Winnipeg Blue Bombers

After a dismal 1-6 start to the season, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers decided it was time for another major shake-up. After ousting CEO Garth Buchko and GM Joe Mack last week, the Bombers fired offensive coordinator Gary Crowton on Sunday.

Crowton's firing came after the team's 37-18 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at home on Friday, the Bombers' fifth consecutive loss.

Crowton's inability to get the passing game going led to his removal, as the Bombers have yet to find a solid solution at quarterback.  While running back Chad Simpson has been solid for the team, racking up 477 yards and five touchdowns with a 5.2 yards-per-carry average, the Winnipeg QB's have failed to match his level of play.

Buck Pierce started the season as the Bombers' QB but was ineffective.  He has thrown for only 854 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions so far.  He was then replaced by Justin Goltz, who didn't fare much better.  Goltz has 476 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and only a 57.7 completion percentage.

For Friday's game against the Ticats, the Bombers turned to a player making his CFL debut, former Arizona Cardinal and BYU Cougar QB Max Hall. In the first half of the game, Hall was impressive enough, going 10-12 for 129 yards and a touchdown.  After getting banged up in the second half, however, Hall started to falter, and finished the game with 241 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

While Hall is likely to get another chance, the same cannot be said for Crowton. Marcel Bellefeuille, who has been with the team for only a week, will take over Crowton's duties for the rest of the season.

Through all the turmoil, through all the headaches and headlines, in one brief moment, Tim Burke did something Monday afternoon that should solidify himself as the head coach going forward for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“This is your resume. This is what people in the outside world are thinking of you and so you've got to figure out how you're going to respond to that. You going to do it with pride or you going to tuck your tail and run.”

That was Tim Burke’s message to the players following their 44-3 blow-out loss to the Calgary Stampeders Friday night.

And in that brief moment Burke took command of the locker room and made the players responsible for themselves.

Tim Burke would go on to add that it was "embarrassing," and that players should act in a professional manner.

We can all agree that when Burke took over following Paul LaPolice’s dismissal, he wasn’t exactly handed a very appealing platter.

His team had lost its last three of five contests, only winning two games by one and seven points respectively.

There was already turmoil surrounding the club before Burke was anointed the Interim Head Coach and although he had gone through bumps, a 52-0 shut out on the road in Saskatchewan, and bruises, deciding against kicking a late field goal to go up one point and ultimately to lose by a point, Burke was making the most of the awkward situation he was placed in.

And so to come out following their latest blow-out loss, on the road, and state to his team that they are held accountable for their actions and what they do on the field could directly or indirectly affect their futures going forward, I believe Burke has grown in great strides.

During the Bombers two losses prior to Friday’s game, Burke came out after their one point loss at home to Saskatchewan and said it was his fault for not attempting the late field goal.

It something fans have  sorely missed: seeing a head coach take responsibility for his own actions, as well as putting everyone else on the line for their mistakes as well.

It’s no secret that Burke is not an offensive minded coach—his defensive mind is what helped him win back to back Grey Cups with Montreal.

Burke may be slowly settling into his interim role, but Burke has been around coaching for over two decades and is grasping the duties presented to him the best he can in the awkward situation he was put in.

But if the club removes the interim tag from Burke and puts him in a position to choose his coaching staff when entering the 2013 season, they could be in for a treat.

Allowing Burke to hire an offensive coordinator who can put up points and has the resume to back it, as well as securing a quarterback that can run an offense, will allow the club as a whole to be better off.

With the amount of public relations problems the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have suffered through this season—ultimately making them the punch line of the league—the one name that constantly comes up in discussions is that of general manager Joe Mack.

Mack took over the club on January 22, 2010. He essentially took over a team that saw draft picks traded in exchange for players who ultimately failed to contribute.

CEO Lyle Bauer resigned, VP of player personnel Brendan Taman stepped down and head coach Mike Kelly was shown the door before Mack took over a club that needed an identity and help to restore it.

Mack hired an offensive-minded coach, Paul LaPolice, from the Saskatchewan Roughriders to head up the Bombers. He also traded declining players in exchange for draft picks, ultimately securing two first-round picks in 2011 after the club finished last a season earlier.

Although the club finished last at 4-14 in the East Division in 2009, it had nine opportunities that could easily have seen the outcome go either way.

Mack put a stamp on the team and made it his own, bringing in players he felt would help contribute to the team. Eleven players from that roster still play for the Bombers.

Those players contributed to putting the Bombers back in the Grey Cup five years after their last trip.

The 2011 offseason came and problems for Mack culminated.

