Lions get egg on their face re Foley - Lowell Ullrich

[Area51]

Just to clarify - - a verbal agreement is never ever a legally binding contract. Not in sports, not in real life. That's the first thing you learn in the most basic high school law class.

Ever heard that expression about the team that wants it more is usually the team that wins? It was obvious that Barker & Rita genuinely wanted Ricky in Toronto. Buono was more concerned with salary cap flexibility and "breathing room". Questioning the limited impact a potential signee might have on the team isn't exactly the best recruiting method either.

Funny to think that the BC players did more to persuade Ricky to return than the coach/GM did. That should tell you everything you need to know about how much Buono wanted to resign Ricky.

Now Buono gets to spin the situation to look as if he was stood up and shafted - - get some sympathy and buy him a bit of temporary job security while he tries to recover. I feel bad for the BC fans seeing their best player leave town but unfortunately this is just another example of Buono puting his personal feelings/agenda ahead of the team, even if it's in the worst interests of the organization. Just as he let Jamal Johnson leave town...just as he kept Javy Glatt in as a starter...just as he keeps Chapdelaine as the OC.

People generally get off sinking ships rather than climb aboard as they're going down. And make no mistake - - BC is a sinking ship that won't be righted until Buono is finally out of there.

[Ravi]

We can only speculate. One question that i have, is that Foley already had stated that our Leos offer was less than Toronto's..so did Toronto sweeten the pot even more?

Jim Barker said today that only one offer was ever made to Foley. In other words, there was no "sweetening of the pot". Foley changed his mind for some reason and only he knows why. Interestingly, another Paul Sheehy client did the exact same thing to the Ottawa Renegades back in '05. That player was Ed Hervey.

Should be a sign outside Paul Sheehy's door:

Caveat Emptor.

Let the buyer beware.

Ravi, I think you will love the way Ricky plays. Relentless. Fast. Very hard to block. Chases down quarterbacks and running backs with equal ferocity.

Argos fans are happy to have him but I don't blame you guys for being ticked off at how this happened. This was certainly a strange day in the league.

[joe kapp22]

Just to clarify - - a verbal agreement is never ever a legally binding contract. Not in sports, not in real life. That's the first thing you learn in the most basic high school law class.

Ever heard that expression about the team that wants it more is usually the team that wins? It was obvious that Barker & Rita genuinely wanted Ricky in Toronto. Buono was more concerned with salary cap flexibility and "breathing room". Questioning the limited impact a potential signee might have on the team isn't exactly the best recruiting method either.

Funny to think that the BC players did more to persuade Ricky to return than the coach/GM did. That should tell you everything you need to know about how much Buono wanted to resign Ricky.

Now Buono gets to spin the situation to look as if he was stood up and shafted - - get some sympathy and buy him a bit of temporary job security while he tries to recover. I feel bad for the BC fans seeing their best player leave town but unfortunately this is just another example of Buono puting his personal feelings/agenda ahead of the team, even if it's in the worst interests of the organization. Just as he let Jamal Johnson leave town...just as he kept Javy Glatt in as a starter...just as he keeps Chapdelaine as the OC.

People generally get off sinking ships rather than climb aboard as they're going down. And make no mistake - - BC is a sinking ship that won't be righted until Buono is finally out of there.

Oh please, this is the same Ricky Foley who was on the flagship station speaking about his love for BC and his happiness to return and how it wasn't all about the money..

I won't blame a professional athlete for taking more money as they have expiration dates, but I will blame one for selling shinola to the fans.

To be fair, we could look at this as a Rick Foley for Jonathon Brown trade..

[Tighthead]

I would wager that under the CBA, the only valid contract is one that is approved by the league and signed.

[TheLionKing]

Area51 is dead on. Lions had a verbal agreement but no signed contract. Remember Casey Printers ? He was ready to sign with Montreal but received a better offer from Hamilton

[Rammer]

Area51 is dead on. Lions had a verbal agreement but no signed contract. Remember Casey Printers ? He was ready to sign with Montreal but received a better offer from Hamilton

No verbal commitment, just a plane ride to work things out, whereas this does sound different and more like the Florygate in Rider/Als land to me.

[WestCoastJoe]

I would wager that under the CBA, the only valid contract is one that is approved by the league and signed.

I agree. The higher authority. They have their own agenda, as we have seen with the NHL.

