Around the League: 2019 Off Season

[TBURGESS]

My take:

We're talking about not guaranteeing jobs for the 9 or 18 worst NI's in the league.

It won't make any difference to the current Canadian stars.
It won't make any difference to most of the Canadian starters. 1 or 2 a team may get pushed out of starting spots.
If a Canadian is better or equal to the American he's competing against, the Canadian still gets the job.
Teams could roster more NI's than they have to.
It won't matter to most fans, just the super fans like the folks around here. Average fans likely don't even know how the NI rules work.
It doesn't mean that only certain spots will be Canadian. Having a NI RB is the same as having a NI LB or an NI OL.

It will reduce the difference between NI and Import salaries for the same positions.
It will reduce the salaries of some NI's.
It will increase the skill level without additional cost.
It will decrease the problems that occur when a NI starter gets hurt.
It should make for better football overall.

[SpeedFlex27]

57 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

My take:

We're talking about not guaranteeing jobs for the 9 or 18 worst NI's in the league.

It won't make any difference to the current Canadian stars.
It won't make any difference to most of the Canadian starters. 1 or 2 a team may get pushed out of starting spots.
If a Canadian is better or equal to the American he's competing against, the Canadian still gets the job.
Teams could roster more NI's than they have to.
It won't matter to most fans, just the super fans like the folks around here. Average fans likely don't even know how the NI rules work.
It doesn't mean that only certain spots will be Canadian. Having a NI RB is the same as having a NI LB or an NI OL.

It will reduce the difference between NI and Import salaries for the same positions.
It will reduce the salaries of some NI's.
It will increase the skill level without additional cost.
It will decrease the problems that occur when a NI starter gets hurt.
It should make for better football overall.

There will be blowback from these comments. Better put on your helmet.

Edited March 16, 2019 by SpeedFlex27

[Bigblue204]

1 hour ago, TBURGESS said:

My take:

We're talking about not guaranteeing jobs for the 9 or 18 worst NI's in the league.

It won't make any difference to the current Canadian stars.
It won't make any difference to most of the Canadian starters. 1 or 2 a team may get pushed out of starting spots.
If a Canadian is better or equal to the American he's competing against, the Canadian still gets the job.
Teams could roster more NI's than they have to.
It won't matter to most fans, just the super fans like the folks around here. Average fans likely don't even know how the NI rules work.
It doesn't mean that only certain spots will be Canadian. Having a NI RB is the same as having a NI LB or an NI OL.

It will reduce the difference between NI and Import salaries for the same positions.
It will reduce the salaries of some NI's.
It will increase the skill level without additional cost.
It will decrease the problems that occur when a NI starter gets hurt.
It should make for better football overall.

My thoughts too. I like the ratio as much as anyone. But this will improve the depth of every team. The best players will still play. Imagine if the Bombers weren't forced to play Sam Hurl all those years? Or Brock Ralph? 

Does anyone really believe the league would be worse off without those type of players?

[FrostyWinnipeg]

30 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

There will be blowback from these comments. Better put on your helmet.

Not as bad as me saying the Americans dont care how many Canadians play in the NHL in their country.

[DR. CFL]

Keeping the league stocked with sufficient Canadian talent is and has always been a problem, especially late in the season when injuries become a problem. Teams are forced to recall marginal players and players who haven’t played for a season to fill roster spots. This problem is going to be significantly greater if (and that is a BIG IF) a team is added in the Marirtimes. Adding a Canadian QB as a qualifier to the ratio is one band aid. It will guarantee a Canadian spot to a player that will likely only see the field under extreme circumstances. I am surprised the PA would consider a ratio change as a limited supply of a Canadian starters keeps their salaries elevated. Attempting to grow the product internationally is all well and good but only works when you have a solid product and base domestically. This year and this CBA will be pivotal in determining the future of the CFL.

[Fatty Liver]

A recent report suggesting that any contract language between the CFL and CFLPA has been agreed to is completely and utterly false, and simply untrue. I can confirm we have not reached agreement on any discussions with the CFL. #TeamCFLPA #CFLPA 1/4

Brian Ramsay@RamsayCFLPA

 

Our bargaining team has been very clear and maintains that negotiations to date have consisted of process and exchange of proposals only. 

11:54 AM - Mar 16, 2019

[Jpan85]

I wonder how the Americans on PA feel when the leadership is actively more protective of the interests of Canadians in league than of the them.

[Mr Dee]

I look at the American players in the CFL and wonder, if it’s so easy, why the teams can’t replace the bottom 18 American players who come up to Canada and don’t exactly light the league on fire. And you have to admit, there are a lot of import players who should be replaced. So, what’s the problem? It must be easy to get the highest talent available, so, it must be about the money. 

