Als at Argos GDT (Harris debut)

[ModAdmin]

Keep in mind too he was away from his daughter for 6 months.  That has to be tough as well.

[blue_gold_84]

In any event, AH is clearly going to retire.  His body is done.  He couldn't even play either playoff game without getting re-injured.  He was on the trainer table each game.  He can't perform like he did before.  Retire a 3-peater and 4 time GC champ.  Hopefully most/much of WPG can forgive him and the fubar situation in the last FA.

He plays with a lot of hear and a lot of pride. I don't know if he's done just yet.

And forgive him...? For what?

[blue_or_die]

I wasn't the one who brought this thread back to life, but I will add that I'm happy for AH33, happy he got his revenge, happy he showed he still had it (sort of).  I knew it was fairly likely we'd have a TOR/WPG GC back in the pre-season.  Both teams were the early favorites.

But with what transpired this year, I still would have preferred to keep AH for this season.  At most it would have cost us $80k.  Then he'd be injured early on just like in TOR.  And we'd have played BO20 for most games, just like TOR played AJ.  Then AH could comeback for the playoffs and we could have done a BO20-mostly / AH-RB#2 setup like TOR did.  If we won, AH gets his 3-peat and goes out a Winnipeg hero forever.

It could have been storybook.  And why wasn't it?  Because of $80k and some dickering over nonsense that we could have just overlooked to get the storybook ending.  Smart business sense?  Best player being fielded?  No, probably not.  But I would have preferred it.

In any event, AH is clearly going to retire.  His body is done.  He couldn't even play either playoff game without getting re-injured.  He was on the trainer table each game.  He can't perform like he did before.  Retire a 3-peater and 4 time GC champ.  Hopefully most/much of WPG can forgive him and the fubar situation in the last FA.

Or *HE* could have overlooked.

Also, like I said earlier, if he's mostly a non-factor, did he really get "revenge"?

[GOLDMEMBER]

Or *HE* could have overlooked.

Also, like I said earlier, if he's mostly a non-factor, did he really get "revenge"?

No not really other than happening be on the winning team.

[TecnoGenius]

No not really other than happening be on the winning team.

AH33 led TOR in the GC in rushing: 10 for 55 and 5.5 avg, which precisely matches Brady also at 5.5 avg.  He beat out AJ early in the game to be the main back.  He had that amazing hurdle 16 yard run.  Yes, he tailed off later in the game and AJ took over (for the TD, etc).  But AJ only had 4.0 avg and a measly 24 yards on 6 carries.

I watched AH after the game from my seat (I stayed for the whole ceremony) and he was super pumped and stoked and trust me, at that moment he thought in his mind he got his revenge.  He gets that third ring in a row and all his WPG team mates do not.

In the end, I just hope it all works out fine for him living out his years in WPG, and hope the city remembers him for what he did for this team, not for helping cause our heartbreaking defeat in 2022.  Most here will be ok, but some are bitter (they've said so).

My favorite part of all of this is watching the (very) few openly-hostile Sask fans at Mosaic cheer for AH33.  I yelled back to one "hey dude, never thought I'd see the day...".

[Pigskin]

AH33 led TOR in the GC in rushing: 10 for 55 and 5.5 avg, which precisely matches Brady also at 5.5 avg.  He beat out AJ early in the game to be the main back.  He had that amazing hurdle 16 yard run.  Yes, he tailed off later in the game and AJ took over (for the TD, etc).  But AJ only had 4.0 avg and a measly 24 yards on 6 carries.

I watched AH after the game from my seat (I stayed for the whole ceremony) and he was super pumped and stoked and trust me, at that moment he thought in his mind he got his revenge.  He gets that third ring in a row and all his WPG team mates do not.

In the end, I just hope it all works out fine for him living out his years in WPG, and hope the city remembers him for what he did for this team, not for helping cause our heartbreaking defeat in 2022.  Most here will be ok, but some are bitter (they've said so).

