Today we just learned in BC the the Miami Dolphins just signed Our Kick off returner Ryan Grice Mullin, he did not have a great start to the season but he was coming on at the end of the year, looking like Ian smart was a couple of years ago. It is just not our team the BC Lions, but the rest of the CFL is starting to lose good potential marquee players to the NFL, all because of their very stupid deal they did with the NFL when the cfl was in trouble, i remember when Mervin Fernandez and Dieter Brook both were looked at by the NFL and were offered huge money, but they could not leave until they were free agents, know it seems like they can take who ever they want.
If i was the Commissioner i would be coming up with some kind of policy were the NFL can not do this.This is not there Farm League the UFL is, we are in a different country with different rules, and they are stepping on our tows.
Wake up Cohan and smell the coffee, if this keeps up the CFL is not going to be around.
The Bombers lost another player to the NFL today as well. Dudley Guice Jr. joined the team late in the year and only played a few games but it was in the papers today that he signed with the Colts.
As for Grice Mullen, he was a FA so he was fair game for the NFL. They don't have to wait until February to make an offer. Players going into their option years only have a 30 day window (I think it's 30) to sign on with an NFL team.
The Bombers lost another player to the NFL today as well. Dudley Guice Jr. joined the team late in the year and only played a few games but it was in the papers today that he signed with the Colts.
As for Grice Mullen, he was a FA so he was fair game for the NFL. They don't have to wait until February to make an offer. Players going into their option years only have a 30 day window (I think it's 30) to sign on with an NFL team.
ok did not no that. But do you not agree that there has to be a stronger policy?
i understand if the player wants to take a shot at the NFL but at least have him for 3 years.
Its been like that for years. Players have to go where the money is.
There are tons of players that graduate from College and never get a sniff at the NFL. Its up to find those players that fit your respective organizations.
Buono has been finding players for years, so has Shivers when he was in Saskatchewan.
.....i've been saying for years that we need to renegotiate the deal with the nfl...Lack of continuity makes our league look weak....We need players to be here for more than just a 'cup of coffee'....The option years should be looked at and i believe our contrtact with the nfl has expired.....It's time to write a new deal to enhance and secure the future of our league....I don't begrudge a player for maximizing his earned money for his talents...but the short shrift some of these players are giving to our league....especially when most of them wouldn't even get a shot at the nfl if it weren't for us....is frustrating to say the least...Cohon...get a new deal done.. :x
I don't care, it's a football factory in the US and there's so many players left, right and center graduating every year that are excellent but usually just a bit small for the NFL. The challenge is getting them to come up here. And if you put too many restrictions on when they can sign for the big cash a lot won't come up here but stay in shape, sell some cars or pump gas and wait for a local NFL team to call that is injury depleted half way through the season and is looking for bodies.
Continuity of players, sure, but to be honest I dont' care if my team changes the roster completely every year as long as we're competetive.
Also, I don't want something like the MLS where there is no free agency. The CFL should be as open as possible to allow player movement to the NFL IMHO, fact is the CFL will never be able to compete with salaries with the NFL and it looks good on the CFL if a player here and there each year gets a shot at the big dough in the NFL. Most CFL fans are fine or at least used to the fact that roster changes happen a lot and the "NFL only counts" fans don't care about the CFL anyways even if the rosters stayed more consistent year after year.
As I've said many times, I don't really care about the roster changes, I care about the Grey Cup and being the Grey Cup champs and any way my team can help make the chances each year of being the GC champs is fine with me as long as it's under the rules. I don't watch the CFL because the league has the best players on the planet, I watch it because I want to see the challenge of how teams try and become the national champs of Canada.
I think the League should be compensated by the NFL, either annually or as a one time deal, for players leaving. A lump sum of $20 million U.S. to the CFL could be used placed in the reserve fund.
