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