Argo QB, Chad Kelly sited in harassment/wrongful dismissal charges

[Waffler]

Murphy was "fake" fired by TO once already after the gay slur and fight with a Hamilton fan. I say fake because he was an off the books consultant for TO the following year and then rehired as Assistant GM. 

So if anyone is going to wiggle out of this it would be Toronto. The league just favors them because we "need" them. TSN cheers for them too.

[Waffler]

I wonder even if Pinball himself stays clean. He knows whats been going on. He hired Murphy as his assistant a year after "firing him" didn't he? I remember him going down to the sideline a couple of times to calm the bench but no follow up later. It seems he encourages the toxic atmosphere there by who he hires and who he keeps. He could have cleaned house many times in the past few years but chooses not to. He must want it this way. Has it brought the fans in yet?

[theaardvark]

Kai Locksley and Dom Davis seem to be the only unsigned FA's... Cornelius is still out there too... maybe they can get Darian Durant to sign up, probably have to give a big signing bonus.  Or can he sign, still being Blue Bomber property...

[TecnoGenius]

Bad light is right!! Kelly has always struck me as one strange duck, but this is over the top serious. If convicted, wonder what the league is going to do in terms of actions/suspensions. This violates any and all code of conduct policies around.

I read the article on 3down and saw nothing that is "criminal", so no "conviction".  Very bad behavior, yes, but even though they use the word "violence" there is no allegation I read of physical contact.  Thus it's a matter of speech and being a general douche: harassment, etc.  That is a civil matter, which is exactly what the article says about her seeking ~$50k from each.  She will sue for damages in civil court and/or out-of-court deals/arbitration (the likely result).

I watched that TSN long segment on Kelly from last season, I think the "2023 season preview" show where he's interviewed with his uncle(?) the famous guy I had never heard of.  They talked at length about him being a bad apple in the NFL and all of his off-field troubles (ya, like Maziel).  And about how Kelly had gotten past all of that and promised to be a good boy.  I guess not!

It's hard to change your personality, and maybe Kelly managed to subdue it a bit.  Clearly he hasn't solved his problems, though.

I'm not defending him; I don't like his stank face attitude either.  But read the actual articles and read what is actually alleged before getting all worked up.  He's accused of being a slimeball saying slimy things in private and with lots of people around and not shutting up when told he's crossing the line.  You don't treat people like that.  And now he's going to pay the toll because this is a really bad look for the Argos, whose image was being reformed by smiles and sparkles Pinball.

[TecnoGenius]

This is pretty serious. Clemons gonna be put in a tight spot with this one. Image, due process, superstar,  etc. Looking at everything, at this time, my prediction is Kelly doesn't take a snap in the CFL this year.

My prediction is they pay the asking $$ darn fast and sweep the whole thing under the rug.  Kelly comes out and does a big apology tour and promises to do better.  (Maybe Murphy finally takes the boot, though.)  There is basically zero chance the Argos don't start Kelly week 1.  Kelly may be the best QB in the league at the moment once you factor in age, and there are zero other options for TOR.

There are no criminal allegations at play, so this can end no worse for Kelly than any of the myriad of actual criminal convictions other CFL players have dealt with... cough cough

[Blueforlife]

Where there is smoke there is a fire and this will blow unless they get ahead of this now

[dd]

There's fire alright. I hope the fired employee has the strength to take this one to the end and Kelly gets what he deserves. He has always come across as a creep with freaky eyes

[Pigskin]

If her allegations are true. The Toronto Argonauts as a whole should be ashamed and the CFL needs to take action. Behavior like this is not tolerated in any work place and shouldn't be tolerated by the CFL. No sweeping this under the carpet.   

[Waffler]

Similar to the Chicago Blackhawks incident. Opposite in that was where a video coach "groomed, harassed, threatened and assaulted" a player. This is the player harassing a coach.

Result: An independent investigation resulted in top Blackhawks executives losing their jobs and a $2 million NHL fine against the team.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Similar to the Chicago Blackhawks incident. Opposite in that was where a video coach "groomed, harassed, threatened and assaulted" a player. This is the player harassing a coach.

Result: An independent investigation resulted in top Blackhawks executives losing their jobs and a $2 million NHL fine against the team.

That's a different situation, the NHL has 31 other organizations to pressure the Blackhawks into taking the appropriate actions to influence public perception.  The CFL has 8 other teams of mostly belligerent owners that protect the status quo, they're not going to derail the Argos, I doubt this will go any higher than Murphy receiving a slap on the wrist.

[ModAdmin]

My prediction is that there will be an apology from Kelly and life will go on.  The Argos will not simply banish Kelly from the team given his status and ability on the field because he said something offensive to another human being.

I don't necessarily agree with a decision like that but that is a personal view.  I do understand "saying something" is generally viewed differently than "doing something".

Bottom line is that IMHO, Kelly will not be released but he will profusely apologize and that will be the of it.  If it happens again, that will be a different ballgame.

[Pete]

the danger here in jumping to assumptions is that we are only hearing one side of the story.
Obviously Kelly's previous history doesn't help him.
But it also makes him a target.
Whether it goes much further may depend on whether others come out of the woodwork with similar stories about Chad or the argo which would cause this situation to escalate
That it wasn't reported to league is worrisome.

[Pigskin]

the danger here in jumping to assumptions is that we are only hearing one side of the story.
Obviously Kelly's previous history doesn't help him.
But it also makes him a target.
Whether it goes much further may depend on whether others come out of the woodwork with similar stories about Chad or the argo which would cause this situation to escalate
That it wasn't reported to league is worrisome.

It is worrisome. The CFL will have to address it at some point.

[theaardvark]

A man, in a position of power, pressuring a woman subordinate into anything she does not want to do is unacceptable.

Its not like he is unaware of the boundaries, and it sounds like this was not a one off in passing situation.

He must have had sensitivity training, etc, in the past, and the Argos should have made it a part of signing him.

With the CFL's stand about Violence against Women, this will not go unpunished.

It sounds like there will be a lot more coming out about it, from all three sides, unless it gets swept under the table.

[bluebeard]

Murphy was "fake" fired by TO once already after the gay slur and fight with a Hamilton fan. I say fake because he was an off the books consultant for TO the following year and then rehired as Assistant GM. 

So if anyone is going to wiggle out of this it would be Toronto. The league just favors them because we "need" them. TSN cheers for them too.

I just do not think that any action will be taken against Kelly and the Arfos.  When it comes down to TO, thereis  a doubble standardin my humble opinion.  If something simmiler happens in another CFL city then the hammer falls.