Friday Round-Up

Just about to skip town for the weekend so you'll have to settle for rapid fire comments on this week's CFL news.

- The Riders signed OL Kelly Bates and cut Antonio Hall, Bobby Harris and Denatay Heard. While none of the cuts surprise me the Bates signing does. Not sure why we would need another really old O-lineman, particularly one who couldn't cut it in Winnipeg. Unfortunately signing over the hill rejected veterans is one of the cornerstones of Taman's appraoch to football

- Rider fans were maybe willing to forgive Paul LaPolice for taking a promotion and leaving town, but the forgiveness may soon run out if he continues to poach our entire coaching staff. He has made Jamie Baresi his OC and Kavis Reed will be his DC.

- Fear not though, the Riders are set to hire Doug Berry as their new OC. He's actually a decent hire provided Miller can keep Berry's temper and ability to lose the lockeroom under control.

- I don't like how this is shaping up. All the Rider coaching staff is headed to Winnipeg and we're slowly acquiring Bombers (Taman, Berry, Bates)... its as if the teams are covertly switching places. And if that's the case we are getting the raw end of the deal.

- Training camp is to be held in Saskatoon this year. This will simultaneously decrease work productivity in Toon town and increase internet usage in the Queen City

- The Riders are apparently going to hire and Assistant GM. My question is... if Miller handles all the big decisions and Taman outsources the grunt work to his assistant, what exactly will there be left for Taman to do? Not that Taman having nothing to do would be a bad thing.

- The Argos introduced David Braley as their new owner and Jim barker as their new coach. That may have been good news if not for the fact that they proceeded to announce that Adam Rita would be kept on as GM, which is a bad enough decision to trump pretty much any good news.

- The Esks traded DL Eric Taylor to Toronto for Andre Talbot anf WR Brad Smith. This is one of those rare cases where both teams seem to have got screwed over in the deal. Argos D was pretty decent it's just their offense that sucked so trading away 2 Canadian receivers for an American DL a bit odd . And as for the Eskimos the recievers they recieved in reutrn aren't really that good. I guess this is what happens when Adam Rita and Danny Maciocia cut deals.

- Free Agency opens Monday and I'll have coverage of what goes on all day.

NFL Watch
- Duval works out for Bengals and Jets
- Ricky Foley will sign in the NFL its just a matter of where
- Pat MacDonald got a tryout with the Seahawks as a long snapper. (I know. WHo?)
- Rey Williams got a tryout with the Steelers. (As a pour another stiff drink to help cope)

CFL Ins and Outs

Toronto
Out: DB Jordan Younger (cut)

Calgary
In: DL Charleston Hughes (contract extension)

Winnipeg
In: RB Emmanuel Marc (free agent signing)

Edmonton
In: LB Javier Glatt (free agent signing)

BC
In: DB Davis Sanchez (free agent signing)
Is anyone shocked that Dirty Sanchez opted to sign with the Lions? It’s as if it was meant to be