Hambone wrote: Mon May 06, 2024 11:33 am
It's a business. The players know it and accept it. Every player who signs a contract knows and accepts that they might not be around to see the end of it for a host of reasons. Who's to say BC didn't try to sign him to a 1 year deal last year and he refused to take anything less than 2 years?
The Lions currently have 98 players on their roster. At least 13 of those 98 will get released no later than this coming Saturday. 10 more will get released next Tuesday. Most will be newcomers. Some might be veterans. Every one of them is under a valid contract, just as valid as the contracts of Menard, Worthy, Moxey and others released in recent weeks. Do you think the contracts of those 23 who will be cut before Day 4 of training camp should also be honoured until their conclusion?
If you want to insist on the honouring of all contracts to their end then I trust you accept the CFL will turn into a league where 90% of players are on one year deals making them pending free agents every year. Fans have voiced their opinion loudly that one of their biggest CFL peeves is player turnover. Forcing honouring of all contracts would only serve to shorter deals and acceleration of player turnover.
Agree that it is a business and sports entertainment has led the pack from day one with scammers and connivers making rules to fit their cause as need be. CFL has had it's share and is also well behind other leagues and sports in both player and fan relations.
The honouring of contracts is how things work. No one goes to the game to watch the managers manage and 90% of the players are on one year deals as is.
When a general manager can't plan two years in advance and needs to flush mistakes time and again he is not capable. On the one end they create bidding wars and drive up salaries that clearly are not sustainable given the salary management constraints. Name one that has signed a big deal who has not ben asked to renegotiate. Of course the big re-negotiation trick is to lower tax paid which is sad and unfair to the tax payer and fan. The latest "marketing" loop hole basically says do what ever you want.
As for training camp rosters, giving all a vote on the players contract when half of them won't be there in two weeks is a nice touch for the owners. Withholding money as a threat works every time. Problem is the players have no alternative but to take it. Say a word and your gone. The power the CFL has is few other options.
It is what it is. I say stop rewarding mediocrity. Weed out the bad GM's and you'll get a better game. The different ownership types comes into play as well. Amar Doman has skin in the game. Craig Reynolds does not.
