Steep Price for Exceeding Cap

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions signed 7 players to contract extensions after the 2006 season, which was not as many as some teams. Brent Johnson signed through 2010. Others whose signed under this "loophole" included Buck Pierce, Javy Glatt and Paris Jackson. They're all key players but none is making anywhere near what Dave Dickenson made, and his contract has already been dumped. Compared to some teams, the Lions are in great shape capwise.

[wildthing]

if we are over so be it I hope we are fned and/or lose a draft pick. Injuries or not we had a limit I just think we need to wait and see what the auditor says as many teams had $$$$ talent go down but somehow remained under with out 9 game injury listing these guys. In the end i suspect more than Mtl and Sask will be over and all we be subject to applicable penalties

[Sir Purrcival]

You better be worrying about your own team's inevitable slide, Sir Purrcival. Austin "got out" as you say it because he wanted to do whats best for himself and his family. He is now positioned to move up over time in the NCAA ranks and if he gets a head coaching job down there in the NCAA, it'll be a million dollar a year payday. It has nothing to do with "going out on top." He was looking forward to trying to repeat up here as he's ultra-competitive; the mere fact you'd suggest he's "trying to go out on top" is laughable.

As for your talk on organizations and decline, your team's front-loaded contracts run out after this year. Ask Rammer. He readily admits this. Have fun trying to re-sign those guys next year as the loophole of the front-loaded contracts is now closed. Guess what? The Lions won't be able to so try and enjoy the 2008 season as the turnover for your team in 2009 will be massive.

Speaking of turnover, every key guy in your organization is old. Buono is a great coach but he's old and has but a few years left. Ackles is old and won't be around forever. You just signed Shivers as player personnel man, an excellent hire but only a short-term band-aid solution as he's almost 70 years old.

If I were you, Sir Purrcival, I'd be more worried about my own team's inevitable decline. Personally I don't want to see the Lions decline too much as I think a strong Lions team is good for the league but you ought to be concerned. Big changes are coming to your team in the next few years. You need some new blood in many different areas.

Much to digest here. But I will try.

You say that going out on top has nothing to do with Austin's decision. It was entirely about family. And you know this how? I can't say for a fact what was going on in Austin's mind but I can certainly suspect that there was a small piece in their somewhere that said "This is going to be a tough act to follow". It wasn't his sole motivation nor did I ever say that it was. In fact, I would say it was probably a minor consideration at most but by the same token, you can't say that you know for a fact otherwise.

Every team suffers from normal ups and downs. The Lions aren't immune nor is any other team however as the Riders are currently top of the heap, they have farther to fall. Toss in the loss of your head coach after 1 season and the challenges for the Riders are probably greater than some of the other teams at the moment. If this salary cap thing has any legs, it is but one more issue to ponder going into next season. It's only January and already the Riders are generating more discussion than all other teams combined. That translates to pressure and come the end of the upcoming season, we will have an opportunity to see how well the Riders as a team, fan base and organization, continue to deal with the kind of attention that comes from being Grey Cup Champions.

As for changes, change happens every year. As a CFL fan, you see those changes all the time. As for getting old fast, the Lions are at least as well situated at present as the Riders. We have two younger QB's, A receiving squad that has quite a lot of miles left on it, some developing Canadian talent in those and other areas. Who in this league other than Buono is more likely to rotate out aging players and bring in youth? Who also seems to have a knack for finding personnel out of nowhere?

As for front loaded contracts, that may be a factor but by the time those contracts run out the SMS should be full force. Which means that all teams will be forced to more or less pay the same money. It means you might lose a player here and there to free agency but it also means that you can find via free agency although for the most part, that has never been the Buono way. It's that level playing field thing again, gol darnit. And if it comes right down to it, other factors will play into this too. Organization, Location are all things that players consider. For the latter particularly, I think that Regina may be at some disadvantage (That isn't meant as a diss of Regina). The two locations are vastly different but in Regina, you are in a fishbowl, subject to the highs and lows of the fans.

So while I appreciate the advice, about "worrying about my own teams downward spiral", I can assure you that that situation is always being considered and evaluated. Worrying isn't the correct term however, speculating or what have you is closer to the mark. That is after all what these sites are for aren't they not and unlike you, you will notice that I don't spend my time suggesting how you should make use of yours.

[LFITQ]

One thing that is interesting in these discussions is how people talk about the salary of the player that went down to injury. That only comes into affect for the SMS if the player is put on the 9 game (or is it week) list, IIRC. Otherwise, the team CHOOSING not to place the player on the injured list, is making a conscious decision and making a gamble the player is coming back, thus not freeing up the SMS room. The Lions did this with DD and lost.

However what probably affects the SMS the most are the players that are signed as replacements for the injured players not put on the "List". It is the cost of the replacements that eat into a SMS, and not necessarily the actual injury that can make GM's go crazy trying to figure out their budgets.

