bluto

if you were an opposing GM and Mack called you (lol, yeah right) to trade Hefney, would you give up an asset, or just wait for his inevitable release?

that's just it though... unless he tries to play somewhere else, he ain't breaking his contract.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/football/edmonton-eskimos/Eskimos+offensive+lineman/8478644/story.html

right... so fine him from money that he isn't trying to collect since he's staying home? catch my drift?

he's only breaching it if he tries to play elsewhere. it's his right to sit.

it's the minimum length of contract under the CBA (AFAIK)

yeah, it isn't ideal for him... but then, consider that speed and shiftyness are his stock and trade. he won't be risking an ACL, concussion or turf toe by sitting out. some teams may like that he won't have any additional mileage. never know. apparently there's more than one team willing to sign him now. i imagine that they'd be willing to bring him to their camps next year i he sat.

love the pop-up view. it was one of the features of another site i frequent that i'd hoped for here.

he's reported to be somewhere in the $60k range... and that was after his bonuses. you get $90k to be on an NFL practice rostr and $400k+ for making the team... there's really no reason for him to risk his likely NFL payday for such a (comparative) pittance. we had to step up and pay Owens and then Kackert to not go south. but i think it's too late for the TiCats to sign him. bridges were already torched. and he won't want a new deal anyway because the 1+1 minimum could keep him away from the NFL for two seasons... and i don't know if he's willing to take a team's word on a "gentleman's agreement" to release him after one season...

they can't force him to show up.

teams that need DBs like Hamilton (and maybe even us due to injuries and retirements) might bring him in if you do. (plus, the team can do the ol' steal the playbook move)

sure did. glad the contract was upheld. doubt Williams will play though... there's just not any incentive in it for him.

lol, at least the DBs that are in the doghouse at your camp don't get oven mits taped on their hands!

he'd likely make more from them if he waited the season out. especially with the SMS likely to go up under the next CBA due to increased TV revenues...

did you say that? sorry... don't remember you. what was your handle on OB?

BURRRNNNN HER!!!

Testing this on my mobile. Agree with Negatron, this is one of the best mobile-forums I've seen. Awesome.

cute pooch. (and i'm a cat person who doesn't like most dogs) watched the whole thing... mesmerized by watching the hat get chewed up... those fight songs were just embarrassing... especially the synth solo at 1:30

Atta boy DanoT! thanks for contributing!

i'd like a different rank than "Advanced Member" please... (but hey... my member is kinda advanced... ) maybe "Double Blue Prophet", or "Heroic Poster who Fired the First Shots"... or just "Daddy"

knocked it out of the park JimmyFres... i mean, Rich. i freaking love this.

everyone who never read the novels i'd guess... 2 friends of mine who haven't read them but love the series asked me last year if anything good ever happens to the Starks... i said "that depends... do you like weddings?"

if that were true, you'd think a Toronto game might have been televised... ...hell, our preseason game at Varsity isn't even licensed! :cry:

