CFL: The CFL Thread: Part VI

[robertmac43]

Tim White is staying in the hammer on a 2-year deal.

 

[Donnie740]

On behalf of Argonaut fans, I’d like to take a moment and recognize the remarkable accomplishment of Simon Lawrence - - 12 seasons in a 9 team league and he somehow he managed to never win a championship.

Lawrence is right there with Ringless Milt Stegall as guys who love to run their mouth but have nothing to back it up.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

The Argos and Chad Kelly might be in serious trouble. Rick Westhead sent out a tweet that a former Argos employee has filed a wrongful dismissal suit against the team claiming Kelly sexually harrassed her and the team did nothing about if after she reported it...and then terminated her employment. She wasn't someone who just started working for the team for a few months. She had been employed by the team for 5 or 6 years.

Rick Westhead: Argos QB Kelly accused of harassment in wrongful dismissal lawsuit | TSN

A former Toronto Argonauts strength and conditioning coach has filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the Canadian Football League team and quarterback Chad Kelly, alleging the league's highest-paid player and reigning Most Outstanding Player harassed her and that the team fired her after...

www.tsn.ca

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Dave Naylor: Edmonton Elks seeking private ownership for first time in franchise history | TSN

Elks looking to sell. Would leave just WPG and SASK as last non-profit/community owned teams in the CFL.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Shawn Lemon suspended indefinitely for wagering on CFL - CFL.ca

 

[sonic92]

SJ Green, Chad Owens and Weston Dressler part of the new Hall of Fame Class

 

[Mightygoose]

Chad Kelly gone half a season at minimum

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Hefty suspension. Took some cahones from the CFL to go that hard on the #1 QB for the Argos. Good for them, certainly sends a message that this type of conduct will NOT be tolerated. They must have more info than us, can't see them going this heavy without some actual evidence (which the public hadn't seen yet due to the court case).

 

[timekeep]

Hefty suspension. Took some cahones from the CFL to go that hard on the #1 QB for the Argos. Good for them, certainly sends a message that this type of conduct will NOT be tolerated. They must have more info than us, can't see them going this heavy without some actual evidence (which the public hadn't seen yet due to the court case).

I don't think he is a character guy that the CFL wants to showcase, half the year suspension for a guy who is already collected more than half his pay. I don't know all the facts but it doesn't like sound good for him. Can he appeal this and get it reduced? Looking for that information but can't find it.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

I don't think he is a character guy that the CFL wants to showcase, half the year suspension for a guy who is already collected more than half his pay. I don't know all the facts but it doesn't like sound good for him. Can he appeal this and get it reduced? Looking for that information but can't find it.

Likely an appeal coming. We'll see. This guy has had trouble with the law, teams management, and just basic human decency at basically every turn it seems. I have little sympathy for the little nepo baby who can't handle the word no. I don't mind this suspension at all. Here is Canada we tend to have less tolerance for things like this than he might be used to in the US.

 

[timekeep]

Likely an appeal coming. We'll see.

Great, thanks

 

[joestevens29]

Likely an appeal coming. We'll see. This guy has had trouble with the law, teams management, and just basic human decency at basically every turn it seems. I have little sympathy for the little nepo baby who can't handle the word no. I don't mind this suspension at all. Here is Canada we tend to have less tolerance for things like this than he might be used to in the US.

Some more fact finding? I.E. We need to talk to a lawyer and see if we have a leg to stand on here.

 

[hoglund]

Bo Levi Mitchell showed up to practice with a walking boot, they say it's precautionary. I hope this doesn't mean that he's done.

 

[sonic92]

Pre-Season Schedule

May 20 - Winnipeg at Saskatchewan

May 25 - Ottawa at Hamilton
May 25 - Saskatchewan at Edmonton
May 25 - BC at Calgary
May 25 - Toronto at Montreal

May 31 - Montreal at Ottawa
May 31 - Calgary at Winnipeg
May 31 - Edmonton at BC
June 1 - Hamilton at Toronto

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Pre-Season Schedule

May 20 - Winnipeg at Saskatchewan

May 25 - Ottawa at Hamilton
May 25 - Saskatchewan at Edmonton
May 25 - BC at Calgary
May 25 - Toronto at Montreal

May 31 - Montreal at Ottawa
May 31 - Calgary at Winnipeg
May 31 - Edmonton at BC
June 1 - Hamilton at Toronto

5 days until CFL action. Insane.

I don't know that I can handle another Grey Cup Loss. Bombers need to not make playoffs, or win the Grey Cup

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Here we are at the start of another CFL season. So it's time for my annual predictions, where the only winner with these are anyone reading this near the end of the year so they can laugh at how dumb I look

Yes I'm predicting alot more parity than we've seen in the past couple of years.

West
Winnipeg 12-6
BC 12-6
Edmonton 10-8
Saskatchewan 7-11
Calgary 6-12

Out West I'm taking my Bombers to win the division again. The Offense will surge them through the summer with Collaros, Lawler, Schoen, Demski, Oliveira ripping teams up much of the year. But this is not the same group we've seen in years past on D. They've lost their top DT (Canadian Cameron Lawson) and CB (Jamal Parker) for potentially the entire year already. Hall of Fame MLB Adam Bighill is going to miss time to start the year. They lost DE Jackson Jeffcoat to retirement and star CB Demerio Houston to FA. The D is full of holes, time will tell if players such as Canadian CB Tyrell Ford, DE Celestin Haba, CB Tyrique McGhee, DT Miles Fox and others step up and fill the gaps.

