Around the CFL - 2019

[Looner]

Ticats add ex-Argo Coombs to practice roster. MORE: https://t.co/dLOkSmJEMq pic.twitter.com/T6swMexi5S

— CFL on TSN (@CFLonTSN) June 19, 2019

a PR spot? That is surprising to me.

[Section N]

JUST IN: Simoni Lawrence's two-game suspension likely headed towards an appeal/grievance by the #CFLPA (via @FarhanLaljiTSN). #CFL

MORE: https://t.co/EFAvwRpwTb pic.twitter.com/Bx6XPBdWWp

— CFL on TSN (@CFLonTSN) June 19, 2019

This looks bad on the CFLPA. Bad choice.

[adb]

Section N beat me to it. Some strong comments from Burris on the subject. Sounds like he's still pretty PO'd about Lawrence going after his injured knee a few years back and rightfully so.

https://3downnation.com/2019/06/19/t...-henry-burris/

[GreatWhiteNorth]

JUST IN: Simoni Lawrence's two-game suspension likely headed towards an appeal/grievance by the #CFLPA (via @FarhanLaljiTSN). #CFL

MORE: https://t.co/EFAvwRpwTb pic.twitter.com/Bx6XPBdWWp

— CFL on TSN (@CFLonTSN) June 19, 2019

This looks bad on the CFLPA. Bad choice.

I agree that it looks bad on the CFLPA.

I'm not sure how much of a choice they have, when a member wants to appeal his discipline. I'm not saying that they have none - it seems to me they dissuaded Hebert from appealing last year - I'm saying that I honestly don't know. It could very well be that they've tried to talk him out of it behind the scenes, but have little choice to represent their member that pays his dues and is facing the loss of 11% of his annual income and potentially the ability to hit some bonuses in the contract.

I think the 2 games was fair. I hope it stands up. At the same time, I can understand why Simoni would want to appeal (at least in some ways). Already he's getting profiled as a dirty player and I've seen people say "this wasn't the first time", when this is, reportedly, the first time in his fairly lengthy CFL career that he's been fined or suspended. I don't think he has a chance to clear his name on this - the video speaks for itself, but I would expect that's the reason, as much as anything, behind his interest in dragging this out.

The CFL has an opportunity, through the new language in the CBA, to expedite the appeal process and have it play out this week I believe.

[SandManFan]

2 games is a pretty unprecedented move, I could see this reduced to 1 game by the appeal. In the context of a short season even 1 game is impactful to the $$. I'm glad to see the league taking a more firm hand on this, though, to hopefully establish a new standard going forward.

[Hugoagogo]

... and Jim Morris goes 3/3 in week 2

[Esks4ever]

I don't get what BC did to be favored.

[glenvb]

Esks are favoured by 4 to 4.5 points.

In the first week, these prognosticators managed a combined record of 12-12, which is what you'd expect if they were closing their eyes and throwing lawn darts at team logos. Their opinions don't need to be taken seriously. (Of course, I went 2-2 in the pool, so the same could be said of me!)

[Looner]

... and Jim Morris goes 3/3 in week 2

Doesn't bother me that we are being overlooked, hopefully we prove them wrong

[GreatWhiteNorth]

I agree fully.

The PA is often put in the position of having to defend one member's financial situation, while continuing to advocate for player safety. In this case, and at this time, I think the most credible thing they could do is to accept it. I'm not sure how much discretion they have if the suspended player wants to bring forward an appeal, but presumably they could at least try to counsel them not to.

I had read a teammate's defence of Simoni that stated that he'd never been fined or suspended previously (don't know if that's accurate or not but would presume it is), and hearing Simoni talk about caring for Zach as a former teammate, I can buy the idea that this was not rooted in malicious intent, but at the very least it was reckless and the kind of play that football is (hopefully) serious about trying to remove. Likely the best course for Simoni is to lay low, serve his suspension and hope to put it in his rearview mirror, rather than dragging out the process. Perhaps would be a little different if Collaros was back practicing this week rather than being on the 6-game IR.

There's an interesting discussion between Naylor and Lahlji about the CFLPA and their decision about the appeal (https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/video/3-downs...or-cfl~1709512), and it confirms that yes, in fact, they do have the choice whether they carry the appeal forward for their member, but it's not as cut and dried as whether it is the morally right thing thing to do or not. The discussion touched on the fact that the PA has preached that player safety has been their number one concern, and implied that it would look bad to appeal in light of that. They also talked about the fact that Ken Georgetti is a labour lawyer and not a football guy, and that part of his job is to make sure that employers don't have all the control/power to do whatever they want.

