Edmonton Elks Thread

[OV Argo]

Maybe he was, maybe not. Ford last season had trouble throwing the intermediate routes into the hole. He had 1 such pass last night, and it was picked (Suitor tried to partially blame the receiver, but it was a bad throw behind him). Ford threw a beautiful deep ball, but as a QB, a 1 on 1 coverage deep post, is one of your easier throws. Throwing into windows against a zone is what sets passers apart. Not saying Ford will not get really good at it, but like I said, it's where he struggled passing last year too. I just hope he gets the ball the rest of the year and an opportunity to develop. He is an amazing athlete who with more experience will turn into a really good QB.

More playing time opportunity should make him better - obviously - but he has the arm strength (his passing stats in U Sports ball were good to outstanding - not like he was just a running QB), and needs more playing time. Watching the game tonight, Ford IMO has a superior passing arm and decision making with throws compared to the likes of Caleb Evans or Dolagala, or that rookie guy the Ticats have trotted out lately; not to mention a stiff like Dom Davis.
;
I could see a scenario where this garbage EE team is blown up and then maybe a new staff does not value Tre Ford and he is put back to 3rd string or even let go; THEN, there should be plenty of other CFL teams as suitors to give him another chance - like so many Americans get in the CFL (but O'Connor did not in terms of playing time opportunity).

[bannedforlife]

He IS more than a running QB. The usual knock on Canadian QBs is not having the arm strength. That is not an issue for Ford. His issue is between the ears, reading and decision making and that only comes with playing time if it doesn't come naturally.

Edmonton is not that bad a team, that showed last night until they began to lose confidence. A couple of good experienced players and things could change (not likely under Jones & Co). Everyone knows if you don't have a good QB in this league you have nothing.

[ArgoRavi]

Maybe he was, maybe not. Ford last season had trouble throwing the intermediate routes into the hole. He had 1 such pass last night, and it was picked (Suitor tried to partially blame the receiver, but it was a bad throw behind him). Ford threw a beautiful deep ball, but as a QB, a 1 on 1 coverage deep post, is one of your easier throws. Throwing into windows against a zone is what sets passers apart. Not saying Ford will not get really good at it, but like I said, it's where he struggled passing last year too. I just hope he gets the ball the rest of the year and an opportunity to develop. He is an amazing athlete who with more experience will turn into a really good QB.

Exactly. I don't have a problem with anything Jones said and I do think that Ford needs to continue to be the starter and go through the growing pains. Jones was quite complimentary of Ford's play Thursday night also.

[bannedforlife]

[ArgoRavi]

Victor Cui has been the one good thing about the Elks.

[Scooter McCray]

Not sure why he is the one that needs to go. In the middle of the season as well. He has nothing to do with onfield success. He did not hire Chris Jones. Kind of hard to sell tickets when you have not won a home game in nearly 4 years. Make him President of the Argos and I bet they draw 20,000 plus within a year.

[Scooter McCray]

I still want Clemons as President. Yesterday. If possible.

[paulwoods13]

Fans seem to be rushing on social media to condemn the Elks for this. Maybe condemnation will turn out to be justified, but no one has yet provided a credible, sourced report about what happened. I'd be willing to bet there is a lot more to this story than we will ever know.

[bannedforlife]

Official: Edmonton Elks, president Victor Cui mutually part ways
3Down Staff 3downnation.com August 15, 2023

[bannedforlife]

Fans seem to be rushing on social media to condemn the Elks for this. Maybe condemnation will turn out to be justified, but no one has yet provided a credible, sourced report about what happened. I'd be willing to bet there is a lot more to this story than we will ever know.

I heard the same thing and just so people don't insinuate something more salacious, I heard he was difficult to work with. I have no proof, or sources just speculation.

[OV Argo]

If he had the power to fire that moron Jones, and he didn't, he should be gone from the org. If he was demanding change - meaning punting the clown out of town - and he did not get support for the idea from their BOG or whatever, then good for him for abandoning ship.

[bannedforlife]

Frankly, it's difficult to imagine anyone surviving or turning around the stench that has enveloped this franchise from the top on down. A fresh start is what's needed, anyone recall what was going on in Winnipeg before the Canadian mafia arrived. Remember how down the franchise was under coach Mike Kelly and later Joe Mack and the creepy ginger Winnipeg newspaper "writer" who kept hounding Kelly years after he was gone.

[AngeloV]

If he had the power to fire that moron Jones, and he didn't, he should be gone from the org. If he was demanding change - meaning punting the clown out of town - and he did not get support for the idea from their BOG or whatever, then good for him for abandoning ship.

