Edmonton Elks Thread

[jerrym]

The Eskimos have released former Argo DL Alan-Michael Cash.

[ArgoRavi]

The Eskimos have released former Argo DL Alan-Michael Cash.

His career may be over, after being released by three different teams in a matter of months.

[Foxhound]

Beloved Canadian sports legend Normie Kwong passed away in his sleep on 3 September 2016 at the age of 86.

Normie was born on 24 October 1929 in Calgary, Alberta where he attended Western Canada High School and starred on the gridiron. After graduating from high school, he signed to play with the Calgary Stampeders thus becoming the first Chinese-Canadian to play professional football.

Playing fullback, he helped the Stampeders to win the Grey Cup in his rookie season. (Incidentally Stampeder fans introduced modern day hoopla into the Grey Cup in 1948 when they rode their horses through the lobby of the staid old Royal York Hotel in prim and proper Toronto. This was a seminal event in making the Grey Cup weekend a national festival and thus a part of Canada's cultural heritage.)

He was traded by the Stampeders to the Edmonton Eskimos prior to the 1951 season. He led the Western Interprovincial Football Union in rushing in 1951, 1955 and 1956 setting a CFL record which stood until 2012 for the most yards rushing by a Canadian in a season with 1,437 in 1956. He won the Schenley Award for Most Outstanding Canadian in 1955 and 1956. He helped the Eskimos win three Grey Cups in a row from 1954 to 1956. He retired following the 1960 season.

Sadly statistics weren't kept by the WIFU in his first two years but Normie rushed for an average of 5.2 yards per carry between 1950 and 1960 and compiled a total of 9,022 yards rushing which puts him in eighth place on the all-time CFL rushing yardage list. He also scored 93 recorded touchdowns putting him tied for ninth on the all-time list.

His rushing exploits earned him the "China Clipper" nickname and he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1969.

As a Stampeder and as an Eskimo:



With fellow CFL legends Johnny Bright and Jackie "Spaghetti Legs" Parker after their 1956 Grey Cup triumph:



From the Weekend Magazine:





In a practice jersey (or miscoloured) from the 1959 Topps CFL set, the very first bubble gum cards I bought and collected as a kid:



He was named Canadian Athlete of the Year in 1955 and inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1975.

But his achievements after his playing career ended were perhaps even more impressive. He was part of a group of six Calgary businessmen who bought the Atlanta Flames and moved the team to Calgary. When the Calgary Flames won the Stanley Cup in 1989, Normie Kwong joined Carl Voss and Lionel Conacher (Canada's Athlete of the 1900-50 half century) as the only individuals to have their names inscribed on both the Grey Cup and the Stanley Cup.

He also served as president and general manager of the Calgary Stampeders from 1988 to 1991 where he laid the foundation for the team being a perennial contender ever since.

In 1998 Normie received the Order of Canada. He was then appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Alberta on 20 January 2005 serving until 11 May 2010. (To the uninitiated, a province's Lieutenant-Governor is the titular chief executive officer of the province appointing premiers and signing bills into law. While on a day-to-day basis his functions are largely ceremonial, his is the supreme authority in the province under the Constitution.) With his legendary status in both Calgary and Edmonton, Normie was probably the best loved Lieutenant-Governor that Alberta ever had.

[jerrym]

Terrell Owen's agent, Jason Staroszik, has triggered the ten day window the Eskimos have to either offer Owens a contract or release him from their negotiation list. I find it hard to believe that a 44 year old man, even one who is second all-time in NFL receiving yardage and third all-time in receiving TDs, but who has not played football in eight years, will have a meaningful impact in the CFL or long survive injury to his middle-aged body.

“He wants to play in the NFL again,” said Jason Staroszik, the Edmonton-based player agent who is representing Owens in his CFL affairs. “He feels like he still has what it takes to play a couple years. But if the NFL isn’t an option for him, this is the next-best option and he is ready and willing to come play here. There’s no hemming and hawing about it. He wants to play pro football still.” ...

