Official CFL Thread

[daigong]

HA! YES Lions lost, now Winnipeg gotta drop 1 of 2 and Eskies might even get 3rd place.

[kuno_thunder]

Oh don't worry, Blue will lose this game looking at how solid Montreal is looking.

[daigong]

they might win the Hamilton one tho. whatta shalacking!!

now to get the Lions!!

Look at this: http://cfl.ca/page/u-s-broadcast-webcast

[kuno_thunder]

Canad Inns Stadium is gonna be bumpin' next week against Hamilton.  Blue out is being pimped all over the area!  KG is gonna be booed like he's never been booed before.

[daigong]

hahahaha Better beat dem Ti-cats. don't want BC Lions in there. Lions are a different team with Printers - YEAH! THEY SUCK HARDER!! They were down to their 5th stringer.

WHATTA BEAT DOWN Eskies 45-13 over BC. Playoffs clinched.


Whitlock was just slicing through the D like butter up your ass!

[daigong]

FUCK! Part 1 is done. So what. Eskies @ Stamps? Riders get the bye. BRING IT!

[JFC]

And with Michael Bishop throwing 2 consecutive interceptions, both of which lead to touchdowns by the TiCats, Bomber season 2009 is officially DEAD.

[kuno_thunder]

I'm supposed to swing by my work to fill out a sheet, but I think I'll wait a while for the pissed off Bombers fans to get out of the area first.

[Mugen]

lol Lions have QB problems. All FOUR QBS are hurt. we're playing with a 5th stringer 

[daigong]

WUT! what a world. BC Lions made the playoffs still. OH yeah the cross over.

Sucks Blue Nation. Gotta really retool the O-Line, Running game. EVERYTHING lol.

[daigong]

FUCK!!!! CLOSE. But close doesn't win you championships



Fuck the hell what is up with the last few penalties

Dare I say "Go Riders" & "Go Lions"

[Mugen]

lol we did pretty well though considering how much we sucked during the normal season. fuck montreal!

[daigong]

Next year will be different!!!

CALGARY GOT TOTALLY  That was so beautiful man. Burris getting it on with the turf over and over.

I am actually gonna pull for those drunken imbred Green Fuckers. ALS SUCK!!!!!!

[kuno_thunder]

I don't know which city's team I hate more - Montreal's or Regina's.  I'm gonna say Regina's.  Go Als!! ... why not.

[kuno_thunder]

Fuck you, Regina! Good on you, AC!

[JFC]

^
LOL, we were at a friend's place watching the game. As soon as the first kick went up and the penalty flags went flying I was all "PENALTY FLAG! BRING IT BACK! BRING IT BAACK!"

Despite what many may claim as a "lucky" win because of Saskatchewan's last minute fuck-up, gotta remember that the Als wouldn't have even had a chance at the win here if they hadn't been storming back during the second half the way that they did. They totally earned this win.  The 'Riders kept talking about how "The 13th man" would make the difference (supposed to be a reference to their insanely supportive fans); well they couldn't have been more right. In this case "the 13th man" cost them the game and the championship.

I've already seen rumours on a local Peg Sheety forum that says that there are already T-shirts being made that will read "I WAS THE 13th MAN."

[daigong]

RIDERS SO DUMB. I'd wear that shirt. Actually it was pretty dope to see Bryan Chiu mantear his way to that. Other wise LMAO Montreal 2 outta 6. The Braves of the CFL.

Now it's ON!! Grey Cup in Edmonton 2010. Tix only 98 bucks! We won't get fucking Blue Rodeo as a halftime LMAO. The 2010 Grey Cup will be played on Sunday, November 28.


http://greycup.cfl.ca/2010


Everyone crash at my place! Another Tradition!

[kuno_thunder]

Sad trombone dot com for Mike Kelly. www.sadtrombone.com

[JFC]

^
Sad for him, but a lot (and I mean a LOT) of Peggers are whoopin' it up.

Bombers sever ties with Kelly
"Firing happens just hours after his arrest " Chairman says 'it was time to move on'[/b]

By: Gary Lawless - 18/12/2009 1:00 AM

WINNIPEG - Mike Kelly's fiery reign as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach flamed out for good Thursday.

