Riders post neg. list.

CFL Talk
#1

As there was some controversy over the release of this information to the unwashed, I thought I would see if anyone outside the Rider nation cares.
Should ET have released the info in the first place, and should the Leader-post have printed it?

[url=http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=5b1c6ac3-71ff-43e9-8c69-092ee262c504]http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/ ... 2ee262c504[/url]

Tillman posts negotiation list
Darrell Davis, The Leader-Post
Published: Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Trying to provide online fans with extra information about his CFL team, general manager Eric Tillman recently posted the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ confidential 35-player negotiation list on Riderville.com.

"(Revealing players on a negotiation list) has been done at the discretion of the teams,’’ said Tillman. "Each club handles it differently.

"I did put our list on Riderville.com as a perk for our subscribers. But out of respect for the people in our league, I won’t do that anymore.’’

After a paid subscriber sent the list to the Leader-Post, Tillman was contacted during a scouting trip through the southern U.S. and asked if he would rate some of the top prospects.

With the possibility that he could be reprimanded by the CFL, Tillman requested that for the sake of accuracy and diplomacy, one player be removed from the list because he had been released and signed by another CFL team. He also agreed to discuss the potential of some players named by the Leader-Post.

Each CFL team has exclusive negotiating rights to the players on their list. Most of the players are future prospects, some coming from U.S. colleges and others who have spent time with pro teams in NFL Europe, Arena league and NFL teams. The majority of the players are imports, although there are sometimes unsigned, undrafted, non-imports who appear on neg lists.

The eight teams regularly make changes to their negotiation lists, such as when a player is signed or looks like he won’t be playing in the CFL.

"Our list is structured toward the future,’’ Tillman said. "The vast majority of this year’s work is done, so the rest of the list is looking ahead to midway through 2007 or 2008.

"I wouldn’t expect any more than four or five of the players on this list to be at training camp.’’

Tillman was asked specifically about these players:

Quarterback D.J. Shockley (Georgia) – "He’s a seed (former general manager) Roy Shivers planted on our list a long time ago. He’s with the (NFL’s Atlanta) Falcons and could play in the NFL, or he could be in the CFL in three or four years. Because of the huge demand for quarterbacks throughout football, it requires a lot of patience to see if he works out.’’

Running back Jamal Robertson (Ohio Northern) – "Played in Calgary and has been with four NFL teams. When he first came up here there was a buzz among the coaching fraternity that he was really going to be a player.’’

Linebacker Sam Olajubutu (Arkansas) – "A character guy who has great instincts. He’s a tackling machine. He can cover running backs and make plays all over the field. At 5-(foot)-8, 230 (pounds) he’s undersized for the NFL, but he plays like (long-time NFL linebacker) Sam MIlls. In the NFL they say no because of a guy’s size; that’s what happened to Doug Flutie.’’

Punter Thomas Olmstead (Troy State) – "We’re looking at him at this point, but we might not be later. We’re looking at the possibility of having an American kicker and he has tremendous kickoffs. (Veteran) Luca Congi will be our kicker, but we have looked at multiple scenarios that could include an American. With the acquisition of Jamie Boreham from Hamilton, we may have resolved that, but we would still like three kickers at camp.’’

Defensive end Brian Smith (Missouri) – "In the NFL he would be converted to linebacker, which is one of his two challenges. The other is, he’s coming off a broken hip. But he can flat-out rush the passer.’’

Defensive back Dre Dokes (Northern Iowa) – "A highly productive player who, because he’s undersized, also doesn’t fit the NFL’s size parameters.’’

Wide receiver/kick returner Roosevelt Kiser (Florida A&M) – "My guess is he might be a late-round NFL draft pick, but he’s like (fellow neg-list receivers) Vincent Marshall, Gerran Walker and Carl Berman – because they’re very dangerous with a ball in their hands they might end up with NFL teams.’’

WHO’S ON THE RIDERS’ RADAR

Saskatchewan Roughriders’ negotiation list

(Posted online by GM Eric Tillman in mid-March, with his comments)

