Kenny Lawler Suspension & RETURN!!

[GOLDMEMBER]

I don?t think Kenny will be back.  Save money for down the stretch.  I hope they don?t have to pay too many vets on the IR

I think if we get zero news by Monday of next week he might be gone this year.

[TecnoGenius]

I think if we get zero news by Monday of next week he might be gone this year.

There's another aspect: if Kenny had any inkling about any of this and withheld it from The Mafia while negotiating his contract then this will put him in the MOS/KW dog house.  The AH33 incident shows us what happens to even the top star players who abuse Mafia trust.

MOS went from the "3-4 weeks" angle to the current "no information, no comment", and his tone isn't friendly.  I wonder if Kenny has botched this in multiple ways and is screwing over any chance at a future in WPG.

Also, any good contract will have "outs" in it for fraud or misrepresentation.  Even if Kenny was completely ignorant of the situation you might be able to argue the contract should be void.  Ignorance is usually not a good defence.  If Kenny knew anything at all, then it certainly could be void, if we wanted it to be.

I hope I'm wrong and I hope he's dressed in week 5 as promised by everyone ("3-4 weeks" does not include 5).  And I hope they can move on.  If not, we'll never see Kenny in WPG again; he'll be the next Darian Durant around these parts.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

There's another aspect: if Kenny had any inkling about any of this and withheld it from The Mafia while negotiating his contract then this will put him in the MOS/KW dog house.  The AH33 incident shows us what happens to even the top star players who abuse Mafia trust.

MOS went from the "3-4 weeks" angle to the current "no information, no comment", and his tone isn't friendly.  I wonder if Kenny has botched this in multiple ways and is screwing over any chance at a future in WPG.

Also, any good contract will have "outs" in it for fraud or misrepresentation.  Even if Kenny was completely ignorant of the situation you might be able to argue the contract should be void.  Ignorance is usually not a good defence.  If Kenny knew anything at all, then it certainly could be void, if we wanted it to be.

I hope I'm wrong and I hope he's dressed in week 5 as promised by everyone ("3-4 weeks" does not include 5).  And I hope they can move on.  If not, we'll never see Kenny in WPG again; he'll be the next Darian Durant around these parts.

I think the situation is beyond Lawler's control so he shouldn't be blamed for the delay.  I do object to the bonus money he's already put in his pocket which was calculated on him playing a full season excluding injury time, so I can see Walters requesting a refund on a portion of the payment based on the 4 games he's already missed.

[TecnoGenius]

I think the situation is beyond Lawler's control so he shouldn't be blamed for the delay.

But is it out of his control?  With anything legal you have a lawyer and they keep you apprised of dates and requirements.  If you abscond or attempt to remain blissfully ignorant, that's still in "Lawler's control".  The lawyer would have been aware of all the repercussions.

If all we get out of WFC, now that the "4 weeks" is up, is "no comment / info", then that may be a sign that lawyers are now involved on WFC's side and this is all going downhill fast.

I pray I'm wrong.  A real comment from MOS in the coaches show will go a long way to dispelling our fears.  Lawler will definitely make our O a whack ton better.  We can win many games without him, but we're a world-beating team with him.

[Tee42]

Don?t you think it?s strange no one is saying anything. In a world of social media someone would no something. I think it?s pretty obvious. Sweep it under the carpet.  Out of sight out of mind. 

[blue_or_die]

This doesn?t help with our reputation of bringing in former Bomber FA receivers.

Adarius Bowman
Chris Matthews
?

[Jesse]

Don?t you think it?s strange no one is saying anything. In a world of social media someone would no something. I think it?s pretty obvious. Sweep it under the carpet.  Out of sight out of mind. 

I don't understand what you want anyone to say.

This was a major screw up by both parties (Lawler and Bombers). But now that we're in this situation, I doubt anyone knows anymore than we do. He's submitted his request/documents and needs to wait for a decision.

[Pete]

Sure feels like this isn't a simple process, the longer it takes the more likely something else has gone south. As noted perhaps lawyers are now heavily involved which would delay things even more.I hate to say it but it's not looking good.

[Waffler]

This doesn?t help with our reputation of bringing in former Bomber FA receivers.

Adarius Bowman
Chris Matthews
?

Romby Bryant

[The Zipp]

Sure feels like this isn't a simple process, the longer it takes the more likely something else has gone south. As noted perhaps lawyers are now heavily involved which would delay things even more.I hate to say it but it's not looking good.