Some Teams may have had good inexpensive depth, whereas others might not have had such good depth and had to buy it at a premium. Canadian depth can play a large factor here as well. In addition, Team philosophies may have an impact on the SMS too. If you have a team that isn't made up of superstars (thus low expense), but they all "buy-in" to the system in place with strong leadership, you could still have a successful team and not have the SMS problems that a team trying to buy the "best and brightest" would have.

ONe other comment that I thought was kind of interesting was this one from Danny Maciocia in the Edmonton Journal today:

"When B.C. won the Grey Cup a couple of years ago, of all eight teams they had the
lowest payroll so you just have to surround yourself with good people
as far as coaches are concerned and as far as players are concerned."

[DerekDD]

You say that going out on top has nothing to do with Austin's decision. It was entirely about family. And you know this how? I can't say for a fact what was going on in Austin's mind but I can certainly suspect that there was a small piece in their somewhere that said "This is going to be a tough act to follow". It wasn't his sole motivation nor did I ever say that it was. In fact, I would say it was probably a minor consideration at most but by the same token, you can't say that you know for a fact otherwise.

Sir Purrcival, a lot of whats in your reply makes sense about teams ups and downs but I can guarantee you that Austin being afraid of "following his own act of winning a Grey Cup in his year one of coaching" had ZERO to do with why he left. I have to be honest with you; that is ridiculous. He relished an attempt at repeating and wasn't afraid of this challenge at all. Austin left because he viewed it as an opportunity he couldn't pass up. He furthered his career ambitions and he actually took less (as Tillman offered him more than he'll be making at Ole Miss) so in the future he could receive more. Its a stepping stone for him to hopefully become a head coach in the NCAA where the payday is huge and his football profile would be raised.

I don't know where you came up with this line of thinking that he was afraid of living up to his own act. Thats the nature of being competitive in such a competitive profession.

[Solar Max]

Just curious, DD: How are you so in touch with the inner workings of Kent Austin's personal life and motivations?

Or is this just presumption on your part?

[Lion Guy]

Just curious, DD: How are you so in touch with the inner workings of Kent Austin's personal life and motivations?

Or is this just presumption on your part?

In Riderville a GC = a get out of jail free card. Imagine if he had of pulled this after a loss in the WF.

[Sir Purrcival]

Actually DD, you won't find the word "afraid" anywhere in my descriptions of Austin's state of mind. I believe the words were "smart" and "smarter". I also said it was a "minor" consideration at most. It was a good choice for him on a number of levels, some of which you have pointed out. Austin also knows as well as anybody what it is like to be part of the Riders and how the community tracks what goes on with that franchise in the smallest detail. When the downfall inevitably comes (as it does for all teams) and Rider fans weigh in (which we know they will do because of their passion for the Riders), I'm pretty sure Kent Austin will be quietly smiling that he isn't going to be in the centre of it.

[Hambone]

Sir Purrcival, a lot of whats in your reply makes sense about teams ups and downs but I can guarantee you that Austin being afraid of "following his own act of winning a Grey Cup in his year one of coaching" had ZERO to do with why he left. I have to be honest with you; that is ridiculous. He relished an attempt at repeating and wasn't afraid of this challenge at all. Austin left because he viewed it as an opportunity he couldn't pass up. He furthered his career ambitions and he actually took less (as Tillman offered him more than he'll be making at Ole Miss) so in the future he could receive more. Its a stepping stone for him to hopefully become a head coach in the NCAA where the payday is huge and his football profile would be raised.

I don't know where you came up with this line of thinking that he was afraid of living up to his own act. Thats the nature of being competitive in such a competitive profession.

I think that's a part that many Canadians simply can't grasp. Austin obviously has a desire and passion to remain in football as a member of the coaching fraternity. As armchair QBs many of us would give our left you-know-what to be the coach of the Leos. Well for someone like Austin he'd be willing to give his left and right you-know-whats for a chance to coach his old alma mater Ole Miss. All family stuff aside this is still a tremendous opportunity for advancement for him if his ultimate goal is to be the Head Coach of an NCAA school and in particular Ole Miss. Some may think going from CFL HC to NCAA OC is a a step backwards, but I believe it to be a stepping stone to a possible NCAA HC job. If Austin's ultimate goal is to be NCAA HC or maybe even NFL HC this is a move he has to make and at 44 it's the right time to make it. I applaud him for it.

[Hambone]

Speaking of turnover, every key guy in your organization is old. Buono is a great coach but he's old and has but a few years left. Ackles is old and won't be around forever. You just signed Shivers as player personnel man, an excellent hire but only a short-term band-aid solution as he's almost 70 years old.

If I were you, Sir Purrcival, I'd be more worried about my own team's inevitable decline. Personally I don't want to see the Lions decline too much as I think a strong Lions team is good for the league but you ought to be concerned. Big changes are coming to your team in the next few years. You need some new blood in many different areas.

.......hmmmm.........."Old Man" Wally just dropped another notch down the coaching age list to 5th oldest with the Riders promoting the 66 year old Ken Miller giving the Riders the oldest HC in the league.....and the only old-age pensioner in the group.

[Vern Halen]

I don't know if age has anything to do with it - Marv Levy was coaching at 74 - Joe Gibbs is 67...