The Edmonton Eskimos traded down on Thursday in the Canadian Football League draft.
Originally with the second overall pick because of the blockbuster deal with the Toronto Argonauts, the Eskimos traded the pick to the British Columbia Lions for the fourth, 14th and 38th picks.
The Eskimos then drafted offensive lineman Austin Pasztor, a 305 pound offensive lineman from the University of Virginia with the fourth pick and then wide receiver Shawmawd Chambers with the number six pick. Pasztor has already signed with the Minnesota Vikings and Chambers hopes to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles.
So let me do the math. Two first round picks with the excellent chance that neither of them will be with the Eskimos this year. They also traded down when they originally had the number two pick, and one could argue received diminished value for quarterback Ricky Ray.
I think I might be watching a little bit of Citytv’s series of Bachelor Canada.
But I won’t be watching the program because it will be featuring Brad Smith, a definite unknown wide receiver and slotback for the Toronto Argonauts, Montreal Alouettes and Edmonton Eskimos from 2007-2010, and also the son of former Canadian Football League Commissioner Larry Smith.
By the way, what did Smith actually do with the Eskimos? I can barely remember the guy!
No. I will be watching the show for the same reason every other single Canadian male will be watching the program– for the batch of ladies selected by CityTV, that the network is promising will be strong.
Toronto, ON – Reebok Canada, the official outfitter of the Canadian Football League (CFL), unveiled the new uniform of the Edmonton Eskimos today. The team presented its new Reebok CFL jersey to media and fans as part of a greater unveiling that will span across all eight CFL teams on Tuesday, May 1 and Wednesday, May 2.
This week on the show we’re looking at the second round of the NHL playoffs, the Roberto Luongo situation in Vancouver, some racist comments from Boston Bruins “fans” in reaction to Joel Ward’s series clinching overtime winner and the latest IIHF rankings.
In the GABBYs: Mark Visentin, the Edmonton Oil Kings, Tyrone Crawford, Mohamed Sanu, the Miami Marlins and a couple of Texas Rangers fans. The Punchline this week is the Charlotte Bobcats!
Wally Buono of the British Columbia Lions will go out as a head coach as the best for 2011.
On Friday in Toronto, Buono was named the Canadian Football League Coach of the Year.
Buono was chosen over Paul LaPolice of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Kavis Reed of the Edmonton Eskimos.
The Lions finished with a record of 11-7 in the CFL’s Western Division, but a major reason why Buono was chosen was because the Lions were red hot in the second half of the season, where they won 11 of their last 13 games.
But voters obviously forgot how terrible the Lions were in the first half of the year when they lost their first five.
I’m sorry, but I think for a coach to be named coach of the year he needs to be the best coach in the league throughout the entire year. One could argue Buono didn’t start coaching until mid-August.
The voters got it wrong. Nobody would have predicted the Blue Bombers to win the Eastern Division at the beginning of the season after going 4-14 the previous year. My vote would have gone to Paul Lapolice without any questionable doubt.
Buono, meanwhile handed over the Lions coaching duties in the offseason to Mike Benevides, the team’s former defensive co-ordinator. Buono will stay on as the Lions’ General Manager.
Ten inductees were announced Friday for the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in Red Deer.
Out of then ten, I am honoured to report that Canadian Sports Centre President Dale Henwood will be inducted May 25 at the Red Deer Sheraton.
Henwood is one of the most pleasant sports executives in Alberta and a person I have known for close to twenty years. The Canadian Sports Centre plays an instrumental role in supporting high performance athletes as they strive toward podium finishes. Henwood also was a member of the Alberta Sports Council and was an assistant coach for the Canadian men’s hockey team that won a Bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville.
Other inductees are:
–Barb Clark Parolin–Stettler–Bronze medallist, Women’s 4x100m freestyle swimming relay, 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal
–Gary Deman–Calgary–Head Coach, St. Francis High School Football Team
–Blythe Hartley–Edmonton–Bronze medallist, Women’s 10m synchronized diving, 2004 Olympic Games in Athens
According to TSN, the Calgary Stampeders have made a decision on their new defensive co-ordinator and believe Rick Campbell is the best person for the job.
