Saskatchewan media all bent out of shape

CFL Talk
#1

Been reading articles about how awful it is that the Redblacks and the Bombers denied the Riders interviewing their coordinators.

There is even a moron who claimed the Redblacks allowed their coordinators to interview for other teams because Desjardins knew they would not be hired.

It is January we are in free agency, the time for allowing people out of their obligations was about two months ago…

Glad the league put these rules in place… A team can’t come and ruin another’s coaching staff anymore.

#2

meh…media trying to get the click bait and feeding off a hot story.

#3

need to think whats best for the league, I think. Teams need to groom future head coaches. Redblacks and Bombers allow the interview and one day it will be their turn

#4

Definitely some hot click bait for Sasky media . . . .

But the reasonable mind will blame Chris Jones and no one else - for pulling a fast one 2 weeks into the new year!

#5

Farhan Lalji?Verified account
[ltr]@FarhanLaljiTSN[/ltr]
Source close to @PaulLaPolice tells me he is very upset that he was denied permission to interview with #Riders. Believes be was within his contractual rights to interview for HC jobs. Mid-January is not too late in @CFL.

#6

Maybe the Riders could trade their OC and Asst. Head Coach MaCadoo to the Bombers for Lapo? Kind of a win/win for both teams.

#7

Exactly what I was thinking,. Or they’ll have to wait a year then pick Lapo up.

#8

It’s actually quite pathetic that the Bombers & Redblacks are holding back their coaches from a possible position where they could likely double their pay. What is this, Venezuela?

This excuse that it’s too late in the offseason is simply garbage. Back in late Jan 2010, Winnipeg asked for and was granted permission to interview Lapolice. He was hired in February.

Like my friend I spoke with in Winnipeg said to me an hour ago, this says more about the Bombers than anything. Now they are known for this league wide and they have a disgruntled coordinator. Fools.i

#9

Of course he’s pissed off, who wouldn’t be. Riders always support their staff when a new opportunity presents itself. It’s unfortunate what happened with Chris Jones but there isn’t one coach in the CFL that wouldn’t of done the exact same thing.

That said, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Bombers & Redblacks do the right thing and change their minds. All this does is make them look bad.

#10

Blame Jones for taking an NFL job? What?

#11

What about the rights of the fans in Ottawa? The fans who have renewed their season tickets?

So you think that it is ok to the fans in Ottawa for the GM to let their OC go, once Free Agency has started and hiring season is over. The Riders then sign Harris who follows the OC out of town. Wrecking another club.

These new rules add to the profesionalism of the CFL, they don’t take anything away. Riders can promote their own OC or find a HC who is available.

People like to egg on the problems of franchises in the East but think its ok to raid their organisations. The musical chair in the CFL ends with the ringing in of the new year. Only since Trestman bolted and Jones defaulting on his contracts has that changed.

Lapolice pulled himself out of the hiring process in Toronto last year. He’s a Free agent next year, he can shop his services again then.

As for 2010, Riders allowed Lapolice to interview. That was their choice, has no bearing on an obligation by another GM a decade later to do the same.

#12

While I think it is fair ball to not let negotiations happen…it is not something I would do. That said…

Free Agency has started? You might want to flip the calendar back a month.

What has ever stopped these moves in the past? Don’t pretend it hasn’t happened. Lapo himself went to the Bombers around the same time in 2010 for example. The fans is a lame duck excuse. If it was the first or second year of a new staff I might get it. This is pretty normal historically…you let people go for promotions…and no, January is not too late.

The only valid reason at time is that the staff cap restricts bodies and you simply don’t have the same coaches in the system that are familiar with things to shuffle bodies and make it work. This is the kick in the nuts from the headcount cap and the exact concern a lot of people had…where one loss of a staff member leaves a huge void.

#13

Teams are currently negotiating with their free agents. How is Ottawa supposed to extend their QB1, if the guy doesn’t even know who his OC is going to be? Let’s not kid ourselves the Riders are looking for a Quarterback and Harris would do nicely and that is obviously on O’Day’s mind.

Responsability of teams is to their fans first and foremost not helping their employees break their contracts for personal gain.

#14

Fans first was a long time ago.

Now viewed primarily as a revenue source ($12 beer)

#15

Easy solution: just don’t eat or drink at the game.

It’s the same as everything else (like not buying something that is made in China). If you don’t like it or agree with the price don’t buy it or otherwise they’ll never change.

#16

When Chris Jones jumped ship as HC of EDM to become VP/GM/HC and DC of the Riders, there was always risk that he could leave.
The only candidate that would have any chance to be promoted to HC within the organization is
STC Craig Dickenson. That would still leave them with no DC or STC.
Nobody was being groomed to take a promotion from within the organization even tho they had the largest football ops in the League which is why the Coaches cap was put in, in the first place and then they were stupid enough to give Chris Jones who has a history of bailing out on teams an out clause. ???

Now they cry foul because WPG is not going to risk losing a key member of their staff to help out their direct competitor and the fact that if Elizondo left the RedBlacks, that he could take QB Trevor Harris with him

Business 101, DON’T MAKE YOURSELF WEAKER BY MAKING YOUR COMPETITOR STRONGER

Why is it I get the feeling some new rules are going to be implemented because of Chris Jones again? :o

#17

I have no issues with the Bombers and Redblacks blocking this because they simply have the right to.
It has nothing to do with timing, fans or free agency (which hasn’t started yet), as teams have had since the end of the season to re-sign their own upcoming free agents.

Redblacks not doing it, might have something to do with Jason Mass leaving, which is a different situation, as the Riders have been up front.

For the Bombers, do you want your OC going to your Labour Day/Banjo Bowl rival?

I just don’t like it that it restricts opportunity for the coaches to get a promotion. If this was close to training camp or later, then yes its too late, but January no.

#18

Oh, for pity’s sake. Running a team is a business (and a shaky business in the CFL), not a communal charity.

If either Ottawa or Winnipeg gave permission for contracted coaches to interview elsewhere (even for promotions) at this point in the game, all it does it transfer Saskatchewan’s problem to someone else. Free agency is a couple weeks away, and a vital coaching piece is missing. Then, suddenly, it’s Winnipeg or Ottawa that has to worry about attracting (and keeping) quality players with a black cloud of uncertainty floating overhead. Oh, but SK’s problem is solved, which is what really matters for the “good of the league.” Give me a break.

Any executive with an ounce of sense will deny that request in two seconds. The fact that SK played nice with LaPolice in 2010 means that they made a mistake, not that it’s the way things should be.

And if the coach in question decides to sulk over the realities of business, then that’s his problem. Those of us who work under contracts are very familiar with non-compete clauses, which effect much the same thing. Yes, it gets in the way sometimes, but a contract is a contract. I signed it with my eyes wide open. Like pro sports, power is skewed toward management. Don’t like it? Do something else.

#19

Another reality to business is that the talent pays attention to how the business is run. By refusing to allow the interviews, the Redblacks and Bombers risk losing their current coaches once their contracts are over, as well as losing out on future coaches who don’t like the way they’ve done business and might therefore choose to sign somewhere else.

#20

you sure about that? They have an internal person that I anticipate being promoted to DC.

They also never had the largest ops in the league. But carry on