Lions get egg on their face re Foley - Lowell Ullrich

[WestCoastJoe]

IMO it was a setup.

Ricky was not happy giving up time to Gary Butler.

He was never in Wally's good books.

It looks very much like he is sticking it to Wally with this move.
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From the Lions' management point of view, they handled it like amateurs.

If Ricky agreed to a contract verbally, that is binding. The signatures come later but their temporary absence do not lessen the validiity of the verbal agreement.

The only out Ricky and his agent might have is if they put a clause in the verbal agreement saying something to the effect of: "I agree to your offer, but I must run it past my agent first. We will sign the deal when I get to Vancouver." That would give him some outs.

And it would also show bargaining in bad faith.

IMO the Lions, should they choose to do so, could successfully fight this contract disagreement.

[joe kapp22]

Well, I wish Foley well with the Argos, and hope to see him when next we play..with his butt on the ground...

Well, thing with Foley is, our need for a Rush End has not disappeared, we still could use someone.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=333779

DE FOLEY AGREES TO TERMS WITH LIONS, BUT SIGNS WITH ARGOS

Agrees to terms = Binding contract, if that is what they arrived at verbally.

"He's done an about face. We think the pressures from the family had a lot to do with it." Buono told TSN. "We're not going to stand in the way if this is what he wants and we'll move on."

On Tuesday morning, Foley was a guest on TEAM 1040 Radio in Vancouver and sounded like he was looking forward to returning to the Lions.

"When I chose B.C., it was like that's the team that I've won a Cup with, winning Canadian Player of the Year, leading the league in sacks, with my boys out there and the staff," Foley told TEAM 1040 Radio. "It's where I know I've had success, and I love the city out there. They support the Lions so much out there."

But apparently Foley changed his mind during the day and Buono appeared on the same station to try to make sense of the news.

"I've been doing this now for a lot of years, and I don't know that I've ever gone through a situation where it's been back-and-forth as much as it is this time," Buono told the Vancouver radio station. "

Snookered. Some people back East could be having a bit of a chuckle right now.
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It certainly looks like the Lions mismanaged the discussions and the premature reporting of the "agreement."
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Add this to the list of "weird" personnel management cases by the Lions, something Ricky had mentioned in earlier reports.

[Sir Purrcival]

This is just horribly disappointing both for the team and its fans.

I am personally saddened that this "stand up guy", who chose to put friends and faith ahead of dollars apparently did just the opposite. I'm sure he was conflicted from the get go but Ricky, if you read this, understand that a lot of people put you on a pedestal today. Many of us were thinking that it is so wonderful to have this individual who seems to be so sincere, and so real, decide to put this team and this community above the all mighty dollar. You had instantly become a BC hero to many of us. Now a scant few hours later, you are a huge disappointment. Apparently your word does have a price and it is about $30000.00 dollars. No one would have had issues with you going to Toronto to be closer to home and get more money right up until you committed to coming here. Instead of being a local hero, you are now a zero. Not a day to be proud of young man.

[The_Pauser]

Wow...I feel absolutely sickened by this.

It's a real shame that he signed with the Argos AFTER they played in BC. I would have enjoyed booing him everytime he was on the field.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Rick ... story.html

"I told Ricky, 'Talk with your family, but the one thing I don't want you to do is get on a plane to B.C. and then regret it', because then we have an unhappy player and we have a disgruntled player that we've made a financial investment with and then he's not going to give you what you want," Buono told Team 1040 radio. "I guess between that time and 2:00 today he's had a change of heart. Whether you like it or not, you have to respect it. The emotions of leaving your family and playing somewhere else is always difficult. Hopefully this is a decision he wants and it's the best one for him."

''Talk with your family ..."

edited: I've added this later. Pauser made a very good point about Wally saying the above. If Wally gave Ricky the out of talking to his family, etc., that could possibly give Ricky the right to back out. Not quite that simple, but it would have to be looked at. In any case, it really does not seem like Wally was all that concerned about nailing it down tight. Not that concerned about even signing him.

