CFL Issue: Compensation for coaching moves -- Moratorium

[WestCoastJoe]

https://twitter.com/arashmadani

Might as well start a thread on this growing issue.

Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani · 43m43 minutes ago
If there is going to be an actual *cough, cough* #CFL "investigation," and the league blocks Thorpe's Edmonton move, get ready for lawyers.

[WestCoastJoe]

Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani · 22m22 minutes ago
The #CFL claims it is accessible and transparent to fans, and yet has not made one public comment on the coaching/compensation circus. Sigh.

[WestCoastJoe]

Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani · 21m21 minutes ago
If the #CFL office thinks they can stop tampering in December with coaches, just wait until February when free agency with players starts...

[WestCoastJoe]

Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani · 19m19 minutes ago
Can assure you that tampering went on at Grey Cup week with #CFL players and teams, and yet Ed Hervey is fined $1,500 for saying it goes on.

[WestCoastJoe]

Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani · 7m7 minutes ago
These are coaches livelihoods, with families and futures and reputations.

Held up because they're making it up as they go along.

Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani · 10m10 minutes ago
Per Gary Lawless: Jeffrey Orridge imposes a moratorium on ANY coaching moves from one club to another unless approved by the #CFL.

Amazing.

Too late regarding Edmonton to Regina. The horses are out of the barn.

[WestCoastJoe]

My opinion.

As stated by myself numerous times, and by others such as BCFAN, the assistant coaches in the CFL are relatively underpaid and overworked. Extremely long hours. No job security. High stress.

I say let them go. Let them move on to a promotion.

I don't think compensation would work as a system. And I think it would be unfair to coaches seeking to improve their lot.
...........

So Jones is corporate raider. Yup. No surprise there. Did he push the limit? He went further than that. He destroyed any conceivable limit on corporate raiding. All he knows is how to be a shark. Ravenous.

[WestCoastJoe]

Noel Thorpe coming next?

Jones makes aggressive moves. Just like his philosophy on defence.

TSN was just saying Orridge is placing a moratorium on coaching moves pending some investigation on the Thorpe situation. Haven't seen anything to verify that and assume it would only relate to situations where a coach is already for all intents under contract or for parallel moves.

This issue is taking on some life. Chris Jones is the catalyst. He certainly wants to do things his way, and hang the rest. As much as Ed Hervey has taken the high road, I think he must be a little bit shocked at the rapacious ways of Jones.

As stated I do not mind seeing hard times for the Evil Empire. And I will not mind seeing any failures in Regina. But I expect Jones to do well there.

[Hambone]

Maybe it's a good thing stuff is hitting the fan. It seems there is definitely a need for the CFL to clearly define under what circumstances a coach can jump from one team to another and in what situations compensation might be justified. This offseason has seen as best as I can recall an unprecedented level of movement. Jones going to Saskatchewan started an avalanche of activity. In taking the entire Eskimo staff sans McKorvey meant Edmonton needed to fill an entire staff. No small task if you're restricted to people not under contract. Then we have some other vacancies created by other moves. Lots of change.

[cromartie]

The NFL rule is fairly straightforward.

Unless the move is a promotion, teams have the right to refuse to allow other teams to talk to coaches currently under contract. If said coach resigns to take a lateral position with another team, this is generally considered tampering, and the receiving team is fined.

If the move is a promotion, then one team does not have to ask for permission. This is why the Assistant Head Coach position was invented. Really, it's a way to steal coordinators, if we're being honest.

Head Coaches and GMs can be traded from one team to another for draft picks according to NFL rules.

The NHL allows for compensation when one team takes a coach from another (though I see they're eliminating this, which I think is a mistake). One third round pick over the subsequent three seasons if the move is an offseason one, one second round pick over the next if it is an in season one.

There is plenty of basis for a compromise to be reached here. First, if you're taking assistants without asking for permission, ala Edmonton and Thorpe, there should be a fine and a loss of a 1st round draft pick for being a professional bleephole.

Moving forward, here's what I'd do:

A team does not need permission from another team to speak to a coach under contract if the position being interviewed for is a promotion.