“The guy is 44 years old … You put a guy like him on your neg list, it’s either because you want to sign him right now or you saw the same thing everybody else did and thought, ‘maybe another team is going to put him on their neg list, why don’t I try to be the first one to do it?’” said Staroszik, referring to a video of Owens running the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds and change on June 18. The Eskimos reportedly added Owens to their neg list a day later. ...

Staroszik still expects an offer from the Eskimos, but it’s far more likely to be the league minimum of $54,000 than anything that would attract Owens’ attention. The Eskimos would retain his neg list rights for a year and not have to negotiate further. “I’m not expecting the offer they give me to be a serious one that they expect me to take to Terrell,” said Staroszik. “But if they do, then that will show they are serious and they want him here. It’s hard for me to see just because of the American receivers Edmonton has right now. I don’t see them being in the position of needing him. There are other teams around the league that could use an American receiver and could use a name like T.O. to put some butts in some seats, you know.”
Former CFL receiver Nik Lewis seems to think the CFL East is the more likely destination for Owens. “I know for a fact that TO has had interest in playing in the CFL a few times before. I believe he invoked Edmonton to get off the neg list. I believe he wants to play on the east coast,” Lewis tweeted on Monday night.

https://nationalpost.com/sports/foot...eam-in-the-cfl

[jerrym]

The Eskimos have released Terrell Owens from their negotiation list after finding no one was interested in trading for him. However, his agent Jason Staroszik says he could still sign as a free agent with another team.

[jerrym]

Despite going 13/27 for 257 yards, Mike Reilly is on a pace that would give 5,966 yards and with only a slight increase in average passing yardage per game he could break 6,000 passing yards this year.

[jerrym]

The Eskimos have made several personnel changes, mostly involving Canadians. The return of LBs Adam Konar and Christophe Mulumba from the six game injured list has led to the release of WR Sam Giguere, a definite upgrade in the team's starting Nationals. National Tanner Doll, Ottawa's long snapper last year, was cut this year before being signed and playing four games for Hamilton before being released again. Canadian Doug Parrish was a backup LB last year that was released earlier this year but now has been resigned. The addition of all these Canadian LBs allowed the team to release International LB Jeremiah Kose.

BREAKING: We have made the following transactions:

Signed:
•🇨🇦 LS Tanner Doll
•🇨🇦 LB Doug Parrish

Removed from the six-game injured list:
•🇨🇦 LB Adam Konar
•🇨🇦 LB Christophe Mulumba

Released:
•🇨🇦 WR Sam Giguere
•🇺🇸 LB Jeremiah Kose
•🇺🇸 OL Kelvin Palmer pic.twitter.com/UkPLQw6kbG

— Edmonton Eskimos (@EdmontonEsks) August 14, 2018

[jerrym]

Former Argo National fullback Alexandre Dupuis will miss the rest of the season due to a torn bicep.

[jerrym]

WR Derel Walker is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a knee injury.

[jerrym]

Taylor Reed, who the Argos signed as a free agent in February and released in August, has signed with the Eskimos.

[R.J]

#Esks have fired special teams coordinator Cory McDiarmid. Special Teams assistant Dave Jackson takes over. McDiarmid had been with the team since 2016.

— 630CHED (@630CHED) September 30, 2018

Not surprising considering Maas and McDiarmid seemed to have some issues. I still think McDiarmid is a good coach and expect someone to pick him up in the off season.

[jerrym]

The current ST Assistant, Dave Jackson, will take over as ST Coordinator.

[jerrym]

The Eskimos have signed former Argo WR Kevin Elliott.

[OV Argo]

The Schmoes look done this season - must be a huge disappointment in a GC hosting season.

