Apparently Brendan Taman and the Argos were able to reach a deal on the first overall pick, at least according to sportsnet and the National Post.
It's expected the Riders will take Shomari Williams with the pick and that he will be in Regina on Sunday.
Here's a link of Williams working out and with playing with Houston before heading to Queen's. He also has a blog.
Details, er, I guess online Sunday and in Monday's LP.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
RIDERS TRADE UP IN THE CANADIAN DRAFT
BY ARASH MADANIsportsnet.ca
Queen’s Golden Gaels linebacker Shomari Williams, in most CFL circles regarded as the best player on the board going into the 2010 Canadian college draft, will be the first pick taken on Sunday afternoon.
But it will not be by the Toronto Argonauts.
Sportsnet has learned that a series of trades involving three teams are ahead leading into Sunday’s draft. The Argonauts have agreed to trade its first overall pick, as well as the top selection in the second round (No. 8), to Saskatchewan. The Roughriders will give up both of its first round picks (No. 2 and No. 4) as well as a veteran Canadian player in return, to take the versatile Williams, 25, who anchored the Gaels defence in their run to the 2009 Vanier Cup title last fall.
Williams’s agent, Darren Gill, declined comment Saturday, but a source aware of the negotiations indicated that the University of Houston transfer has already come to terms on a three-year contract (including an option) with the Roughriders.
Toronto plans on taking Washington State offensive tackle Joe Eppele second, addressing an immediate need. The Argonauts also have an agreement in principle with B.C. to acquire the Lions’ No. 3 selection, swapping third and fourth picks. The Argos will then draft Concordia’s Cory Greenwood third overall, less than a week after the linebacker received faint NFL interest from the Kansas City Chiefs.
It is believed the Lions will make that move so long as they can still select wide receiver Shawn Gore, which would make the 23-year-old Toronto native the third Bishop’s Gaiters player drafted by the Lions over the past two drafts. Gore received a mini-camp invite from the Green Bay Packers last Saturday, but has yet to ink a contract with the NFL club.
A spokesperson for the Argonauts said head coach Jim Barker was unavailable for comment Saturday.
No trades have been registered formally with the CFL, sources said, which means no deal is official. It is believed the Argonauts will wait until they are on the clock Sunday to pull the trigger on the move with Saskatchewan. The Lions are set on taking Gore, so B.C. will likely sit until the top two picks move before agreeing to flip No. 3 and No. 4 with Toronto.
The Argos had been fielding calls from teams across the league regarding the top pick, but it was last week when discussions began to heat up with clubs who were legitimately interested after initial inquiries were over.
By Friday, a deal was in place between Toronto and Saskatchewan, two sources confirmed, and the Argonauts were already negotiating with Eppele’s new agent, former CFL defensive lineman Tim Fleiszer, yesterday.
Williams is expected to arrive in Regina Saturday, accompanied with his wife, to be unveiled as the newest Roughrider on Sunday afternoon
Queen’s Golden Gaels linebacker Shomari Williams, in most CFL circles regarded as the best player on the board going into the 2010 Canadian college draft, will be the first pick taken on Sunday afternoon.
But it will not be by the Toronto Argonauts.
Sportsnet has learned that a series of trades involving three teams are ahead leading into Sunday’s draft. The Argonauts have agreed to trade its first overall pick, as well as the top selection in the second round (No. 8), to Saskatchewan. The Roughriders will give up both of its first round picks (No. 2 and No. 4) as well as a veteran Canadian player in return, to take the versatile Williams, 25, who anchored the Gaels defence in their run to the 2009 Vanier Cup title last fall.
Williams’s agent, Darren Gill, declined comment Saturday, but a source aware of the negotiations indicated that the University of Houston transfer has already come to terms on a three-year contract (including an option) with the Roughriders.
Toronto plans on taking Washington State offensive tackle Joe Eppele second, addressing an immediate need. The Argonauts also have an agreement in principle with B.C. to acquire the Lions’ No. 3 selection, swapping third and fourth picks. The Argos will then draft Concordia’s Cory Greenwood third overall, less than a week after the linebacker received faint NFL interest from the Kansas City Chiefs.
It is believed the Lions will make that move so long as they can still select wide receiver Shawn Gore, which would make the 23-year-old Toronto native the third Bishop’s Gaiters player drafted by the Lions over the past two drafts. Gore received a mini-camp invite from the Green Bay Packers last Saturday, but has yet to ink a contract with the NFL club.
A spokesperson for the Argonauts said head coach Jim Barker was unavailable for comment Saturday.
