The Commish

The CFL is rumoured to be close to choosing their next commissioner (they are idiots for letting Tom Wright go) and the two known candidates are:

• George Cohon: son of the McDonalds Canada founder (I am assuming he has other credentials)

• Rick Burton: who is currently the commissioner Australian National Basketball League
  

Now there is a third candidate who has not been mentioned so I obviously won’t comment on him but I do want to comment on Burton. In 2005 when I was in Singapore the ANBL came to town, and played at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. It was the Sydney Kings against the Perth Wildcats, who were the closest ANBL team and to which Singapore has a bit of a connection, it’s a common destination for university students. The ANBL is not the NBA but it is professional, the team was primarily made of Australian/New Zealand born players but there were two-three players from US colleges, this type of experience is in Burton’s favour. Since that time the league has expanded to Singapore (the Slingers) as well South Melbourne (Dragons) giving the league 12 teams for a country (including Singapore) that only has a population of 25 million. Now the league is only drawing 3’000 – 5’000 a game but the same issues exist at every level and that the league has a similar geographical and population structure is another positive. The ANBL has a major amount of sponsorship as well so that is another plus. In case you don’t know I am pulling for Burton,

The CFL has called a press conference for this afternoon so lets see if my pick makes it.

Never Bore-ing

Well Tillman continues to re-organize the roster with a steal of a trade today. Tillman sent import defensive Alvin Washington to Hamilton for Jamie Boreham. Tillman is quoted as saying that Congi is in as the kicker and Boreham and him will be battling for the punters spot. Frankly I don't see how we are going to afford two players for the kicking spot. Other teams have done but it isn't the best. This is a two horse race for both positions, management wants to create competition and would love to have one kicker take over both roles.

Here are the breakdowns Boreham:
Field Goal %: 72
Kickoff avg: 61.1 (led the CFL)

Field position was a major issue for the team last year and if Boreham can strengthen his field goal % then look for him to take over the all the duties.

If you build it they will come

According to a report in the Leader-Post Taylor Field at Mosaic Stadium is getting new turf in time for the '07 season. The safe choice was made again, the last time the city had a chance to choose Field Turf the company was not very old and given our provinces risk aversion we did not choose it. Currently Field Turf is in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver in the CFL and in New England, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Minnesota and Indianapolis in the NFL.

This is really good news for the players! I have had the chance to play on Field Turf and it is soft beyond compare. It's almost like running on pillows. You don't hear anything your whole impact is cushioned it's like a posturpedic.

Ah shucks Our little stadium is growing up!

Insider confirmation

Sean Millington writes a story about the Hakim Hill situation. It's an interesting story from a former players perspective because it is in complete agreement with what I have been saying. If it was in complete agreement it would not be an interesting story.

Three blind mice

RIDERS sign two import DB's and one non-import LB.

Tears are a fallin'

There's an article in Saturdays Leader-Post quoting Tillman as saying he cried after speaking with Hill's parents about the decision to release Hakim. Although there are some touching insights into the humanity (or maybe lack thereof) that a GM has to go through I am not very sympathetic.

As I have previously written the RIDERS / Tillman / Austin had plenty of indications and evidence that an incident was most likely going to occur again. I can see where it may have been difficult to call his parents but that in and of itself should be an indication that this is not a mature individual. Frankly at 24 Tillman shouldn't be talking to the parents, Hakim is a man and if he needs to have his parents field his calls then there are bigger issues here.

Let's assume that this incident was the first time in over a year that Hakim has had anything to drink. Let's also assume that part of the reason that he has been on the straight and narrow is because he has been close to home, if that is the case then what was going to happen when they were a 1000 miles away? Was his brother going to babysit him? Unlikely! what was going to happen was Hakim would find some "friends" and start drinking again, at first it would be casual and friendly and under control and then one time, perhaps after a good game he would loosen the reins and then.....

It is a shame to see an individual waste his god-given talent. What does that mean anyway? I mean really, does God look down and say you football player, you accountant, you troubled yet talented doomed to self-destruction. I have often thought that God was one of the greatest stand-up comedians, but if he does give talent then he can be an awfully cruel taskmaster.

So here for all intents and purposes ends the football career of a young man who did not know how to be a man. This is nothing new but it is always something that you look at and say what a shame, but these are the decisions he has made and we are not the ones to judge that is up to God .... the GM and coach.

Hill severed

Tillman and the RIDERS have severed their relationship with Hakim Hill after learning of his arrest in an incident in Scottsdale Arizona.

As I wrote the other day I was concerned about Hill and the potential he had for embarrassing the organization and the hypocrisy of Tillman signing him after his statements of wanting to run a clean organization. Well today's actions have restored some faith as Tillman did not wait to find out if he was guilty or not and went ahead with the release. I really like the move and it shows that the organization is serious about the image and the character of the team. I do however have a couple of points too make (this wouldn't be a blog without them) and they are:

1) Why did we sign him in the first place? he is not a mutual fund (past performance does not necessarily guarantee future performance) he is a troubled individual who has a long track record and shows no signs of change

2) Its very to cut someone who never actually set foot in Regina as a player, so lets see what happens when this type of incident happens during the season. Will they have the guts to suspend/cut a player when they get into a bar room brawl?