a 10 man practice roster, if you have a player that is not signed to a CFL agreement he can't practice with your team unless a standardized agreement is signed between the player and club and that player is added to the practice roster.

Here's where it gets tricky, if a player is signed to a standardized practice agreement the min he can get paid is $750 per week plus housing expenses, however if they are on that agreement the housing expenses don't count against the cap.

So here's the issue for the Riders, these are undeclared players that the Riders are paying to practice, but they are not on the practice or injured or regular rosters. But the Riders are paying them to practice and paying for their housing. At this point the entire compensation of those players would count as cap circumvention.

You cannot have more then 10 players on your practice roster except during the NFL cutdown period where it expands to 15. The Riders had players on the field at practice that were being paid to practice yet weren't on the roster, and they had no standardized agreement between players and teams. Its a huge circumvention.

Now the only other way that the player could practice on the team is under a player tryout but the tryouts can only last a day. The other teams were a little pissed off because Buddy Jackson's tryout was basically three weeks long.

[MissTeeks]

They are all being sent home:

http://3downnation.com/2016/08/11/ri...-players-home/

Saskatchewan has initiated the process of sending all the “extra” players staying in Regina home, per CFL sources.

3DownNation’s Darrell Davis reported that the Riders regularly had up to 95 players in its stable, but that’s not the case anymore. League officials visited Regina last week and they’ve stepped in to force Chris Jones and Co. to get rid of non-roster athletes.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

From the CFL CBA BTW

Section 17.01 basically states that you can have a 10 man practice roster, if you have a player that is not signed to a CFL agreement he can't practice with your team unless a standardized agreement is signed between the player and club and that player is added to the practice roster.

Here's where it gets tricky, if a player is signed to a standardized practice agreement the min he can get paid is $750 per week plus housing expenses, however if they are on that agreement the housing expenses don't count against the cap.

So here's the issue for the Riders, these are undeclared players that the Riders are paying to practice, but they are not on the practice or injured or regular rosters. But the Riders are paying them to practice and paying for their housing. At this point the entire compensation of those players would count as cap circumvention.

You cannot have more then 10 players on your practice roster except during the NFL cutdown period where it expands to 15. The Riders had players on the field at practice that were being paid to practice yet weren't on the roster, and they had no standardized agreement between players and teams. Its a huge circumvention.

Now the only other way that the player could practice on the team is under a player tryout but the tryouts can only last a day. The other teams were a little pissed off because Buddy Jackson's tryout was basically three weeks long.

Yeah but if the players are practicing outside of the main group and it is considered "tryouts" it could be seen as being outside of the CBA is my understanding.

As per article I posted yesterday:

It's unclear if the Riders having these unsigned players at practice (but not on the field until after practice ends) and meeting with coaches violates the rules. It's also unclear if there's anything to prohibit a team from paying players not on its roster (and the Roughriders are presumably compensating these guys in some way; it seems unlikely many would hang around for long without that) or from repeatedly "trying out" the same players.

I'm also really confused by everything 3downnation is posting. They have continually posted stuff immediately after other more reliable sources have tweeted or reported information that is often at odds with what they post. All their contributors seem like trustworthy sources but none of the TSN/newspaper/online sources seem to jive at this point.