fines, suspensions

[AngeloV]

Well, Looks like the hammer has come down.
Chris Edwards suspended for 6 games, MBT fined.
Personally, I hope he appeals. I also think it's BS that Purifoy for the Riders can get into a fight in a restaurant, spend the night in jail, and not get any discipline, which a player that has objects thrown at him gets suspended over his altercation. Is my opinion biased? Possibly, but I think Ambrosie gets yet another giant fail on his resume.



https://www.tsn.ca/toronto-argonauts...ards-1.1738088

[paulwoods13]

Why would Edwards even bother to return in 2022 if he's surrendering a third of his salary? I can see him asking to be released from his contract and heading to the USFL.

As for MBT, I hope this incident does not prompt him to head elsewhere in free agency, but I'm betting he does exactly that.

[Will]

Why would Edwards even bother to return in 2022 if he's surrendering a third of his salary? I can see him asking to be released from his contract and heading to the USFL.

As for MBT, I hope this incident does not prompt him to head elsewhere in free agency, but I'm betting he does exactly that.

Wasn't your concern more with the appearance at the Raptors game as opposed to the incident with the cameraman?

[Argo57]

Well, Looks like the hammer has come down.
Chris Edwards suspended for 6 games, MBT fined.
Personally, I hope he appeals. I also think it's BS that Purifoy for the Riders can get into a fight in a restaurant, spend the night in jail, and not get any discipline, which a player that has objects thrown at him gets suspended over his altercation. Is my opinion biased? Possibly, but I think Ambrosie gets yet another giant fail on his resume.



https://www.tsn.ca/toronto-argonauts...ards-1.1738088

But the league always bends the rules for the Argos….no?
The sooner Ambrosie gets the boot the better the league will be, the guy is a total dud in all aspects.

[DanTheFan]

Well, Looks like the hammer has come down.
Chris Edwards suspended for 6 games, MBT fined.
Personally, I hope he appeals. I also think it's BS that Purifoy for the Riders can get into a fight in a restaurant, spend the night in jail, and not get any discipline, which a player that has objects thrown at him gets suspended over his altercation. Is my opinion biased? Possibly, but I think Ambrosie gets yet another giant fail on his resume.



https://www.tsn.ca/toronto-argonauts...ards-1.1738088

I think he should appeal. I haven't seen every single angle, but my thought was that after the fan shoved him that he was trying to rip the flag out of his grasp rather than punch the guy.

Nonetheless, not defending his actions outright or his flipping off Hamilton fans pre-games, which likely played into his post-game behaviour looking even worse. He deserves some form of punishment, but as Paul stated I'd think he'd strongly seek employment in another league if he has to surrender 1/3 of his pay. I was thinking 3 games would have been fair, but the 6 seems like Randy trying to deter this from reoccurring.

That said, has Hamilton's caretaker released a statement to fans on their behaviour? No matter the profession of those involved in the fisticuffs, it takes two to tango. If the situation was reversed, I know MLSE would have spoken up. I'd expect that given the code of conduct messages they play over the PA/video board at BMO. Never been to Tim Horton's Field, but I'd like to think they have this sort of thing as well.

[primetime31]

I think with the length of the players contracts being down to a year, then punishments are going to be harder to dole out. Also with competing leagues coming around the corner, players will simply eschew the CFL if punished heavily here.

This seems like a punishment that is meant for optics for the league itself.

[paulwoods13]

Wasn't your concern more with the appearance at the Raptors game as opposed to the incident with the cameraman?

Both would have left a sour taste in his mouth, IMO. He had every reason to be pissed off at the end of the game because of how the org's request that he promote it blew up in his (and the team's) face. (I'm not defending his actions with the camera operator, just speculating about his likely state of mind at the time.) Now he gets fined on top of that. Anyone in his situation might be inclined to say, "enough!"

[paulwoods13]

It's possible Ambrosie imposed a six-game suspension knowing it will be reduced on appeal, since the league has seldom (if ever) issued a suspension of that length for a specific incident. Better to end up with three games than one or two, he might have concluded.

[AngeloV]

Both would have left a sour taste in his mouth, IMO. He had every reason to be pissed off at the end of the game because of how the org's request that he promote it blew up in his (and the team's) face. (I'm not defending his actions with the camera operator, just speculating about his likely state of mind at the time.) Now he gets fined on top of that. Anyone in his situation might be inclined to say, "enough!"

Hopefully the Argos make up for the fine as part of a new contract.

[AngeloV]

It's possible Ambrosie imposed a six-game suspension knowing it will be reduced on appeal, since the league has seldom (if ever) issued a suspension of that length for a specific incident. Better to end up with three games than one or two, he might have concluded.

Still, get into an altercation in a restaurant, spend the night in jail, and still play that week for another player. There is no consistency here from Ambrosie. He gave into the outrage on social media here despite further evidence that the players were provoked.

If anything, he should have fined the team for not providing sufficient security, and given the players involved a slap on the wrist..

[argolio]

Six games is (pardon my French) ri-GOD-DAMN-diculous!

[ArgoRavi]

Unless there's some video out there that we haven't seen, six games is excessive. I have no doubt that he will appeal and that he will receive a much lighter punishment as a result.

[AngeloV]

Unless there's some video out there that we haven't seen, six games is excessive. I have no doubt that he will appeal and that he will receive a much lighter punishment as a result.

I sometimes think that this is the result of the Argos not having a huge fan base and the league figuring nobody will freak out over it. How else do you explain no discipline for Purifoy? Riders fans would have gone nuts.

[Shatto]

I'll wait until the appeal decision comes down before commenting on the appropriateness of the suspension but if it stays at 6 games, it is a CFL career ender for Edwards. 3 games might be doable but more than that, he will probably leave for one of the leagues in the States. Being a Canadian All-Star will probably help get him some opportunities down south.

[ArgoRavi]

I thought Edwards was a free agent but read a TSN article which indicates he is not.

[Will]

The list put out by the publication that will not be named did list Edwards as a free agent, but this list from the league says that he is not.

[jerrym]

I think six games is too much. However, I have also wondered all season long whether his playing so close to the edge in aggressiveness would lead to him taking costly penalties at a critical time because he often seems about to erupt. Playing with such an edge can be effective but it can also explode into problems for the team on the field when such a player lets his emotions rule him. I just didn't forsee him heading into the stands. Hopefully a talented player like Edwards has learned from this.

[ArgoZ]

Why would Edwards even bother to return in 2022 if he's surrendering a third of his salary? I can see him asking to be released from his contract and heading to the USFL.

As for MBT, I hope this incident does not prompt him to head elsewhere in free agency, but I'm betting he does exactly that.

For a backup role? Possibly, because I don’t see any other CFL team giving starters money to MBT.

[paulwoods13]

For a backup role? Possibly, because I don’t see any other CFL team giving starters money to MBT.

Depends what you mean by starter's money, I guess. He clearly isn't getting Reillyy/Bo/Fajardo money. But I can see a few teams going with a two-QB system, paying them combined what BC or Calgary pay for their top two, but on a more even split (like 300-350 each). MBT might fit into a scenario like that (here or elsewhere). There's also USFL possibility, I imagine.

[ArgoRavi]

Paul, you have mentioned the USFL a few times but isn't that effectively the Spring League repackaged? I don't see players making anywhere near as much money in that league as they could in the CFL.