Recall the Joe Kapp case. He had a contract with the Patriots, but wouldn't sign the standard NFL players' contract. They succeeded in not letting him play. There are levels of agreement. And of course there is the Kovalchuk contract with New Jersey, which they succeeded in throwing over.

But that does not mean a party to a contract submitted to the league could back out prior to that approval.

IMO if Buono wanted to enforce his contract with Foley, it would have to be determined, amongst other things, if he gave Foley the right to back out, as The Pauser has considered.

It would be a good case study in contract law.

Is a contract binding? Yes. But even "ironclad" contracts can be challenged. Who has the better lawyer? What proof do you have? Video? Audio? Witnesses? Prior to a challenge, though, verbal contracts are deemed valid, except in some cases like real estate, which require the signatures.

Sam Goldwyn of MGM has been immortalized for his comment: "a verbal contract is not worth the paper it is written on."

[WestCoastJoe]

The unfortunate casualty in this affair is the creditability of the CFL and the Lions. The two major BC newspapers have had to issue retractions, Buono and the Lions PR dept have egg on their faces. Even Braley will not get off unscathed as many assume he is pulling strings in the background for his favoured team...the Argos. Foley's signing in Toronto will probably not even register a blip in that jaded market. The Lions have already lost 1/3 of their fans over the past 18 months and interest in the team is continuing to wane...and this debacle will definitely not help them sell tickets.

Totally agree, JH.

And in view of Ricky's previous comments, and those of his biggest supporter, A51, I can't help but ask if Ricky had some mischief in mind, or at least, did not negotiate in good faith.

[Gary]

I have to disagree with those who think the Lions mismanaged this thing. No, this is completely on Ricky. You don't give radio interviews announcing your decision to sign with a team and then go sign with another team. I'm really disappointed with what he did, and I've lost a lot of respect for him. Good player, but a completely classless individual.

[WestCoastJoe]

I have to disagree with those who think the Lions mismanaged this thing. No, this is completely on Ricky. You don't give radio interviews announcing your decision to sign with a team and then go sign with another team. I'm really disappointed with what he did, and I've lost a lot of respect for him. Good player, but a completely classless individual.

Gary, I wonder how much Wally really wanted Ricky. He was very late making an offer.

He said he might "help a little bit."

It seems he might have given Ricky the option of changing his mind after talking to his family.

I also think it is possible Wally was sloppy in the negotiations. If he really wanted him, he didn't act like it. If he wanted him, he had him, and let him go. If he wanted him, he didn't really negotiate like it. If he didn't want him that badly, tell him to talk to his family and we will talk again tomorrow.

If Wally got the terms all agreed to (contract) and then said: "Ricky, talk to your family; think about it," giving Ricky permisssion to back out if he wanted, that is very stupid. Wally should have waited before sending the contract in to the league. He screwed the pooch. Sending the contract in shows Wally wanted the deal. And then he let it slip away, either by telling Ricky he could change his mind, or by not fighting it. Sloppy.

Wally's failure to tie it up now looks bad for the team, the league and his owner. The Lions PR department made the signing announcement. Newspapers have had to write retractions. I would call that mismanagement.

Ricky doesn't look good either. Nobody does.

[Sir Purrcival]

The realy kick in the nuts on this one was how the change of decision was released - via twitter from his agent.

According to 1040, it was them that called Wally just minutes after the tweet to verify what was being reported and he didn't know about it. This was about 1 hour before their supposed signing. Bad enough that you go back on your word, even worse in my mind that you don't even have the nads to call in person to let Buono and the Lions know first hand you have changed your mind. I'll say it again - Hero to Zero and his agent is a douche too!

I don't think I have been this angry in years!

[Solar Max]

Argos fans are happy to have him but I don't blame you guys for being ticked off at how this happened. This was certainly a strange day in the league.

Well I for one, am happy that you will not only have Ricky, his sad sack agent, and his whole wackjob entourage over there in the home of the one and only Flemble (credit sj-roc).

Ricky was Joe Smith "out there" every minute he spent here. Exporting crazy back to TO works fer me. And good riddance.

[airkore]

Who's Ricky Foley ?
I've forgotten about this overated canadian defensive end already.....don't need that kind of attitude on the team anyways.
Enjoy your time in TO playing in front of a city that could care less about you and your team.

Good call Wally !