Oh no!

**Jon Gonzo** · 12-03-2021, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by matthew

Oh just let the guy drive on the left side of the road until he head-ons someone! All good till then right?

No, cos that is dangerous and could cost a life. Testing proves this safe. There is no test that proves driving on the wrong side of the road will ever be safe. No harm in testing players when we can. Safety first.

**Will** · 12-03-2021, 03:16 PM

What a mess this Friday, December 3, 2021 has been!

MBT was 'requested' to attend the game? By whom? Was this person aware of the CFL's COVID protocols? Don't the Argos themselves have someone ensuring compliance?

We can comment on the merit of the protocols, and whether the league should've adapted to changing parameters. Nonetheless, this will not put any of the conspiracy theories to bed.

**ArgoRavi** · 12-03-2021, 04:35 PM

To hell with Ticats fans and their conspiracy theories. Looking forward to the big game on Sunday.

**Will** · 12-03-2021, 04:38 PM

Cannot blame them for being upset.

What if roles were reversed, and Argos were potentially facing Watford instead of Masoli or Evans on Sunday?

**gilthethrill** · 12-03-2021, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Will

Cannot blame them for being upset.

What if roles were reversed, and Argos were potentially facing Watford instead of Masoli or Evans on Sunday?

Nothing MBT or the other Argo players who attended the Raptors game did anything that was even remotely unsafe. I would feel the exact same way if it were the TiCats starting D-Line in the same situation.

**Wobbler** · 12-03-2021, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Will

What a mess this Friday, December 3, 2021 has been!

MBT was 'requested' to attend the game? By whom? Was this person aware of the CFL's COVID protocols? Don't the Argos themselves have someone ensuring compliance?

Hopefully more details will come out, but this does look like a bad self-own by the team. The league probably shouldn't have abruptly "modified" the rules to give MBT the opportunity to play, but the Argos should never have created this situation in the first place.

**RB957** · 12-03-2021, 05:40 PM

I am glad this has been sorted out, but agree it doesn't look good. The policy itself sounds questionable. If I understand it correctly, he could have gone to a busy restaurant, the movies, a concert etc. etc., but not a sporting event? Makes no sense, especially when every single person in the venue has to prove they are vaccinated. And if the CFL enforced this rule, the irony would be that MBT could gain entry to the stadium and watch the game, but just not play in it. Again, makes no sense.

And I agree with the sentiment that if the roles were reversed, I would want the opponents to be able to field their best players.

**shayman** · 12-03-2021, 05:43 PM

How about this scenario: Pinball comes out and says "Our organization screwed up. It was a minor infraction, but an infraction nonetheless. We all agreed to these rules, so MBT will not be playing on Sunday."

And we lose with honour. Or win amazingly.

That might be better than what appears to be last-minute bending of the rules.

**paulwoods13** · 12-03-2021, 05:56 PM

Under the CFL's rules, players are not allowed to attend a mass event in which everyone over the age of 12 had to prove they were double vaxed, and everyone was expected to wear a mask (altho clearly the latter is seldom enforced at sporting events). But players are allowed -- required, actually -- to attend a mass event once a week in which individuals they come into contact with need not be vaccinated.

The no-mass-events rule made no sense as soon as govts started allowing mass events with everyone required to be double vaxed and masked.

As I said above, the Argos have to own this -- someone in the org either ignored or did not know the rules. Either way it's an epic fail that might cost us the championship.

MBT and the others being allowed to play (assuming they follow the protocol and pass the next two tests) is about the best outcome we could have hoped for, but make no mistake -- missing practice today is not "nothing." It was MBT's last chance to run some plays with his receivers before Sunday. That said, I now expect him to go off for 400 yards on Sunday.

What really galls me is that the league watered down the protocol it originally mooted for the post-Nov. 30 period when no one can fly without being double vaxed. Originally the league seemed to suggest that anyone who would not be allowed on a plane would not be allowed to play in the division final or the Grey Cup, regardless of whether or not a plane was needed to get to the game. That seemed the fairest way to deal with the obvious travel differences faced by teams in the West and the East. Instead, it appears everyone on Toronto and Hamilton can play both games, vaxed or not, but unvaxed players on Wpg and Sask are out of luck for the last two weekends. Sounds great for us and the Cats, except it means the two teams are likely to be playing on Sunday against (and alongside) some players who are not vaxed. Which would seem a bit riskier than attending a basketball game where everyone is double vaxed.

**Antwon** · 12-03-2021, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by RB957

I am glad this has been sorted out, but agree it doesn't look good. The policy itself sounds questionable. If I understand it correctly, he could have gone to a busy restaurant, the movies, a concert etc. etc., but not a sporting event? Makes no sense, especially when every single person in the venue has to prove they are vaccinated. And if the CFL enforced this rule, the irony would be that MBT could gain entry to the stadium and watch the game, but just not play in it. Again, makes no sense.