Mike Alston-LB Toledo…just graduated

Thomas Barnett-T Kansas State…experience in NFL and NFL Europe

Dalton Bell-QB West Texas…just graduated

Carl Berman-WR Indiana State…just graduated

McKinley Boykin-DT Ole Miss…playing in NFL Europe

Larry Brackins-WR Pearl River JC…playing in Arena

Omarr Conner-QB Mississippi State…just graduated

Chase Daniel-QB Missouri…outstanding upcoming junior

Woody Dantzler-QB/RB Clemson…playing in Arena

Dre Dokes-DB Northern Iowa…just graduated

Jimmy Farris-WR Montana…significant NFL experience

Martin Hankins-QB Memphis…upcoming senior

Bobby Harris-T Ole Miss…playing in NFL Europe

Howard Hodges-DE Iowa…playing in Arena

Robert Hubbard-RB Nevada…just graduated

Justin Jenkins-WR Mississippi State…playing in NFL Europe

Roosevelt Kiser-WR/KR Florida A&M…just graduated

Vincent Marshall-WR Houston…just graduated

Adrian McPherson-QB Florida A&M…playing in Arena

Sam Olajubutu-LB Arkansas…just graduated

Thomas Olmstead-P Troy…NFL experience

James Patrick-CB Stillman…just released from Patriots PR

Dominic Payne-DE Western State…playing in Arena

Jerrell Pippens-DB Nebraska…currently with Redskins

Jamal Robertson-RB Ohio Northern…currently with Falcons

Ryne Robinson-WR Miami,Ohio…just graduated

Marcus Rucker-LB Rice…just graduated

DJ Shockley-QB Georgia…currently with Falcons

Brian Smith-DE Missouri…just graduated

Paul Thompson-QB Oklahoma…just graduated

Zach Ville-DT/DE Missouri…playing in NFL Europe

Gerran Walker-WR/KR Lehigh…playing in NFL Europe

Renauld Williams-LB Hofstra…just released from 49ers

Stephen Williams-DT NW Missouri State…currently with Panthers

(Note: One player was deleted from the posted list because he was released and subsequently signed by another CFL team.)

#2

This is old news is it not? I here there is a battle between the media and Tillman is this true?

#3

If you release this information, how can you get your feathers ruffled if a journalist prints it? If Tillman doesnt want this published in the future , the dont release it to the public--not a smart move by Tillman.

#4

Tillman has a history in media, folks.....do you really think he didn't foresee this happening?

#5

you’re exactly right jm02…GO RIDERS

#6

Good point, jm02. If the CFL seriously enforces its new salary management system, then making the CFL teams' negotiation lists public would not have an impact on salaries. Also, publishing the lists might increase media and fan attention in the CFL. This topic should be discussed at the next CFL Board of Governors meeting.

#7

It is a good idea all teams should do this. It might spur more trades into action not just with active roster spots but neg list players. The only time this occurs is when a player approaches a team to play and then they have to contact the CFL office to find out who owns the player on the neg list.

#8

Not so old...
The story I posted was just two days ago, and this:

[url=http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=6b6b17b1-07bb-4271-af9f-e36a8bde07b8]http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/ ... 6a8bde07b8[/url]

is just yesterday.

Apparently, ET was somewhat perturbed by the Leader-Post story, and some fans, as you can see in this article, were outraged.
Well ET should have known better and the fans are crazy....

#9

Its ok the only good player on the list is DJ Shockley all the rest suck...good luck with those negotiations. See how bad you lose on labor day weekend.

#10

Eric is just trying to stay in the news during a slow period....the league shares each team negotiations list with everytime in the league. That is why you never hear of one player being poached off the list.....Tillman even agreed that he would normally only send it to league...but wanted it shared.

What he is really upset about is that somebody from Riderville took information from the paid site and made it public.....

but

#11

Yes, he wanted to get some publicity.
But then I don't think he was very forthcoming when he got indignant over actually receiving that publicity.
The guy has a degree in journalism, and worked as a talking head on TV for several years, and had his own blog where he lived on his little insider tidbits.

There is no way he is so naive as to think he could post something on Riderville.com and it would stay there.
And as Vanstone has access to Riderville, regardless if somebody emailed him the info or not, he eventually was going to find it, and upon finding it, it was a given that he would print it.

And to top it off, it should be available to the fans.
The need to keep the list secret is nonexistant.

#12

Precisely. During his time here, the renegades' list got posted in the Ottawa Citizen. I don't know that he's the one that gave it up back then, but nothing came of it.

It's ridiculous that those lists would be considered confidential anyway.

#13

I thought you had to pay some kind of a fee to get onto the Riderville.com and they are suppose to be getting "inside" information. :slight_smile:
So that would account for Eric's feigned indignation at the LP for posting the neg list. I mean he has to make the subcribers feel they're getting their moneys worth.

In a way this idea of making fans pay for information is similar to the league's TV blackout policy. All that did is lose a generation to the NFL. Sure there will be some die hard fans who will pay but the majority, me included, won't. Not that we can't afford it, its the principle of it.
If a team wants to promote itself it has to get out in the community and get in the news (TV and papers) as much as possible. Not some secret stuff to a special few for a few extra bucks who will buy season tickets anyway.
Just my opinion.

#14

I agree instead of forcing their fans to paying for the information make it free and just ask for donations to the team for a way to raise money.