Kelly was fired at about 8 p.m. Thursday, just hours after being arrested and charged with assault following a domestic dispute in the morning at his home near Philadelphia.

"I'm here to announce on behalf of the board of directors that Mike Kelly has been relieved of his duties as head coach," said Bombers chairman Ken Hildahl, who earlier Thursday announced Lyle Bauer's resignation as Bombers CEO. "It's a tough decision but I've been saying repeatedly to you for the last six weeks we were reviewing the performance of the head coach and we came to the conclusion tonight that based on that assessment it was time to move on and find a new head coach."

Hildahl said the decision was not based on Kelly's arrest.

"No. We recognize that an incident did take place but in the eyes of the law these are allegations and allegations only," said Hildahl.

Kelly's job security was already in question and his arrest appears to have given the board of directors cause to fire him and void his contract. A board member told the Free Press on Thursday -- prior to hearing of Kelly's arrest -- that the coach would not receive their endorsement and any decision about his employment would be left to a new CEO.

If the team can show cause, they will not be on the hook for the final two years of Kelly's contract.

"We haven't looked at (whether or not Kelly's dismissal can be termed as just cause) but we'll deal with those issues moving forward," Hildahl said.

Hildahl was asked if the club could afford having to pay Kelly out for the final two years of his contract, which would reportedly cost the club in the neighbourhood of $500,000.

"We haven't even considered that," said Hildahl, who earlier in the day told the media that the club had more than $5 million in a rainy-day fund. "Can we afford it? Absolutely. Is it the right thing to do for the club and the fans of this city? I believe it is."

A CFL executive told the Free Press on Thursday most coaches have a code-of-conduct clause in their contract. Criminal charges such as the ones brought against Kelly would be considered a breach of contract, said the executive.

Hildahl was asked how Kelly took the news but said the team had only spoken to Kelly's representatives.

The day started out ominously for Kelly as Bauer, his greatest champion, informed the club via conference call that he was resigning. Kelly participated in the call but was detained by police in Pennsylvania just an hour later.

After the arrest, Kelly was taken to jail where he made bail. He is to appear in court on Dec. 23.

Kelly could not be reached after the firing, but the Free Press did contact him by telephone after the arrest.

"I can't talk right now," said Kelly, before hanging up.

Hildahl said the team, now looking for a CEO and a head coach, hoped to begin that process immediately.

"It's our intent as a board to move quickly. We're meeting as a board on Saturday. We have a number of gaps in the organization but we hope to have a plan in place to fill these positions and move forward in a positive fashion," said Hildahl.

Hildahl said the board has no preference which vacancy will be filled first.

"The person we put into both of these positions we want to be rock solid," said Hildahl. "Solid moral background and somebody that's going to come in and repair some of the damage done to the brand of the football club. I want to say to the fans that these moves are made to try and re-establish the trust they should have in this football club."

Kelly was hired by the Bombers in December 2008 and led the team to a 7-11 record during a tumultuous 2009 Canadian Football League season.

Kelly was passionate about his job but had trouble delegating and dealing with the media.

Kelly pushed Brendan Taman out of his player-personnel role and trashed him on his way out the door, saying Taman did his job on napkins instead of keeping proper files.

Kelly then traded for unproven quarterback Stefan LeFors and released veteran Kevin Glenn. LeFors struggled early and an injury ended his season after just three games. The club had to sign Michael Bishop in an attempt to salvage the season.

Glenn, who signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, would eventually end the Bombers' season. He kept the Bombers out of the playoffs by leading the Tiger-Cats to a win over Winnipeg at Canad Inns Stadium in the final regular-season game.

Kelly had many run-ins with the media and fans, swearing on a post-game show and refusing to take calls from fans on his radio program.

Kelly also butted heads with veteran players Derick Armstrong and Barrin Simpson and there were whispers in the locker-room all season about the coach's integrity.

Bauer, who hired Kelly and defended him throughout the season, could no longer protect the coach Thursday.

