Randy Ambrosie announces retirement as CFL commissioner.

[blue_gold_84]

Well, he's negotiated his contract for 15 years, he runs the Invitational combine, etc.

Much like any CEO, the main thing needed is leadership and decision making.  He will have staff to cross the t's and dot the i's.

This is certainly a take, Aardsy. But it ain't it.

Forde lacks the acumen and experience to take on the role of commissioner. He'd be in over his head with or without adequate support staff.

[Jesse]

Well, he's negotiated his contract for 15 years, he runs the Invitational combine, etc.

Much like any CEO, the main thing needed is leadership and decision making.  He will have staff to cross the t's and dot the i's.

Even when you have staff performing the bulk of the leg work, you need to have the ability to oversee them and direct them.

[ichabod_crane]

Wade miller if he is even interested! Take no
Prisoners mettle. Calgary in rebuild mode so maybe huffy wants a new gig. Or has the commish always been a Canadian? Huffy has lived and worked in Canada for many years. Probably
Has dual citizenship.

Duane ford is too dull and has no GM or mgmt experience. Would not be my first choice although he is
Knowledgeable.

What's rod black up to? Maybe he can call the hook and ladder
Play one more time! 😝

[theaardvark]

Wade Miller would be a huge loss to the Bombers.  He has a full time gig as well, the Bombers president job is 1/9th the job commish would be.

They will find someone who will be as good or better than Ambrosie.  There is no rush, find the right guy.

Just don't steal any of the Mafia.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Wade miller if he is even interested! Take no
Prisoners mettle. Calgary in rebuild mode so maybe huffy wants a new gig. Or has the commish always been a Canadian? Huffy has lived and worked in Canada for many years. Probably
Has dual citizenship.

Duane ford is too dull and has no GM or mgmt experience. Would not be my first choice although he is
Knowledgeable.

What's rod black up to? Maybe he can call the hook and ladder
Play one more time! 😝

Rod Black and Glenn Suitor have more ability to schmooze than Duane Forde and that's at least 50% of the job right there, unfortunately both would start off with the majority of CFL fans hating them. I think Duane Forde would make an excellent GM one day, out of sight out of mind, working behind the scenes.

[TecnoGenius]

Rod Black and Glenn Suitor have more ability to schmooze than Duane Forde and that's at least 50% of the job right there,

I've seen other forums throwing out the idea of Suits.  Vomit!

[TecnoGenius]

Are there any historical example of the league placing a team president or (even more ridiculous) owner as the league commish?

Does this not seem like a conflict of interest to anyone else?

Well, I'd assume the Prez or Owner would of course quit their current gig to be commish.  Certainly would be bad optics to have both jobs at the same time!

I think a team Prez could be accepted.  If Huff or Wally were younger I would not be against them being commish.  Likewise, if other teams respect WM, he should get the same courtesy.  That said, I know greenie fans hate his royal guts: but that might just be the greenies.

[TecnoGenius]

As much as I didn't like Ambrosie, he was miles away better than the greasy smarm-fest that was commish before him!  That's the big problem if you get a slick corporate type (Doman would be a perfect example).  The down-to-earth "normal CFL fan" vibe works better (which Ambrosie epitomized).  As would "grizzled CFL vet" like Huff (if not for the age thing).

Commish still has to be young enough to show some energy and enthusiasm.

My top wishes for new commish:

1. Make GLOBs optional, no special roster status
2. Increase the SMS
3. Implement my vet-retention idea: increasing percentage of same-team-vet salary becomes off-SMS every extra year player is retained -- reduce player churn

Gravy:
4. Increase roster size by 1 or 2

[Blue In BC]

As much as I didn't like Ambrosie, he was miles away better than the greasy smarm-fest that was commish before him!  That's the big problem if you get a slick corporate type (Doman would be a perfect example).  The down-to-earth "normal CFL fan" vibe works better (which Ambrosie epitomized).  As would "grizzled CFL vet" like Huff (if not for the age thing).

Commish still has to be young enough to show some energy and enthusiasm.

