2023/2024 CFL (Non Bombers) Off Season News

[JCon]

It's time to start asking questions of MLSE. Like, why do Murphy and Pinball still have jobs? 

I expect little from Ambrosie. He's been such a useless commish. It's like he believes it's an honorary title or something. 

[WinnipegGordo]

This sums up yesterday's media scrum:

 

36 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

According to Naylor on X, the league did not agree to allow Kelly to attend yesterday. The CBA allows it, and this was 100% an Argo decision to let it happen. I don't know how to embed tweets but Naylor said that the league couldn't stop it without violating the CBA.

 

[wbbfan]

18 minutes ago, JCon said:

It's time to start asking questions of MLSE. Like, why do Murphy and Pinball still have jobs? 

I expect little from Ambrosie. He's been such a useless commish. It's like he believes it's an honorary title or something. 

Thing is, it's only a matter of time before they would bring pinball back any way. But if he is the sacrificial goat, every one will turn on them. Not as much because of the  public love of pinball, but because every one knows Murphy is the peak of the problem. Cut out every single person below him and you still have the makings of a toxic waste land. 

If the league acts before the argos, the punishment should be 10x stricter. Because it shows they aren't taking it seriously at all. They are just trying to skate by with the minimum. 

[HardCoreBlue]

30 minutes ago, JCon said:

It's time to start asking questions of MLSE. Like, why do Murphy and Pinball still have jobs? 

I expect little from Ambrosie. He's been such a useless commish. It's like he believes it's an honorary title or something. 

It literally seems like he thinks the league works for him not he works for the league.

Also in how he presents himself, I'd replace the word honorary with status.

[ShyGuy]

If the Argos were to just come out and be decisive about this I think people would have less issues with it. Do I think that he should still be employed based on his actions? Probably not but the league has meted out a 9 game suspension.

 

If the Argos were to say something like

"Kelly has been suspended by the league for his actions for 9 games. We have discussed the matter with him and we are confident that he will exceed all the requirements for his reinstatement after week 9. Per the CBA, he is allowed to join in our preseason activities and he will be a full participant as our expectation is he will be our QB in week 10".

I think that would make them seem more reasonable... and that they are actually taking any of this seriously.

It's the media silence, and then him just slinking into practice that people are having issues with.

[wbbfan]

12 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

It literally seems like he thinks the league works for him not he works for the league.

Also in how he presents himself, I'd replace the word honorary with status.

I feel like the whole of the MLSE has that attitude towards the CFL. 

[Bigblue204]

I just don't understand why the Argos would want Kelly around, in a public setting anyways....talk about distraction. Whoever thought that was a good idea is just dumb. The media attention was already going to be going on and on about Kelly (rightfully so) and they just tee'd up some more juicy headlines. 

Just idiotic 

[GCn20]

7 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

I feel like the whole of the MLSE has that attitude towards the CFL. 

CFL, NHL, NBA, MLS....just a rotten company to it's core.

[JCon]

2 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

I just don't understand why the Argos would want Kelly around, in a public setting anyways....talk about distraction. Whoever thought that was a good idea is just dumb. The media attention was already going to be going on and on about Kelly (rightfully so) and they just tee'd up some more juicy headlines. 

Just idiotic 

Pinball. 

[GCn20]

3 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

I just don't understand why the Argos would want Kelly around, in a public setting anyways....talk about distraction. Whoever thought that was a good idea is just dumb. The media attention was already going to be going on and on about Kelly (rightfully so) and they just tee'd up some more juicy headlines. 

Just idiotic 

I think we all need to remember that the Argos are being sued by the victim right now. They are in a real tough spot on this as they likely do not want to admit guilt. Does that make their actions right? Of course not. However, their lawyers are probably driving the bus on this right now.

Edited May 10 by GCn20

[HardCoreBlue]

43 minutes ago, ShyGuy said:

If the Argos were to just come out and be decisive about this I think people would have less issues with it. Do I think that he should still be employed based on his actions? Probably not but the league has meted out a 9 game suspension.