BUT, 

if we sell out just for the money, then, we’re doing it wrong anyways, because the bottom lot don’t make that money. It’s the top end, and what’s to stop those salaries from increasing dramatically in Free Agency with less competition?

And, ask yourself, if Andrew Harris would be on top in the league if he never got a chance in the 1st place? After all, the best RBs are imports, and they’re a “dime a dozen”...right? 

 

[Booch]

What's the big deal..the Canadian football league yes is Canadian for having payers who are Canadian but it's more about the different rules.. different field and all the different intricacies..and I'd rather start 5 canadians and have 5 just as good backups on roster to back them up as opposed to having a team with 5 (maybe) legit true starters and then some only there due to passport and backups who are in the same boat.

All the while we let talent walk away because of it..it would make the product better..allow teams to recruit better imports and pay them better..and still be CFL ball.

I know first hand of instances of potential real talent who were gonna come up..but then were persuaded and or talked out of it due to the fact they could be cut even tho they are better than a particular player solely due to the ratio..so they said eff it! Why bother wasting my time energy and health for that possibility.

The so called purest who whine, and many "joe fan" probably couldn't even tell you who all the Canadians are on a team level..let alone the entire league..so who cares.. let the best compete but have a caveat that each team has to have at least X amount of Canadians developing on a practice roster

 

Edited March 17, 2019 by Booch

[SpeedFlex27]

20 minutes ago, Mr Dee said:

I look at the American players in the CFL and wonder, if it’s so easy, why the teams can’t replace the bottom 18 American players who come up to Canada and don’t exactly light the league on fire. And you have to admit, there are a lot of import players who should be replaced. So, what’s the problem? It must be easy to get the highest talent available, so, it must be about the money. 

BUT, 

if we sell out just for the money, then, we’re doing it wrong anyways, because the bottom lot don’t make that money. It’s the top end, and what’s to stop those salaries from increasing dramatically in Free Agency with less competition?

And, ask yourself, if Andrew Harris would be on top in the league if he never got a chance in the 1st place? After all, the best RBs are imports, and they’re a “dime a dozen”...right? 

 

I would argue on most teams the bottom 18 Americans are replaced every year anyway through trades, cuts & free agency.

[Bigblue204]

46 minutes ago, Mr Dee said:

I look at the American players in the CFL and wonder, if it’s so easy, why the teams can’t replace the bottom 18 American players who come up to Canada and don’t exactly light the league on fire. And you have to admit, there are a lot of import players who should be replaced. So, what’s the problem? It must be easy to get the highest talent available, so, it must be about the money. 

BUT, 

if we sell out just for the money, then, we’re doing it wrong anyways, because the bottom lot don’t make that money. It’s the top end, and what’s to stop those salaries from increasing dramatically in Free Agency with less competition?

And, ask yourself, if Andrew Harris would be on top in the league if he never got a chance in the 1st place? After all, the best RBs are imports, and they’re a “dime a dozen”...right? 

 

Except, the ratio as it stands now, forces teams to give players who in all reality wouldn't be playing pro football, starting salaries. Or at the very least higher then the league minimum salaries, when the league minimum is what they should be making, at best. 

There will be players left out, but again, not a lot. Would Harris have gotten a shot with a 5 player ratio? Probably, wasnt he backing up a cnd rb? Now, if there was zero ratio...likely not. But this isnt getting rid of the ratio. Its allowing teams to remove the 2 worst Canadians on their team...not the 2 worst starters. Just the 2 worst canadians. The 2 worst starters will likely just become back ups. Adding to the talent depth.

On the flip side, maybe the bombers could have kept a player like Montgomery if they weren't forced to use a spot on a player like Thomas. I love Thomas...but it's clear he isn't in the same talent pool as his American teammates. Taking 2 players off the field who likely dont deserve to be there anyway, won't do anything but improve the game.

[Mr Dee]

Its okay, we can just change things to AACFL

[SpeedFlex27]

16 minutes ago, Mr Dee said:

Its okay, we can just change things to AACFL

Do you think Alex Singleton was any more Canadian than Adam Bighill? His mother is Canadian so for roster purposes but Singleton never played a single down of football in Canada as a player prior to signing with the Stamps. He's as American as they come yet there he was he is Canadian taking a potential spot froma Canadian. So, in reality due to a deliberate loophole in the rules, the Stamps were actually playing with 6 Canadian starters not 7. Singleton was born & raised in California. I think that is a farce.