Brendon LaBatte, the Bombers' highly prized draft pick in 2008, wanted to move to Saskatchewan to play for his home team while his girlfriend was pregnant.

Knowing the odds to re-sign LaBatte would end with no deal in place, the money saved from LaBatte’s contract should have been used to sign back Dominic Picard or any other highly touted free-agent offensive lineman. But that was met with zero effort.

Then receiver Greg Carr left the team to sign with an opponent in the West Division, the Edmonton Eskimos, after Mack failed to extend a deal to Carr. Carr’s replacement, Chris Matthews, has done exceedingly well for the Bombers but has to be considered a lucky pickup.

Another area of concern at the time for the Bombers was behind center and at quarterback.

Center Obby Khan’s play tampered off and it was known that the club wanted to go elsewhere but failed to secure any real talent there.

Quarterback Buck Pierce’s health was in question. The team had two quality backups, Alex Brink and Joey Elliot, but the issue was handled poorly when labeling one Backup A and the other Backup A2.

Mack’s inability to sit down with then-head coach Paul LaPolice and hammer out a definitive No. 2 quarterback ultimately came back to haunt the team.

Another move that would further fuel the fire on Mack was his extension to Paul LaPolice after their Grey Cup run. This was a move that should have been reserved for around the middle of the season or the following offseason.

Paul LaPolice was Mack’s hire—and ultimately his responsibility—and the offense struggled under him. To fix that problem in Mack’s mind, he went out and hired an offensive coordinator by the name of Gary Crowton.

Crowton came to the CFL with zero previous experience after working in the United States with several different universities.

Putting a coordinator with zero experience together with a head coach whose team ultimately struggled a season earlier offensively was not met with high regards.

And one of the biggest knocks toward Mack (if not the biggest knock) through his tenure as general manager has to be the selection of receiver Jade Etienne in the first round (fourth overall).

However when looking at Etienne’s background, people have jumped too quickly on the negative side of the ball. With a season and time to develop, Etienne could become a premier receiver.

The team was put in a further bind when it was announced that the new stadium would not be ready in time for the first home game. Although this cannot be put on Mack, the team started the season 0-4—a hole that even some of the greats would find hard to get out of.

On top of this, all the travel that Winnipeg had to endure resulted in player personnel injuries across the board. Again, this is not something Mack can be directly faulted for, but an unfortunate situation that’s linked with his name (unfairly, I’d add).

However, about midway through the season the team offensively and defensively was starting to come together. They put together a few wins, and although they lost to B.C., they looked close to breaking out.

Then Mack made the decision that likely spelt his end in Winnipeg—and that was the firing of head coach Paul LaPolice.

While LaPolice struggled at times as head coach, his offensive schemes, with the right personnel executing them, could have been more successful.

With many people calling for Mack’s dismissal, LaPolice emerged as the scapegoat, only further igniting the fire for a change at the top.

And a move that was heard around the league—and not popular or even smart—was when Mack walked into the dressing room and told the team that he was sticking with them for the remainder of the season.

A team that had struggled much of 2012 had just been told that any issues going forward would not be met with dismissals or players being shown the door.

Likely, it's a move that could come back to haunt Mack as it gives the players no incentive to perform on the field, knowing their jobs are safe until the offseason.

Going forward, however, firing Joe Mack is a decision that, if it has to be made, should not occur until the completion of the 2013 CFL campaign.

Mack has only had one season to fix the issues from the previous season, helped in bringing the team to the Grey Cup the following season and was met with adversity in the third term.

The board of directors must allow Mack to have his third real term as the general manager of Winnipeg to see if his decisions can ultimately put a product on the field under the new stadium digs.

But if afforded that opportunity, he must go out and bring talent in. He will need to find a new quarterback, even if it means trading with B.C. or Saskatchewan. He'll have to look down South and see if there is real talent available.

The knack for being cheap during the season is one that is no secret to many people, but it’s one that Mack needs to address and fix. He needs to go out and sign players, as he did a year ago.

Interim head coach Tim Burke should stay as the head coach. Mack should allow him to pick his coaching staff and run the team his way while Mack stays away, scouring the South for talent to help bolster the team as a whole.

Looking back, Mack is responsible for the failures of Paul LaPolice, knowing full well what he was extending and then hiring a coordinator with zero CFL experience.

He did do some good, bringing in players earlier on that helped the team, but when it came time to spend money, he failed to pony up, likely costing him more money in the end.

Injuries are a part of the game and no one can predict when they're going to happen, but failing to have the necessary upgrades or replacements in place is something Mack will have to address.