My favorite part of all of this is watching the (very) few openly-hostile Sask fans at Mosaic cheer for AH33.  I yelled back to one "hey dude, never thought I'd see the day...".

AH had a good 1st. quarter and was okay in the 2nd. But in the 2nd. half the bombers totally shut him down. When Toronto needed the big plays late in the game, they turned to Quellette.

[buckzumhoff]

Defense did the job. They played good. They were out there all  the time . offense couldnt get many first downs. Stopped them on 3rd down gamble. And stopped Givens . plus t.o got good field position svery punt.or kick. We get the ball at the goaline they catch it at the 20

[Jesse]

I wasn't the one who brought this thread back to life, but I will add that I'm happy for AH33, happy he got his revenge, happy he showed he still had it (sort of).  I knew it was fairly likely we'd have a TOR/WPG GC back in the pre-season.  Both teams were the early favorites.

But with what transpired this year, I still would have preferred to keep AH for this season.  At most it would have cost us $80k.  Then he'd be injured early on just like in TOR.  And we'd have played BO20 for most games, just like TOR played AJ.  Then AH could comeback for the playoffs and we could have done a BO20-mostly / AH-RB#2 setup like TOR did.  If we won, AH gets his 3-peat and goes out a Winnipeg hero forever.

It could have been storybook.  And why wasn't it?  Because of $80k and some dickering over nonsense that we could have just overlooked to get the storybook ending.  Smart business sense?  Best player being fielded?  No, probably not.  But I would have preferred it.

In any event, AH is clearly going to retire.  His body is done.  He couldn't even play either playoff game without getting re-injured.  He was on the trainer table each game.  He can't perform like he did before.  Retire a 3-peater and 4 time GC champ.  Hopefully most/much of WPG can forgive him and the fubar situation in the last FA.

Where did you pull that out of? As far as I know he was offered more than that and that's what offended him. He refused to be paid less than the other RBs.

[Pigskin]

Where did you pull that out of? As far as I know he was offered more than that and that's what offended him. He refused to be paid less than the other RBs.

I was told he was offered a base salary of $125K. BO20 got 92K, and JA27 90K.

[blue_gold_84]

AH33 led TOR in the GC in rushing: 10 for 55 and 5.5 avg, which precisely matches Brady also at 5.5 avg.  He beat out AJ early in the game to be the main back.  He had that amazing hurdle 16 yard run.  Yes, he tailed off later in the game and AJ took over (for the TD, etc).  But AJ only had 4.0 avg and a measly 24 yards on 6 carries.

I watched AH after the game from my seat (I stayed for the whole ceremony) and he was super pumped and stoked and trust me, at that moment he thought in his mind he got his revenge.  He gets that third ring in a row and all his WPG team mates do not.

Hilarious how you'll overvalue Harris' contribution but undervalue Oullette's despite the fact it was the latter who scored points, which is what's needed to win games.

Your anecdote in bold is evidence of nothing, BTW. The "trust me bro" line is particularly comical to prop up this revenge narrative you've fabricated, going so far as to claim you know exactly what he was thinking while celebrating with his team. Come off it.

Your lack of objectivity, revisionist history, and made up claims with the whole Harris situation are just laughable.

I was told he was offered a base salary of $125K. BO20 got 92K, and JA27 90K.

The CFL needs to start making contract figures and salaries public.

[Blue In BC]

It would be interesting to see salaries public but in reality there is no real value / need for the CFL to do so. There is an SMS and teams spend accordingly. Some players will be under paid or over paid based on their perceived performance.

There are no guarantees that a player that played very well in 2022 will exceed that performance the following season or vice versa.

It's like trying to predict injuries across the entire roster over an entire season.

[blue_gold_84]

It would be interesting to see salaries public but in reality there is no real value / need for the CFL to do so.

Accountability. Transparency.

[Blue In BC]

Accountability. Transparency.