"I have no idea what's going on there. It's unfortunate and the timing is awful," said Bauer. "I feel sorry for him in a way because he just can't get a break. But domestic is domestic... Whatever that personal situation is it will be his personal situation to deal with. I'm not aware of any of the details."

 -- with files from Aldo Santin and Jason Bell

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

Video of Press statement - [noembed]http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid10497358001?bctid=57980851001[/noembed]
LINK - http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/bombers-sever-ties-with-kelly-79599857.html


Also...

Blue legend Bauer bids adieu
After 10 years as team's CEO, he becomes 'a free agent'

By: Ed Tait - 18/12/2009 1:00 AM



Lyle BAUER officially declared himself a free agent on Thursday, but the former face of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers might not be on the open market for very long.

In fact, a CFL source confirmed a Free Press report from last month that speculated the Bomber Hall of Famer will soon be announced as the next president of the Calgary Stampeders. Bauer would replace Scott Ackles, who left the Stamps earlier this week to become the chairman of the 2011 Grey Cup in Vancouver.

"It's been a long time since I've been a free agent," Bauer said Thursday from Utah. "There have been opportunities that have been made available or have been presented over the last decade that I've passed on, both inside and outside of sports and entertainment.

"We'll see. But there's no question I have an extreme passion for this league as a player and as an executive. I'm in the position now to be able to talk to somebody if that's the case."

Thanking fans

Bauer began a media conference attended by the Bomber front-office staff by speaking for nine minutes, thanking fans, the club's board and those who worked side by side with him in taking the franchise from a dire financial situation to the $5 million it now has in a rainy-day fund.

But what also became clear over the last month or so -- a month in which he recommended to the board the club retain the services of head coach Mike Kelly -- is Bauer was weary of having more and more of his decisions scrutinized by the executive.

As well, he spoke of the uncertainty swirling around the franchise with the impending transfer of ownership to David Asper. Of course, he's also battled cancer, lost some friends to the disease and has a completely different outlook on life than he did when he first came aboard in 2000.

"Sometimes you have to hand things off," Bauer said. "We all know there's a change coming with this organization and it's been coming over the past couple of years with the agreement going forward with a potential ownership. The intent was to continue along those paths and contribute as much as possible.

"We all have a shelf life and we all need to realize that and deal with it. You have to be true to yourself, and the last number of months, and maybe even the last couple of years, these are things that have certainly been in the back of my mind.

"I also believe new blood, new energy and new excitement and new initiatives are important for any organization to go forward," Bauer added. "Professionally, it's a good thing for the organization, and personally, it's a good thing for me going forward as well. A decade is a long time.

"It was some very, very difficult circumstances that we were able to overcome. I just think it's the right time and 10 years is a long run."

Bauer's decision to leave means the club won't take a financial hit on honouring the remainder of his contract. In addition, Mike Kelly's arrest on Thursday likely means he is in breach of the morality clause in his contract and the team would not have to honour the remaining two years of his deal.

As well, a Bomber executive also confirmed the team is also now free of its financial obligations to former head coach Doug Berry.

Bomber chairman of the board Ken Hildahl, meanwhile, rejected the suggestion that questions about the team's future ownership structure would make it difficult to find a candidate to replace Bauer. He did add, however, that Creswin Properties (David Asper) would be consulted in any hiring.

"There will be significant interest in this position," said Hildahl. "Obviously, as we're going through the hiring process we'll be cognizant of the fact there may be a change of ownership somewhere down the road and we'll work somewhat co-operatively with Creswin to get their input to try and bring stability to the situation.

"I'm not saying it will be a formal working relationship, but certainly it would be in everyone's best interest to have a consultative role with Creswin."

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

LINK - http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/blue-legend-bauer-bids-adieu-79599872.html

When Bauer took over here the Bombers were nearly $5 million in debt. With all the work that he's done, we now have close to $5 million surplus in a "rainy day/emergency" fund. A lot of people here don't give him the credit he deserves for turning the franchise around financially and basically keeping it up and running when it was on the verge of having to cease operation. Stamps are a lucky franchise to get him.

[daigong]

@ Mike Kelly. oh man, bring us all your rejects USA!!!