Rob Vanstone - some comments re Football

Time to wrangle the silly Stampeders


By Rob VanstoneDecember 1, 2008 7:30 AM


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In these tumultuous economic times, who can resist a bargain? With that in mind, here is some free, unsolicited advice to guardians of the Canadian Football League.
Stamp out the silliness: Fine the Calgary Stampeders -- or anyone of their ilk -- for conduct detrimental to the CFL's image.
The strutting Stampeders are the least-gracious champion in league history. Although the organization employs some class acts (see: John Hufnagel, Henry Burris and Rob Lazeo), the comportment of some members of the organization has been an embarrassment.
After winning the Grey Cup, Sandro DeAngelis was still bleating about how he should have been named the league's outstanding special-teams player instead of the Toronto Argonauts' Dominique Dorsey. It was quite an outburst, considering that DeAngelis was arguably the second-best kicker in the West Division this past season (see: Luca Congi, Saskatchewan Roughriders).
"I've worked my ass off to do what I do, so am I p---ed off about the awards? Damn right I am,'' DeAngelis snorted after Calgary's 22-14 Grey Cup victory over the host Montreal Alouettes.
All season long, the Stampeders led the CFL in arrogance and trash-talking. Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun pointed out that one classless Stampeder beaked at Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo -- as exemplary a person as you will find in sports -- on the Olympic Stadium turf following the Grey Cup game.
This is the image the CFL wants to portray?
If the league is going to discipline people like Roughriders general manager Eric Tillman for fairly and eloquently questioning matters of policy, there should be levies against teams and/or individuals who damage the CFL's image during its showcase event.
Exempt injured players from the salary cap: This can easily be done. Simply count all players who appear on the active roster against the cap. Period. If someone is injured, his salary during his absence is not factored into the cap.
As it stands, the only cap-exempt players are those who appear on the nine-game injury list. This creates an unworkable situation for teams who lose a player for, say, six weeks.
Then-Roughriders head coach Kent Austin put it best in 2007: "The system is stupid.''
Another suggestion would be to create a six-game injury list, as advocated by multiple general managers. There should also be a supplementary cap shelter to cover players who come off the nine-game list, only to be less than 100 per cent.
For example: Roughriders receivers D.J. Flick and Matt Dominguez came off the nine-game list late in the 2008 season. Flick played in one game before being deactivated. Dominguez appeared in two games. After that, the only option facing the Roughriders -- if they wanted Dominguez and Flick to again be cap-exempt -- was to put them on the nine-game list for the second time and end their seasons.
The salary-cap system, as it relates to injuries, is impractical. Revisions are long overdue.
Scrap the safety touch: Or try, anyway. Teams that are hemmed deep in their territory typically concede safeties instead of punting from (or near) the end zone. Translation: Boring! To create a disincentive, require any team that concedes a safety to kick off from its 20-yard line. Or give the other team two points and possession at midfield.
Can the convert: The kicked extra point is, well, pointless. During the 2008 season, the league's kickers collectively nailed 398 of 399 extra points. The convert has become such a formality that there is little point in watching. (Just ask Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay, who has mused about eliminating the eye-glazing extra point in the NFL.)
As an alternative, teams should have the option of scrimmaging the ball from the two-yard line (one-point convert) or five-yard line (two points) after touchdowns.
At the very least, the kicked convert should be scrapped in overtime, thereby reducing the likelihood of a tie. If every game has a clear victor, the fans will be the real winners.