 

If the Argos were to say something like

"Kelly has been suspended by the league for his actions for 9 games. We have discussed the matter with him and we are confident that he will exceed all the requirements for his reinstatement after week 9. Per the CBA, he is allowed to join in our preseason activities and he will be a full participant as our expectation is he will be our QB in week 10".

I think that would make them seem more reasonable... and that they are actually taking any of this seriously.

It's the media silence, and then him just slinking into practice that people are having issues with.

I like your suggestion here in what they could have said but I think they really could have sent a strong message here modifying your last sentence to:

Even though the CBA allows CK to join our preseason activities, all parties have agreed its best he stay away and focus on what he needs to focus on and we look forward to him rejoining us in week #10.   

Edited May 10 by HardCoreBlue

[GCn20]

31 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

I like your suggestion here in what they could have said but I think they really could have sent a strong message here modifying your last sentence to:

Even though the CBA allows CK to join our preseason activities, all parties have agreed its best he stay away and focus on what he needs to focus on and we look forward to him rejoining us in week #10.   

All parties would have to include Kelly himself I would think, and I would think that Kelly would want to be there for the optics of maintaining innocence. I do not envy the Argos position here, either alienate your franchise QB or come off looking like a heel. I think the former is the morally correct choice from an overall perspective, but from a purely football franchise standpoint they went with the latter. Unfortunate.

[JuranBoldenRules]

1 hour ago, Bigblue204 said:

I just don't understand why the Argos would want Kelly around, in a public setting anyways....talk about distraction. Whoever thought that was a good idea is just dumb. The media attention was already going to be going on and on about Kelly (rightfully so) and they just tee'd up some more juicy headlines. 

Just idiotic 

Also the entire point of the suspension is that he's not suitable to be in the workplace until he receives counselling and shows improvement.

[Bigblue204]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

I think we all need to remember that the Argos are being sued by the victim right now. They are in a real tough spot on this as they likely do not want to admit guilt. Does that make their actions right? Of course not. However, their lawyers are probably driving the bus on this right now.

I have a hard time believing the lawyers would want this kind of attention put on a case that has already had a large amount of public condemnation. There was no good coming from Kelly being around the organization in a public manner.

[bigg jay]

1 minute ago, Bigblue204 said:

I have a hard time believing the lawyers would want this kind of attention put on a case that has already had a large amount of public condemnation. There was no good coming from Kelly being around the organization in a public manner.

I'm sure the lawyers weren't thrilled with Pinball's media scrum yesterday either.  He was asked what he would do differently if he could and he said he would have asked a lot more questions earlier on when they were made aware.  So, to me, that sounds like they knew but didn't take it seriously enough. They blew if off & now they have a lawsuit on their hands.

[Booch]

https://3downnation.com/2024/05/10/the-cfls-15-highest-paid-offensive-linemen-for-the-2024-season/

Riders with 20% share of top paid Lineman in league 2of which played on a crap line lastyr, and Hardrick on serious deline...good value there hahaha

 

[wbbfan]

38 minutes ago, Booch said:

https://3downnation.com/2024/05/10/the-cfls-15-highest-paid-offensive-linemen-for-the-2024-season/

Riders with 20% share of top paid Lineman in league 2of which played on a crap line lastyr, and Hardrick on serious deline...good value there hahaha

 

3 of the top 15 lol, for maybe the worst ol. Just insane. 
 In general a lot of the top list are over paid. A lot of guys getting paid on the fact they used to be good. 

[Booch]

Just now, wbbfan said:

3 of the top 15 lol, for maybe the worst ol. Just insane. 
 In general a lot of the top list are over paid. A lot of guys getting paid on the fact they used to be good. 

yeah....some of the higer paid guys is almost laughable for sure.....We getting damn good value for Big Stan and Neuf....and with a rookie deal for a new Tackle most likely..Eli not in top 15 and Dobson still on entry deal...we doing good for likely again the best line in the league....But the Rider money paid for crap is funny...And you would assume Blake is in top 20....and last yr they paid Johnson over 100k as well

[GCn20]

48 minutes ago, Booch said:

https://3downnation.com/2024/05/10/the-cfls-15-highest-paid-offensive-linemen-for-the-2024-season/

Riders with 20% share of top paid Lineman in league 2of which played on a crap line lastyr, and Hardrick on serious deline...good value there hahaha

 

I just can't see them getting full value on Hardrick's contract at this point of his career even if he will bring huge locker room upside.