No trades have been registered formally with the CFL, sources said, which means no deal is official. It is believed the Argonauts will wait until they are on the clock Sunday to pull the trigger on the move with Saskatchewan. The Lions are set on taking Gore, so B.C. will likely sit until the top two picks move before agreeing to flip No. 3 and No. 4 with Toronto.
The Argos had been fielding calls from teams across the league regarding the top pick, but it was last week when discussions began to heat up with clubs who were legitimately interested after initial inquiries were over.
By Friday, a deal was in place between Toronto and Saskatchewan, two sources confirmed, and the Argonauts were already negotiating with Eppele’s new agent, former CFL defensive lineman Tim Fleiszer, yesterday.
Williams is expected to arrive in Regina Saturday, accompanied with his wife, to be unveiled as the newest Roughrider on Sunday afternoon
RIDERS GET READY FOR CANADIAN DRAFT
By MURRAY McCORMICK, Leader-PostApril 30, 2010
REGINA — Information is key to the CFL draft and it's an approach the Saskatchewan Roughriders have embraced during the off-season.
The Riders attended the CFL's evaluation camp in Toronto in March and met with most of the prospects in Sunday's draft (10 a.m., TSN) but they also expanded on that process. Along with studying videos of the draft-eligible players, the CFL team also conducted exhaustive interviews with 25 to 30 of the draft prospects.
"Not all of the teams do this to the extent we have,'' Riders general manager Brendan Taman said Friday. "We want to know anything and everything about these kids. I don't want to brag about this but it's something that we really value. The information that we get is gold.''
It was an undrafted player who may have increased the Riders placed on gathering information. In 2007, free-agent receiver Rob Bagg made the Riders' roster as a rookie only to tell them that he was headed back to Queen's University to complete his studies.
Bagg returned to the Riders in 2008 and has emerged as one the team's premier Canadian receivers. Still, Taman wants to avoid a similar scenario occurring with one of the Riders' selections in this year's draft.
"That was a surprise and it won't be a surprise anymore,'' said Taman. "We know what all of these kids are going to do and what their goals are. There have been a couple that have given us the Rob Bagg scenario and we've taken them off our draft board because of that.''
Taman said the Riders have kept in constant contact with the prospects during their preparations for the draft.
"We know a lot of things about who is calling them and what they are thinking,'' said Taman. "We feel really good about the process but it's not a grab-bag thing. I was watching the NFL Network and they said the draft is the Super Bowl for personnel people. Trust me, the Grey Cup is the Grey Cup but this is a big aspect of what we do.''
The Riders have four picks in this year's draft — two in the first round and two in the fifth round. That number of draft picks has increased the pressure on the Riders to use them wisely.
"The chance to hit with only four picks compared to six or seven is rather significant,'' said Taman. "You really don't want to strike out on one of these picks.''
Preparations for the draft have consumed the Riders' staff. Taman said decisions on signing a backup quarterback have been put on hold until next week.
"There are a lot of things going on with the draft that are time sensitive,'' Taman said. "Not that the quarterback thing isn't because it is. We're trying to juggle a few balls at the same time and the quarterback situation will work itself out.''Read more:
http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Riders+interview+over+prospects+leading+draft/2972901/story.html#ixzz0mgG1pfjb
REGINA — Information is key to the CFL draft and it's an approach the Saskatchewan Roughriders have embraced during the off-season.
The Riders attended the CFL's evaluation camp in Toronto in March and met with most of the prospects in Sunday's draft (10 a.m., TSN) but they also expanded on that process. Along with studying videos of the draft-eligible players, the CFL team also conducted exhaustive interviews with 25 to 30 of the draft prospects.
"Not all of the teams do this to the extent we have,'' Riders general manager Brendan Taman said Friday. "We want to know anything and everything about these kids. I don't want to brag about this but it's something that we really value. The information that we get is gold.''
It was an undrafted player who may have increased the Riders placed on gathering information. In 2007, free-agent receiver Rob Bagg made the Riders' roster as a rookie only to tell them that he was headed back to Queen's University to complete his studies.
Bagg returned to the Riders in 2008 and has emerged as one the team's premier Canadian receivers. Still, Taman wants to avoid a similar scenario occurring with one of the Riders' selections in this year's draft.
"That was a surprise and it won't be a surprise anymore,'' said Taman. "We know what all of these kids are going to do and what their goals are. There have been a couple that have given us the Rob Bagg scenario and we've taken them off our draft board because of that.''
Taman said the Riders have kept in constant contact with the prospects during their preparations for the draft.
