It’s beginning to become one of the signs of spring… an announcement form the CFL that the Riders have exceeded the Salary Cap and smattering of furor from fans across the league (including our own). For the 3rd time in 4 years the Riders have gone over the cap. This year it was by $26,677 (compared to $76,552 in ’07 and $87,147 in ’08). As with previous years we have been fined an equivalent amount.
Personally I could care less that we exceeded the cap by such a microscopic amount. Hell, I actually wonder if we were going to get fined, why we didn’t go over by another $70,000? I’m sure that kind of cash could have helped with recruitment and retention. As long as we aren’t losing draft picks I say spend away. It’s not like the team can’t afford the fine.
Admittedly the optics of a team who campaigned for years for an enforceable cap being the worst offender is somewhat ironic and far from ideal but who cares? Some people are calling us cheaters but that’s not true. The rules say if you spend over the cap you get fined. We spent over the cap and paid are fine so therefore are following the rules. That’s like calling on offensive lineman a cheater for getting called for holding… he’s only really a cheater if he doesn’t get caught.
According to Brendan Taman, us being over had to do with a bunch of players reaching some incentives in their contracts that were not budgeted for. I can believe that. I mean who honestly would have thought that Fantuz would lead the league in receiving or that Durant would pass for 5500 yards or that Wes Cates would score 16 TDs?
But of course it’s just not in my nature not to blame somebody and shower hate in their direction. And so I shall. I will naturally have to blame Taman. Admittedly I am not a big Taman fan but I do have to concede he’s done a decent job so far… with the exception of 2 moves that are directly related to us exceeding the cap. The first was paying Dorsey a 6 figure salary including a big fat signing bonus. I never liked that deal from the beginning and it actually turned out worse than I ever could have imagined.
The second was acquiring Prechae Rodriguez. Not only was Rodriguez an overrated pussy, he also came with a decent sized contract. So big in fact that Jason Clermont was asked to take a paycut so we could accommodate it on our payroll. Clermont should be elevated to near sainthood for accepting less money so that it could go to a no-talent sack of crap instead. Don’t ever let it be said that Clermont is not a stand-up guy.
Besides knowing Clermont’s knack for realty he probably just made the money back from Rodriguez by helping him buy a condo… one that he probably had to help him sell again by midseason.
If either of these moves doesn't happen, we likely stay under the cap. But as I said I don't really care as long as we don't lose draft picks... I just feel compelled to hate people. I have issues, I know.
CFL Ins and Outs
Winnipeg
Out: OL Luke Fritz (cut)
Hamilton
In: Arland Bruce (contract extension)
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