2009 CFL Media Poll

Around the end of each season all of the writers and broadcasters who regularly cover the CFL are polled on their thoughts and experiences. Here are this year's results:

  1. Mr. Over-rated: which CFL player gets way more hype/pub than deserved?
    Rob Murphy, Tor. — 13.3 per cent
    Arland Bruce III, Ham.; Adriano Belli, Tor. — 8.8
    Michael Bishop, Wpg.; Jesse Lumsden, Edm. — 6.7
    Maurice Lloyd, Edm.; Brandon Browner, Cal.; Nik Lewis, Cal.; Ben Cahoon, Mtl.; Ricky Ray, Edm — 4.4

  2. Mr. Under-rated: which CFL player deserves a little more publicity?
    Avon Cobourne, Mtl. — 11.1 per cent
    Joffrey Reynolds, Cal.; Rob Bagg, Sask. — 8.8
    Darian Durant, Sask. — 6.7
    Dave Stala, Ham.; Markeith Knowlton, Ham.; Arkee Whitlock, Edm.; Jamel Richardson, Mtl., Fred Stamps, Edm. — 4.4

  3. League’s biggest jerk
    Mike Kelly, head coach, Wpg. — 56.1 per cent
    Adriano Belli, Tor. — 7.3
    Barrin Simpson, Wpg.; Nik Lewis, Cal. — 4.9

  4. Nice Guy Award:
    Geroy Simon, B.C.; Brent Johnson, B.C.; Henry Burris, Cal. — 7 per cent
    Marwan Hage, OL, Ham.; Doug Brown, Wpg.; Adriano Belli, Tor.; Anthony Calvillo, Mtl., Bryan Chiu, Mtl. — 4.7

  5. Oops! Award: Worst personnel move by any CFL coach/GM this season.
    Bombers trading for/committing to Stefan LeFors — 29.8 per cent
    Argos trading Arland Bruce III — 27.7
    Bombers passing on Casey Printers; Bombers cutting Kevin Glenn — 8.5
    Esks firing Rick Worman; Esks signing Lumsden; Bombers pursuit of PacMan Jones; Bombers hiring Mike Kelly — 4.3

  6. Ready for prime time: Which CFL assistant is ready to be bumped up to head coach?
    Greg Marshall, defensive co-ordinator, Ham. — 45.5 per cent
    Mike Benevides, defensive co-ordinator, B.C. — 25
    Chris Jones, defensive co-ordinator, Cal. — 11.4
    Scott Milanovich, offensive co-ordinator, Mtl. — 9.1
    Paul LaPolice, offensive co-ordinator, Sask. — 4.5

  7. Say what?!: Worst quote, player.
    Romby Bryant, Cal. — 27.7 per cent
    Ricky Ray, Edm. — 11.1
    Michael Bishop, Wpg. — 8.3
    Brandon Browner, Cal.; DeAndra’ Cobb, Ham.; James Patrick, Sask. — 5.6

  8. Worst quote, GM/coach
    John Hufnagel, Cal. — 29.3 per cent
    Ken Miller, Sask. — 21.9
    Marc Trestman, Mtl. — 19.5
    Bart Andrus, Tor. — 9.8
    Mike Kelly, Wpg. — 7.3

  9. Best quote, player
    Doug Brown, Wpg. — 29.3 per cent
    Henry Burris, Cal. — 11.6
    Jeremaine Copeland, Cal. — 6.5
    Anwar Stewart, Mtl.; Arland Bruce, Ham.; Nik Lewis, Cal; Avon Cobourne, Mtl.; Otis Floyd, Ham.; Mo Lloyd, Edm. — 4.7

  10. Best quote, GM/coach
    Mike Kelly, Wpg. — 65.9 per cent
    Wally Buono, B.C. — 19.5
    Marcel Bellefeuille, Ham. — 7.3

  11. Next Stefan Logan/Cam Wake: name a player who may be the next to make it big in the NFL.
    Martel Mallett, B.C. — 20 per cent
    Justin Medlock, Tor., Emmanuel Arceneaux, B.C. — 12.5
    Jovon Johnson, Wpg.; Calvin Armstrong, Edm.; John Chick, Sask.; Ricky Foley, Sask. — 5

  12. Finish the following sentence: “Winnipeg Blue Bomber head coach Mike Kelly is . . .?

• Lost in the cloud of his over-inflated ego
• Lucky to be getting another year in Winnipeg
• An endless source of personal amusement
• thin-skinned
• Candid
• Over his head
• genius in only his own mind.
• Misunderstood
• Different. And soon to be unemployed!!
• Hilarious
• A smug disaster
• Is standing in the way of his own success. He’s his own worst enemy.
• Ferociously defensive regarding his players and wonderful to talk to.
• In desperate need of media training.
• Refreshing. I’d rather deal with him than a spouter of cliches.
• A live wire who needs a PR guy.
• An embarrassment to the CFL
• The single-best thing to happen to football reporters since God invented the buffet and happy hour.
• A mental midget
• A great guy if you’re visiting media.
• A narcissistic fool
• A breath of wind, oops, I mean air, a tireless self-promoter, always helpful to those fuzzy on the details of his powerful resume, a prolific sideline spitter, unshakably committed to the glory of Mike Kelly, yet curiously humble (You never see him wearing any of his Grey Cup rings, do you?).
• Ruining the Bombers
• A different cat
• Still employed . . . for now
• Next coach to be paid not to coach
• Is like a box of chocolates
• Too worried about things he can’t control.
• A national treasure.
• A jerk.
• A great quote, because he doesn’t think before speaking. God love him!
• In need of some PR skills, but please, oh, please, don’t ever find a mute button.
• A work in regress.
• The most-entertaining personality in the league and I would love to have a beer with him.
• In dire need of a pause button, mirrors, manners and a one-way ticket.
• A man whose sense of humour is lost on many.
• The CFL’s Sarah Palin. He’s gone rogue.
• Good for media, bad for Bombers.
• A beat writers dream.
• Unstable.
• In over his head.

