Where is Frederic Plesius and what is he doing?

[KCargosfan]

Anyone? ....

[ArgoRavi]

Anyone? ....

My guess is that he is getting bad advice from his agent, the notorious Jonathan Hardaway. Plesius is still pursuing an NFL job even though interest seems quite limited in him.

[KCargosfan]

My guess is that he is getting bad advice from his agent, the notorious Jonathan Hardaway. Plesius is still pursuing an NFL job even though interest seems quite limited in him.

A way to garner NFL interest would have been to play last year and this year in the CFL very well. No NFL interest this year, and he'll never go. No NFL team will sign a 28-year-old rookie linebacker in two years.

[Argocister]

Giguere took his 3 years on a NFL practice roster before coming back to the Ticats .... So maybe he's going that route. My question would be, does that 3 year rule hold even if you don't make a practice roster. I.e. Plesius tried to make the NFL last year, then went back to Laval; this year he has a tried again ..... Is it try 3 years then you're out? Even just trying?
If he heads back to the CFL next year, hopefully the rookies have a higher base salary.... But he misses out on a year of playing football.

[ArgoRavi]

Giguere took his 3 years on a NFL practice roster before coming back to the Ticats .... So maybe he's going that route. My question would be, does that 3 year rule hold even if you don't make a practice roster. I.e. Plesius tried to make the NFL last year, then went back to Laval; this year he has a tried again ..... Is it try 3 years then you're out? Even just trying?
If he heads back to the CFL next year, hopefully the rookies have a higher base salary.... But he misses out on a year of playing football.

Giguere was making money on the PR in the NFL. Plesius has not even attended an NFL training camp in two years. I believe that he has no further eligibility in the CIS either as he would have exhausted that last year. If he really wants to play pro football, it is rather baffling that he hasn't headed to Hamilton yet.

[Argocister]

Giguere was making money on the PR in the NFL. Plesius has not even attended an NFL training camp in two years. I believe that he has no further eligibility in the CIS either as he would have exhausted that last year. If he really wants to play pro football, it is rather baffling that he hasn't headed to Hamilton yet.

You're right.... No more CIS for Plesius

[zontar]

Still negotiating last I heard. Like Wms, on what planet is sitting around whilst literally hundreds of graduates enter the market that are as good or better than you a smart strategy ?

[ArgoRavi]

Still negotiating last I heard. Like Wms, on what planet is sitting around whilst literally hundreds of graduates enter the market that are as good or better than you a smart strategy ?

I wonder how long it will take before Jonathan Hardaway realizes just how little leverage Plesius has.

[KCargosfan]

Giguere took his 3 years on a NFL practice roster before coming back to the Ticats .... So maybe he's going that route. My question would be, does that 3 year rule hold even if you don't make a practice roster. I.e. Plesius tried to make the NFL last year, then went back to Laval; this year he has a tried again ..... Is it try 3 years then you're out? Even just trying?
If he heads back to the CFL next year, hopefully the rookies have a higher base salary.... But he misses out on a year of playing football.

Bad comparison. Giguere actually was in the NFL on a practice roster getting paid $5K a week while Plesius is not signed by anyone. To actually have a chance to make a practice roster, Plesius would have to be signed by an NFL team.

Plesius went to one mini-camp in the NFL, went back to Laval to waste a pro year playing CIS when he could have played for the Ti-Cats getting paid, and is now not signed by anyone. Puzzling.

[Argocister]

Something may show up in the next day or so .... this was on Plesius twitter

Frederic Plesius ‏@FredoPlesius 16 Jun

Football is calling me!

.......and with regards to the Giguere comparison .... it was more of a timing comparison... in that will NFL teams invite persons to tryouts after trying unsuccessfully for 3 years?

[OV Argo]

I wonder how long it will take before Jonathan Hardaway realizes just how little leverage Plesius has.

