Is the CFL Screwing Canadian QBs?

[OV Argo]

The next great Canadian Quarterback:

https://3downnation.com/2022/04/10/t...n-quarterback/

Interesting list; maybe a bit of over-emphasis on the US college ball guys; but at least he mentioned U Sports rookies Hilllock & Senecal (3 of the 4 National Semi teams last year were led by rookie QBs = very rare; Fagnan from StFx should maybe be on this list over a guy still in HS ball).

As far as waiting for another QB as good as Russ Jackson? - well could happen I guess; I'm still waiting for an NHL defenceman to be even remotely close to as good as Bobby Orr was. Doubt to see either in my lifetime.

[j-ski]

Interesting list; maybe a bit of over-emphasis on the US college ball guys; but at least he mentioned U Sports rookies Hilllock & Senecal (3 of the 4 National Semi teams last year were led by rookie QBs = very rare; Fagnan from StFx should maybe be on this list over a guy still in HS ball).

As far as waiting for another QB as good as Russ Jackson? - well could happen I guess; I'm still waiting for an NHL defenceman to be even remotely close to as good as Bobby Orr was. Doubt to see either in my lifetime.

Surprised Concordia's Olivier Roy was not on the list. He was the second quarterback at this years combine.

https://www.concordia.ca/cunews/main...-big-city.html

[OV Argo]

Surprised Concordia's Olivier Roy was not on the list. He was the second quarterback at this years combine.

https://www.concordia.ca/cunews/main...-big-city.html

This year's May U Sports East/West game rosters are out - and Roy apparently declined his invite.

A number of all-stars who were on the virtual roster for last year (game not played due to Covid), are on the roster again for this year (like D-Linemen Reece Martin & Alex Fedchun) - so I think these guys were able to defer their CFL draft year till next year (?); so - a bit of a depleted draft crop for 2022; with guys from both US college ball and U Sports able to defer.

[jerrym]

I hope the NFL doesn't pull a Nathan Rourke on Tre Ford, like the NY Giants did last year. After signing him they tried him out at WR because of his running ability. That's something the NFL used to do to Black QBs decades ago.

[j-ski]

Canadian QB signing:

https://globalnews.ca/news/8755649/e...chael-beaudry/

[OV Argo]

Canadian QB signing:

https://globalnews.ca/news/8755649/e...chael-beaudry/

Ha, ha - leave it to Ego-Jones - the big defender of Canadian QB talent (he did give Brandon Bridge some shots).

I believe that's 6 QBs under contract now for EE TC competition = interesting.

[Skinny G]

Speaking of defending Canadians, looks like Ambrosie is trying to find another backhanded way to screw all Canadians and lower the ratio by trying to implement a "Naturalized Canadian" rule for Americans that have been in the league or on the same team for a certain number of years.


Modifying the ratio to ensure we move away from stacking the OL with Canadians, I am fine with, because we are seeing so many young Canadians coming up playing all positions - QBs, Receivers, DBs, RBs, etc. With the ever improving talent, the argument at this point should be to increase the ratio. This infatuation with minimizing anything Canadian (rules, players...) in the Canadian Football League, has to stop! They need to learn how to sell and market these things like other businesses do!


If there is a feeling that Canadians get over paid in certain positions because they are Canadian, then that is a salary management issue that should be discussed.

[Skinny G]

Looks like Ambrosie is more and more openly going after the Canadian Ratio....

https://3downnation.com/2022/04/15/c...current-ratio/

[Mocha]

Looks like Ambrosie is more and more openly going after the Canadian Ratio....

https://3downnation.com/2022/04/15/c...current-ratio/

There's some somewhat contradictory reasoning there. On the one hand, Canadians are good enough to win jobs, just look at how many are playing in the NFL, more than ever. But the talent pool is shrinking because supposedly fewer are playing. But if the talent pool is so shallow, how can so many go on to earn NFL spots? The article also claims that grassroots participation levels have been fairly steady this century with some reporting a increase over pre-covid numbers so far this year.

[OV Argo]

There's some somewhat contradictory reasoning there. On the one hand, Canadians are good enough to win jobs, just look at how many are playing in the NFL, more than ever. But the talent pool is shrinking because supposedly fewer are playing. But if the talent pool is so shallow, how can so many go on to earn NFL spots? The article also claims that grassroots participation levels have been fairly steady this century with some reporting a increase over pre-covid numbers so far this year.

A crock of B-$hite that the clown Ambrosia is part of and playing up to. The Canadian talent pool is stronger than ever, and big deal if a few more get NFL calls now - always been the case anyways, and made up for by more & better U Sports programs now, plus lots of Canadian players get good US college ball training and will come home to be willing to play in the CFL.

They're going to get away with further reducing Canadian content in the CFL = pathetic. Any excuses will do and the CFLPA in this "radically canadian" league now features a majority of Americans - no surprise they would stick up for their guys.

What I found quite disturbing was an "insider" report in Hodge's 3 Down regular feature - claiming that some Canadian guys with CFL influence and who played in the CFL are quite good with the idea of 3 veteran American players getting to qualify as Nationals now, and thus would maybe replace Canadians on rosters = down to 4 Canadian starters only next? Have to guess the guy was referring to the Bombers trio of Miller, Walters and O'Shea? - if this is true = very sad, disgraceful, sickening IMO - the good ole Canadian inferiority complex.