Problem is the operations cap tied their hands. If they fire Jones, that’s dead operations cap cash that you can’t reallocate for another 2 years after this one.

[Argo57]

Problem is the operations cap tied their hands. If they fire Jones, that’s dead operations cap cash that you can’t reallocate for another 2 years after this one.

Operations Cap = Idiotic

[AngeloV]

Fans seem to be rushing on social media to condemn the Elks for this. Maybe condemnation will turn out to be justified, but no one has yet provided a credible, sourced report about what happened. I'd be willing to bet there is a lot more to this story than we will ever know.

This is a very good point Paul. Alternate theories about Cui are coming out. Now this is not verified, but what i am reading is this: He was a bully to some employees. It was he who changed Jones's contract from 4 separate 1 year deals to a 4 year deal. Some say that the man you see on camera and in social media is completely different than the one in the office.

Fact is, none of us know, and it's true that some people are just big time phonies when the camera is rolling. Something must have happened for the board to take such actions. Likely something we will never know.

[ArgoRavi]

This is a very good point Paul. Alternate theories about Cui are coming out. Now this is not verified, but what i am reading is this: He was a bully to some employees. It was he who changed Jones's contract from 4 separate 1 year deals to a 4 year deal. Some say that the man you see on camera and in social media is completely different than the one in the office.

Fact is, none of us know, and it's true that some people are just big time phonies when the camera is rolling. Something must have happened for the board to take such actions. Likely something we will never know.

Good points by both AV and Paul. I will add that Tom Richards - the former Edmonton receiver - and this board did not choose Cui, from what I recall. And Cui didn't choose Chris Jones so this has just been an entire mess. Richards and the board need to remake the Elks in their own way from top to bottom.

[bannedforlife]

Seeing as I didn't get any love for breaking the news, and making good points, I'll try and make one here

Just because he didn't pan out or later may have exhibited poor behaviour (yet to be proven) didn't make Cui a bad hire. His qualifications and being a hometown boy made him a very good hire. I posted when the Esks hired Chris Presson that he was a bad hire. He was not part of the Esks family and that matters.

Randy Ambrosie had great qualifications for the job but his waffling and wavering and politicization of some issues, I think have lessened his credibility.

So you can have the right qualifications but not excel in the job, it happens, I won't fault anybody for the Cui hiring and I think he probably did do some good things with fan engagement and ticketing.

As for the Elks, I wonder what the Marshall brothers are up to?

[bannedforlife]

The Green Zone - Hour 1 - CFL Update - Justin Dunk (Elks Update)

Victor Cui out after being Edmonton Elks' third different president in five years
'It was not an easy decision by the board to come to this conclusion today, but we feel it's the right decision for the club going forward. And I appreciate that's not much of an answer, but we're not going to talk into details of every little thing'
Gerry Moddejonge edmontonjournal.com August 15, 2023

Elks chose to get rid of the wrong man in Victor Cui
Cam Tait edmontonsun.com August 15, 2023

[Will]

This is a very good point Paul. Alternate theories about Cui are coming out. Now this is not verified, but what i am reading is this: He was a bully to some employees. It was he who changed Jones's contract from 4 separate 1 year deals to a 4 year deal. Some say that the man you see on camera and in social media is completely different than the one in the office.

Fact is, none of us know, and it's true that some people are just big time phonies when the camera is rolling. Something must have happened for the board to take such actions. Likely something we will never know.

This, with the further disclaimer that again much of this is just rumor and innuendo.

[paulwoods13]

Seeing as I didn't get any love for breaking the news, and making good points, I'll try and make one here

Just because he didn't pan out or later may have exhibited poor behaviour (yet to be proven) didn't make Cui a bad hire. His qualifications and being a hometown boy made him a very good hire. I posted when the Esks hired Chris Presson that he was a bad hire. He was not part of the Esks family and that matters.

Randy Ambrosie had great qualifications for the job but his waffling and wavering and politicization of some issues, I think have lessened his credibility.

So you can have the right qualifications but not excel in the job, it happens, I won't fault anybody for the Cui hiring and I think he probably did do some good things with fan engagement and ticketing.

Cui certainly looked like a good candidate on paper, and he talked a good game as well. Some of the moves he made might pay off in the long run although my sense is that the market has turned not only away from the Elks, but against them. Good luck to whomever takes over -- that is a gigantic challenge not helped by being saddled with Jones for two more years.

As for Ambrosie, I agree he had good qualifications. How he has handled the role is on the BoG at least as much as it's on him. He has to do what they want; can try to steer them in a particular direction, but it's the old herding-cats analogy.