And I agree with the sentiment that if the roles were reversed, I would want the opponents to be able to field their best players.

I agree, if anything it shows how the rule is out of touch. MBT is vaccinated and went to an event where everyone is vaccinated. Shouldn't get the outcry its getting. I guess he should have went out Sunday night to a bar and got drunk and spent the night in holding....then it's not an issue!!!

If it's true Masoli isn't vaccinated, they should bar him from the game lol!

**paulwoods13** · 12-03-2021, 06:01 PM

If the situations were reversed, would I be happy to face Watford instead of Masoli? No. it might be a free pass to the Grey Cup, but I want to deserve the win.

Perhaps there are Ticats fans who feel the same way, but at this point all I'm seeing are people spitting mad about this, which in addition to playing into the usual conspiracy theories suggests some fear of the fully constituted Argos. Which is rather unusual.

**TheHammer** · 12-03-2021, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by RB957

I am glad this has been sorted out, but agree it doesn't look good. The policy itself sounds questionable. If I understand it correctly, he could have gone to a busy restaurant, the movies, a concert etc. etc., but not a sporting event? Makes no sense, especially when every single person in the venue has to prove they are vaccinated. And if the CFL enforced this rule, the irony would be that MBT could gain entry to the stadium and watch the game, but just not play in it. Again, makes no sense.

And I agree with the sentiment that if the roles were reversed, I would want the opponents to be able to field their best players.

Ticat fans are so starved for a Cup, at this point we don't even care how it happens.

Surely some of you Leaf supporters out there understand!

**TheHammer** · 12-03-2021, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by paulwoods13

If the situations were reversed, would I be happy to face Watford instead of Masoli? No. it might be a free pass to the Grey Cup, but I want to deserve the win.

Perhaps there are Ticats fans who feel the same way, but at this point all I'm seeing are people spitting mad about this, which in addition to playing into the usual conspiracy theories suggests some fear of the fully constituted Argos. Which is rather unusual.

We just want a Cup. We don't care. I don't see an asterisk beside the '07 Riders for beating Dinwiddie instead of Glenn! It all counts the same.

**ArgoRavi** · 12-03-2021, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by paulwoods13

If the situations were reversed, would I be happy to face Watford instead of Masoli? No. it might be a free pass to the Grey Cup, but I want to deserve the win.

Perhaps there are Ticats fans who feel the same way, but at this point all I'm seeing are people spitting mad about this, which in addition to playing into the usual conspiracy theories suggests some fear of the fully constituted Argos. Which is rather unusual.

You nailed it, Paul!

**OV Argo** · 12-03-2021, 08:17 PM

Riders' star D player L. Purifoy was arrested and apparently had to spend the night in a jail/holding tank after a restaurant fracas after last week's Riders West Semi win; I sure hope they have done all the due & proper testing and contact tracing to make sure everything is Ok there; and I'm sure all the cry-baby Rider fans are as concerned there as they are with the league bending over to let the Argos & MBT off the hook ? ;o)

**argolio** · 12-03-2021, 09:57 PM

whatever

**AngeloV** · 12-03-2021, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by paulwoods13

What really galls me is that the league watered down the protocol it originally mooted for the post-Nov. 30 period when no one can fly without being double vaxed. Originally the league seemed to suggest that anyone who would not be allowed on a plane would not be allowed to play in the division final or the Grey Cup, regardless of whether or not a plane was needed to get to the game. That seemed the fairest way to deal with the obvious travel differences faced by teams in the West and the East. Instead, it appears everyone on Toronto and Hamilton can play both games, vaxed or not, but unvaxed players on Wpg and Sask are out of luck for the last two weekends. Sounds great for us and the Cats, except it means the two teams are likely to be playing on Sunday against (and alongside) some players who are not vaxed. Which would seem a bit riskier than attending a basketball game where everyone is double vaxed.

Can’t speak to the Cats vaccination rate, but Pinball said on overdrive today that all of the Argos players and staff still with the team have been vaccinated fully. Pretty sure the players that were released late in the year were released because they were not vaccinated and of no use to the team if they couldn’t play in December.

**ArgoRavi** · 12-03-2021, 10:23 PM

Pinball takes the blame: https://www.tsn.ca/video/pinball-on-...on-me~2336762?

**Wobbler** · 12-03-2021, 10:51 PM

"I did not ask that question when it was intimated about him. I assumed that protocols - the protocols that we've been following all year long - are in place..."

Pinball is fun and likeable, as always, but this failure won't be publicly addressed.