Could well be that Plesius - guided by Hardaway - have unreasonable demands/expectations; however - we don't really know, do we?- could also be he is being low-balled by Austin with a minimum CFL wage type offer and told he maybe has a shot to be a back-up/special teamer type - when the Ticats have zip-o proven at MLB; the Ticats IMO should be very interested in getting Plesius in to compete at MLB and he could easily be an instant starter there perhaps : a big proven CIS all-star MLB with some outstanding testing #s from the Combine (hmmm - kinda similar to Greenwood who HAS found employment in the NFL). A better than average entry level contract and a half decent signing bonus could be a reasonable contract demand here IMO.

I don't blame top Canadian players telling the CFL to take a hike - IF they are not getting real interest or respect - there is other stuff to do besides playing football and we aren't talking NFL mega bucks here. Quinlan told the Als to take a hike - and good for him there given the circumstances IMO. IF Plesisus is turning down an even half-decent Ticats offer AND a real shot to compete for playing time there - that's still his business; and maybe he feels he has proven enough in football with his outsanding CIS play including some Championships; the NFL may be a real long-shot and a pipe dream, but again that's his business and opinion and he's well entitled to it and doesn't owe the good ole CFL boys a thing. IF some think he is some sort of prima donna for not crawling at any CFL opportunity - hey, you're entitled to your opininions too.

[KCargosfan]

Could well be that Plesius - guided by Hardaway - have unreasonable demands/expectations; however - we don't really know, do we?- could also be he is being low-balled by Austin with a minimum CFL wage type offer and told he maybe has a shot to be a back-up/special teamer type - when the Ticats have zip-o proven at MLB; the Ticats IMO should be very interested in getting Plesius in to compete at MLB and he could easily be an instant starter there perhaps : a big proven CIS all-star MLB with some outstanding testing #s from the Combine (hmmm - kinda similar to Greenwood who HAS found employment in the NFL). A better than average entry level contract and a half decent signing bonus could be a reasonable contract demand here IMO.

I don't blame top Canadian players telling the CFL to take a hike - IF they are not getting real interest or respect - there is other stuff to do besides playing football and we aren't talking NFL mega bucks here. Quinlan told the Als to take a hike - and good for him there given the circumstances IMO. IF Plesisus is turning down an even half-decent Ticats offer AND a real shot to compete for playing time there - that's still his business; and maybe he feels he has proven enough in football with his outsanding CIS play including some Championships; the NFL may be a real long-shot and a pipe dream, but again that's his business and opinion and he's well entitled to it and doesn't owe the good ole CFL boys a thing. IF some think he is some sort of prima donna for not crawling at any CFL opportunity - hey, you're entitled to your opininions too.

Time will tell, but Plesius is definitely rolling the dice, assuming he wants to play football.

Sit around, wait for an NFL training camp invite that may never come, and if it does, go compete for a roster/practice squad spot, but still nothing guaranteed. Or, sign with Ti-Cats, play football and get paid, though significantly less than the NFL.

Like I mentioned before, he could have played last year and this year and impressed, and gotten an NFL offer from that, but that's gone.

The thought process could be that he will see what, if anything, happens with the NFL this year, and then go all-out CFL next year.

From the Ti-Cats perspective, why set a contract precedent if you don't have to? Heenan got around $60K from the Riders his first year from what I read, so Hamilton probably doesn't see the need to offer a whole lot.

Still, $60K a year is pretty good for anybody, let alone someone right out of school. My guess would be Plesius would rather be paid to play football than go get a normal job in sales, insurance, teaching, etc.

[ArgoRavi]

$60k is especially good for six months of work.

[gilthethrill]

$60k is especially good for six months of work.

Ravi, when J.I. Albrecht drafted Donnovan Carter in the 1st round 13 years ago, did he not pay him $70,000 as a rookie? I seem to recall other CFL GM's were upset at J.I. for doing that.

[ArgoRavi]

Ravi, when J.I. Albrecht drafted Donnovan Carter in the 1st round 13 years ago, did he not pay him $70,000 as a rookie? I seem to recall other CFL GM's were upset at J.I. for doing that.

You are correct, Gil, about there being controversy over what Carter was paid. I can't remember if the number was $70k or not but that sounds likely. J.I. was the OV of the CFL as he was committed to improving the lot of Canadian players and wanted to provide a Canadian QB with a chance. In fact, Larry Jusdanis saw the most action, by quite a bit as I recall, of all of the QBs during preseason but he did not play very well. Jusdanis was still offered the third string spot but declined it and retired instead.

[KCargosfan]

$60k is especially good for six months of work.

Preaching to the choir there. Especially with I'm assuming full health insurance, some free food and free travel.

[OV Argo]

$60k is especially good for six months of work.

Yeah - I'd take it; NFL rookie minimum is something like 400 grand though - meaning an NFL bench warmer makes more than pretty well every CFL player.


And hey where's JI now ? - the Bummers have clueless American clowns - Mack & Crowton - with no idea about Canadian football - in charge there - who will do everything in their powers to give American players all sorts of opportunity, especially Div. III QBs like Goltz; pasted 51- zip by the Pussycats tonight; keep hiring and recycling these CFL GOB geniuses though.


Jusdanis turned down an Argo third string offer ? - why the nerve of that no talent Canadian ingrate: and after the Ticats told him to switch to slotback. JI also seemed to think that inferior talent Eric Lapointe could possibly play tailback for the Argos? Wonder if Jusdanis saw some sort of good ole writing on the wall?; Quinlan is another Canadian QB ingrate for not being all over the Als' chance to "compete" there - and after they conviently forgot to invite him to their QB mini-camp in the States till the last second; well - he might have got all sorts of CFL opportunity there - and coulda maybe made less than minimum wage on the Als PR with zero playing time- how dare he turn down such an opportunity, but maybe a job at McD's was calling or the coaching spot at Mac was somehow more appealing? - Mc/Mac was better?

[ArgoRavi]

Yeah - I'd take it; NFL rookie minimum is something like 400 grand though - meaning an NFL bench warmer makes more than pretty well every CFL player.


And hey where's JI now ? - the Bummers have clueless American clowns - Mack & Crowton - with no idea about Canadian football - in charge there - who will do everything in their powers to give American players all sorts of opportunity, especially Div. III QBs like Goltz; pasted 51- zip by the Pussycats tonight; keep hiring and recycling these CFL GOB geniuses though.

J.I. is unfortunately deceased. As for Mack and Crowton, I wouldn't consider them CFL good ole boys. Crowton never coached in the league prior to last season while Mack only returned to the CFL in 2010 after more than a two decade absence. I will say that I can't see any reason to believe that Bombers can surpass last year's 6-12 mark and even matching that might be difficult for them to do.

[OV Argo]

J.I. is unfortunately deceased. As for Mack and Crowton, I wouldn't consider them CFL good ole boys. Crowton never coached in the league prior to last season while Mack only returned to the CFL in 2010 after more than a two decade absence. I will say that I can't see any reason to believe that Bombers can surpass last year's 6-12 mark and even matching that might be difficult for them to do.

Perhaps you fail to understand my definition of a CFL GOB - it's not just to do with same olds being re-hired/recycled all the time; Mack & Crowton easily fit the definition - hired to key CFL decision making gigs with little to zero understanding of or experience in the Canadian game or CFL nuances. Marc Trestman did OK with an experienced guy like Popp behind him though. But keep going all-American is the CFL way - Mack & Crowton; Hawkins hired in Montreal; Reed & Hervey leading the Esks; Chamblin hired for the Riders HC gig; Austin (with Tillspin - LOL) in charge of the Pussycats after Cortez bombed.

"Radically Canadian" or "it's our game" = priceless laughable stuff.

[ArgoRavi]

While I doubt anyone other than Winnipeg would have hired Mack or Crowton, I am not sure why people like Reed, Hervey and Austin are so bad considering how long those guys have been around the Canadian game.