2024/2025 CFL (non-Bomber) Off-Season Thread

[SpeedFlex27]

2 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Every gym teacher I know, also coaches. 

That's why they become gym teachers. they study sports movement & performance called Kinesiology.

[Fatty Liver]

16 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

That's why they become gym teachers. they study sports movement & performance called Kinesiology.

Be honest, most of em can't even spell that word.

[SpeedFlex27]

10 hours ago, Fatty Liver said:

Be honest, most of em can't even spell that word.

Don't take this the wrong way, Tracker. I'm just clarifying a few points that have always bothered me about this, "He can't play so he coaches stuff".

Some of the best coaches that exist coach high school & community sports. My AD at Centennial High School in Calgary when I worked as as an Educational Assistant there was on Canada's Olympic Volleyball Team in 1976. Also playd for a couple of years on Canada's National Volleyball team. He went to the U of Wpg & was Garth Pischke's teammate there & when they represented Canada.

The HC of the senior football team at Centennial was a star linebacker at Acadia. Tore his knee up his senior year which ended his career. He turned the football program around at our high school from a team that couldn't win a game. They had maybe 30 kids at practice on a good day playing in Division 3 ball & there wa sapathy a plenty whn it came to football. 

He transformed his sad sack senior team into one that rose to Div 1 with 65 players wanting to play within 3 years of him taking over. He had an infectious personality & was always positive even when they struggled on the field. His players loved him. Especially on defense as he was also the DC. He also convinced the entire team to get into the weight room for off season workouts where the previous coach had failed. We had a couple of excellent basketball coaches coaching the boys & girls teams who certainly raised the profile of the sport in our school. As well as soccer & rugby, too.

In community football here in Calgary, I've had the pleasure to be on the staff of coaches who were great players in their day. One in particular is a City of Calgary Police Officer who is retiring at the end of June but is still coaching into his late 60's. He won 2 Vanier Cups back to back in 1984 & 85, I believe with the U of C Dinos. From everything I heard about him, he was a tiger on the field & loved to crash & bang. He's been coaching football since the late 1990's.

One of Tyler's teammates back in high school is now the HC of the University of Regina. Another friend of his who was a qb for another HS team in Calgary is now the OC at the University of Saskatchewan. A former bantam teammate is also DC at the U of C. There others I just can't remember.

My response to the, "If you can't play then coach" BS is the people who say that are people who can't play OR coach. They'd have a hard time even managing a pee wee team. None of these guys should be made to feel like they're somehow faiures because they coach. It's just a natural progression for all of them. 

Edited yesterday at 10:45 AM by SpeedFlex27

[Mark H.]

Thanks @SpeedFlex27. It's better coming from you.

[Fatty Liver]

NFL Canada awards youth football programs $75,000 through inaugural Forward Pass contribution

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/25/nfl-canada-awards-youth-football-programs-75000-through-inaugural-program/

Notta lotta money, can't see why the CFL can't do things like this.  $75k split 3 ways, one of the teams that received a $25k donation was the North Winnipeg Nomads Football Club.

[bluto]

Here is CFL.ca 's Way-Too-Early Power Rankings:

https://www.cfl.ca/2025/02/24/the-way-too-early-amsoil-power-rankings-are-here/

 

And here is CFL.ca 's critique of its own Way-Too-Early Power Rankings:

https://www.cfl.ca/2025/02/25/everything-wrong-with-the-way-too-early-amsoil-power-rankings/

 

 

[rebusrankin]

I'll add on to @SpeedFlex27 post. Many gym teachers are former USPORTS athletes, former jr hockey players etc. 

[bryan35]

10 hours ago, Fatty Liver said:

NFL Canada awards youth football programs $75,000 through inaugural Forward Pass contribution

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/25/nfl-canada-awards-youth-football-programs-75000-through-inaugural-program/

Notta lotta money, can't see why the CFL can't do things like this.  $75k split 3 ways, one of the teams that received a $25k donation was the North Winnipeg Nomads Football Club.

I believe the Bombers help out minor football. Some of the money is the proceeds of the 50/50 sales.

 

https://www.bluebombers.com/2023/08/22/blue-bombers-announce-donation-of-525-new-football-helmets/

 

 

Edited 21 hours ago by bryan35

[Bigblue204]

2 minutes ago, bryan35 said:

I believe the Bombers help out minor football. Some of the money is the proceeds of the 50/50 sales.

They absolutely do. My boy is currently taking part in a free blue bomber camp that started in November and runs to the end of march. Players also go out to practices throughout the year. Bombers have replaced old equipment for organizations etc etc etc. So they definitely do their part. Saying that. It's the Bombers doing it. Not the CFL....which is what I think Fatty livers point was.

[HardCoreBlue]

2 hours ago, bluto said:

Here is CFL.ca 's Way-Too-Early Power Rankings:

https://www.cfl.ca/2025/02/24/the-way-too-early-amsoil-power-rankings-are-here/

 

And here is CFL.ca 's critique of its own Way-Too-Early Power Rankings:

https://www.cfl.ca/2025/02/25/everything-wrong-with-the-way-too-early-amsoil-power-rankings/

 

 

These Power Rankings just in: Argos suck.

[Booch]

27 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

These Power Rankings just in: Argos suck.

the fact whoever penned that drivel made not of Cobb as being an intruiging guy brought in and had to make note of it...tells you all you need to know on how they perceive talent and impact

[17to85]

29 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

These Power Rankings just in: Argos suck.

As it is, as it was, as it ever shall be. 

Amen.

[SpeedFlex27]

8 hours ago, Bigblue204 said:

They absolutely do. My boy is currently taking part in a free blue bomber camp that started in November and runs to the end of march. Players also go out to practices throughout the year. Bombers have replaced old equipment for organizations etc etc etc. So they definitely do their part. Saying that. It's the Bombers doing it. Not the CFL....which is what I think Fatty livers point was.

Four or 5 years ago, a community football team lost all of it's equipment worth over a hundred thousand dollars when it was stolen. For spring league (15-18 yrs of age), bantam 13-14), Pee Wee (11 &12) & atoms (8-10). Helmets, shoulder pads, soft pads, bags, etc... Thieves broke into the shack where the equipment was stored outside of a community club & cleaned everything out. The organization had to take most of the blame as they didn't have anything insured (which I find unbelievable). I never heard one story about the Stamps stepping up & donating equipment & money to help the team get back on its feet. The club folded which affected over 120 kids as they had to play elsewhere. No doubt some kids quit. That's the way Murray Edwards runs the Stamps.

Meanwhile, former Stamps owners Ted Hellard & John Forzani helped fund Shouldice Park in NW Calgary when they owned the team. They helped pay for three artificial turf fields with stands & locker room facilities. Their financial contribution helped get the $10-15 million facility over the top as fund raising for that facility took years.

Edited 13 hours ago by SpeedFlex27