Is Ottawa coming Back in 07?

Well, when they had the TV Town Hall meeting in late March, Jenkins announced that as a plan. League lawyers stepped in and put the kibosh on that.

IMO, that was a bad sugegstion amidst all the talk over whether team was folding. Smackied too much of the over-used “Save Our [insert the team name]” telethon.

And don’t underestimate fact that people here were wondering why the League would step in and “save” both Argos and Cats in 03 but do nothing for Gades.

Yes, I know that TO is important as media centre, country’s largest city etc etc.

But what made Hamilton more deserving than Ottawa? Their crowds were worse than Gades, they had hit rock bottom in terms of attendance, fan or corporate support. Their ownership group was on finncial abyss for years.

Ottawa’s a bigger city, has just as long a storied CFL history, has a better stadium etc.

I couldn't agree with you more, Sobrien.

I also agree how the league should have carried the team this year, despite the red ink.
Having said that, the Hamilton and Argos situation is much different as per your media status.
Even more so, when you see how after the league became involved both local and very good current owners were found. Same could not hold true for local and much needed Ottawa ownership
during the two Gleiberguys fiasco circus. Hell, even when they bailed a few months ago, TW went on record to say the league would have carried the team if a local owner came forward with intention to take over in 07.

It's just a loss for everyone, the fans, the players, the city, the league etc.
Except for those who live in Ottawa and don't like a football stadium in their backyard, they are the winners out of all of this.

So why did the CFL carry Hamilton and Toronto and not Ottawa ? They could have done the same for Ottawa, but there seems to be a double standard. And I would like to add, that Ottawa was not in debt. When they folded, all bills were paid. No help from the league.

Circumstances were different I suppose but regardless, the CFL should have carried Ottawa IMO.

Cats and Argos had franchises revoked in July so I suppose League had no choice. They couldn't have "suspended operations" after season starts.

And of course, while both C&S and Young were announced at end of seaosn, have no idea when they became seriosuly interested.

Wouldn't put too much into Young being "local." He had moved to US and made his fortune there about 20-odd years ago.

By tome Bernie officially bailed it was early April. League felt that they were settign themselves up for a whole lot of hurt if they decided to carry team --- esp if things went sour. That would hurt financially and from PR view.

No viable owner was going to jump in at that time for 06. There simply wasn't the time. Besides he'd be saddled with a front office and coaching staff that was not of his choosing.

Not a chance in hell that Ottawa will be back in 2007 - or any time soon after that.

CFL in Ottawa is DEAD - two franchises folding in the space of less than 10 years.

Main thing is, not enough people in Ottawa care.

CFL should look elsewhere, or stick with 8 teams.

Tell that to the Minnesota Wild fans, how about the Seattle Mariners just to name a couple.

Let me add one, The Montreal Alouettes. They were gone from 1986 to 1994, and now are stronger than ever. :wink:

Als were gone for 1987-95 seasons inc. Had it not been for Wetenhall, their return in '96 would have resulted in team folding a second time.

Yeah, Ottawa should look to Montreal, who has set a good example.

The problem with the last owners in Ottawa, as Wetenhall and other owners have stated, is that they weren't willing to learn from the rest of the league. The Gliebs never went to Toronto, Hamilton, or Montreal to find out how to put a struggling franchise back on its feet. The next owners of the Renegades MUST take notes from the other owners or it will be another two-and-out situation in the nation's capital.

Yeah, Lonie didn't do himself any favours over that one.

But they owned two teams before and they thought they knew what they were doind and could learn from mistakes.

Yeah --- we know how well that went over.

Howard Sokolowski, co-owner of the Argos, says in today's Toronto Star that it seems that there are serious offers on the table and things are looking good for 2007:

"Meanwhile, Sokolowski, a member of a committee seeking new owners for the Ottawa franchise, said it has received serious inquiries.

"It's way too early to talk about anybody specific, but I can tell you we've had several sophisticated first looks and we're hopeful we'll have a team in the nation's capital in 2007," Sokolowski said."

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Yes I read that and appears to look good for a return in 07.

They returned in '96 when the Baltimore francise was moved there.

Yes, but I could have been clearer. I meant that the 96 season would have been the last had it not been for Wetnhall buying team the following spring.

Even before 96 season was over, the club was in deep financial problems and the two Baltimore money men didn't want to keep funding them. Wetenhall first expressed interest in team in Oct before actually buying them in spring of 97.

It appears from todays CFL.ca news quoting one of the Calgary owners, Hellard that things are moving forward to a return of football in Ottawa next year. With three serious groups in the running and the price has dropped to 3.5 mil for the franchise and 3.5 mil to be put up for operating costs.

Mr. Hellard is quoted as saying the team needs to be competative without gutting the other teams. To me this would mean Canadian players good enough to start but not the top 5 or 6 current starters of each team. I would suggest the league hire the expertise of some retired CFL GM's, coaches, personal directors etc. to evaluate the current rosters to try and come up with a fair list for all involved of the players made available. It can't be left up to the current GM's and coaches as most of them would cheat their own grandmothers over football players, which is understandable as their jobs depend on their performance.

With that in mind I'll give my picks of the calibre of players that might fall into "fair" category. Players such as QB Kerry Joseph of Sask. and OC Kahn of Winnipeg would have to stay with their current teams as they would leave to big a hole.

First picks of Candian players:

OT Luke Fritz - Montreal
SB David Azzi - Toronto
OG Val St. Germain - Winnipeg
S Scott Gordon - Hamilton
FB Cory Hathaway - Saskatchewan
OC Godfrey Ellis - Calgary
WR Pat Woodcock - Edmonton
OG Sherko Haji-Rasouli - B.C.

Second group of Canadians (lower end of rosters):

WR Shawn Diner - Montreal
RB John Williams - Toronto
DL Adam Baird - Winnipeg
SB Ian Fleming - Hamilton
S Donny Ruiz - Saskatchewan
FB Gilles Lezi - Calgary
OG Rhett McLane - Edmonton
DL Matt Kirk - B.C.

This would give Ottawa 16 Canadian players with CFL expierence as well as some from the 2005 Ottawa team. Players that are FA's this winter could change this list unless the league moved the FA signing date or held the draft after Feb 15. Add a few free agents to this list and some Canadian's in College and University (No. 1 OG Kyle Koch - McMaster would be my pick)and Ottawa would have a good start.

Eight Imports should be drafted as well.
Here's my picks:

QB Nealon Greene - Montreal (can still play IMO)
OT Jerome Davis - Toronto (they need 1 import on the OL)
QB Brad Banks - Winnipeg (QB of the future)
RB Josh Ranek - Hamilton (fan favourite)
WR Jason Armstead - Sask (to make up for Joseph not coming back)
CB Crance Clemons - Calgary (former Ren)
LB Quincy Stewart - Edmonton
S Kory Banks - B.C. (another former Ren)
I don't know if they would pick another eight imports from the teams practice rosters or just go with free agents. It would be six of one half a dozen of the other as there is a lot of good players out there waiting for a chance. But CFL expierence gives them a leg up.

Plus an undisclosed number off the other teams neg. list (2-3?)

Tom Wright as President
Eric Tillman as GM
Greg Marshall (the other one) as Coach and the Renegades are back in business.

I wish it was as simple as it sounds...lets hope it happens. Go Rens Go in 2007.

DoubleBlue I like your management group, being instant credibility and of course, this is crucial.