Maybe the Argos will be able to cut Henoc Muamba to free up some $M$ cash for new and cheaper American players ? Wouldn't matter if it was a MLB talent a fraction as good as Mumaba (like the Als & Esks trotted out last season), hey, they're American - must be superior and a good idea for the CFL ?

[Mocha]

They're going to get away with further reducing Canadian content in the CFL = pathetic. Any excuses will do and the CFLPA in this "radically canadian" league now features a majority of Americans - no surprise they would stick up for their guys.

What I found quite disturbing was an "insider" report in Hodge's 3 Down regular feature - claiming that some Canadian guys with CFL influence and who played in the CFL are quite good with the idea of 3 veteran American players getting to qualify as Nationals now, and thus would maybe replace Canadians on rosters = down to 4 Canadian starters only next?

I think it's pretty much a done deal at this point. But we'll see what the CBA discussions bring. Maybe to compensate the league can mandate teams dress a 3rd QB who is a National (non-naturalized, I mean). There's no argument that doing so could hurt the onfield product since teams now only dress 2 QBs, or 3 if they opt for one fewer American elsewhere in the active roster.

[SkalbaniasGhost]

We can also expect to see the league extending this strategy to future management hiring practices. Right? There are plenty of international sports executives who
can bring their talents to this league for a cheap price($150,000-200,000).I have a strange feeling this world class thinking doesn't apply to that part of the business.

[OV Argo]

We can also expect to see the league extending this strategy to future management hiring practices. Right? There are plenty of international sports executives who
can bring their talents to this league for a cheap price($150,000-200,000).I have a strange feeling this world class thinking doesn't apply to that part of the business.

The league is already run by Americans mostly.

Maybe Randy's big Global schtick will see some Europeans hired to run CFL teams ?

[Skinny G]

Ambrosie is now known as a walking contradiction. Agree with all of you, commenting how good the Canadian talent is, with increasing numbers playing in US Colleges and also ending up in the NFL, yet the talent is too shallow for the CFL? Add to that, Ambrosie's clear inability to understand how numbers and scales work. Comparing the USports football system to that in the US is like comparing grapes to watermelons. You can't make the comparison without putting them on the same scale, but he often has a way with his creative accounting, so this is not surprising.


Whether grassroots participation is at a similar level or slight increase, it's really not that hard to help support the growth and help the league as well. As Jim Mullin has said in the past:


- Schools that can't afford any football program, support the creation/development of flag or touch football
- Schools that have lower populations or funding will need to consider the 6 on 6 football
- Schools that do have a full tackle, support them as well and get your team branding out in the community


More and more teams are working to help programs with both player and coaching development. We see this with the Argos, Lions, Elks, RedBlacks, Als.


Look at the CEBL roster rules - 10 players on roster, min 7 Canadians, with min 2 on the floor at all times. Morreale clearly says "CEBL is a Canadian league, made for Canadian players". And look at their growth. On the other hand, the CFL can't seem to recognize that it's not a bad thing to have Canadians, and just can't get out of it's own way.


Honestly, the longer Ambrosie is still here, you can't just enjoy the league. There is always something that makes us start to consider cancelling our seasons tickets. Cancelling Canadians out of the CANADIAN Football League, will definitely nudge us to cancelling ours.

[jerrym]

Ambrosie claims he isn't waging a war on Canadian players in the CFL, but what else would you call it? They already have done that to Canadian QBs, at least since the CFL refused Jamie Bone who got brushed off so badly by the CFL that he won $10,000 in Ontario Human Rights Commission case even though the Dallas Cowboys gave him one, after spending three months studying films, checking records, testing and interviewing Bone".

https://archive.macleans.ca/article/...down-to-dallas

[jerrym]

A number of Canadian QBs, journalists, and coaches comment on the Canadian QB Conundrum and the problems they have faced in this 2014 article. (The "Click here"'s don't work -just keep scrolling down and you'll see all the comments).

https://www.canadafootballchat.com/t...l-import-rule/

[ArgoRavi]

I think some of you are targeting the wrong person. Ultimately, it's not Ambrosie that will be making these decisions but the Board of Governors.

[Mocha]

I think some of you are targeting the wrong person. Ultimately, it's not Ambrosie that will be making these decisions but the Board of Governors.

Agreed, Ravi. He's the employee. It's the owners and their BOG that should be the targets of scorn. Send complaints to them directly. Cancel STs (or threaten to do so), and you might get some attention.

[OV Argo]

Tre Ford gets a mini-camp invite from the NFL Ravens; might be a good fit for him behind another real run threat QB in Jackson ?

[gilthethrill]

[QUOTE=OV Argo;159275]Tre Ford gets a mini-camp invite from the NFL Ravens; might be a good fit for him behind another real run threat QB in Jackson ?[/QUOTE

Possibly. Ravens already have a similar QB in 2nd year man Tyler Huntley. They did sign a rookie UDFA yesterday from Oregon I believe. Hard to see how he does not earn a PR spot for a couple seasons.