Rick Campbell, the son of the great Edmonton Eskimo Hugh Campbell, spent last season as the assistant head coach and special teams co-ordinator for the Edmonton Eskimos.
Rick Campbell has a wealth of experience as an assistant coach in the CFL. He spent nine years with the Eskimos in various defensive-minded capacities from 1999-2008, before joining the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2009 and the Calgary Stampeders in 2010 where he was in charge of running backs.
Campbell replaces Dave Walkosky who accepted the defensive co-ordinator position on December 23, but announced earlier in the week that he accepted a position as special teams co-ordinator at Georgia Tech. Chris Jones was the Stampeders defensive co-ordinator last season, but accepted a similar role in the off-season with Toronto.
Campbell’s track record in Edmonton in my opinion was poor. He oversaw an Eskimo defense for a long period of time in the first decade of the 21st century, that was among the poorest tacklers in the league. But one should think with experience in the CFL, his knowledge of the game in terms of strategy should be better over time. I guess time will tell.
Campbell will have a lot of significant work to do. The Stampeders gave up 476 points this past season. Campbell’s father Hugh was the mastermind of the Edmonton Eskimos when they won a record five consecutive Grey Cups from 1978-1982. I’ve often wondered if Rick Campbell has been in the CFL as long as he has already is partly because of his father. He’s been given another chance now in Calgary.
This week on 15 Minutes of Fame we’re discussing some potential trades from around the NHL, Alex Ovechkin’s work ethic and news that former Oiler Mike Comrie is calling it a career. As well, we look at what the Edmonton Eskimos did in the opening days of CFL free agency, what LeBron James said about returning to Cleveland and the circus that surrounded the recent fight between Vitali Klitschko and Dereck Chisora.
In the GABBYs: Teemu Selanne, the Detroit Red Wings, Brad Marchand, the Rochester Knighthawks, Roburt Sallie and Brazilian soccer club XV de Jau. The Punchline this week is the “Piggyback Bandit,” Sherwin Shayegan.
The former head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and assistant coach of the Edmonton Eskimos is dead at the age of 79.
Cal Murphy passed away Saturday at a Regina hospital. He was currently employed by the Indianapolis Colts as an evaluator of talent.
Murphy was the Head Coach of the British Columbia Lions from 1975-1976, Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1983-1986, and again from 1993-1996 and the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1999. He was also in charge of the Eskimos’ offensive line during their glory years from 1978-1982 when they won five consecutive Grey Cups and the Blue Bombers’ General Manager from 1983-1996.
He won the Grey Cup eight times as either a coach or General Manager– five times with Edmonton and three times with Winnipeg.
Known as tough in negotiating contracts, Murphy seemed to have a great relationship with his players however and was credited for developing a strong family like atmosphere while in charge of the Blue Bombers.
Another interesting storyline is that Murphy once banned reporters from the locker room after CBC Radio hired a woman to cover the Blue Bombers beat.
If you have an interesting Cal Murphy story, please send it to www.anysportanytime.ca.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats opened their wallets Friday by signing three big name free agents that will significantly help them offensively and defensively.
On offense, the Tiger-Cats acquired Andy Fantuz from the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Fantuz, who was hampered by an ankle injury last season, caught 13 passes for 175 yards in four games last season. Fantuz’s big year however came in 2010 with Saskatchewan when he caught 87 passes for 1380 yards and six touchdowns. That year he was the Most Outstanding Canadian.
Fantuz, who grew up in Chatham, Ontario will give Hamilton another legitimate wide receiver threat for quarterback Henry Burris. Fantuz joins David Stala and Chris Williams in George Cortez’s offense.
The Tiger-Cats also made a statement on defense by acquiring linebacker Kevin Eiben from the Toronto Argonauts and defensive end Greg Peach from the Edmonton Eskimos. Eiben, was the 2004 Most Outstanding Canadian, and has 704 career defensive tackles. Peach, meanwhile was dominant on the Eskimos defense last season and a major reason why the Eskimos gave up the second fewest points in the CFL.