My top wishes for new commish:

1. Make GLOBs optional, no special roster status
2. Increase the SMS
3. Implement my vet-retention idea: increasing percentage of same-team-vet salary becomes off-SMS every extra year player is retained -- reduce player churn

Gravy:
4. Increase roster size by 1 or 2

1. Re globals: I would eliminate global status and change to  revising /adding 2 imports ( as DI's ) instead of global. Every team has 1 global on the AR and several teams often have the 2nd as well.

That allows teams to retain their kicker etc etc without any real change to the ratio or roster count. Global is in effect just another non Canadian. Not many if any are above ELC's.

In conjunction with that change on the AR, I'd eliminate the 2 additional spots on the PR. A player on the PR earns $750 + per game. So those 2 spots add about $28K to SMS for the season.  That could be useful combined with the annual SMS increase.

Note: We currently have 3 globals on the PR. Karamoko has played 7 games in 3 seasons. The 2 draft choices from 2024 have played about 4 games in 2024.  We generally only see the 2nd global on the AR when we don't have a healthy Canadian choice.

I'd be ok with just adding 1 import and 1 Canadian to eliminate the 2 globals choices on the AR. That allows teams to continue dressing the 1 global kicker as that extra spot teams currently use. It also also allows transitioning to an actual American to compete / win that spot.

It goes without saying that I'd eliminate the global draft on 2 players each year. Pointless.

# 3 point: Player churn is inevitable. Increasing SMS nominally isn't going change that and many teams can't afford increasing SMS too much which is the point.

[Waffler]

Where is his experience negotiating tv deals and labour contracts?

Yes and this is why I think it's time to make it a 2 man job, one to run the business and one for the football side.

[TBURGESS]

As long as we're dreaming... 

I'd like 2 designations, import and non-import. The current globals become imports. 

[Blue In BC]

As long as we're dreaming...

I'd like 2 designations, import and non-import. The current globals become imports.

Exactly. The only question is whether we have 1 import and 1 Canadian or 2 imports on the AR instead of 2 globals. Since the 2nd global is already a choice between a Canadian, I'd be ok with a 1 + 1 idea.

The other thing I'd like to see is an improvement to the suspension appeal time frame when one occurs. There is no need for this to take so long. In some cases an infraction is so obvious that an appeal should not be allowed IMO. It's a stalling tactic.

[theaardvark]

How about Bettemen?  NHL must be getting tired of him by now... lol.

Who was the guy in Montreal that was part owner and very vocal? 

Would it make sense for an ex player to step up?  Even an ex CFLPA guy? How about a Geroy Simon type?

Don't know if we want a grizzled old guy...

How about Lapo?  Seems smart enough to learn the job.

[Jesse]

Exactly. The only question is whether we have 1 import and 1 Canadian or 2 imports on the AR instead of 2 globals. Since the 2nd global is already a choice between a Canadian, I'd be ok with a 1 + 1 idea.

The other thing I'd like to see is an improvement to the suspension appeal time frame when one occurs. There is no need for this to take so long. In some cases an infraction is so obvious that an appeal should not be allowed IMO. It's a stalling tactic.

These kinds of things have nothing to do with the commissioner search, of course. They will be issues brought up in the next CBA.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

As much as I didn't like Ambrosie, he was miles away better than the greasy smarm-fest that was commish before him!  That's the big problem if you get a slick corporate type (Doman would be a perfect example).  The down-to-earth "normal CFL fan" vibe works better (which Ambrosie epitomized).  As would "grizzled CFL vet" like Huff (if not for the age thing).

Commish still has to be young enough to show some energy and enthusiasm.

My top wishes for new commish:

Jeffrey Orridge was the best! One thing for sure the job is not easy and there's no single candidate that will be able to satisfy such a diverse group of owners with vastly different agendas, especially if he can't appease them by increasing revenue streams.

If the CFL had the foresight to cooperate, the owners could easily band together to establish a 10th franchise and get it up an running well enough to entice a buyer to step in and take it off their hands.