Stampeders sign Tate to extension ...

[Hambone]

Let's also remember that Pezim was right: the Lions could not afford Flutie and neither could the Stamps as Ryckman still to this day owes Flutie several hundred thousand dollars in unpaid wages. Then the Argos paid Flutie big bucks, won a Grey Cup, and lost money.

So Flutie for most of his CFL career was paid based on his level of play on the field but was overpaid based on the revenue that he and his teammates could generate at the time.

Pezim couldn't afford to sign him but in hindsight the attendance numbers show the decision to let him go was a financial boondoggle. Now it's tough to put a handle on what sort of papering might've been happening at the time but BC attendances over that period:

1990 - 269868 (Flutie joins Lions but doesn't start playing until a few weeks in)
1991 - 368050 (Flutie's 2nd year)
1992 - 227873
1993 - 255863

So there was nearly a 100K increase in Yr 2 of Flutie followed by a 160K decrease immediately after he left for Calgary. At $10/ticket that would've paid his salary and then some.

[Dusty]

Let's also remember that Pezim was right: the Lions could not afford Flutie and neither could the Stamps as Ryckman still to this day owes Flutie several hundred thousand dollars in unpaid wages. Then the Argos paid Flutie big bucks, won a Grey Cup, and lost money.

So Flutie for most of his CFL career was paid based on his level of play on the field but was overpaid based on the revenue that he and his teammates could generate at the time.

Pezim couldn't afford to sign him but in hindsight the attendance numbers show the decision to let him go was a financial boondoggle. Now it's tough to put a handle on what sort of papering might've been happening at the time but BC attendances over that period:

1990 - 269868 (Flutie joins Lions but doesn't start playing until a few weeks in)
1991 - 368050 (Flutie's 2nd year)
1992 - 227873
1993 - 255863

So there was nearly a 100K increase in Yr 2 of Flutie followed by a 160K decrease immediately after he left for Calgary. At $10/ticket that would've paid his salary and then some.

The BC Lions website quotes the 1991 Average as 40,888 with a season high at 54,108...... The average for 1992 is quoted as being 25,319 with a season high of only 34,646. To me, the differences and lost revenues are even greater than you said.........

[Rammer]

Rammer I have absolutely no doubt that they signed him for more than just trade bait. He is a terrific 2 punch but at the same time you know that Huff is going to be very aware that he has an asset that he isn't using much and would be worth quite a bit in return if it ever comes to that. I'm sure Tate must be getting paid some decent money or he likely would have strutted his stuff elsewhere. I'm just saying that Huff is looking to the future in more ways than just having a good #2 QB. One thing we all know for certain is that no player is irreplaceable or beyond trading if the right deal comes along. It just depends on how Calgary is doing, where they may have weak spots and how easy it is to fill those spots. As I suggested, a good national Olineman or prospect of same might be very tempting as they are hard to come by.

For sure any player can get traded if the price is right...you just have to say Grampa Gretzky. Not sure that the Stamps need any OL, their only real weakness seemingly is at the receiver position and you won't see Tate for a receiver any time soon.

As for the Flutie front, in retrospect his owners in the CFL were less than above board...Pezim the promoter had a financial record that any roller coaster enthusiast would be proud of. Ryckman wasn't quite as good as Pezim in promotion, but found out that the first ride down can be frightening in the stock market. Then Bruce McNall and his monster fall from grace as his shell game was uncovered. Funny but Pezim was the most stable of the bunch, not creating an artificial salary for Flutie, who would have thought that at the outset of Pezim's Lion ownership and his funky self serving celebration with Feragamo and Bridgette Nielsen.

Final note on the Flutie move from BC to Calgary, remember that each team had a markee player exemption from the then salary cap. With that in mind, Pezim didn't think that the Stamps had rights to his exemption player and stood on that pedestal waving good-bye to Flutie. So it wasn't just about the money, he stood on the belief that the CFL would back him on Flutie being under his personel contract as IR.

[Hambone]

Rammer I have absolutely no doubt that they signed him for more than just trade bait. He is a terrific 2 punch but at the same time you know that Huff is going to be very aware that he has an asset that he isn't using much and would be worth quite a bit in return if it ever comes to that. I'm sure Tate must be getting paid some decent money or he likely would have strutted his stuff elsewhere. I'm just saying that Huff is looking to the future in more ways than just having a good #2 QB. One thing we all know for certain is that no player is irreplaceable or beyond trading if the right deal comes along. It just depends on how Calgary is doing, where they may have weak spots and how easy it is to fill those spots. As I suggested, a good national Olineman or prospect of same might be very tempting as they are hard to come by.

For sure any player can get traded if the price is right...you just have to say Grampa Gretzky. Not sure that the Stamps need any OL, their only real weakness seemingly is at the receiver position and you won't see Tate for a receiver any time soon.

Huf is in an enviable situation having Mitchell and Tate. It gives him the best 1-2 QB combination in the CFL and likely at a cost that is cheaper than BC, Toronto and Saskatchewan with Lulay, Ray and Durant + their #2 respectively. Given Calgary signed Mitchell to an extension prior to 2014 when he had 156 career pass attempts on his resume he won't be close to elite money making it easy to pay Tate top backup money and still have less money tied up in quarterbacking than others. Currently there is risk for Calgary to move Tate. They only have 3 QBs under contract with Moniz' experience restricted to a few QB sneaks. Trade Tate and they're one hit away from defending their GC championship with Moniz and a prospect to be named later. As it sits Mitchell and Tate are both under contract through the 2016 season. At that point Mitchell will either get a big fat raise to elite money making Tate expendable with someone else moving up into #2 or if BLM continues to progress he may get an NFL shot giving Tate a chance to fill his shoes.