The Lions actually never had a contract signed with Foley, said Buono. Rather, the sides had "agreed to terms."

A signed contract is valid. But so is a verbal agreement. "Agreed to terms" verbally is a good contract. Wally could fight this if he wanted. He was snookered. And he mismanaged it.

"What Ricky did is he agreed to the terms (of a contract with the Lions)," Buono said. " His agent had agreed to our terms. We'd sent the contract into the league to be reviewed and when he got here this afternoon he would have signed it. As I said, I've been doing this now for a lot of years, I don't know where I've ever gone through a situation that's been back and forth as much as it was this time."

"What Ricky did is he agreed to the terms (of a contract with the Lions)," Buono said. " His agent had agreed to our terms. We'd sent the contract into the league to be reviewed and when he got here this afternoon he would have signed it."

Once you agree to terms, that is a contract. The signatures later tighten the deal, but it is already a contract.

[The_Pauser]

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Rick ... story.html

"I told Ricky, 'Talk with your family, but the one thing I don't want you to do is get on a plane to B.C. and then regret it', because then we have an unhappy player and we have a disgruntled player that we've made a financial investment with and then he's not going to give you what you want," Buono told Team 1040 radio. "I guess between that time and 2:00 today he's had a change of heart. Whether you like it or not, you have to respect it. The emotions of leaving your family and playing somewhere else is always difficult. Hopefully this is a decision he wants and it's the best one for him."

The Lions actually never had a contract signed with Foley, said Buono. Rather, the sides had "agreed to terms."

A signed contract is valid. But so is a verbal agreement. "Agreed to terms" verbally is a good contract. Wally could fight this if he wanted. He was snookered. And he mismanaged it.

"What Ricky did is he agreed to the terms (of a contract with the Lions)," Buono said. " His agent had agreed to our terms. We'd sent the contract into the league to be reviewed and when he got here this afternoon he would have signed it. As I said, I've been doing this now for a lot of years, I don't know where I've ever gone through a situation that's been back and forth as much as it was this time."

"What Ricky did is he agreed to the terms (of a contract with the Lions)," Buono said. " His agent had agreed to our terms. We'd sent the contract into the league to be reviewed and when he got here this afternoon he would have signed it."

Once you agree to terms, that is a contract. The signatures later tighten the deal, but it is already a contract.

What I get from those quotes is that Wally and the Foley camp agreed to terms and basically had a contract set out, but Wally gave Foley one last opportunity to get out of it before signing it. Wally basically said to Foley "sign this deal as long as you're sure you want to be here" and Foley went from wanting to be here to thinking about it, to signing in Toronto.

[joe kapp22]

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Rick ... story.html

"I told Ricky, 'Talk with your family, but the one thing I don't want you to do is get on a plane to B.C. and then regret it', because then we have an unhappy player and we have a disgruntled player that we've made a financial investment with and then he's not going to give you what you want," Buono told Team 1040 radio. "I guess between that time and 2:00 today he's had a change of heart. Whether you like it or not, you have to respect it. The emotions of leaving your family and playing somewhere else is always difficult. Hopefully this is a decision he wants and it's the best one for him."

The Lions actually never had a contract signed with Foley, said Buono. Rather, the sides had "agreed to terms."

A signed contract is valid. But so is a verbal agreement. "Agreed to terms" verbally is a good contract. Wally could fight this if he wanted. He was snookered. And he mismanaged it.

"What Ricky did is he agreed to the terms (of a contract with the Lions)," Buono said. " His agent had agreed to our terms. We'd sent the contract into the league to be reviewed and when he got here this afternoon he would have signed it. As I said, I've been doing this now for a lot of years, I don't know where I've ever gone through a situation that's been back and forth as much as it was this time."

"What Ricky did is he agreed to the terms (of a contract with the Lions)," Buono said. " His agent had agreed to our terms. We'd sent the contract into the league to be reviewed and when he got here this afternoon he would have signed it."

Once you agree to terms, that is a contract.

Disagree, the fiasco falls on Foley, especially after the tear jerker interview on Team 1040 this morning.

That bilge about "tough decision to leave his family".