7 minutes ago, Booch said:

yeah....some of the higer paid guys is almost laughable for sure.....We getting damn good value for Big Stan and Neuf....and with a rookie deal for a new Tackle most likely..Eli not in top 15 and Dobson still on entry deal...we doing good for likely again the best line in the league....But the Rider money paid for crap is funny...And you would assume Blake is in top 20....and last yr they paid Johnson over 100k as well

How in god's green earth is Logan Ferland worth 194k? That one blew me away. That guy is a pylon...actually that is an insult to pylons.

[Fatty Liver]

1 minute ago, GCn20 said:

I just can't see them getting full value on Hardrick's contract at this point of his career even if he will bring huge locker room upside.

From recent interviews I think Yoshi is well aware he'll be in the spotlight for making the move to Sask. and the bump in salary he received, he seems very concerned about disappointing anyone.  You can bet he's well prepared to put his best foot forward and will probably show up to camp in better shape than in years past.

[wbbfan]

5 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

From recent interviews I think Yoshi is well aware he'll be in the spotlight for making the move to Sask. and the bump in salary he received, he seems very concerned about disappointing anyone.  You can bet he's well prepared to put his best foot forward and will probably show up to camp in better shape than in years past.

I'd take a bet on the shape yoshi shows up in, I'm sure he will give his max effort and work hard. But no way is he back dieting, working out on the field and in the weight room like he would need to. That's what he really needs to do. Lose a bunch of weight again, and gain enough strength so that he isn't suffering from the loss. He lists as 320, but he's clearly pushing north of 340 again. To get back enough quickness and increase longevity he probably needs to be staying at as close to 300 as possible. Realistically though, he needs to slide inside to guard. 

[Booch]

3 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

I'd take a bet on the shape yoshi shows up in, I'm sure he will give his max effort and work hard. But no way is he back dieting, working out on the field and in the weight room like he would need to. That's what he really needs to do. Lose a bunch of weight again, and gain enough strength so that he isn't suffering from the loss. He lists as 320, but he's clearly pushing north of 340 again. To get back enough quickness and increase longevity he probably needs to be staying at as close to 300 as possible. Realistically though, he needs to slide inside to guard. 

He's definately north of 340...and has gotten bigger the last few yrs in succesion, and his play and durability has shown from it

Last yr when I was next to him....he dwarfed me in mass....I'm 245 pounds...and not a fat 245....at just over 6 feet tall....no way in hell he is only 80 pounds more than me...not buying that one bit when he half a foot taller to boot

[wbbfan]

25 minutes ago, Booch said:

He's definately north of 340...and has gotten bigger the last few yrs in succesion, and his play and durability has shown from it

Last yr when I was next to him....he dwarfed me in mass....I'm 245 pounds...and not a fat 245....at just over 6 feet tall....no way in hell he is only 80 pounds more than me...not buying that one bit when he half a foot taller to boot

Yeeep. Bryant is the body type to aim for in terms of athletic ol longevity. The fact yoshi has been listing about the same weight and one inch shorter is hilarious. Bryant could well be under his listed weight but yoshi looks an easy 40lbs heavier side by side in game. 
 

A lot has been made (rightfully so) about milts commitment to his body and high level of physical preparation. Stanley Bryant has done the same at a much harder size and position. 

[ShyGuy]

Looks like someone leaked the executive summary that was provided to the Argos/CFL.

Surprised the by-line here is Naylor and not Westhead tbh

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/dave-naylor-independent-investigation-corroborates-three-of-six-allegations-against-chad-kelly-1.2118960

[bigg jay]

I wonder if some people are still going to cling to the he said/she said bullshit...

 

Quote

Among the evidence supporting the finding of sexual harassment are copies of text messages from Kelly to the former coach in September of 2023, including one in which Kelly invites her to his hotel room in Hamilton, one in which Kelly asks her over to his place, and another in which she tells another Argos employee of the persistent invitations from Kelly.