Woli re-signs in Winnipeg

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Woli is the consummate team guy and his blocking abilities combined with his ability to make key first down conversions sis critical to our overall offence.   

[TecnoGenius]

Besides Demski, who is at an impossible level all by himself, Woli is at "top CFL NAT WR"-level with Gittens, KSB, and maybe MTL's Philpot.  Very few NAT WRs ever become more than ratio placeholders, let alone as good as 3rd read IMPs.  I love to see these Canadian succeeding.

[Jesse]

Besides Demski, who is at an impossible level all by himself, Woli is at "top CFL NAT WR"-level with Gittens, KSB, and maybe MTL's Philpot.  Very few NAT WRs ever become more than ratio placeholders, let alone as good as 3rd read IMPs.  I love to see these Canadian succeeding.

Being fully aware of course, that Woli wasn't remotely Canadian, he was just counted as a NAT by the very loosest of definitions that the CFL uses.

(Although he's 100% a Canadian now - he just wasn't before coming up here for the first time).

[Blue In BC]

Being fully aware of course, that Woli wasn't remotely Canadian, he was just counted as a NAT by the very loosest of definitions that the CFL uses.

(Although he's 100% a Canadian now - he just wasn't before coming up here for the first time).

A person born to a Canadian parent has Canadian citizenship regardless of where the birth happens. That has nothing to do with the definition the CFL uses.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Besides Demski, who is at an impossible level all by himself, Woli is at "top CFL NAT WR"-level with Gittens, KSB, and maybe MTL's Philpot.  Very few NAT WRs ever become more than ratio placeholders, let alone as good as 3rd read IMPs.  I love to see these Canadian succeeding.

I don't think Wolitarksy is in the same bucket as Philpot or Gittens. Not from a pure skill standpoint anyway. He's turned into a very experienced, reliable possession receiver which is traditionally the role a lot of National receivers carve out. 

[Jesse]

A person born to a Canadian parent has Canadian citizenship regardless of where the birth happens. That has nothing to do with the definition the CFL uses.

I feel like it does, because citizenship doesn't grant you NAT status. I may be wrong, but I feel like it used to be based on where you received your football training. And they've changed and expanded the definition multiple times.

And you may be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship if you have a Canadian parent, but I don't think you're automatically a Canadian citizen.

[Blue In BC]

I feel like it does, because citizenship doesn't grant you NAT status. I may be wrong, but I feel like it used to be based on where you received your football training. And they've changed and expanded the definition multiple times.

And you may be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship if you have a Canadian parent, but I don't think you're automatically a Canadian citizen.

Nathan Rourke born in Ontario. Last year of high school in USA and his college as well. So should that make him an import by your definition?

I realize Woli was born in the USA but his mother was Canadian. IMO that makes him a Canadian whether he automatically gains citizenship or not.

How all of this determines a player to be a National is a small argument I think.

[Jesse]

Nathan Rourke born in Ontario. Last year of high school in USA and his college as well. So should that make him an import by your definition?

I realize Woli was born in the USA but his mother was Canadian. IMO that makes him a Canadian whether he automatically gains citizenship or not.

How all of this determines a player to be a National is a small argument I think.

Putting aside CFL national definitions, I don't consider Americans who have one parent from another country to be members of that country, no.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I feel like it does, because citizenship doesn't grant you NAT status. I may be wrong, but I feel like it used to be based on where you received your football training. And they've changed and expanded the definition multiple times.

And you may be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship if you have a Canadian parent, but I don't think you're automatically a Canadian citizen.

Correct, still involves an application, verification and waiting for approval.  If that wasn't the case Jones would twist those rules into a pretzel.

[theaardvark]

Correct, still involves an application, verification and waiting for approval.  If that wasn't the case Jones would twist those rules into a pretzel.

And also never having signed as an American in the CFL... who was the player that Ottawa told he should look into claiming Nat status?  And then signed elsewhere?

[ModAdmin]

"It's a special place. We've had some tough losses, dude, but we're so resilient."

"......My girl is from Southern Cal and she calls Winnipeg our home," he began. "It's where we have our routine, our home, our space. It's a place that has really rooted us and made us closer as a family. It's a special place in our hearts. It will be hard to leave when the time comes and that's why every time I sign a contract there's this sense of both relief and joy. We love to travel and being vagabonds, but that can get so tiring. In Winnipeg we have our community and there's so much structure. I get why people don't want to leave because it comes from knowing when you go out to your coffee shop, they're going to know your name.

"We went into a coffee shop here in Melbourne yesterday and I thought I'm never going to see this owner again. You're in and out. There can be charms to big cities, but there can also be an emptiness. I'm an empathic person. I like to connect, and community is important to me.

"Winnipeg is such a great city for that – it's big enough to feel big, but small enough to have you connected. In this day and age of disconnectedness I understand now the allure of that from being in Winnipeg......"

https://www.bluebombers.com/2024/01/20/its-a-special-place-weve-had-some-tough-losses-dude-but-were-so-resilient/

[blue_gold_84]

Heart and soul player. Very pleased to have him back for two more seasons.

[theaardvark]

Wow, another ringing endorsement of the Winnipeg lifestyle. 

Been here 23 years now, and wholly endorse this viewpoint...

"Winnipeg is such a great city for that – it's big enough to feel big, but small enough to have you connected. In this day and age of disconnectedness I understand now the allure of that from being in Winnipeg......"

I wonder how many of the Jets are now feeling this way... they don't really get the same experience, being on the road so much, so many games so close together... 82 in a season rather than 18... but I know the ratio of guys that have Winnipeg atop their no trade clauses to those that do not has shifted a lot.  Sure, being the best team in the league has a lot to do with that, like the Bombers, but I'd like to think this viewpoint of the city is becoming wider spread...

[Jesse]

Wow, another ringing endorsement of the Winnipeg lifestyle. 

Been here 23 years now, and wholly endorse this viewpoint...

"Winnipeg is such a great city for that – it's big enough to feel big, but small enough to have you connected. In this day and age of disconnectedness I understand now the allure of that from being in Winnipeg......"

I wonder how many of the Jets are now feeling this way... they don't really get the same experience, being on the road so much, so many games so close together... 82 in a season rather than 18... but I know the ratio of guys that have Winnipeg atop their no trade clauses to those that do not has shifted a lot.  Sure, being the best team in the league has a lot to do with that, like the Bombers, but I'd like to think this viewpoint of the city is becoming wider spread...

The number of teams with us on their no-trade list has not changed buddy.

[theaardvark]

The number of teams with us on their no-trade list has not changed buddy.

I'd bet your right on that... what team would want to be traded to a different city at all?

No player would refuse a trade to Winnipeg right now, if the player has any desire to win a cup.  If the player is fine being on a losing team, sure.  But if they are hungry for a cup, Winnipeg is at the top of the "trade me to" lists.