Mike

Jade "The Incredible Hulk" Etienne.

This "2 new active roster players" thing is being misinterpreted by a lot of people, fans and players alike. There are no new costs associated with the 2 new roster spots, they're simply expanding the game day roster from 42 to 44 and decreasing the size of the reserve roster from 4 to 2. It's still 46 game cheques being handed out (the players on the 4 man reserve get a game cheque too) it's just that teams can now dress 2 extra players instead of paying them to stand in civvies on the sideline. Do you know if those guys travelled with the teams last year? If not, there would be a minimal cost increase to the clubs for this on travel. In most cases, they travel. Only time they don't is when they're doing a roster shuffle to keep an injured guy off the 1-game IR or something (less cap cost that way) but if they're healthy bodies, the majority of the time they're travelling.

This "2 new active roster players" thing is being misinterpreted by a lot of people, fans and players alike. There are no new costs associated with the 2 new roster spots, they're simply expanding the game day roster from 42 to 44 and decreasing the size of the reserve roster from 4 to 2. It's still 46 game cheques being handed out (the players on the 4 man reserve get a game cheque too) it's just that teams can now dress 2 extra players instead of paying them to stand in civvies on the sideline. Thanks for the clarification. Is there a different "minimum" for non active players? Nope, for all intents and purposes, it's the same contract. Maybe there are bonuses for "dressing" or something, but it's still the same standard player contract. Which leads me to wonder why they even bother having it. If you're paying 4 (now 2) guys the same as you would be if they were playing, why not just let them play?

This "2 new active roster players" thing is being misinterpreted by a lot of people, fans and players alike. There are no new costs associated with the 2 new roster spots, they're simply expanding the game day roster from 42 to 44 and decreasing the size of the reserve roster from 4 to 2. It's still 46 game cheques being handed out (the players on the 4 man reserve get a game cheque too) it's just that teams can now dress 2 extra players instead of paying them to stand in civvies on the sideline.

One of the biggest misconceptions fans have about contracts in the CFL is that true signing bonuses are handed out frequently. They're very rarely given out.

Pretty awesome design, excited to attend a LDC there.

They won it because a 1.9% chance is a 1.9% chance, not a 0% chance. The lottery is not rigged. If the NBA was going to rig the lottery to award a market with a superstar like Wiggins or Parker, don't you think they'd pick somewhere other than Cleveland? Boston and LA both have huge markets and a good shot to win the #1 pick, NBA makes the most money if they win it, not Cleveland.

Enough posturing. Get to the table, sit down and figure it out. Nobody is going to care who sends the nicest letters if there's a work stoppage.

Montreal has to beat out Ottawa and at least tie with the 4th place team in the west to get the last playoff spot. They get 2 extra games against eastern teams instead of western teams. They have a very good defense. All of that gives them a pretty big advantage over Edmonton and Winnipeg IMHO. I don't know if I'd agree with that. I certainly don't know if I'd agree that it would be a big enough difference that a roster player to-be would look at it and say "hey, this team is markedly better than this one" They were the 3rd worst D in the league last year, they need to change their ratio and they lost their middle linebacker. It could definitely go either way.

I wasn't commenting on them being more desirable, I was just referring to their playoff chances. I think Montreal, Edmonton and Winnipeg will all be in roughly the same boat this year.

Offering more money is about all we can do and from what we've seen from Walters so far I think he'll do it, but I still doubt that will be enough to get him in blue and gold. Montreal and Edmonton have to be way more desireable to him. I can see Montreal being more desirable because they will make the playoffs. I don't see Edmonton as being any more desirable than Winnipeg although they are a year ahead in the rebuild process. We shall see.

PAGING SAMCANADIAN

If Kevin Smith is on our game day roster, I'd imagine we offer Will Ford a spot as a DI and another RB on the PR.

Louis Nzegwu School: Wisconsin Position: OLB Bio: Two-year starter who finished with 34 tackles/6 tackles for loss/4.5 sacks as a senior after 46/7.5/3 the prior year. Positive: Athletic college defensive end who makes plays in every direction of the field. Quick off the snap, keeps his feet moving on contact and rarely off his feet. Breaks down well and plays with leverage. Easily changes direction, fluid moving down the line and fast out to the flanks in pursuit of the action. Immediately gets his hands up and effectively uses them to protect himself. Displays the ability to slide off blocks to the inside and easily redirects to the action. Negative: Undersized, slow getting off blocks and controlled by tight ends. Rarely used off the line of scrimmage in space. Analysis: Nzegwu is somewhat underrated as a college defensive end who should be able to make the transition to outside linebacker in a 34 alignment at the next level. He'll need time to adjust yet possesses all the physical skills to be a backup on the depth chart.

Wisconsin alumni, 6'4", 250, spent time in NFL past 3 years.

Very good point, after all ... when's the last time that happened?

Former NFL back ... nearly a 1000 rusher at one point ... several 100 yard games ... style of running very well suited to CFL ... still only 27

I like this. A lot.

Totally out of context.

Tate, Leggett, Johnson are my big 3 on D for new imports

Sears or Washington. Maybe one of the new guys. I thought they wanted that to be a Canadian spot? I always thought it would be Alexander at Safety with Bucknor at Field Corner. But If Alexander is better at Corner hopefully Newman can really step up and be a good safety for us. I just can't see two Canadians in the secondary. I see it as 4 OL, 2 REC, 1 rotating on D

That's actually an interesting idea. Personally I don't pay attention to email but some may definitely find value in that. Anyone else?

Sears or Washington. Maybe one of the new guys.

'Overpaying' is just referring to how Taman's move to get Craig Butler was portrayed... basically, you have a chance to get your guy and ditch two picks to move up. Briggs was one of the guys I was hoping would be around for our second pick - not a shot at Walters at all. We finally have a GM who is acting like a CFL GM. The Butler pick was lucky more than anything, they were going to take Hugh O'Neill but Buono got him a pick earlier. Got him mixed up with Hurl... I think that's who Taman traded up for - anyway, Walters still reminds me of Taman. The only similarity between the two is that they are both GM's Well, that was one major difference between Taman and Mack... I'll give you that. The big difference is that if Taman would have traded a former first round pick NI REC for an import QB, everyone would have been screaming for his head. Can't operate in a vacuum like that.

Was down on my work computer all day