TORONTO ARGONAUTS 2013 SEASON PREVIEW Starters on Offence QB: Ricky Ray (contract extended in offseason until 2015), (backups: Trevor Harris and Zach Collaros. Mitchell Gale looks to be the unofficial #4 on the PR) OL: Tony Washington and (newly bearded) Chris Van Zeyl are locks at the Left and Right Tackle positions. Local boy Jeff Keeping looks to reprise his role under centre. There will be battles for the starting guard spots since there are four men who could start. Eppele (contract extended in offseason) and Parenteau started down the stretch and Reinders and Jones will look to take their spots. Veteran Wayne Smith can play any position on the line and will be a key backup. RB: After a brief scare of the GCMOP perhaps going to play for the Jets, Chad Kackert returns to the starting tailback spot. Gerald Riggs Jr is getting good reviews in camp and looks to take the important backup spot again (a key position if #44 gets nicked up again). Durie has plenty experience at tailback here as well and was put in to give Boyd and Kackert a breather (or injury break) at times in 2012. FB: Veteran Jeff Johnson lines up here most often (when the Argos actually line up with a FB). Durie could also step in here in a pinch. In short yardage in 2012, ILB/DE Kuale was put in as the designated battering ram... this role may be taken by NI Zander Robinson, a DE who came to camp and had his position on our roster page change to FB... WR: CFL MOP Chad Owens is a lock in the slot as is NI Andre Durie. A pleasant surprise out of camp last season was Dontrelle Inman who also seems entrenched on the outside. NIs Spencer Watt and Mike Bradwell have the inside track on getting playing time, but other NIs Chad Rempel, Quincy Hurst (little speedster coming off a knee issue) and Julian Feoli-Gudino will be battling for their place in the squad. The Imports most likely to feature are Jason Barnes (who has already been making an impression in camp) and Romby Bryant (veteran speedster signed as a FA when he was surplus to requirements in Cowtown). Reggie Williams and Juaquin Iglesias are getting some good reviews at TC, and it seems like Coach Scott must have asked for bigger bodies at the position because other than Williams, some larger-body prospects have been brought in to try out: Chiles, Adams and Meline. Overall, it is an offence that runs on a high percentage QB keeping them on the field until one of the playmakers steps up and makes something big happen for them. Ray and Calvillo have said that Coach Milanovich's system (this season run by Marcus Brady) is the most complex they've ever seen. You'd have to think that all the returning players with a year's worth of experience in that offence will be a boon for them. This should be (presuming main players play most of the games) one of, if not the, most potent offences in the league. Starters on Defence DE: Wide open competition here. With Foley and Flemmons gone, the prospects brought into TC are all fighting for contracts:Jerome Geathers earned some praise for his play when brought in for a late season game and recently brought in Eric Foster hopes to return to his NFL form after missing last year with an ankle injury. Take your pick from this list of others... but you'd have to guess that Jones wants speed and athleticism as he has a penchant for dropping DEs into coverage at times. The NIs hoping to be in Coach Jones' "NI by Committee" scheme are second year player David Lee and 2012 "futures" pick Cleon Laing. DT: Returning veteran Kevin Huntley will take one inside position. The other two will be off season acquisitions. Khalif Mitchell creates ink everywhere he goes and this past offseason was no different. After dealing for the dominant 3-technique, Barker tried to deal him to a western team to satisfy the player. When no good deals emerged, he (and the coaches and players) took it upon themselves to sell Mitchell on playing in Toronto. It appears, so far, to have worked. A draft day trade with the Riders brings Jermaine Reid home who will be part of the "NIbC" approach. LB: The SAM and WIL spots are locked in with Isaac and Ball, and you'd have to think McCune will be back to patrol the interior. Sophomore Bryan Payton has a chance to gain more plays this season. NIs Pottinger, Yurichuck, Antwi, Tonye-Tonye, (draft pick and O'Shea favorite) Spencer, Hood... most will get their playing time (if any) through special teams. DB: Now this has gotten interesting... Safety and Captain Jordan Younger has made the decision to retire. At this late juncture, replacing him could be a scramble... it appears as though veteran NI Matt Black (another of the many home-town Argos) has stepped into the starting Free Safety role in camp...stay tuned! With McCullough gone, at least one spot was going to be open, but now with 2, the drama increases... Pat Watkins, Jalil Carter and Pacino Horne are locks. Argo fans are hoping that Jones' knack of finding rookie DBs who can play (and be impact players) continues with the large group in TC. Thusfar, DB Brent Vinson (a former Stamps PR player) has been impressing in camp and looks to be making a case for a spot on the gameday roster. NI Djems Kuoame is a converted WR. It's a defence that sometimes drops 9 guys into coverage. They create mismatches, pressure the QB (while not being big sack generators, they hit as many QBs as any team), and try to be playmakers. Coach Jones has his work cut out for him to replace Younger. That could be a major blow. But the defence is arguably what won us the Grey Cup last season. And aside from 4 games where everything was a bloody mess, they were solid. They may not lead the league in fewest yards or points against, but it will be a strong side. Key Special Teams Obviously the story here is Chad Owens and how he's tilted the field for the Boatmen for the past 3 seasons. Swayze Waters has the dual kicker role, but if his accuracy or health suffer again, young NI Anthony Alix hopes to step in. Jeff Johnson will have excellent ST'r James Yurichuck to help lead Coach Osh's troops. Can Owens extend his own Pro-Football record of 3 straight 3,000 yard seasons? It doesn't really matter whether he does or not, but his ability to shorten the field is what has been gifting the offence with short fields and bailing our defence out of danger for 3 years now. New Additions: DT Khalif Mitchell, WR Romby Bryant, DT Jermaine Reid, LB James Yurichuk, QB Mitchell Gale, OC Marcus Brady Subtractions: S Jordan Younger, DT Armand Armstead, DB Evan McCullogh, DE Rickey Foley, Ronald Flemmons, K Pre, Draft: #8 OL Matt Sewell, #17 DB Jermaine Gabriel, #22 WR Natey Adjey, #52 OL Michael Di Domenico, #60 LB Paul Spencer Players on the bubble: Not many returning starters are under threat, but there will be competition for open spots. Competition for the starting guard positions will be intense as all 4 are capable. As well, the receivers should take note that Coach Scott has made more than one public statement about how he'd use a large receiver or two in his offence. On the defensive side of the ball, there's now 2 DE jobs, a HB and S job available. It sounds like a lot, but it's less than Jones had to fill last season. Swayze Waters has a strong leg, but was not as accurate as you'd want a frontline kicker to be... Anthony Alix will be looking totake any opportunity to show himself to the league as a viable NI K/P. Last season summary: 9-9, 2nd in the east, 100th Grey Cup Champions. It was a very up and down regular season where the new coaches, players and system struggled to come together. In at least 4 of their games, the Argos looked lost and never had a chance. Most of the time they were competitive but didn't have all 3 phases ticking. Ray was a huge difference maker and provided a high percentage passing attack which made 2 and outs rare. When the team finally gelled, it was in a 5 game run finishing in a home Grey Cup victory. 2013 outlook and prediction: The offence remains intact and especially with the improved play of the O-Line in the final games of the season, you'd have to predict that Ray, Kackert, Owens and Durie will all have ample opportunity to make plays and put up big scores. Defensively, once Jones fills his holes in the secondary it should be a solid unit again. His coverages and scheme changes should keep them competitive, but without a veteran like Younger to be the on-field coach, it remains to be seen how this will iron itself out for 2013. Nobody within the Argos has said that they expect to finish tops in the East, but they all will tell you that they are playing for the Grey Cup. 11-7 1st in the East.

Oh I don't know. Perhaps Watkins would know and could tell him. Yup I thought he was the best in 2011. Man was he good when he was sane. Last year, not so much. Especially after he went crazy. There were quite a few guys I thought had better years last year than Mitchell, and fewer arm whips too. i'd guess that Barker asked Watkins when he thought he'd report. maybe Barker figures it's better to not publicize that in case he needs more time. and i know i'm splitting hairs a bit here, but you called Mitchell the best during this offseason (after i had mentioned that the Argos were losing the best DT in the league to the NFL). in any case, he joins a long line of nutcases that came to Toronto for a 2nd (3rd, 4th, lol) chance. he's only 28. and if Jones wants him, that's enough for me.