Fatty Liver

Most of the CFL players who try to land on an NFL roster have to go through numerous tryout camps trying to qualify and I would think less than 50% of those who try actually catch on. I think it's the players and their agents driving this process as the scenario of an NFL team chasing after a CFL player seems pretty far removed from the reality. Is there any other example of this happening other than Cameron Wake? Even a standout like Muamba had no actual suitors even after a few years of great play, I believe it was his initiative that eventually landed him a spot with the Colts. Should the Colts compensate the Bombers for developing him??? Maybe...but it's hard to comprehend what the rules of such an agreement would look like. No they don't. They might have a workout with a team, but I think you're confusing OTA's with tryout camps, which they are to a point for rookies to earn a spot into the main training camp, but the guys in OTA's are on NFL contracts. Why is it "pretty far removed for reality" for NFL teams to have interest in CFL players? Most of the guys in the CFL have already spent time with NFL teams, even played in regular season NFL games and just on the fringe of being a NFL player. Guess what, 3/4 players are on that fringe. You could drop 100 CFLers into the NFL tomorrow and nobody would notice a difference. This is not an discussion about comparing the quality of CFL players to NFL players this is more to do with the legal issues surrounding contracts. Sure the NFL teams are interested in good CFL players but rarely do they take the initiative to "go shopping" for them on a CFL roster. The trend so far has been to wait for the off season when CFL players free of contract pursue opportunities in NFL training camps. I think what this article is outlining is potential changes to that system were the terms of a contract could be interrupted or bought out.

Most of the CFL players who try to land on an NFL roster have to go through numerous tryout camps trying to qualify and I would think less than 50% of those who try actually catch on. I think it's the players and their agents driving this process as the scenario of an NFL team chasing after a CFL player seems pretty far removed from the reality. Is there any other example of this happening other than Cameron Wake? Even a standout like Muamba had no actual suitors even after a few years of great play, I believe it was his initiative that eventually landed him a spot with the Colts. Should the Colts compensate the Bombers for developing him??? Maybe...but it's hard to comprehend what the rules of such an agreement would look like.

The fact that Wally is resigned to it eventually happening probably means that it's already on it's way. I hope the NFL team's have the decency to wait for the season to end before buying out a player. Before the CFL allows this to happen I hope they put their heads together with the NFL to make sure this is a benefit to both leagues and not just a sell off of assets. As for the players they're going to agree to anything just to get that shot in the NFL and I think they've been pushing this agenda all along. Don't believe for a minute they give a hoot about the long term survival of the CFL.

Good artcle in the Vancouver Province which sugests the eleimination of waivers in the latest C.B.A. will lead to the direct sale of players. http://www.theprovince.com/sports/football/bc-lions/paving+towards+sale+players/9991463/story.html

Hard enough to identify the players as it is now, with that style face maske it would make it seem like you're watching a video game.

Yah, I wouldn't underestimate their coaching staff, that's one thing Marcel Desjardins got right.

Deeper pockets I guess..

Not even close to being the problem in Toronto. I'd bet substantially that this problem has not even made it into any discussions on Toronto. You really believe that losing Armond Armstead or Chad Rempel was noticed in Toronto by the guy with 2 kids who might buy tickets to 1-2 games a season, and that's keeping the fans away? Here's the problem. 1. They play in a facility that is horrible for football. 2. They play in a facility where they are treated as fourth class tenants, meaning they get the crappiest dates. 3. They play in a facility that is generally far from their casual fanbase in the suburbs. 4. That crappy facility is evicting them. At the moment, this is the biggest problem. There is a public and political lack of appetite to contribute further to sports facilities after the Pan Am Games, so rather than getting an ideal facility in a suburb like Markham off a 400 highway, the Argos have to piggyback on MLSE at BMO Field just to have a place to play. Will BMO go over with the casual fans they need to attract? Probably not. Atmosphere will be better, but the prospect of storms off the lake could interfere with a number of games each season. BMO is a little easier to drive to (still relying on the Gardiner for suburban fans though) than the dome, but worse by transit, basically the same as the dome plus a streetcar ride. I understand all the other issues at hand with ownership and playing facilities but I guess what I should have said is the biggest "underlying problem" in T.O. is the CFL's image as a second rate league. No reason (other than all the reasons you stated!) in a city that size that they couldn't have season ticket sales of 30,000 on a regular basis considering the teams they've put together in the past 5 years. Relying on the fan that attends one or two games a year is a crap shoot as the life blood of survival is season ticket sales. I think there is some merit to the idea of establishing a regional team or teams in some of the bigger suburbs if the fan logistics and facility issues are positive.