Would be true, if he hadn't been in BC for the past 4 seasons, if he had not went South for the Spring and Summer, and if he had not given the "On the Fringe" interview where he had Familial Problems.

Eh, I do wish him well, but this one rests on his lap, and kudos to Wally for not creating a distraction whilst the team is rallying from a dreadful start to the season.

[WestCoastJoe]

What I get from those quotes is that Wally and the Foley camp agreed to terms and basically had a contract set out, but Wally gave Foley one last opportunity to get out of it before signing it. Wally basically said to Foley "sign this deal as long as you're sure you want to be here" and Foley went from wanting to be here to thinking about it, to signing in Toronto.

Once they agree to terms verbally, it is a valid contract which the Lions could enforce in court. Verbal agreements can be difficult to prove, however, and that is the importance of the signatures.

If Wally wants to let him back out of it, that is a separate consideration. Wally did not give him an extra chance to change his mind until he heard about Foley's change of heart later.

"What Ricky did is he agreed to the terms (of a contract with the Lions)," Buono said. " His agent had agreed to our terms. We'd sent the contract into the league to be reviewed and when he got here this afternoon he would have signed it."

[Lion Guy]

Meh. It is hardly a case of "sticking" it to Wally IMHO. At the start of the day he wasn't on our team and at the end of the day he is not on our team. The only one that looks silly is him. He said one thing and then did another. Those types of moves are not forgotten in a very small league. We move on.

[Blitz]

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?

I didn't believe Foley would come back to B.C. and I was surprised and elated that he had decided too. Now I'm very dissappointed. I believe Wally should enforce the verbal offer, agreed to by both Foley and his agent.

Foley would really have helped us big time but it looks like he's definitely gone so no choice but to hope to get a great rush end. Canadian rush ends that can really get it done are not easy to find....wish the outcome was different.

[Wakesbetterthanyou]

I hope he and his Argos fail at every stop. Totally classless on the part of foley. He should have stayed in the NFL if that's how he handles himself.

[WestCoastJoe]

Man, I loved the way Ricky played for us. He is on the All-Hustle team. But he was not one of Wally's guys.

Would have been very happy to see him here again.

I don't think it was ever going to happen. Not a chance. We bought it. How could we not? The Lions even announced it. And Wally could have fought for the deal they had. He let it go.

IMO Ricky foxed Wally. A bit of payback.

So Ricky wins that little game. But he does pay a bit of a price in terms of his "good word" and his reputation.

And his seemingly disingenuous comments to the media were so surprising at the time. All sweetness and light.
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I have to think too, that Ricky may have just simply changed his mind, from the influence of his family, and that is that. Wally let him go.

[The_Pauser]

Once they agree to terms verbally, it is a valid contract which the Lions could enforce in court. Verbal agreements can be difficult to prove, however, and that is the importance of the signatures.

If Wally wants to let him back out of it, that is a separate consideration. Wally did not give him an extra chance to change his mind until he heard about Foley's change of heart later.

"What Ricky did is he agreed to the terms (of a contract with the Lions)," Buono said. " His agent had agreed to our terms. We'd sent the contract into the league to be reviewed and when he got here this afternoon he would have signed it."

Oh I agree fully with the legalities of it and the contract law you're referring to; however, I find myself just getting caught up on this quote by Wally:

"I told Ricky, 'Talk with your family, but the one thing I don't want you to do is get on a plane to B.C. and then regret it', because then we have an unhappy player and we have a disgruntled player that we've made a financial investment with and then he's not going to give you what you want," Buono told Team 1040 radio. "I guess between that time and 2:00 today he's had a change of heart....

To me it seems that he was giving Foley one last chance to reconsider the offer to make sure he truly wanted to be here. Although the time frame of when this was said isn't clear (it could have been said prior to agreeing to terms), but if it occurred this morning...after the terms had been agreed to, then Wally is essentially giving Foley an out.

If this happened before the terms were agreed to, then I agree 100% that Wally should challenge this and attempt to enforce the contract, or at a very minimum attempt to receive some sort of compensation from the Argos.