Ultra limited offence inspite of a top QB like Reilly - wayyyyy too dependent on over-loading on a couple of receivers (Walker & Williams), and too dumb to bang a ground game ( an over-rated Gable is at least half-way capable, but a smart O would work in a 2nd back, plus work in stuff like jet sweeps or H-back gets the ball plays).

And some good talent on D, but can't put it together there.

Maas & Benevedes looking like dullards = see ya - both deserve to be punted way out of town, IMO.

[jerrym]

The Eskimos have extended International all-star DT Almondo Sewell through 2020. He's a key member of their DL.

[jerrym]

Edmonton has added National DL Evan Gill who played 5 games for Hamilton in 2016-17 and released International WR Torance Gibson from their PR.

[jerrym]

There are lots of questions about next year for the Eskimos: whether Maas and Reilly will be back: reports of Maas losing the locker room; what impact the CBA will have on the team; and how much talent the American Alliance of Football will take from the CFL.

Eskimos beat writer Gerry Moddejonge reported there are indications Edmonton head coach Jason Maas is losing his locker room, if it hasn’t happened already.
“That’s bullshit,” quarterback Mike Reilly said.

http://3downnation.com/2018/10/29/es...ocker-room-bs/

Sunderland was asked if head coach Jason Maas, who signed a contract extension through the 2020 season in May, would return for the 2019 campaign. “Right now our sole and entire purpose is on that final game and any and all evaluations, just like any other year, will be done after the season. And that’s the approach we’ll take,” Sunderland said.
While Maas and Sunderland are locked into matching deals through 2020, franchise quarterback Mike Reilly is set to become a free agent in the off-season.

The expiring collective bargaining agreement has created uncertainty for the ability to re-sign Reilly or other free agents. “Well, it’s extremely concerning and it does make it challenging. I would elaborate quite a bit more but we’ve got a strict warning from the league office that we could be fined if we do, so I’ll make a deal with you if you’re open to paying my fine I’ll give you as much detail as you want,” Sunderland said. “Everybody on all parties whether it be the league office, the players’ association, certainly all of us in the roll I’m in – it’s better for everybody I believe if that can get rectified and solidified long before the night before training camp is supposed to open, no doubt about it.”

Sunderland is also worried about the American Alliance of Football taking talent away from the CFL. “That’s almost a bigger concern for me personally and taking with other GMs around the league than the CBA. We’ve lost 12 players off our negotiation list already so it’s extremely challenging,” Sunderland said. “They’re playing less games for more money, they’re doing that in their home country where maybe family and friends don’t have to travel or get a passport. A lot of times if they have a significant other it’s easier for them to get work right there. The big thing is they have a contract where they will let them out at any time to go to the NFL. So it’s hard to compete with that, especially when you throw in the exchange rate and so on and so forth.”

http://3downnation.com/2018/10/29/eskimos-gm-sunderland-doesnt-guarantee-maas-will-be-back-in-2019/

[R.J]

Per #CFL sources: Edmonton GM Brock Sunderland has reached out to assistant coaches/coordinators across the league, inquiring about their interest to interview to be head coach in Edmonton.

Doesn't look good for Jason Maas there.

— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) October 31, 2018

Interesting that this is potentially happening before the final game, or more so that it's been "leaked" already.

[R.J]

.@TSNDaveNaylor - "I don't have a sense that either of those guys (Jason Maas and Brock Sunderland) will be fired but I think there will be changes on that staff, unquestionably." #CFL #Esks via @firstdown36

— CFL News (@CFL_News) November 2, 2018

Maas is signed until 2020, but any move wouldn't surprise me. Eskimos need a new DC for sure (even though I'm still a fan of Bene), but I'd like to see a new OC as well in Edmonton, especially one that moves away from the west coast offence. I'd like to see the CFL return to exciting offences with imagination and creativity.

[R.J]

QB’s coach and pass game coordinator Jordan Maksymic is likely the leading candidate to be the O.C. #Eskimos #CFL

— Dave Campbell (@Dave_CHED) November 8, 2018

Not surprising.