REGINA -- The Calgary Stampeders will soon enter a very interesting negotiation period with Sandro DeAngelis.
Owner Ted Hellard wants to get the red-hot kicker under contract before the NFL comes calling.
"But I am waiting for him to miss a field goal (before starting talks)," Hellard joked after watching DeAngelis put together another perfect game on Saturday in Regina, going six-for-six, including one from 52 yards.
PERFECT 15-FOR-15
Since missing his second field-goal attempt on opening night of the season against the Edmonton Eskimos, DeAngelis is a perfect 15-for-15.
Hellard's joke aside, expect the Stamps to start negotiations in the next week.
"But a lot will depend on what his vision is," continued Hellard. "We certainly aren't going to lose him for a lack of effort."
Considering the impressive resume he's put together in his two CFL seasons - best kicking percentage last year and seemingly unstoppable this year - DeAngelis will likely command almost $100,000, which is almost unheard of for a CFL kicker. The highest-paid punter/kicker in the league earns roughly $130,000.
But NFL aspirations could derail contract talks with the Stamps.
In the option year of his current contract, DeAngelis has the option to go south of the border at the end of the year.
"I'd be lying to you if I said the NFL isn't a goal of mine," said DeAngelis. "Coming from Nebraska and seeing some of my best friends (Josh Brown, Seattle; Kyle Larson, Cincinnati; Sam Koch, Baltimore) doing as well as they are (in the NFL), makes you wonder. But I believe in Ted Hellard and coach Tom Higgins and this organization. So, I hope they feel the same way about me and let's sit down and talk and see what happens."
RIDERS REELING: The Saskatchewan Roughriders have long bragged about having the world's greatest fans, but right now, they're starting to protest against the much-maligned Rider management team led by Roy Shivers.
Even though Henry Burris - public enemy No. 1 in Regina - was in town Saturday night, along with almost every living member of the 1966 Grey Cup champions for a highly publicized reunion, the Rider-Stamp game attracted just 23,942 fans at Mosaic Stadium.
HARDLY A SELLOUT
That's terrible. That marketing combination last year would have produced a sellout crowd of nearly 30,000.
And to make matters worse, the Riders suffered another credibility blow in the community with the front-page news that Kenton Keith is being investigated by police in connection with an incident at a local nightclub.
SHORT HITS: The rumour mill has already started in this city with talk the Riders might sign Donald Brady after their secondary was picked apart by Burris on the weekend ... You have to wonder how much longer Hamilton coach Greg Marshall will wait before activating ex-Eskimos receiver Kwame Cavil. The former 1,000-yard receiver hasn't played a single game this year, but remains with the winless Tabbies ... Is trouble brewing in Vancouver? Wally Buono has clearly lost confidence in RB Antonio Warren, and the rest of the team barely seemed to care they lost to Edmonton on Friday.