One of the key points they discussed was that the case for turning down the grievance/appeal would generally be done if it didn't have merit. That's not a test of whether the punishment was fair necessarily, but could be more about is their precedent for it, or is this establishing new ground. In this case, I think it's close to universally felt (outside of Hamilton) that the punishment is fair and even welcome, but it's probably also pretty clear that there isn't actually a precedent and this is new ground - there may be a responsibility of the CFLPA to take up the appeal just to show that it got a fair hearing, and in the end, could even solidify this as the new standard if its allowed to stand up even through the appeal.

Good informative discussion that cuts through a lot of the emotion and reaction.

[TeqEEla]

I don't get what BC did to be favored.

I agree, did these guys even watch the BC game last week? BC did not look good, especially the defense. I guess they are banking on that game being an anomaly (especially since it goes against all the hype they've built up for BC in the off-season).

[Macavity]

You guys will win handily.

[Hugoagogo]

You guys will win handily.

Some injuries on defense might make it more of a challenge, but I still believe.

[Hugoagogo]

#CFLPA returns fire over Simoni Lawrence suspension and appeal. pic.twitter.com/NdssAAYCL7

— Dan Barnes (@sportsdanbarnes) June 20, 2019

[Smartie123]

Man, that next set of talks for the CBA in a few years is going to be unfriendly.

[boydo]

It wasn't exactly hugs and unicorn farts this time...

[Esks1975]

It seems the CFLPA has no concerns about player safety, unless someone is concussed by an executive.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

It seems the CFLPA has no concerns about player safety, unless someone is concussed by an executive.

I think that's a wholly unfair comment.

The CFLPA sacrificed a lot in salary cap gains to be able to get long-term health coverage for their members. By my understanding, the cost of the premiums of that coverage might be as much as $350,000 a year. To me, this clearly shows that they're concerned about member health.

The CFLPA has also pushed (successfully) along with the league to reduce padded practices and increase bye weeks, while reducing short turn-around games - these are all player safety initiatives, even if some of us don't agree with all the thought process behind them.

The CFLPA has a role that they have to perform in representing a player's right to a fair hearing. Whether they appealed this or not, would not allow to go back in time and change what happened on the field. They are not in a position to abandon members that make a mistake, and it's a tough position to be in where they have obligations to represent their interests while ultimately representing the other player too.

I wouldn't have had an issue if the CFLPA made the call to not take the grievance/appeal forward. While I think they'd be on shaky ground from a union representation perspective, it would have felt like solid moral ground to say that they believed the punishment was fair through that inaction. It would have even been my preference that they went that route. That said, I think it's highly unfair to draw the conclusion that they have no concerns about player safety when there are multiple pieces of evidence to the contrary.

[Section N]

Brandon Bridge signs a 1-year deal with #Alouettes. Back to the team that drafted him in 2015. Glad to see @Air_Canada_7 get another opportunity. @CFLonTSN @TSN_Sports @SportsCentre @CFL pic.twitter.com/72fsBnb56r

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) June 21, 2019

[glenvb]

Great. Now the Als have three second-string QB's. My bet is that Adams will end the season as their starter.

[tigerdar]

Great. Now the Als have three second-string QB's. My bet is that Adams will end the season as their starter.

My bet is Adams starts the rest of the year and has a good season. I believe.
On a side note how was your bake sale to raise money to buy the Alouettes?

[glenvb]

My bet is Adams starts the rest of the year and has a good season. I believe.
On a side note how was your bake sale to raise money to buy the Alouettes?

Have you seen what I can bake? I'm going for bigger stakes. My plan is to purchase the Roughriders and move them to Spuzzum.

[tigerdar]

Have you seen what I can bake? I'm going for bigger stakes. My plan is to purchase the Roughriders and move them to Spuzzum.

Ewww why would you want that team? Then you'd have to deal with rider fans...

[bone]

Ewww why would you want that team? Then you'd have to deal with rider fans...

I'd love to see him buy them, move them and rename them the greenwhites.

[turftoe27]

CFL transactions today showing B C Lions have released national OLineman Jonathan Harke formerly from U of Alberta. Drafted by the Lions as the 42 pick overall.

[OK14]

EDIT: Wrong thread.

It's so wrong that Lawrence is allowed to play today.

[turftoe27]

EDIT: Wrong thread.

It's so wrong that Lawrence is allowed to play today.

Actually he will be allowed to play the next three games. 3DownNation saying his appeal hearing will not be until July 9th.

[Section N]

Actually he will be allowed to play the next three games. 3DownNation saying his appeal hearing will not be until July 9th.

This is just plain stupid.

[pete]

CFL transactions today showing B C Lions have released national OLineman Jonathan Harke formerly from U of Alberta. Drafted by the Lions as the 42 pick overall.

C only. No versatility. Stock rocketed when he benched a ton. Writing was on the wall when they began poaching OL from PR.

[bone]

Actually he will be allowed to play the next three games. 3DownNation saying his appeal hearing will not be until July 9th.

Of course. Which means if it holds, he’ll miss games against Winnipeg and Calgary and return for the game against Saskatchewan. That seems fair to the Riders!