With the loss of Peach, I think it is safe to say the Eskimos are in rebuilding mode. I guess that is a word though that General Manager Eric Tillman refuses to mention.
This is always a very interesting time in the Canadian Football League– free agency with significant movement among the eight franchises.
But one player the Calgary Stampeders reportedly have their eye on has never played professional football before.
According to TSN, the Stampeders are very interested in Australian punter Scott Crough because Burke Dales is a free agent.
Crough has no North American Football experience but he does though have Australian Football League experience.
But if Crough decides to sign with the Stampeders, he will become a non-import. I always thought players had to be Canadian or have to have a family connection to a Canadian to be considered a non-import.
That is apparently not the case. According to the CFL, players are considered non-imports if they have not played organized football outside Canada before. But isn’t Australian Football a type of football?
So that makes Crough a non-import. Crazy rule. But reality. Thumbs up to Stampeders General Manager and Head Coach John Hufnagel for knowing the rules and possibly using them to his advantage.
What do you think and what is your reaction to Crough being considered a non-import?
The Edmonton Eskimos made a strong attempt to improve their receiving corps and defensive line just hours after learning they would lose wide receiver Jason Barnes to the Toronto Argonauts.
On the first full day of free agency, the Eskimos acquired wide receiver Greg Carr and defensive lineman Don Oramasionwu from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and wide receiver Cary Koch from the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Carr was third for Winnipeg in 2011 with four touchdown receptions and was fourth in team receiving yards with 648.
Koch, however only caught 11 receptions all year for 101 yards. General Manager Eric Tillman told TSN a major reason why Koch’s numbers were so low was because of an injury.
Oramasionwu meanwhile was with Winnipeg on their defensive line the last three seasons and has a strong working relationship with Eskimos Head Coach Kavis Reed.
In the Eskimos’ press conference on Wednesday, General Manager Eric Tillman reiterated the fact the franchise is not in a rebuilding mode. I’m not so sure. What do you think?
There has been significant praise by many to date for the work of Eskimos GM Eric Tillman.
I’m starting to question if that high praise is justified.
On Tuesday, another Edmonton Eskimo left the team when the Toronto Argonauts signed wide receiver Jason Barnes.Last season Barnes had 50 catches for 869 yards and seven touchdowns. Barnes now joins former Edmonton Eskimo quarterback Ricky Ray in Toronto.
In the last couple of months, the Eskimos have lost Barnes, Ray, running back Jerome Messam to the Miami Dolphins and defensive co-ordinator Rich Stubler, all major contributors to an Eskimos team that finished a very respectable 11-7 last season despite being outperformed significantly by the British Columbia Lions in the Western Final.
I think it is now time to start to question Tillman’s work if enough was done to keep some key components. You can’t blame him on Messam going to Miami, but I think he is responsible for the other three. What do you think?
In another CFL move, the B.C. Lions have signed defensive back Lin-J Shell from the Toronto Argonauts. Shell was Toronto’s most outstanding rookie in 2009 and was a CFL all-star the last two years.
The Edmonton Eskimos won’t have their top quarterback from last year. Now they won’t have their top running back either.
On Saturday night according to TSN, Jerome Messam, the Canadian Football League’s top Canadian from 2011, has signed with the Miami Dolphins.
Messam was third in the CFL in rushing last season with 1057 yards, only trailing Brandon Whitaker of the Montreal Alouettes and Cory Boyd of the Toronto Argonauts.
With Messam leading the Eskimos’ offensive attack, Edmonton secured its first home playoff game since 2003.
Just how dominant was Messam and how important was he to their offensive game plan? Well, he had 780 more yards than Hugh Charles, who finished second in rushing with 277 yards.
The Dolphins meanwhile will probably use Messam as a backup to former Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush. (Or at least he once won the Heisman Trophy before having his name crossed off for accepting gifts, a violation of the NCAA policy.)
Earlier in the off-season, Edmonton traded Ricky Ray to the Toronto Argonauts.
The Edmonton Eskimos traded down on Thursday in the Canadian Football League draft.
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