A team does need permission to speak to another team to speak to and hire a coach under contract if the move is lateral and a 3rd round pick over the next three seasons should be compensation, unless the position is Head Coach, in which case it should be a 1st round pick.

Teams that solicit candidates directly in violation of these rules should be fined $25,000 and the next available 1st round draft pick.

Now then, what's the next of the world's problems that I can solve for you today?

[Hambone]

I don't think compensation would work as a system. And I think it would be unfair to coaches seeking to improve their lot.

Actually there is a way it could work. When we think of compensation we always think of the compensation going from one party to the other. In the NFL and I believe MLB teams losing free agents get compensatory draft picks. They don't come from the team signing the FA but rather are extra picks granted by the league. For instance with Jones becoming the Rider GM perhaps the Eskimos would be awarded an extra pick at the end of the 1st round. With Maas leaving Ottawa to be Edmonton's HC perhaps Ottawa would be awarded an extra pick at the end of the 2nd round.

[WestCoastJoe]

I don't think compensation would work as a system. And I think it would be unfair to coaches seeking to improve their lot.

Actually there is a way it could work. When we think of compensation we always think of the compensation going from one party to the other. In the NFL and I believe MLB teams losing free agents get compensatory draft picks. They don't come from the team signing the FA but rather are extra picks granted by the league. For instance with Jones becoming the Rider GM perhaps the Eskimos would be awarded an extra pick at the end of the 1st round. With Maas leaving Ottawa to be Edmonton's HC perhaps Ottawa would be awarded an extra pick at the end of the 2nd round.

Extra picks? Seems to me that punishes innocent teams, by taking players off the board that should be available to them. If there is going to be punishment, it seems to me the offending team should merit that. 20 lashes for Jones. Would he be grinning as he took them? LOL

Just IMO ...

[TheLionKing]

Compensation is in order if a coach under contract leaves for a similar position with another team.

[Hambone]

Another somewhat quirky thing about CFL coaches' contracts is the December 31 expiry. I don't know how their pay periods work. Do they get paid on a bi-weekly basis throughout the year up to an including the Dec 31? Teams hiring, especially for head coaches, want to do so as soon as possible after the season is over. Many of the coaches who moved were under contract but only for another few weeks. Depending on how they are paid they may not even have any further moneys owed.

[WestCoastJoe]

TSN is also suggesting this could be a powder keg ready to blow if Thorpe pulls the pin on his Alouette deal to quickly resurface in Edmonton. Their story indicates Thorpe did not have an out clause in his deal and Edmonton did not ask for permission to talk to Thorpe before he upped and quit.

http://www.tsn.ca/talent/cfl-investigat ... e-1.409982

Ir he gets Asst HC title, it might wash.

I recall team first asks coach if interested, then gets permission.

It is messy.

Thanks to Jones for blowing all this stuff up. He started the domino effect.

Thorpe does deserve a promotion, IMO. Can't blame Hervey, Maas and the Esks for trying to get Thorpe, after how they were raided.

[JohnnyMusso]

The league had to step in. I don't agree with Arash Madani. Thorpe is under contract for 2 years and suddenly resigns not be a head coach, but take the exact same position with the Eskimos. Anything title of assistant coach is a token one just to try to avoid getting fined. It has been a joke what has gone on. Sask raids Edmonton and Edmoston receives me compensation, for losing 7 or 8 coaches and yet they have to pay compensation to Ottawa for getting Jason Maas, which was a promotion. Ottawa should get nothing, for no rules were in place. Any new rule should be applied next year. It will be interesting to see what they end up with. No decision still on that.

Now Thorpe resigns. The CFL had to step in because the CFL is looking like a joke with all the coach hopping.

Notice how quiet BC is. No one is trying to raid their coaches. With JC now released, is he a candidate for OC here and will they bring back Dorazio too, now that he got fired. Likely all status quo here, with a minor name, likely rookie coach for special teams.

So much for Mike B being hired as DC in Edmonton, unless they prevent Thorpe from moving.