"We know a lot of things about who is calling them and what they are thinking,'' said Taman. "We feel really good about the process but it's not a grab-bag thing. I was watching the NFL Network and they said the draft is the Super Bowl for personnel people. Trust me, the Grey Cup is the Grey Cup but this is a big aspect of what we do.''
The Riders have four picks in this year's draft — two in the first round and two in the fifth round. That number of draft picks has increased the pressure on the Riders to use them wisely.
"The chance to hit with only four picks compared to six or seven is rather significant,'' said Taman. "You really don't want to strike out on one of these picks.''
Preparations for the draft have consumed the Riders' staff. Taman said decisions on signing a backup quarterback have been put on hold until next week.
"There are a lot of things going on with the draft that are time sensitive,'' Taman said. "Not that the quarterback thing isn't because it is. We're trying to juggle a few balls at the same time and the quarterback situation will work itself out.''Read more:
http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Riders+interview+over+prospects+leading+draft/2972901/story.html#ixzz0mgG1pfjb
Thursday, April 22, 2010
HARRELL RELEASED !!
Graham Harrell realized. Click below for interview with Brendan Taman on this topic
http://rodpedersen.blogspot.com/
http://rodpedersen.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
DRESSLER DELIVERS ANTI-BULLYING MESSAGE
Carlyle ObserverByline: Lizz Bottrell
"I was always the smallest kid and got picked on in school for it, " said Weston Dressler, a player with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as he addressed a gym full of students in Manor, Saskatchewan.
"This alone sparked interest in this program for me because I didn't think people should have to go through this. "Dressler came to Manor School April 12 to talk with students about the different types of bullying and harassment and the roles people play in encouraging or stopping the problem.
He started by explaining ways in which people bully others.There is relational bullying, which is excluding someone for anything that is different; verbal bullying, which is using names to hurt someone; physical bullying, which can be kicking, hitting, pushing or anything that can physically hurt another person; and cyber bullying, which is using technology to bully someone.As he explained the types of bullying, he would ask students to give their best their guesses at what the types meant before providing an explanation. Their hands would shoot up in the air and wave frantically as they wanted to give their answers before their friends. Most of their answers were right, leaving Dressler surprised at times.
He talked to students about what makes a person a bully, a victim, and a bystander. Students seemed to have an understanding of why a person becomes a bully and that sometimes people who are victims become a bully too."A victim of bullying can be anyone in this room at any time for any reason, " said Dressler. "But you have to remember, it's not your fault for being a victim.
"Dressler told students the most important role in the situation is the bystander because they have the ability to encourage the bully or stop the bully. He explained that someone who stands by and does nothing acts as an audience to the bully and actually encourages the bully to continue being mean to the victim.He encouraged students who are bystanders to get involved by telling someone who can help the situation.The Saskatchewan Roughrider spent the last few minutes of his presentation talking to students about harassment. Harassment is protected under the law and differs from bullying because bullying is intentional behavaviour whereas harassment is about the impact.
Dressler spoke to kids in a clear, conversational language which kept them engaged for the entire hour and 15 minute long presentation.
And when he finally finished his anti-bullying presentation, he let students pick his brain on his career with the Riders.Many kids asked about the worst hit he took, injuries he's sustained and why he came to play in Canada when he's from the United States.
One young boy stuck up his hand and asked a question which received many laughs from students and teachers in the large gym."Has anyone bullied the 13th man, " asked the young boy.
Dressler answered the question with ease and confidence, explaining that the 13th man wasn't just one guy."We have 42 guys who dress for a game and seven or eight coaches, " he said. "Everyone is talking and communicating all the time. Our defence was out on the field, we have three different teams that go out. With the defence team, some stay on the field and some come off. People have to talk to each other so everyone knows the plan. What happened that day was mis-communication. One player thought he was supposed to be on for the play because he just wasn't told otherwise. ""So no, no one got bullied for the 13th man.
"Manor School was able to host Dressler for the anti-bullying presentation because they raised money through a unique fundraising campaign."We collected pennies and nickels, " said Rhiannon Miller, a grade three and four teacher who organized the fundraiser. "We placed buckets outside the classrooms and students would put pennies and nickels in the buckets.
""Each penny was worth one point and each nickel was worth minus five points, " she continued. "Students could take nickels to another class's bucket and give them minus points. "The students enjoyed the friendly competition and the winning classroom got to spend the noon hour with Dressler. As luck would have it for Miller, her grade three and four class won with $120 in pennies. In total, the school raised $670 in just four days.
Dressler spoke to students in Manor School as part of the "RespectED" program run by the Red Cross. The program aims to prevent bullying by educating youth.
at 20.4.10 1 comments
at 20.4.10 1 comments
Sunday, April 18, 2010
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