Toronto Argonauts defensive lineman Jhaustin Thomas was fined for his involvement in an altercation with Ottawa REDBLACKS offensive lineman Stephane Nembot.
Ottawa REDBLACKS defensive lineman George Uko was fined for excessive contact on Toronto Argonauts quarterback McLeod Bethel Thompson.
Calgary Stampeders defensive end Chris Casher was fined for unnecessary roughness on Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo.
Edmonton Eskimos linebacker Vontae Diggs was fined for a tourist hit on BC Lions linebacker Noah Robinson.
As per league policy, the amounts of the player fines were not disclosed.
I was a little surprised that Bo-Levi did not get a fine for comments at half time. I recall head coaches getting fined for comments about the officiating. Bo did it in an interview during the game. I did not think it warranted more than a token fine but the precedent is there.
Actually this has now cleared the way for players to openly state they feel the officials were not calling the game properly ( abusing their position )
It now has become impossible for any fine or punishment to stick without a pre season rule change ( for players only )
Like the stamps … Or hate th riders … It’s a dangerous precedent to have set. It makes the officials look absolutely horrible … I’m sure the officials representatives will not be pleased with the CFL calling open season on what is off limits in every other sport.
Having said that I had thought they would have applied the smallest fine possible as a statement that right or wrong … You don’t suggest officials are engaged in bias officiting.
I look forward to the open season period now established to enjoy the Twitter rants of some of the more colorful CFL antagonists … And the ensuing off season battle with officials who thank the CFL for throwing them under the bus …
Not really…the league can always say they didn’t feel a previous instance was worthy of a fine and let the player take it to arbitration if they really want to. Not saying I think he shouldn’t have been fined…he probably should have been. But hey, you can hit a ref and not be suspended as well right.
After the precident setting 2 game suspension for Simoni Lawrence - I really thought the bar for a 1 game suspension would be lowered and we would see many borderline hits get 1 game suspensions to make a point about player safety.
I find it really hard to believe after 18 weeks of football not 1 hit warranted (essentially) half of the penalty SL was given.
Again, im not defending the hit on Zach - he was deserving of a harsh punishment for a really bad hit.
I am just not buying that since then the game has changed so much that nobody deserved 1 game.
I thought Casher would get a game.
I get he got ejected from the game, but you have a guy on the ground and you continue to hold and twist the guys leg. That could have caused serious damage. Fajardo was fortunate.
Perhaps Occam’s razor suggests that the league doesn’t want to cast a chill on sideline interviews. Players have no obligation to participate, and if doing so could cost them $, you might see TSN struggling to find players to fill up airtime.
In contrast, they show no mercy for Twitter violations!
…very good point…either no sideline interviews as you’ve noted or those bland fluff pre-packaged quotes the NHL players use so often during interviews…
…FWIW, my original theory was with a tongue firmly planted in a cheek, but your’s actually makes sense…
And he wasn’t thinking anything that any other team doesn’t always feel as well …
And if someone actually used the terms “fixed - throwing the game etc? I’m sure a fine would be significant.
BLM’s comments where very direct in what he was implying but didn’t use any taboo words per say - and every team feels the same way when the calls don’t go their way… its just extremely odd someone would actually say it in prime air time and not have the CFL respond in some manner.
And my take is moving forward the CFL could fine a player but if they appealed it would most likely win if the context of the comments paralleled the vague but implied accusation ( kinda like use every term implying bias you can think of just don’t use the actual word )
