Argonauts release Marcus Ball to pursue NFL opportunity

[Argocister]

I guess Marcus Ball had another year on his contract. He's now a free agent and could sign with the Ticats tomorrow, l........

I'm thinking if Ball comes back to the CFL, it would be to follow Jones to Edmonton.

[OV Argo]

I'm thinking if Ball comes back to the CFL, it would be to follow Jones to Edmonton.

Sure - makes sense; very nice of Mr. Barker to let him go to pursue whatever is ever best for him. Wouldn't want to have any unhappy players on the roster who think they have to honor their Argo contract.

[Argo57]

Sure - makes sense; very nice of Mr. Barker to let him go to pursue whatever is ever best for him. Wouldn't want to have any unhappy players on the roster who think they have to honor their Argo contract.

Would be a total a-hole move on Ball's part (if he even cares) to pull a stunt like that OV, but you never know with some guys!!

[ArgoRavi]

I guess that the bottom line is that there really isn't such a thing as a multi-year contract for the Argos. If someone wants out of their contract to try to secure an NFL job, they will be let out of that contract. We can't assume that anyone will be around for more than a year as it stands now.

[ArgoGabe22]

I don't think anyone who was released to pursue the NFL had then signed with another club except for Kuale but he was going to be a FA anyways and signed after FA begun. Some FA's who then tried out for the NFL did sign with other teams but I think most re-signed with their original CFL team. Ricky Foley is one who chose to sign for Toronto instead of BC after his NFL shot but guys like Arceneaux and Vega signed with their respected club. I hope guys like Ball, Inman, Thorpe do recognize that the Argos did them a favour.

[Neely2005]

I'm thinking if Ball comes back to the CFL, it would be to follow Jones to Edmonton.

I guess we just have to hope that doesn't happen but you certainly raise a legitimate concern.

[shayman]

We are big Marcus Ball fans in the band. Right after the 100th Grey Cup, the band managed to sneak onto the field in the middle of the celebration and I was fumbling around with my phone trying to take a picture. He actually came up to me and said "Here, give me your camera, you go get in the picture, I'll take it."

I'm still in awe of the kindness of that gesture! Here's a pro athlete who one minute earlier had just won the championship, and he came over to help a group of goofball band members celebrate.

Marcus, thank you for taking this picture for us: http://t.co/2BarYCMnYU

[Neely2005]

We are big Marcus Ball fans in the band. Right after the 100th Grey Cup, the band managed to sneak onto the field in the middle of the celebration and I was fumbling around with my phone trying to take a picture. He actually came up to me and said "Here, give me your camera, you go get in the picture, I'll take it."

I'm still in awe of the kindness of that gesture! Here's a pro athlete who one minute earlier had just won the championship, and he came over to help a group of goofball band members celebrate.

Marcus, thank you for taking this picture for us: http://t.co/2BarYCMnYU

That's awesome! Just another reason why the CFL is so great.

[AngeloV]

I guess that the bottom line is that there really isn't such a thing as a multi-year contract for the Argos. If someone wants out of their contract to try to secure an NFL job, they will be let out of that contract. We can't assume that anyone will be around for more than a year as it stands now.

I think the big issue here is the option year. I personally think the league should lose this clause altogether. The CFL is the only pro sports league where a player can't technically sign a 1 year contract.

[Invader]

I think the big issue here is the option year. I personally think the league should lose this clause altogether. The CFL is the only pro sports league where a player can't technically sign a 1 year contract.

The league brought in the option year because they wanted minimum two-year contracts but were legally obligated to offer one-year deals. So now teams can offer a one-year contract but with a team option for a another year.

There are very good reasons why the CFL wants minimum 2-year contracts. It takes time for American players to learn the game, normally the lights don't go on fully until their 3rd season. For example Jerrell Freeman spent three years in Sask. The first year he stayed on the practice roster learning the Canadian game. His 2nd year he was the backup and in his 3rd year he became the starter, playing great and contributing to the team's success. Freeman went on to the NFL and praised the way the Riders developed him. He needed that time to learn the Canadian game and the pro game.

Having an import player for only 1 season is a loser's game -- both for the team and player. Both parties are much better off with a 2 or 3 year relationship, IMHO.

The Argos seem to have a different philosophy but I'd rather sign a player who is prepared to commit to the CFL for 2 or 3 years, rather than a player who wants to leave after one season regardless of his contract status.

The problem with one-year contracts is some players will want to leave after every season, like P.K. Sam and Kelly Campbell in Edm. They sign a 1+1 with a few games left in the season. Leave in their option year for a NFL tryout, come back with 4 games left and sign a 1-yr extension, leave the next season for the NFL, then come back play a couple games, and so on. Campbell did this 3 years in a row, which made a mockery of the league by my estimation.

I like minimum 2-year contracts with no option year tryouts. Teams which abuse this rule should be penalized by the league.

It didn't hurt Jerrell Freeman's chances to make the NFL by spending 3 years in the CFL or Cam Wake's 2 years or Brandon Browner's 4 years. They came in wet behind the ears and left as accomplished players who excelled in the CFL and NFL.

[Ron]

I guess that the bottom line is that there really isn't such a thing as a multi-year contract for the Argos. If someone wants out of their contract to try to secure an NFL job, they will be let out of that contract. We can't assume that anyone will be around for more than a year as it stands now.

It would be better if the Argos didn't recruit guys good enough to get an NFL shot. Problem solved and all Argo fans would be happier.

[OV Argo]

It would be better if the Argos didn't recruit guys good enough to get an NFL shot. Problem solved and all Argo fans would be happier.