Lawyers, government employees on both sides..national holidays in both countries...the wheels don't move quickly in those circles..."sorry our representative  is not in for the week...try them next week". There will be no urgency and you can try to escalate things but honestly they will probably have a stack of work inches thick and when your turn comes up it comes up.

One side could ask a question and it make take days or a week to get a response...it will get resolved when it gets resolved. 

To quote the great Dave Ritchie:

"If ifs and buts were candies and nuts we would all have a Merry Christmas"

[The Zipp]

From a Jeff Hamilton interview with wade:

The Bombers had originally predicted Lawler, who signed a two-year deal over the offseason, would be back somewhere between three and four weeks. That timeline has now passed, with next week marking a potentially fifth straight week Lawler could be sidelined, and there?s been little as far as updates from the team.

?It remains a work in progress,? Miller said. ?It?s just taking a little bit longer than everybody thought it would. We hope to get a resolution very shortly.?

Miller said the process is a time-consuming one and there?s nothing the club can do to speed it up. Lawler isn?t permitted to be with the team while he occupies a spot on the club?s suspended list but has been staying in shape and wouldn?t require much to be inserted back into the lineup.

Miller said Lawler?s spirits remain high and he?s eager to rejoin the team and contribute both on and off the field, with community work already something he and the Bombers had been discussing before news broke of his current situation. As far as giving back to the community, Lawler hopes to run a football camp for kids over the first bye week, assuming everything can get figured out, which isn?t a guarantee just yet.

[theaardvark]

Again, we have no idea who missed the issue.  For all we know, the BOmbers asked "Is the situation taken care of?" and he answered "Yes" thinking it had been.  And then the issue was detected when the paperwork for the American players VISA's was being submitted, and then this all started.

Both sides should have done more due diligence, Lawler's lawyers (say that three times fast) should have known a guilty plea would result in a record that could affect his VISA, and the Bombers should have double checked that his lawyers had filed the proper paperwork to get his VISA approved.  Obviously a case where too much "trust" was extended.

It will be a motivator, no doubt, for Lawler, once everything is ironed out, and a lesson learned for all teams that care must be taken when handling players with potential VISA issues.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Again, we have no idea who missed the issue.  For all we know, the BOmbers asked "Is the situation taken care of?" and he answered "Yes" thinking it had been.  And then the issue was detected when the paperwork for the American players VISA's was being submitted, and then this all started.

Both sides should have done more due diligence, Lawler's lawyers (say that three times fast) should have known a guilty plea would result in a record that could affect his VISA, and the Bombers should have double checked that his lawyers had filed the proper paperwork to get his VISA approved.  Obviously a case where too much "trust" was extended.

It will be a motivator, no doubt, for Lawler, once everything is ironed out, and a lesson learned for all teams that care must be taken when handling players with potential VISA issues.

I wonder if Lawler has to make his case in an appeal of the rules, or if the approval is the formality the Bombers seem to think it is.  Could he be denied?  I'm sure CBSA is not keen to make an exception just because Lawler is a famous footballer.

[theaardvark]

I wonder if Lawler has to make his case in an appeal of the rules, or if the approval is the formality the Bombers seem to think it is.  Could he be denied?  I'm sure CBSA is not keen to make an exception just because Lawler is a famous footballer.

It is my understanding that is is not a guarantee that an exception will be made for this type of infraction, but that it generally is.  Especially if it is resolved and there were no issues along the way.

But, in my experience, when you skirt the rules, intentionally or not, sometimes they get a bug up their butt, and can make things a lot more difficult and take much longer.  And in most cases, there is not a darned thing you can do about it.

It is odd, though, because they have dealt with issues like this in the past, and Wade actually runs an employment agency that probably has staff on retainer for just these instances.  It might be a case of a gov't worker taking issue with what they see as someone trying to skirt the rules...  until it is over, though, we shall not know...

[Jesse]

Again, we have no idea who missed the issue.  For all we know, the BOmbers asked "Is the situation taken care of?" and he answered "Yes" thinking it had been.  And then the issue was detected when the paperwork for the American players VISA's was being submitted, and then this all started.

Both sides should have done more due diligence, Lawler's lawyers (say that three times fast) should have known a guilty plea would result in a record that could affect his VISA, and the Bombers should have double checked that his lawyers had filed the proper paperwork to get his VISA approved.  Obviously a case where too much "trust" was extended.

It will be a motivator, no doubt, for Lawler, once everything is ironed out, and a lesson learned for all teams that care must be taken when handling players with potential VISA issues.

Giant fail for the Bombers, imo.

Due diligence was not done.