Comments on: Ullrich: B.C. Lions fined by CFL for releasing Awe to pursue NFL

By: SipperyD

SipperyD — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 19:10:50 +0000

In reply to Paul Bomber. Thank you. I stopped reading the rest of the comments after this summation.

By: Ross

Ross — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 01:04:19 +0000

Like with Adam Bighill last year, Lions were nice enough to let one of their players persue a once in a lifetime opportunity at a chance in the NFL. Few people make it in the end, so why not allow them to go down south and have a shot.

As for James Wilder, there should definitely be a written and known agreement players agree upon when signing. It seems like it’s different from person to person and not always properly figured out.

The CFL isn’t the big leagues, no matter how much people want it to be. If everyone on each team had the ability to try out in the NFL if the opportunity came up (post season), it would bring in way more interest from talented football players down south.

By: Evergreen

Evergreen — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 18:55:18 +0000

There is a difference between the option year clause in the old CBA (no longer allowed), and a 2-year contract in the new/current CBA. With the option year clause a team retained the player’s rights if they released him for NFL tryout(s) but he didn’t stick in the NFL. The rookie 2-year contract under the current CBA does not allow a CFL team to retain the player’s rights after releasing them for an NFL tryout. They can certainly release a player for any reason, including for an NFL try out, but the team doesn’t retain the player’s rights. The Lions are being fined for having a verbal “option year” agreement (i.e. Awe would go back to the Lions if he didn’t make an NFL team regardless of any offers from other CFL teams.) So it’s not the releasing players for NFL tryouts that is punishable, it’s trying to retain their rights that is punishable. That’s why not all teams releasing players for NFL tryouts are fined.
Interestingly, the CFL could still apply additional ‘penalty’ to the Lions by not approving a new Awe contract if he doesn’t stick in the NFL in 2018.

So much CFL action in the dead of winter — love it!!

By: Paul Bomber

Paul Bomber — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 16:04:07 +0000

In reply to Smarmydog.

Not people, just the league offices.
Winnipeg has done this a few times – I don’t recall them getting in trouble. Ian Wild & Henoc Muamba (spelling?) were both under contract to Wpg as I recall when they were allowed to pursue NFL dreams. I think Teams like to have a rep that says “We’ll let you go if you get the call, so come play here ’cause we won’t hold you back”. Ambroise doesn’t want to admit our league, while charming, if sort of small potatoes.

By: Paul Bomber

Paul Bomber — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 15:58:38 +0000

In reply to Wayne. yeap! you got it!! (I think released and cut mean the same thing, but the mistake BC made was admitting the reason for the release, i.e. to allow a jump to the NFL)

By: Smarmydog

Smarmydog — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 15:56:33 +0000

am i missing something?…the team thinks enough of the player to allow him his release and people poo over the team? help me out

By: Paul Bomber

Paul Bomber — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 15:52:42 +0000

Fined? BC should be given a BONUS for shipping that head-hunting peace of garbage out of the league!
GOOD RIDDANCE!

By: OttawaHamiCatsFan

OttawaHamiCatsFan — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 13:07:23 +0000

The fine and any discipline is an utter joke. The mistake the Lions keep making is telegraphing that they are releasing a player so he can try out for the NFL. They should just cut the player and they would not be violating any nonsense rules.

I find the league utterly hypocritical right now as its ok for teams to let coaches go try and find a job south of the border while they are under contract….see Chamblin with the Argos….yet they won’t let players do the same thing. All this does is portray the CFL as a third rate bush league. Time for Ambrosie and company to take their heads out of their posterior ends and fix this properly. If you let coaches do it then players should be able to as well otherwise neither should.

By: Darcy

Darcy — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 09:31:50 +0000

Yeah keep it up cfl be tough on the Americans and when usfl starts again in spring 2020 you will have no american players coming up here and playing in your joke league no viewers because the cfl will be like watching divisin3 football the cfl will fold in 2021

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 04:11:54 +0000

Don’t forget this side deal was made a year or more ago before the crackdown. What do the Lions do? Tell the player he’s out of luck – they aren’t going to honor their word? They had no choice but to take the hit. If there are any others who have been given this promise, they will probably honor those commitments as well. My guess is the league was aware ahead of time. Hervey probably called Randy and they discussed the situation and how best to handle it.