No, not this Argo fan - it would be better if the Argos built a TEAM by having players committed to playing for them and honoring their contracts.

All sorts of guys can get NFL try-outs, and good for them if they make the big bucks and prestige there. And the Argos have done just fine with players who stuck around the team for many seasons: D-linemen like Jim Corrigall or Rodney Harding who played many seasons for the Argos; as opposed to a guy like Armond Armstead - who couldn't hold either of the above mentioned' jock straps in terms of D-line talent, but who did get let go to be an NFL bench warmer - and good for him and good for Mr. Barker - hip hip hooray / 3 cheers !

[paulwoods13]

Corrigall and Harding are all-timers, for sure, but I am not prepared to declare Armstead way out of their league based on one season. Lots of stars were not dominant in their first seasons. It's not Armstead's fault that an NFL team was prepared to sign him to a contract that likely paid 5-10 times what he would have made in 2012. Just as it's not Corrigall's fault that when he was playing (and clearly capable of playing in the NFL), the Argos were actually paying more than NFL money to several players.

As for the other point ("it would be better if the Argos built a TEAM by having players committed to playing for them and honoring their contracts"), who could argue that point? But I continue to believe that the number of CFL players who would NOT go to the NFL if offered a contract there could be counted on less than my 10 fingers -- most of the starting QBs, who would not believe they'd get a legit shot at PT, plus Jon Cornish.

[ArgoZ]

Corrigall and Harding are all-timers, for sure, but I am not prepared to declare Armstead way out of their league based on one season. Lots of stars were not dominant in their first seasons. It's not Armstead's fault that an NFL team was prepared to sign him to a contract that likely paid 5-10 times what he would have made in 2012. Just as it's not Corrigall's fault that when he was playing (and clearly capable of playing in the NFL), the Argos were actually paying more than NFL money to several players.

As for the other point ("it would be better if the Argos built a TEAM by having players committed to playing for them and honoring their contracts"), who could argue that point? But I continue to believe that the number of CFL players who would NOT go to the NFL if offered a contract there could be counted on less than my 10 fingers -- most of the starting QBs, who would not believe they'd get a legit shot at PT, plus Jon Cornish.

I've said it a few times before; you can not fault any player trying to better themselves or their family's life by trying out the NFL. Most of us have changed jobs for a few dollars an hour. Making the NFL is tens/hundreds of thousands more a year than your average CFL salary. It would be hypocritical, for most people who would have problem with this.

[AngeloV]

The problem with one-year contracts is some players will want to leave after every season, like P.K. Sam and Kelly Campbell in Edm. They sign a 1+1 with a few games left in the season. Leave in their option year for a NFL tryout, come back with 4 games left and sign a 1-yr extension, leave the next season for the NFL, then come back play a couple games, and so on. Campbell did this 3 years in a row, which made a mockery of the league by my estimation.

Once again, I disagree. If a team is worried that a player may leave after 1 year in the league, then they have the option to say "no, we will not sign you to a one year contract". An option year clause that is only a team option is ridiculous. That is why no other pro league has this clause.

[OV Argo]

Corrigall and Harding are all-timers, for sure, but I am not prepared to declare Armstead way out of their league based on one season. Lots of stars were not dominant in their first seasons. It's not Armstead's fault that an NFL team was prepared to sign him to a contract that likely paid 5-10 times what he would have made in 2012. Just as it's not Corrigall's fault that when he was playing (and clearly capable of playing in the NFL), the Argos were actually paying more than NFL money to several players.

As for the other point ("it would be better if the Argos built a TEAM by having players committed to playing for them and honoring their contracts"), who could argue that point? But I continue to believe that the number of CFL players who would NOT go to the NFL if offered a contract there could be counted on less than my 10 fingers -- most of the starting QBs, who would not believe they'd get a legit shot at PT, plus Jon Cornish.

Bruce Clark at least played 2 seasons for the Argos - and he was about 500x a better DT than Armstead; yep - those were the old CFL days with different money disparities between the 2 leagues; if you are good with the new CFL, that's swell. IMO - a CFL team could change things there by demanding at least 2 years commitment to the team for new players signed; if that is out of the question for Mr. Barker types, hey c'est la vie i guess. Varying attitudes and opinions can be held by those running sports teams.

[jerrym]

I understand the reasoning behind allowing Ball to tryout for the NFL, but I hate to lose him and his competitive edge. It also makes me nervous to see so many defensive bodies starting to disappear once again this year. It could lead to a repeat of the lack of coordination problems we saw last year with the Argos defence.

[Argo57]

I understand the reasoning behind allowing Ball to tryout for the NFL, but I hate to lose him and his competitive edge. It also makes me nervous to see so many defensive bodies starting to disappear once again this year. It could lead to a repeat of the lack of coordination problems we saw last year with the Argos defence.

I don't ever recall seeing a championship team lose their entire defence (for various reasons) in just over a year, pretty bizarre actually.

[Invader]

Once again, I disagree. If a team is worried that a player may leave after 1 year in the league, then they have the option to say "no, we will not sign you to a one year contract". An option year clause that is only a team option is ridiculous. That is why no other pro league has this clause.

Well, no other pro league has the majority of its players coming from a foreign country who've never played the game before. That's why the CFL prefers 2-year contracts.

[AngeloV]

Well, no other pro league has the majority of its players coming from a foreign country who've never played the game before. That's why the CFL prefers 2-year contracts.

Keep trying to justify this. I'm still not buying what you are trying to sell.