Edited March 16, 2019 by SpeedFlex27

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Eliminate the ratio and you'll probably still have Canucks on the team. 10% maybe.

But for you hard -core gotta-keep-the-ratio going fans why not a ratio for the coaches as well? Who was the last Canuck college coach to get a nod?

[Mr Dee]

Well, there goes the $ saving argument..

 

“CFL bosses used to gripe that Canadians cost more than Americans, so in a league that always seemed on the brink of bankruptcy it made sense to have fewer high-priced Canadians. Dunk’s report show that isn’t true, that import players are receiving higher average salaries even without calculating the ludicrously exorbitant contracts being doled out to American quarterbacks. 

Gone are the days, apparently, when the CFLPA executive was dominated by veteran, Canadian offensive linemen who demanded that their fellow Canucks have jobs in a league named after them. The CFLPA’s current bargaining committee, indeed, is laden with more active American players than Canadians.”

https://3downnation.com/2019/03/16/davis-ratio-must-stay-the-same-to-preserve-essence-of-cfl/

 

[kelownabomberfan]

12 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

What these wags in the media don't know or conveniently forget with their indignation of tweets is that football participation is down. There aren't the same number of kids playing the sport as there was 10 years ago. That will affect junior as well as U Sport programs as time goes by. I would expect some smaller & less wealthy teams will eventually fold or drop football completely. If Halifax does come onboard with a tenth team it will get very difficult to find seven new starters. I don't like the number reduced either but it's a fact of life.

Just this past season, 5 high schools in Calgary dropped their junior varsity programs (grade 10) because they couldn't field enough players to safely play. With an average of 40 players per team, that's 200 kids in Calgary alone that aren't playing high school football. In bantam & pee we football, there was one team eliminated in each division.  On top of that, when my son played community football & I coached 15 years ago, each of the 8 pee wee & 12 bantam teams averaged about 50 players each.  Today, that number is down to 30 or 35.  The drop has been significant. That's just Calgary. What's it like in other cities across Canada?

My nephew played football for Kelvin this year and they almost cancelled the program due to lack of enough kids trying out for the team. If you are a parent with young kids, do you want them playing football?

[SpeedFlex27]

10 minutes ago, kelownabomberfan said:

My nephew played football for Kelvin this year and they almost cancelled the program due to lack of enough kids trying out for the team. If you are a parent with young kids, do you want them playing football?

Sadly, this is the new reality all across the country. Less players mean that eventually there will be less Canadians to play in the CFL.  As far as being a parent worried about concussions I had 2 kids that are now adults that played & I'd let them do it all over again. 

[SpeedFlex27]

11 hours ago, Jpan85 said:

A counter point is we have a lot of guys that are starting Canadians that never have lived in or played Canadian football. They have a Canadian passport only.

Like Alex Singleton. As Canadian as any Californian  out there. His Mom is Canadian so he got a free pass

[Arnold_Palmer]

4 hours ago, kelownabomberfan said:

My nephew played football for Kelvin this year and they almost cancelled the program due to lack of enough kids trying out for the team. If you are a parent with young kids, do you want them playing football?

As a Kelvin alumni who graduated ten years ago this year this is really sad. 

[Tracker]

4 hours ago, Arnold_Palmer said:

As a Kelvin alumni who graduated ten years ago this year this is really sad. 

Unless you are schizophrenic or pregnant, you would be an alumnus.

[Bigblue204]

9 hours ago, kelownabomberfan said:

My nephew played football for Kelvin this year and they almost cancelled the program due to lack of enough kids trying out for the team. If you are a parent with young kids, do you want them playing football?

I used to say I'd be signing my kid up for football as soon as I could. Now, with the information that's out there. He won't be playing until at least high school. Until he can fully understand the consequences and risks involved to his future self.

Also, I'd much prefer he play baseball or golf...

Now those guys got it figured out!!

Edited March 17, 2019 by Bigblue204

[17to85]

4 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

I used to say I'd be signing my kid up for football as soon as I could. Now, with the information that's out there. He won't be playing until at least high school. Until he can fully understand the consequences and risks involved to his future self.

LOL. 

[Mr Dee]

 

[Floyd]

Yeah still not a fan of ambrosie 

[Fatty Liver]

51 minutes ago, Floyd said:

Yeah still not a fan of ambrosie 

You're winning me over Floyd.

It looks like the strategic leak regarding the change in ratio is more about making room for Randy's "global plan" than it is about the quantity and quality of CDN. talent.

Edited March 17, 2019 by Throw Long Bannatyne