On the same thought line...I've noticed over the last 20 years the CFL has developed the stigma of becoming a feeder league for the NFL with all of the best players constantly looking Southward. Didn't used to be that way or it at least it wasn't so obvious. To me this has diminished the image of the product and that is probably the biggest problem in T.O. right now. I think this trend can be connected with the one and two year contracts the players are signed to now which allows for a quick escape once they've demonstrated capability. Cream of the crop developed in Canada is now skimmed off from the draft on up and thus star power and player continuity is diminished. Wish we could hold the best players here with 3-5 year contracts but realize the difficulties of making that happen, I'm well aware that you can't turn back time. I think the NFL used to take more of a big brother/hands off approach to the CFL but now it seems to enjoy picking the apples without providing the orchard with any fertilizer.

I think the stadium issue will be hashed out eventually but the best thing for the Argos in my eyes is if they end up under the umbrella of MLSE. That is the only organization in Toronto that has the money and marketing power to keep the Argos on life support. A private owner has no chance of turning that ship around. In my mind it's going to take a marketing miracle to make the Argos and the CFL popular again in T.O..

Get the lead and don't look back. Eliminates the running game and forces Henry to the sky, than chase his ass all over the field. Should lead to the gates of interception heaven.

Two words: "They're invisible".....well maybe a few more. Nary a writeup covering the Argos in any of the major papers and don't expect they get much attention from any other form of media. Man this is frustrating because they have 10 million people within a 2 hour drive of that city and they're very proud Canadians for the most part. CFL must have some minor league stigma tatooed to it's ass that's made the Argos and the league into a water cooler joke. Getting fans back onboard in that city is the CFL's greatest challenge as the Argos are whithering on the vine.

I think the Bombers need to chip in to get Willy some wicked tattoos to make him look like more of a badass. He looks too much like a choir boy in those TSN promos.

Higgins is a very good coach but if you have a wannabee head coach GM like Popp who meddles then there is a big problem. I bet it was Higgins who wanted Worman gone probably a philosophical difference. Wonder if Crowton is available??? If Higgins wanted Worman gone, then why was it Popp & not Tom talking to the media?: Higgins isn't the kind of guy to hide behind Jim Popp or not address the media if the decision was his. He was a straight up guy here in Calgary when he was HC of the Stamps. Cause that is one of Popp's jobs. Usually when a coach comes in he gets to pick his own staff. I don't believe that happened with Higgins.

Higgins is a good coach but it's going to take him awhile to put the house in order. I predict Popp is in his last year with the Als and if he doesn't catch on in the NFL he will be moving to Edmonton next.

Higgins is a very good coach but if you have a wannabee head coach GM like Popp who meddles then there is a big problem. I bet it was Higgins who wanted Worman gone probably a philosophical difference. Wonder if Crowton is available???

I didn't see Collaros being hammered much, it seemed to me he was stepping up into a pocket and the Rider D-Linmen were reaching out and grabbing him as the pocket collapsed. He should have been rolling out on play action to avoid that situation but they just kept doing it over and over again. Dumb.

Don't worry about that game it's still early, check back in at the end of the season. in 23 years as a coach/GM Wally's teams have won 13 West Div. Championships and 5 Grey Cups while appearing in an additional 4 Cup games. If he would have accomplished half of that for the Bombers people would be lined up from here to Brandon to kiss his ass. The guy is was good but he still made mistakes. Also lots of benefits with Flutie, Dickenson and Garcia... Wally superstar Buono has resorted to Joey Elliott, Buck Pierce And now Beck and Partridge... Had Ottawa stuck with Glenn people would be saying Buono is gone-o.. So you're seriously going to blame Buono for Lulay's injury?

Don't worry about that game it's still early, check back in at the end of the season. in 23 years as a coach/GM Wally's teams have won 13 West Div. Championships and 5 Grey Cups while appearing in an additional 4 Cup games. If he would have accomplished half of that for the Bombers people would be lined up from here to Brandon to kiss his ass.

Good points. Fact is Collaros played with a very good offence last year in T.O. which helped make him look much better than he probably was. I was impressed with both Harris and Gale in the Argos first pre-season game against the Bombers they both moved the ball effectively. That dink and dunk offence designed for Ray seems to make any QB look good.

I think you're missing some insight into the game if you don't understand why Wally acquired Buck Pierce, he was a temporary fix. I'd bet that Wally was also the first one that advised Buck to retire.

1:05:20 Shows Watson running on the sidelines and you can tell from his expression he knows he's finished for the night.

Look at it this way. When Walters signed Banks nobody in their wildest dreams would have predicted that the Bomber defence was going to look this good and that Banks would end up as the odd man out. Nobody, especially Walters and Banks.

Looks like Sask. dredged up Earl Campbell, can't recall a big lumbering back like that in the league for quite awhile. Looks like he'll be a good challenge for Etch's defence. Very anxious to see how the Bombers fare against this Rider team, should be a good indicator of how far they've come and how far they need to progress.

Same story after every free agency with the ticats... Yah, I guess it'll take some time for them to gell 'cause on paper they don't look half bad.