BC's returning a good team, but their WR corps has been decimated over the past couple of years. Now American WR's are literally the easiest position to fill in the CFL, but there are some questions marks here. BC has been dealing with their own injury problems with HB TJ Lee and others already out to start the year from what I'm hearing. But they still have a real solid roster that will compete, IMO.

My big surprise is Edmonton I think takes a step forward. I do think Tre Ford will play a part in this. MacLeod Bethel-Thompson is super mediocre and I think we see lots of Ford this year. He is more dynamic and moves the offense better, even if his arm is just so-so. But much like Lamar Jackson down south, his arm doesn't need to be perfect for him to move the offense. I think he makes an impact this year despite how much Chris Jones hates the guy for some reason. There's talent elsewhere and if they can get a half decent showing from the O the D was ok even last year. But the O was so bad that it prevented them most of the time.

I don't like Saskatchewan. I mean that in every way. I don't like them as a fan, and even when I try to look objectively at the team, I just don't think their moves made any sense. Worst OL in the league, so ok they go out and add 34 year old RT Jemarcus Hardrick. Is it an upgrade for Sask? Of course. It's not nearly enough. I think their glorified FB they pulled over from TOR finds it tough to find any holes behind what I suspect will be another leaky OL from the Riders. Their D does not stand out in any way to me, I think they will struggle defensively.

Calgary doesn't have a QB. Like at all. Jake Maier is a bust and they went out and signed a journeyman backup like Schiltz? Not seeing it. Tommy Stevens is a 3rd down specialist and nothing else. I can't predict a team to do well with that kind of OL. Not too mention their #1 weapon in WR Malik Henry is already gone for the year. Mills and Logan RB duo will be solid, but it's not enough offensively. They added alot to their secondary, and have some pass rushers like James Vaughters that should have an impact, but I don't think the D can save this putrid O.

East
Montreal 10-8
Ottawa 9-9
Hamilton 8-10
Toronto 7-11

I don't know what to make of the East to be honest. I think it'll be a dogfight the entire year. I'm taking Montreal to win just because it has the least amount of question marks. Fajardo is mediocre at best, but at least it's a known commodity. They have a couple of playmakers in the WR corps. OL should be good. On defense they will miss Shawn Lemon alot when his suspension is eventually held up (betting on his own games, it's a disgrace he's being allowed to play right now). But overall is a solid, if unspectacular unit.

I'm betting Dru Brown has a decent year and holds off Masoli's challenges when Masoli eventually gets healthy. He really looked good in Winnipeg last year, but it's a different beast going from WPG to OTT. I'm slightly concerned with OTT's OL, but they added some nice weapons at WR for Brown. No RB in OTT either, but American RB's are basically as easy to find as American WR's. The D is still solid and should hold them in games if Brown falters.

Hamilton I predict will struggle out of the gate and make a late charge to make playoffs...with Taylor Powell at QB. I think he will replace Bo Levi by mid-season. Bo Levi is a hall of famer, but his arm is just toast. Maybe he proves me wrong, but I think it's the end of the road for him. This roster is just fine everywhere, I think they can skate by if Powell can give them a little oomph at QB.

Argos are a mess. To be expected when they blew up their budget for a QB who is suspended for 9 games or longer (and I'm hearing rumblings to bet on the over on Kelly's 9 game suspension as people are thinking it'll be extended). I put them down for 7 wins on the basis that Kelly can come back to a 1-8/2-7 team and maybe make some magic happen to have them approach the playoffs in the second half. If he doesn't, it's going to be a LONG season in TO. They bled talent all over the place paying for Kelly. Kadeem Carey was a great back in his day, but those times are long gone. Lost their best defensive player to NFL (Quantez Stiggers), lost a bunch of DL to other teams in FA. I don't think they'll stay competitive all that long.

Playoffs
West Semi - BC defeats EDM
East Semi - HAM defeats OTT

West Final - BC defeats WPG
East Final - MTL defeats HAM

GC - BC defeats MTL

I want to take my Bombers to make a 5th straight GC. If I'm being honest with myself, I can't see it. Collaros struggles in the cold in the winter playoff games. Bombers no longer have the D to compensate. I think this is the year that BC breaks through. It can still go either way, I'd be absolutely floored if it's not a WPG-BC rematch in the West Final. But I can see the Bombers streak ending here. Out East I think it's rather irrelevant who comes out. BC or WPG are easy favourites here. But as we've seen the last two years in playoffs we can see HUGE upsets in GC Finals. I'd categorize 3 of the past 4 GC's as MASSIVE upsets. 3 of the past 4 GC's are probably in the top 10, maybe top 6-7 upsets of ALL-TIME. I'm talking about the Bombers upsetting Ti-Cats in 2019, Argos over Bombers in 22, and of course the biggest upset since at the 2001 Stamps in the 2023 Als beating the Bombers. So predicting the playoffs in the pre-season is essentially an exercise in futility, but there it is anyways.