Quote Originally Posted by paulwoods13 View Post
Once and for all can we get this straight -- both Collaros and Harris left as free agents. That is their right -- the same right every player has when his contract expires. They were not let go by Barker. They chose to leave. And in at least one of the two cases, that was after receiving a generous offer from Barker. So stop blaming him for their departures. Unless you think they should have been signed to 10-yr contracts before ever playing a game. They just did what tons of other guys (including our "own" Josh Bourke) have done.
I am not sure Barker or Milanovich's are totally blameless here. Negotiations are more than just about money. Harris has been here since 2012. Clearly, because Harris took less money to go to in Ottawa than to stay. Maybe Harris went to the RedBlack's because of their HC, OC and receivers. They look very good now and may be for the foreseeable future.

I make a living valuing assets. Present value = today's value plus the sum of all total future values. In Collaros situation, Ricky Ray then had more future value and I can see Barker's case.

In Harris's I am not so sure. Ricky Ray may have higher current value but little or no future value. I believe Ricky Ray was signed first and then Harris chose to go. It seems to me that Ricky may be done after this year or maybe next year at the latest. I think it's the GM's responsibility to find away to keep Harris. He didn't. While this has a big impact this year, the larger impact may be out in 2017 and beyond.

Eric Tillman's error in letting Ricky Ray go hurt them in 2012, but they have the same number of Grey Cups as Toronto and Mike Reilly looks like it won't be his last Grey Cup the way he is playing.