Tag: cfl

Categories
Miami Dolphins

Daunte Culpepper: from Madden cover to CFL?


Think about this for a second: Daunte Culpepper went from throwing for 39 touchdowns and 4,717 yards in 2004 and an MVP candidate to possibly being exiled to the Canadian Football League in three quick years.

With the trade for Trent Green, the Dolphins have no need for Culpepper anymore. Culpepper has asked the Dolphins for his release so he can pick his next stop but Miami is trying to trade him. Considering they got Trent Green for a 5th round pick, they might get a 7th round pick for Culpepper if anyone is desperate enough for damaged goods.

Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (who never saw a PR opportunity they didn’t like) have put Culpepper on the “negotiation list” which means they have the rights to him should he decide to play in the CFL. While this is a no lose situation — it’s not like they had to buy his rights — most people don’t expect Daunte to end up in Canada. Still, everyone said the same thing about Ricky and the Argonauts.

If this comes to fruition, it will be absolutely the biggest drop in profile for a former Madden cover player. Well, until Michael Vick gets arrested and kicked out of the league for dog fighting.

Links:
[WBAL]: Culpepper To Dolphins: Release Me
[Canada.com]: Culpepper put on negotiation list

Categories
College Football

Odds and Ends: A vote for Ohio State


Are you having trouble deciding who to root for in the uber-hyped Game of the Century between Ohio State and Michigan this weekend? Well, maybe this will sway you in the direction of the Buckeyes.


Steve Snapp, associate athletics director for communications, turned down a ticket request from the band Nickelback.

“I told them, `Not that I don’t appreciate your music, but even if you were John Lennon and calling for four for the original Beatles, I couldn’t do it,'” Snapp said.

Actually, Nickelback, if it was anyone but you guys, he would have found some tickets. He simply has enough good taste to not allow the worst rock band in the history of the world to be in the stadium and mar such an exciting event. (Thanks to The Hater Nation)

In other news…

[Inside Bay Area]: Art Shell ponders, “Is Prozac in the substance abuse policy?”

[Yahoo]: Patriots pay 51 cents for the rights to Vinny Testeverde

[NY Post]: Is backing from Isiah Thomas a good or bad thing?

[Off Wing Opinion]: The Fighting Sioux At UND Fight On

[Can’t Stop the Bleeding]: The CFL’s Anti-Pinball Bias, Explored

And finally… not exactly sports related but a drunken elk is funny.

Categories
NFL General

Argonauts accused of bullying intern

The Toronto Argonauts have a community program called “Huddle Up” which is an anti-bullying campaign. So, of course, there is an uproar in Toronto about the team hazing a 22-year-old intern after a photo was released of the intern taped to a goalpost with food being poured over him.

However, this is much ado about nothing as it turns out it was the intern’s birthday and the team was just having some fun with him. Coach Mike Clemons defended his team:


This young man said in his 22 years that this was the best birthday he had in his life. When we did this we put pineapples on him because we said, `You should be in the Caribbean somewhere on your 22nd birthday’.
We put on string beans because he’s built wiry, like a string bean, and we had whipped cream and cherries on top because it was his birthday and we’re proud to have him here as a member of the Toronto Argonauts.

When we took him off we also embraced him and hugged him and made sure he wasn’t injured. And (by dousing him) with water we celebrated him as we do in sports and he was now an official member of the Argonauts football team.

This reminds us of the one time we were tied up and had whipped cream and cherries poured on us by a bunch of dudes. That didn’t end well… though with the help of therapy and by the grace of God, we can step foot into a Baskin-Robbins again.

Links:
[Toronto Star]: Argos accused of degrading intern; coach stands by team

Categories
Minnesota Vikings

The Original Whizzinator-er is heading to the CFL

The CFL has become a halfway house for the NFL’s substance abuse violators. “Come up north! We don’t bother with those little details like drug use!” We’re still awaiting Ricky Williams’ next move but Onterrio Smith is joining the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as a backup RB.

On the Blue Bombers’ web site, there is no mention of Smith’s drug use that lead to his suspension from the NFL. Only noting his career stats and that he was a teammate of the Bombers QB Tee Martin at Tennessee.


My skill is still there. It’s just a case of coming up there and learning the system. I’ve already been checking through the rule book and getting a feel for the (CFL) game. It’s brand new to me. But it’s football, so I’ll be able to adjust on the run. I’ve got no problem with whatever my role is. I’m not looking to come in and step on any toes. Hopefully everything will work out.

Plus, I keep hearing the BC bud they have up here is unbelievable.

OK… we might have made up that last part.

Links:
[Winnipeg Sun]: Bombers sign Onterrio Smith
[Winnipeg Blue Bombers]: Onterrio heads north to join Blue

Categories
Miami Dolphins

Could Ricky end up in the CFL

If, as widely suspected, Ricky Williams didn’t actually fail his drug test on purpose, then his best bet might be to join the Toronto Argonauts. (Around these parts, the Argos are most known for giving Rockey Ismail the biggest salary in the history of football to lure him away from the NFL in 1991.) The Argos have put Ricky on their “negotiation list” which basically means they call dibs on the running back.

The NFL substance abuse policy has a loophole that allows suspended players to play in another league so the road is wide open for Ricky to join the Argos. And since the CFL doesn’t have a policy at all, Ricky can enjoy all the fine BC Bud he wants with the $200,000 to $300,000 (Canadian!) he could make in the CFL.

If Ricky is sincere about going back to the Dolphins in 2007, he almost certainly has to accept the offer and play for the CFL. Ricky will be 30 years old when he’s eligible to play again and not many teams will be willing to take a chance on a player out of the league for 2 (non-consecutive) seasons and has questions about his desire to play the game. Canadian winters are a far cry from South Beach but he’d be a god in Toronto.

Links:

[Winnipeg Sun]: CFL might be Ricky Williams’ best option