  1. Best CFL on-air personality, Radio or TV
    Chris Cuthbert, TSN — 31.1 per cent
    Bob Irving, CJOB-Winnipeg — 26.7
    Duane Forde, Jock Climie, Chris Schultz, TSN — 6.7
    Rod Pedersen, CKRM-Regina, Glen Suitor, TSN — 4.4

  2. You’re Jeff Hunt, co-owner of the pending Ottawa franchise; who is your first GM?
    Brendan Taman, Sask. — 29.3 per cent
    Eric Tillman, Sask. — 12.2
    Wally Buono, B.C. — 9.8
    Jim Barker, Cal. — 7.3

  3. Your first move as the Toronto Argonauts president would be:
    Clean house — 31.7 per cent
    Fire Adam Rita and Greg Mohns — 24.4
    Fire Bart Andrus — 14.6

—-

The Lightning Round

Mark Cohon’s rating as CFL commissioner to date, thumbs up or down:
Up — 95 per cent
Down — 5

Will the CFL see a work stoppage in 2010, yes or no?
No — 95.5 per cent
Yes — 4.5

Best CFL road trip
Montreal — 52.4 per cent
Vancouver — 33.3
Calgary, Toronto — 4.8

Worst CFL road trip
Hamilton — 60.9 per cent
Regina, Winnipeg — 14.6
Edmonton — 7.3

Name the CFL’s most-professional organization, top to bottom
Montreal — 43.2 per cent
Calgary, Edmonton — 22.7
Saskatchewan — 6.8

Name the CFL’s least-professional organization, top to bottom
Toronto — 52.4 per cent
Winnipeg — 45.2

Should CFL teams be allowed to start fewer Canadians, yes or no?
No — 97.7 percent
Yes — 2.3

Officiating this year:
Improved — 18.2 per cent
Stayed the same — 54.5
Took a step backwards — 27.3

Do you scan your team’s fan chat-boards?
Always — 22.2 per cent
Never — 33.3
Occasionally — 44.4

Another slap in the face for Hamilton worst road trip. I know some teams stay in a hotel on Upper James don't want to stay downtown :thdn: :roll: even worst than Regina

Ya, Bruce is way overrated even with having 1200+ receiving yards and 10 TD's despite missing 3 games and adapting to a brand new team and brand new scheme's on the fly :roll:
idiots. Had Bruce been here since TC he could've had like 1400-1500 receiving yards and 12+ TD's.

I said the exact thing… stupidity.

That’s only because it’s right across the street from “Hooters” :lol:

Joking aside, yes, The Marriot on Upper James is quickly becoming one of the best places in Hamilton to stay.

Interesting article.
Seems odd Belli is in for biggest jerk and nice guy awards?

Like most other statements, just opinions, not facts. X says something that Y finds outrageous and ridiculous, Z finds it " a breath of fresh air", "thinking outside the box", etc.

 Mildly interesting (MO), but wait for the misquotes, etc. later; they will be even better.

Some of the Mike Kelly descriptions were pretty funny.

Bruce was awesome this yr. Next season with him will only be better!

8)

Worst CFL road trip
Hamilton — 60.9 per cent
Regina, Winnipeg — 14.6
Edmonton — 7.3

What exactly does this mean? That they hate coming to Hamilton? Would this be because of the stadium, the fans, the steel mills or what? Maybe a lack of tourism or possibly the demographics? This actually bugs me about how overwhelming the percentage is showing.

Probably how we heckle the snot out of their fans and their teams.However, we are very friendly after the game, except to the Argho’s and their fans :lol:

It bugs me too, and the margin by which Hamilton “wins” is saddening. I’m not surprised to see them get the worst rating, though. Hamilton is the only city to host a CFL team that is not located in either a capital city or the financial centre of the province (or both, like Toronto). Both government and finance bring money to those cities for obvious reasons. More money means that the cities will feature more of the sorts of things that make visiting those places more appealing.

No hotels easily accessible to the stadium. You need a car to get anywhere as a visitor. Really Hamilton is a terrible city to plan a visit. Stay out at Centennial & the QEW and there are no restaurants within walking distance. Downtown has lots of restaurants but you really need help to find the good ones. The Mountain may as well be a different city. I’ve been to Winnipeg. Its light years better to stay somewhere with shopping restaurants and public transit or a very small cab fare to the stadium. Edmonton is actually like Hamilton. There’s nothing near the stadium and the downtown core is a mess

Hamilton is the worst road trip because of the downtown there is know where for the media or the teams to go and shop and eat . I wish the city council would just fix it and stop talking about it

With who’s tax money? :cowboy: