Local Coverage (or the utter lack thereof)

[bluto]

I'm kinda pissed this morning because it is now less than 5 days until free agency which should be a big deal since we have several key players who have yet to sign (or so we'd think... maybe they have but the press just never bothered to report on it...) as well as a major shot fired across our bow by Beeston regarding natural grass and how it could render us homeless if the Blue Jays actually are lamebrained enough to push ahead with that...

...and NOTHING in the press.

Sewiouswy, we get more news on other teams and their players and situations coming to us because their local media gives a crap enough to do at least the bare minimum and call their contacts with the team, the league, the agents and the players every so often and, y'know, do their F'ing job!

This post is a call to my fellow Argofans. i believe that we get the coverage we deserve... and if we don't care enough to ask for it, then we don't deserve it. Simple.

http://www.torontosun.com/letter-to-editor
http://www.thestar.com/contactus
http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/help/contact-web/
http://www.nationalpost.com/contact/...+to+the+editor

There are the links. Take just 10 minutes of your time. Make what you want to say brief, to the point and tell them that there are important things like free agency and stadiums that nobody is reporting on.

i did it. and i bet if 5 or 10 more of us do it as well, well start to see some ink for our Argos.

get on this.

[eiben35]

The Argos should be making more news and distributing it on their web site. They can't even update the players stats on their site.

[bluto]

like i said. we get the coverage we deserve. it's democracy in action. if we don't demand it, why should they supply it?

[bluto]

a little over 24 hours until what could be the most active roster period the CFL has seen in years and predictably, the local papers are trying their damndest to ignore it.

Kirk Penton at the Winnipeg Sun is at least doing his job... here's a list of the teams changes and FAs as of a day ago. likely there are some changes already, but since our local media ain't helping us, i suppose we do a better job of tracking this stuff anyway.

* means non-import player

EAST DIVISION

WINNIPEG
FREE AGENTS (7)
OL Brendon LaBatte*
WR Greg Carr
OL Glenn January
OL Steve Morley*
OL Andre Douglas
WR Aaron Hargreaves*
DT Don Oramasionwu*FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
LS Chris Cvetkovic
S Ian Logan
QB Joey Elliott
QB Buck Pierce
S Brady Browne
QB Alex BrinkEXTENDEDRETAINED FROM PRACTICE ROSTER
WR Kurt Adams
LB Dustin Doe
WR Cassidy Doneff
RB Bloi-Dei Dorzon
LB Javon McKinnon
OL Justin SorensenADDITIONS
CEO Garth Buchko
OC Gary Crowton
===========
OL Brendan Dunn (2011 draft pick)
RB Chad Simpson (28 NFL games)
RB Anthony Woodson (2010 draft pick)DEPARTURES
OC Jamie Barresi (fired, RB coach in Edmonton)
RC Chris Wiesehan (OL coach in Hawaii)
LB Casey Creehan (DC in Hamilton)
==================
P Jamie Boreham (released)


TORONTO
FREE AGENTS (10)
OL Dominic Picard*
OL Taylor Robertson*
LB Kevin Eiben*
OL Rob Murphy
S Willie Pile
CB Byron Parker
LB Jason Pottinger*
QB Dalton Bell
DE Alex Buzbee
DE Ben IsholaFREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
FB Jeff Johnson
LB Jordan YoungerEXTENDED
WR Mike Bradwell
OL Chris Van Zeyl
QB Steven Jyles (later traded to Edmonton)
SB Andre DurieADDITIONS
HC Scott Milanovich (former OC in Montreal)
DC Chris Jones (former DC in Calgary)
OC Jonathan Himebauch (former OL coach in Montreal, later left for NCAA)
RC Jason Maas
CEO Chris Rudge
===========
QB Ricky Ray (trade, Edmonton — for Steven Jyles, Grant Shaw and 1st-rd pick in 2012)
DL Gregory Alexandre (2011 draft pick)
DL Jonathan Pierre-Etienne (B.C. 2009 draft pick)
WR Julian Feoli-Gudino (2011 draft pick)
WR Andrew Strickland
OL Donnie McKenzie
DB Marcus Ball
WR Jarmon FortsonDEPARTURES
OC Jonathan Himebauch (resigned, Wake Forest)
CEO Bob Nicholson (resigned)
==================
WR Brandon Rideau (released)
QB Steven Jyles (Edmonton, trade — for Ricky Ray)
K Grant Shaw (Edmonton, trade — for Ricky Ray)
WR Jeremaine Copeland (retired, joined Ticats as receivers coach)
DB Lin-J Shell (released)
S Wes Lysack (released)


MONTREAL
FREE AGENTS (5)
G Scott Flory*
DE Jermaine McElveen
LB Walter Spencer*
CB Mark Estelle
CB Paul Woldu*FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
LB Marc-Olivier Brouilette
S Etienne Boulay
WR Eric DeslauriersEXTENDED
OL Josh Bourke
WR Brandon London
DB Billy Parker
DB Daryl Townsend
WR Brian BrattonRETAINED FROM PRACTICE ROSTER
WR Travon Patterson
DB Vince Anderson
DT Tremaine Johnson
WR Sidney Stewart
DE Daunte AkraADDITIONS
OC Marcus Brady (promoted from RC)
DC Jeff Reinebold
===========
WR Adam Mims
OL Anthony Barrette (2011 draft pick)
OL Reed Alexander (2011 draft pick)
LB Blaine Ruttan (2011 draft pick)
DB Michael Carter
DE Chris Hodgson
WR Trent Guy
DE Ventrell Jenkins
DB/KR Stephan Neville
WR Felton Huggins
RB Noel Devine
DE Michael Montgomery
DB Dajuan Morgan
DE Duke Lemmens
RB Winston ThompsonDEPARTURES
OC Scott Milanovich (Toronto, head coach)
DC Tim Tibesar (Purdue)
OL Jonathan Himebach (Toronto, OC, then left for Wake Forest)
DBs Daronte Jones (University of Hawaii)
==================
KR Tim Maypray (released)
DL Jeff Robertshaw (released)
S Tad Crawford (retired)
WR Kerry Watkins (retired)
DE Anwar Stewart (released)
WR Danny Desriveaux (released)
K Sandro DeAngelis (released)


HAMILTON
FREE AGENTS (7)
K Justin Medlock
DL Matt Kirk*
DB Jason Shivers
WR Matt Carter*
OL Jason Jimenez
FB Agustin Barrenechea*
LB Ike BrownFREE AGENTS RE-SIGNEDEXTENDED
CB Ryan Hinds
WR Bakari GrantRETAINED FROM PRACTICE ROSTER
WR Terence Jeffers-HarrisADDITIONS
HC George Cortez
DC Casey Creehan (former LB coach in Winnipeg)
Rec. Jeremaine Copeland
QBs Doug Sams
STs Jim Daley
DBs Nelson Martin
RBs Ryan Sheahan
===========
QB Henry Burris (Calgary, trade — for Kevin Glenn, Mark Dewit, draft pick)
RB Martell MallettDEPARTURES
HC Marcel Bellefeuille (fired)
DC Corey Chamblin (HC in Saskatchewan)
OC Khari Jones (QBs in Saskatchewan)
==================
KR Marcus Thigpen (NFL, Miami)
QB Kevin Glenn (Calgary, trade — for Henry Burris)
OL Mark Dewit (Calgary, trade — for Henry Burris)
S Dylan Barker (retired)
OL Simeon Rottier (released, signed in Edmonton)
RB Avon Cobourne (released)
DE Luc Mullinder (released)
DE Justin Hickman (NFL, Indianapolis)

[bluto]

and the West Division...

* denotes non-import
WEST DIVISION

B.C.
FREE AGENTS (4)
DT Aaron Hunt
CB Dante Marsh
DB Ryan Phillips
OL Andrew Jones*FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
DT Khalif Mitchell
LB Anton McKenzie
K/P Paul McCallumEXTENDED
RB Andrew Harris
C Angus Reid
SB Arland Bruce
DB Korey Banks
WR Paris JacksonADDITIONS
HC Mike Benevides (promoted from DC)
DC Rich Stubler (former DC in Edmonton)
===========DEPARTURES
HC Wally Buono (stays on as GM)
Def. Asst. Barron Miles (Saskatchewan, DBs)
==================
RB Jamal Robertson (retired)
WR Ryan Thelwell (retired)
DB Tad Kornegay (released)
LB Solomon Elimimian (NFL, Minnesota)
QB Jarious Jackson (released)
RB Jamall Lee (retired)


SASKATCHEWAN
FREE AGENTS (8)
WR Andy Fantuz*
RB Wes Cates
DB/KR Tristan Jackson
WR Cary Koch
FB Graeme Bell*
SB Jason Clermont*
RB Stuart Foord*
DB Leron Mitchell*FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
CB Nick Graham
DE Brent HawkinsEXTENDED
DT Keith ShologanADDITIONS
HC Corey Chamblin (former DC in Hamilton)
OC Bob Dyce (promoted from WRs)
OL Kris Sweet (former OLs in Calgary)
QBs Khari Jones (former OC in Hamilton)
WRs Jason Tucker (former WRs in Edmonton)
DBs Barron Miles (former def. asst. in B.C.)
===========
LB Maurice Lloyd
DB Graig Newman
WR Kolten Solomon
K/P Chris Bodnar
OL Clint Oldenburg
DL Boo Robinson
WR Jason Chery
WR Taj Smith
RB Kory Sheets
RB Louis Rankin
RB Demetrius CrawfordDEPARTURES
HC Ken Miller (retired)
==================
LB Barrin Simpson (released)
P Eddie Johnson (released)
DE R.J. Roberts (released)
DB Jeremiah Weatherspoon (released)
K/P Luca Congi (released)
DB Tamon George (released)
OL George Hudson (released)
DB John Eubanks (released)
WR Terrence Nunn (released)
DE Remond Willis (released)
LB Sean Lucas (retired)
LB Jerrell Freeman (NFL, Indianapolis)
QB Ryan Dinwiddie (released)
WR Freddie Barnes (released)
OL Alex Gauthier (released)
WR James Robinson (released)
OL Marc Parenteau (released)


CALGARY
FREE AGENTS (4)
P Burke Dales*
OL Tim O’Neill*
WR Arjei Franklin*
DB Brandon IsaacFREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
LB Marc CalixteEXTENDED
RB Jon Cornish
QB Drew TateADDITIONS
DC Dave Walkosky (promoted from LBs)
DLs DeVone Claybrooks
===========
RB Matt Walter (2011 draft pick)
WR Mike Squires
QB Kevin Glenn (Hamilton, trade — for Henry Burris)
OL Mark Dewit (Hamilton, trade — for Henry Burris)
WR Chris Bauman (released by Edmonton)
LB Jadon Wagner
RB Jeramy Avery
RB Michael Smith
LB Joe Henderson
LB Montez Robinson
DL Cody Brown
DL Chase VaughnDEPARTURES
DC Chris Jones (Toronto, DC)
==================
QB Henry Burris (Hamilton, trade — for Kevin Glenn and Mark Dewit)
DT DeVone Claybrooks (retired)
RB Joffrey Reynolds (released)
LB Sean Ware (retired)


EDMONTON
FREE AGENTS (4)
LB Rod Davis
DE Greg Peach
LB Mark Restelli
RB Samuel Fournier*FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
FB Mathieu Bertrand
K Derek Schiavone
RB Calvin McCarty*
OL Kyle Koch
DL Etienne Legare
WR Andrew NowackiEXTENDED
DB Delroy Clarke
RB Hugh Charles
OL Greg Wojt
SB Fred StampsADDITIONS
DC Mark Nelson (promoted from LBs)
===========
DL Steven Friday
QB Steven Jyles (Toronto, trade — for Ricky Ray)
K Grant Shaw (Toronto, trade — for Ricky Ray)
LB Simoni Lawrence
WR Derrick Townsel
OL Mitch Erickson
LB Derek Domino
DB Michael Ricks
OL Orrin Thompson
P/K Eric Wilbur (formerly with Hamilton)
OL Simeon Rottier (released by Hamilton)
DL Rashad Jeanty (spent four seasons in NFL)
DL Kommonyan QuayeDEPARTURES
DC Rich Stubler (new DC in B.C.)
==================
QB Ricky Ray (Toronto, trade — for Steven Jyles, Grant Shaw and draft pick)
OL Patrick Kabongo (released)
WR Chris Bauman (released, signed in Calgary)
DB Wopamo Osaisai (released)
SB Jason Barnes (released)
KR Jason Armstead (released)
DB Jykine Bradley (released)
OL Chris Patrick (released)
DL Joe Sykes (released)
K/P Damon Duval (released)

[R.J]

Sent in mine today, hopefully the major media in Toronto eventually learns the error of their ways.

[1argoholic]

This has been a problem for years. I sent notes in yesterday.

[Ron]

The Argos should be making more news and distributing it on their web site. They can't even update the players stats on their site.

This. Hard to blame the media when any media guy can see the team can't even do what is required.

Lest we also forget that media are generally lazy goofs. Teams like the Jays and even MLSE are actively feeding these lazy oafs news stories in the off season knowing full well these guys won't look for a story. What looks like media bias in favour of these franchises is just the rewards of these franchises stroking the media.

The CFL (pretty much all teams) in the off season just sit back and expect that the media will find stories to print for them. So to bother to e-mail the media asking them to shall we say ... actually work. (Like that'll ever work) The focus should be on getting the CFL to be more active in feeding stories to the media in the off season and not just reply on what TSN decides to cover as part of their contract.

[Invader]

It's pretty much the same in most major CFL cities. The newspapers have fewer and fewer reporters and rely on U.S. media services to fill their blank spaces. Like the Bleacher Report which probably pays the newspapers to run their stories and links. Unfortunately, Americans don't cover the CFL, curling, ect, so our media largely ignore these sports. Luckily their are still reporters in Regina, Winnipeg, Calgary and the Toronto Sun who file national CFL stories...but they don't often get picked up by the other Toronto media.

The saddest state of affairs is the Argo and CFL sites in the Star, G&M and other major publications. The Toronto Star's Argo site feature story is a preview to the 2011 season. It would be hard to generate interest from new fans with such lackluster media coverage, especially compared with the American sports. And now with the Bell/Rogers agreement to cooperatively promote the NBA, MLS and Leafs (and both conglomerates are huge NFL backers) the writing is on the wall for the CFL...and Canada.

[ArgoRavi]

One of the things that I miss is the great sports columnists that we used to have in this country and how they would write on the CFL as much as anything. I was reminded of this in recent days with the death of Trent Frayne. I remember reading his columns in the Globe and Mail as a kid as I did Allen Abel's, Scott Young's and Jeffrey Goodman's. In the Star, they had the likes of Jim Proudfoot and Milt Dunnell and, of course, the Sun had Jim Hunt. They all wrote extensively about the Argos and CFL but, unfortunately, all but Abel and Goodman are gone and I have no idea what Goodman has been up to for the last 30 years. In Toronto today, we have Steve Simmons who isn't exactly "CFL-friendly" and Damien Cox who writes maybe five or six columns a year on the Argos/CFL. There is also Bill Lankhof in the Sun and Dave Perkins with his three columns a year on the Argos/CFL but that is about it. It really is a sad state of affairs in the Toronto media.

[ArgoRavi]

One of the things that I miss is the great sports columnists that we used to have in this country and how they would write on the CFL as much as anything. I was reminded of this in recent days with the death of Trent Frayne. I remember reading his columns in the Globe and Mail as a kid as I did Allen Abel's, Scott Young's and Jeffrey Goodman's. In the Star, they had the likes of Jim Proudfoot and Milt Dunnell and, of course, the Sun had Jim Hunt. They all wrote extensively about the Argos and CFL but, unfortunately, all but Abel and Goodman are gone and I have no idea what Goodman has been up to for the last 30 years. In Toronto today, we have Steve Simmons who isn't exactly "CFL-friendly" and Damien Cox who writes maybe five or six columns a year on the Argos/CFL. There is also Bill Lankhof in the Sun and Dave Perkins with his three columns a year on the Argos/CFL but that is about it. It really is a sad state of affairs in the Toronto media.

I was going to start a new thread about this but found this one that I can just tack my thoughts onto. Chris Cuthbert even favourited this tweet of mine today:

Still waiting for a Toronto newspaper columnist to write about the #Argos for the 1st time this season. #unbelievable

— Ravi R. (@ravira) August 15, 2015

We are seven games into the season and the likes of Bruce Arthur and Steve Simmons have yet to write a column analyzing this exciting team. During last week's thrilling win over Saskatchewan, what were Arthur and Simmons doing? They were watching the NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony instead of the Argos' home opener. I know that the Jays are doing better and I understand that they will get the bulk of the sports media attention but why do the Argos have to get almost zero and nothing from the newspaper columnists? There really is something seriously wrong with the Toronto sports media.

[Wobbler]

Off-topic: Although thread re-use is generally a good idea, very old threads should stay buried unless there's a specific reason to disinter them (e.g. the solution to an old question has been found, or an old event has re-occurred).

On-topic: I agree. The Argos have been anything but boring, and there's no excuse for ignoring them entirely.

[ArgoRavi]

Sorry, Wobbler. I guess I should have started a new thread after all but the one thing that this thread shows is that, if anything, things have gotten even worse over the last 3+ years regarding coverage of the Argos.

As mentioned over in the Kackert thread, if he were playing for the Leafs or probably even for the Jays or Raptors, the Toronto sports media would be all over this wonderful comeback story. I always remember Norm Casola playing in the 1997 Grey Cup game despite being quite ill with cancer. Perry Lefko wrote a terrific article about what Casola went through not long after this death but, other than a story on Sportsnet about Casola prior to the '04 Grey Cup, nothing else has ever been said or written about him. If he were a hockey player, there would probably have been at least two movies - one made-for-TV and one feature film - made about his story by now. There are so many great stories around this franchise that go largely ignored by the Toronto sports media and it drives me crazy.

[argotom]

Even before the latest love in for the Crap Jays the media in the city save and except The Sun, have been hypnotized by the Rogers media juggernaut here in the city resulting in even less coverage then before.
And that's pretty bad as it difficult to go much lower.

[Argocister]

Perhaps they are all Stepford Wives ..... Managed by the rogers group.

The stories that are available from the Argos journey thus far should've been able to stir some interest .... Mind you I am biased.

On the other hand ...... If we are wanting to draw in fans from the 15-35 age group .... Perhaps the traditional media is not necessarily the ideal vehicle to attract them.
It will be the web based media that will be best to spread the info on the
Argos.... Which this year is definitely more than previous years.

[gilthethrill]

Maybe with the new deep pocketed owners that the Argos will have next season, perhaps the media (insert names here) that currently ignores the team will provide coverage if a free buffet is set out at press conferences, practises & after games?

[Argo]

Mainstream media is, by and large with few exceptions, an enormous steaming coil of fresh-daily excrement-with-an-agenda.

In this Internet age, why should anyone require mass-media coverage of the Argonauts (beyond that supplied axiomatically by the team's contractual partners, the CFL, and the organization itself)?

[Neely2005]

Mainstream media is, by and large with few exceptions, an enormous steaming coil of fresh-daily excrement-with-an-agenda.

In this Internet age, why should anyone require mass-media coverage of the Argonauts (beyond that supplied axiomatically by the team's contractual partners, the CFL, and the organization itself)?

Because the main stream media is on the Internet too and it's still one of the first places that people look, even on the Internet.

[Gill The Thrill]

The media like to call Toronto a great sports town, yet they have trouble following more than one team at a time, especially if they're owned by 2 different entities. The Raptor coverage was enhanced once they became part of the MLSE umbrella. The Argos have always been the first victims of the exorbitant Blue Jays coverage since 1984. It's as if stations can't send 2 field reporters or one guy to cover 2 practices or events, and that's even with the teams sharing facilities.

The Jays have always played hardball with the Argos in their dealings with them. Remember reading "Bouncing Back," where Toronto native, Jan Carinci reiterated that he resented the way the Jays never permitted Argo players private access on Blue Jay game days at the CNE and would force them to walk through Blue Jays fans to get to their dressing room after practice on a grass field at the CNE.

[1argoholic]

Toronto is the worst sports town there is. As I've mentioned each team is pitted against each other to make for a whole gong show of a fractured sports scene. Hell you see Jays fans and TFC fans together with Argo fans on a GO Train and very little is said to each other if anything. I was wearing my Argo jersey out on Friday doing some running around and band wagon jumper Jay fans just look at you with a perplexed look.

I'm so sick of the disrespect The Argonauts get at every turn in Southern Ontario. We watch CFTO News and Joe Tilly is the only guy who gives a crap about the Argos. Bunch of dorks talk golf over Argos.