Accountability to what? What difference does it make to know Collaros earns $600K or $400K? Accountability is done by CFL controlling the SMS and total spend. A team can be fortunate to have a rookie Canadian QB on and ELC or a veteran QB earning the highest salary on the team. Or a rookie import receiver ( Schoen ) on an ELC versus a veteran like Lawler getting $300K.  Could we have known Schoen would be such a find or Lawler would miss 1/2the season?

Net result is the same. Which teams get the best bang for their buck? Spend the SMS where you think it is the best advantage to the entire roster.

Fans often get some transparency about salaries. There is one for the Bombers already. In some cases we'll argue this guy or that guy is getting too much or too little. It's a marketplace and nothing out of the ordinary.

I'm not opposed to complete salary info but it may create more problems that it solves.

[blue_gold_84]

Accountability to what? What difference does it make to know Collaros earns $600K or $400K? Accountability is done by CFL controlling the SMS and total spend. A team can be fortunate to have a rookie Canadian QB on and ELC or a veteran QB earning the highest salary on the team. Or a rookie import receiver ( Schoen ) on an ELC versus a veteran like Lawler getting $300K.  Could we have known Schoen would be such a find or Lawler would miss 1/2the season?

Net result is the same. Which teams get the best bang for their buck? Spend the SMS where you think it is the best advantage to the entire roster.

Fans often get some transparency about salaries. There is one for the Bombers already. In some cases we'll argue this guy or that guy is getting too much or too little. It's a marketplace and nothing out of the ordinary.

I'm not opposed to complete salary info but it may create more problems that it solves.

Accountability/transparency to the fans who support a league that relies heavily on gate-driven revenue. Accountability/transparency to the media who covers and reports on the league, some of whom are fans themselves. Accountability/transparency to the shareholder/stakeholders who contribute to the league's financial health/viability.

I just can't understand the ostensible secrecy surrounding player salaries and outsiders often being left to speculate or theorize on figures.

It's not an issue for other leagues.

And I'm at a loss to see what problems could come from making those figures public and accessible to everyone.

[Blue In BC]

Accountability/transparency to the fans who support a league that relies heavily on gate-driven revenue. Accountability/transparency to the media who covers and reports on the league, some of whom are fans themselves. Accountability/transparency to the shareholder/stakeholders who contribute to the league's financial health/viability.

I just can't understand the ostensible secrecy surrounding player salaries and outsiders often being left to speculate or theorize on figures.

It's not an issue for other leagues.

And I'm at a loss to see what problems could come from making those figures public and accessible to everyone.

IMO you're barking up the wrong tree for useless information. We have an SMS and we hear whether teams over spend. The team that spends the most doesn't necessarily win and the team that spends less but wisely may win it all. NOTE: Some teams are public teams and that information is probably available if we choose to find out.

Generally we have an idea of what all the starting QB's earn. Did knowing what Reilly made in 2021 really change anything except raise the salary levels in 2022? Does knowing what Collaros will earn in 2023 raise salaries for the free agent QB's? I don't expect any to earn more than Collaros but they may earn more than might have otherwise.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing when QB's earn 10% of the total SMS spend? It could be argued either way. We could easily say the Lions paying Rourke on an ELC got the best bang for their buck of any player in the CFL. That's the opposite of what happened with what was paid to Reilly in 2021.

Some have suggested capping salaries by position. Others just want the minimums to be raised. All are good arguments but the SMS is spent across the roster. Increase the bottom means less spent at the top ELC or vice versus.

As a fan I don't care how they spend it or where. I care about the net results of how the team does and whether they seemed to have made the correct decisions. That's only partially calculable due to injuries to key highly paid players.

Take Ottawa for example. Masoli probably got a good salary although I don't specifically what he earned. However his injury was luck of the draw. Would they have done better if they had chosen another QB in free agency? Who knows.

We have many potential free agents going into 2023 . Many will get re-signed and that will mean we'll lose some we want to keep but can't afford to retain. It doesn't mean those getting more didn't earn new contracts.