...i think if you're a football player with the game really at heart.... when given the chance..you play the game no matter where...not pump gas....If you are interested in a service attendants job.....stay in the states....Many of the 'gems' ,this league finds, admit themselves....'if it weren't for the CFL i'd be nowhere'...I don't think it's expecting too much to ask a player to spend at least more than a year in the CFL before heading south...Our league is suffering for it...Fans are beginning to look at our 'star' depleted rosters and are scratching their heads....It is a matter for concern..
......maybe you don't care about the roster raiding earl....but i know ALOT of fans that are
There's player turnover anyway. It is important to note that the biggest names aren't going south... Ray, Burris, Durant, Calvillo, Reynolds, Glenn, Cates, Cahoon, etc., etc., etc., are all staying put.
I like the fact that more players are going to the NFL. It blows holes in the argument that "CFL players aren't good enough for the NFL" It means that CFL players are good enough for the NFL, and some are arguably better than players currently on NFL rosters.
The more that players make the move to the NFL, the more attractive the CFL will be to players trying to get into, or back into the NFL.
And you can't hold it against a player for wanting to get a $300,000 raise.
As a relatively new casual CFL fan I have a question regarding the transfer system in this sport. If the league loses a non-free agant player to NFL or some other leagues do they get a transfer fee and if yes, is the amount significant in relation to the contribution he was making to the league? I'd be upset if I lost many, esp. key players for little to nothing. TFC in soccer, for example, lost one of the top players to a Scottish club last year which hurt a little but we got $5 mil for him which is a pretty significant amount and helped paid for the natural grass installation in BMO. So it was a good tradeoff. If CFL was getting this type of fees and making lets say $15 mil a year they could afford to raise the salary cap by $2 mil per team which would go a long way towards keeping more of the key players in this league and improving the level of play.
Ahh I missed this post. I guess that answers my question. And, thats a little dissapointing to lose players and not getting anything in return. In some other sports there are international governing bodies (i.e. FIFA in soccer, FIBA in basketball) who keep the system in check and stop big ‘bullies’ from stealing players from any league/club willy nilly without compensating. I wish there was one for gridiron football too.
Well, I like how that is done in the soccer world for sure. But I think the soccer world operates more in tandem with each other worldwide, not sure. The NFL, IMHO, probably wouldn't be as accomodating since they really don't need any other country in the world to draw players from. 99 percent are Americans with a very small smattering from this country and I suppose the odd kicker from a soccer nation. I wouldn't expect much from the NFL to be honest in terms of cooperation, heck, they let Ralph Wilson do his own thing with the Bills in Toronto thing, I doubt the NFL even made a heads up call to the Argos/CFL on this.
I agree with your post, I think it’s a good thing when players are able to make NFL Rosters. It makes the CFL look better in general and much more attractive to potential players wanting to continue playing aftere college. Although personally I could care less if all imports leave. I would prefer to see this league become more Canadian, starting with Canadian QB’s
I agree too. It's really not a big deal if players leave. Besides, they take a lot of goodwill towards the CFL with them, and that gets passed on to other, younger players who are looking for a shot at professional ball somewhere. That helps the CFL in the long run.
All football teams have turnover every year. It's just the way it is.
There is no formal agreement between the CFL and NFL about signing option year players. Other than honouring the other league's contracts and suspensions...and allowing the NFL to sign CFL players in the option year of their contract.
The CFL receives no compensation from the NFL. The CFL tried to negotiate a transfer fee with the NFL when the original option agreement expired, but the NFL was not interested. So now there is no agreement, but the option year tryouts are still part of player's union contract with the CFL.
That is now up for renegotiation. The league should do away with option year NFL tryouts and go back to the traditional 2-year contracts. Requiring rookie players to commit to playing 2 years in Canada is not a lot to ask for. It didn't seem to hurt Cam Wake's chances in the NFL? Going to a NFL signing window every two years, rather than every year, would reduce media speculation about star players leaving the CFL.
In exchange for the player's giving up option year free-agency, the league could increase the SMS or preferably increase the player's bonuses for playoff wins. Why shouldn't the Grey Cup winning players receive a $25,000 bonus, for instance?
