I know we have talked this issue to death, but the latest as per the well known and respected Globe writer David Naylor is how this committee has been formed. INterestingly involving Calgary's owner Ted Hellard, Argos Howard S. and Bob Young of the Ticats and TW.
I see one of the issues is what if anything will be charged for an expansion fee.
Here is the article.
INSIDE THE CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DAVID NAYLOR
In his 12 seasons in the Canadian Football League, Hamilton Tiger-Cats receiver Terry Vaughn has always been able to make yards after catches, turning seemingly harmless plays into large gains.
That ability, combined with avoiding serious injury, is why the 34-year-old remains one of the league's premier receivers.
Vaughn, who passed Darren Flutie last week as the league's career leader in receptions (973), attributes his success in the CFL largely to his background as a running back in high school and during the early part of his college career at the University of Arizona.
"I came out of high school as a highly touted running back, but I learned to be a receiver," Vaughn said. "But to this day, I'm still a running back in my mind.
"It's very difficult for me to slide or get down or get out of bounds. I try, but I just can't do it because I played running back, even when it's better for my health."
At 5 foot 8 and 175 pounds, Vaughn has never been the biggest target on the field. But his unique ability to sense what's going on around him after a catch allows him to use his blockers and avoid oncoming tacklers.
For a player who does so much running in open field, he's rarely met with the kind of punishing tackles that often lead to injuries.
"I have the vision of a running back, and so my seeing the field that way translates well into being a good receiver, knowing where people are, when I'm going to get hit," he said.
"I don't really get hit that much, because my vision and my awareness help me with that."
While the Ticats' off-season improvements to offence have yet to yield much fruit, Vaughn has been the lone bright spot among the newcomers.
He enters tonight's game against the Montreal Alouettes with 27 catches for 295 yards and is coming off last week's 10-catch performance in a win over the Calgary Stampeders.
Diedrick on
the market
The failure of tailback Dahrran Diedrick to get much of a chance with the Edmonton Eskimos has raised more questions about the willingness of teams to use Canadians as primary ball carriers.
Diedrick, 27, a Toronto native who started at the University of Nebraska, was let go this week by Edmonton, less than a year after signing with the club after three years on the fringes of the National Football League.
In Edmonton, he carried the ball only 10 times for 31 yards while playing behind American Troy Davis.
While Diedrick isn't the first Canadian to complain he didn't get a fair shot in a CFL backfield, he stands out because he played college football at a level comparable to that of other American backs.
Most Canadian backs, coming from the domestic university system or smaller U.S. colleges, lack the combination of size and speed to hold down the starting position full-time. Diedrick would seem to have that mix.
In fact, he might have the best university pedigree of Canadian backs in the CFL.
Other notable Canadian backs who played at major U.S. schools, such as Reuben Mayes (Washington State University), Tim Biakabutuka (University of Michigan), Kerry Carter (Stanford University) and Morgan Kane (Wake Forest University) never played in the CFL.
Part of the problem may have been his fit with the Eskimos' offence, which relies on a two-back system that includes a Canadian fullback.
In those situations, unless a quality Canadian is available as backup, teams are hesitant to start a Canadian at tailback.
"He's a talented guy who is big and strong and some time he'll get into the right situation and he'll have to take advantage of it," said Calgary general manager Jim Barker, one of several suitors for Diedrick.
Barker believes the Stamps, who play a one-back set, with two running backs on the roster, are a good fit for Diedrick.
He could sub for American Joffrey Reynolds.
"If you never find the right team and coaches who can identify what you do best, then you'll meander your whole career and become a journeyman," Barker said. "It's difficult for guys to get into the perfect situation."
No imports
in stripes
The CFL's director of officiating, George Black, held a telephone conference call early this week to discuss the league's state of officiating and its initial use of video replay.
Black defended the officials' work and restated the league's commitment to improve its officiating.
But general managers believe the best way to do that would be to open up employment to Americans who might be better qualified than some of the CFL's newer officials coming in from the Canadian university and junior levels.
The CFL employs American players, coaches and club executives. Yet since its U.S. expansion teams of the mid-1990s folded, it hasn't hired new officials from the United States.
"Officials can't get adequately trained here," one CFL club official said. "With the speed of the game in [Canadian university] and junior football, you can't prepare yourself for the CFL. You just can't. And the more qualified guys you have, the better your game is."
CFL general managers also believe that having access to a U.S. pool of officials would make it easier to replace those deemed to be below standard.
Ottawa begins
expansion process
The CFL has formed a committee as its first step toward returning a team to Ottawa next season.
The committee includes Toronto Argonauts co-owner Howard Sokolowski, Tiger-Cats owner Bob Young, CFL commissioner Tom Wright and Stampeders president Ted Hellard, who will serve as the chairman.
"Returning a team to the nation's capital remains our highest priority," Wright said.
"Our committee is working hard to return our great game to Ottawa and will do so once the right owner or owners are secured."
In April, the league suspended operation of the Ottawa Renegades franchise after just four seasons.
One of the most contentious issues for the committee is what -- if any -- franchise fee would be asked of prospective owners.
There is already considerable disagreement among CFL governors over this issue.
240
Rushing yards for Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Kerry Joseph, pictured above left, fourth best in the Canadian Football League.
0
Number of punt and kickoff returns for touchdowns in the CFL this season as the league switched to stricter enforcement of illegal blocks.
13
Number of second-half points scored by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week, one short of their total through their first four games.
14
League-leading number of sacks for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers'
revamped defence this season.
You are allowed to compliment them, so let's just say that was textbook professional football refereeing and I'm just thrilled to be a part of it.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive lineman Doug Brown on the officials' performance in last week's loss to the Montreal Alouettes.
Should we be 5-0 right now? We'd like to think so, but we're not.
B.C. Lions safety Barron Miles on his 2-3 team.
I've been trying to remind the other guys. I told them,
'Man, we used to get five, six, seven or even eight sacks a game.' We want to try and get back in that situation.
Edmonton Eskimos defensive lineman Joe Montford on his team's four sacks this season.