Ultimately the board has likely already made its decision regarding Mack and is just waiting for the season to finish. If afforded an opportunity in 2013, however, Mack had better make the most of it.

We’re just four days into the frenzy that is the free agency period, and through that time the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have been mostly sellers, re-signing only their own players.

Coming into Wednesday, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers had 17 players up for free agency, sans Doug Brown who retired at the end of the 2011 season.

From those 16 remaining players, eight have been re-signed, six of those from the offense, while the team has parted ways with three players, losing two to the Edmonton Eskimos.

One of those three was their prized possession, offensive lineman Brendon LaBatte—the club tried extensively to re-sign him, but he wanted to move home and signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Another was a 6'6" receiver by the name of Greg Carr who made defenses tremble with his size and hands.

When asked about losing Carr to Edmonton, General Manager Joe Mack did not seem fazed and went further to suggest there are pieces in place to replace Carr.

But what many of the fans have been visibly upset with has been management’s lack of free agent signings from other teams.

Quite frankly, I am perfectly okay with that. This is a team that one season finished last in the league at 4-14, then turned it around and went to the Grey Cup behind head coach Paul LaPolice.

This is a management team that has, throughout the 2011 season, signed players to the practice roster and extended contracts.

Coming into the 2012 season, the team will retain 37 players from the 2010 roster and 19 players from the 2011 roster. That is 56 players who have gained a large amount of experience through their time with the club and in the league.

There is no question that management will bring in talent throughout training camp to test the qualities of the players on the team now, and to push the veterans to be better than they were yesterday.

Is there a player or two on the market I would have liked to see the club go after? There is no question. Would I have liked to secure the services of Greg Carr or Brendon LaBatte and not see them change teams? Who wouldn’t?

I have found that one key to being successful is putting the right piece in the spot that allows that performer the best chance for success. If you do not have the right pieces in place, you can add all the so-called talent you want but at the end of the day you just have players.

Winnipeg was successful in retaining three potential free-agent quarterbacks and will have several of last season’s offensive playmakers returning in Clarence Denmark, Terrence Edwards, Cory Watson and Chris Garrett.

On the defensive side, the majority of ‘Swaggerville’ will be returning under defensive coach Tim Burke. There will be a new offensive mind in town with the hiring of Gary Crowton.

You look around the league and see teams making trades, such as Toronto and Edmonton with Steven Jyles and Ricky Ray, or Calgary and Hamilton with Henry Burris and Kevin Glenn.

Seeing teams go out and actively sign free agents while Winnipeg sits back and watch may be detrimental and a cause for panic for some fans.

This is the part of free agency that sucks, but I have 100 percent faith in the job that the management team is doing and trust that they will put pieces in place to keep this team competitive for years to come.

I, for one, cannot wait for the 100th Grey Cup in Toronto this season ;)

The news many fans in Winnipeg have been waiting for was finally announced today by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as quarterback Alex Brink has now officially signed a new contract.

With free agency just days away, Alex Brink was set on becoming a free agent if a deal was not put in place before the noon deadline.

This latest signing means that all three quarterbacks that were headed towards free agency have been re-signed.

Buck Pierce, Joey Elliot and Alex Brink will now join with fellow teammates, Justin Goltz and Brandon Summers this summer in camp.

Playing with very limited time in his rookie year with the Bombers, it wasn’t until last year that Alex Brink really showcased his talents to the club and the fans after some injuries plagued starter Buck Pierce.

Brink put up two starts and played in eight games last season, throwing for 140 passes, completing 89 of those along with five touchdowns to four interceptions for 1,023 yards.

At the same time, Brink was called upon in many of the short-yard situations, mostly goal line calls and rushed for 148 yards and six touchdowns.

However, at the end of the day this signing means that the Bombers will enter 2012 with the same quarterback crew from two years ago, with the addition of Justin Goltz and Brandon Summers last season.

That kind of continuity is rare when players are found with injuries or a desire to put up more playing time.

Entering the 2012 season, four teams will have question marks surrounding their starting quarterback position. However, for the Bombers, all three players are capable of driving the offense on any given night.

The statement “Defenses win champions” will certainly ring true should the Winnipeg Blue Bombers find themselves hoisting the Grey Cup on Sunday evening.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers secured a trip to the 99th Grey Cup last Sunday with a 19-3 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern finals.

In that game, the Winnipeg defense held Hamilton to just 153 yards passing and 39 rushing yards on slick field conditions.

That’s been Winnipeg’s motto all season long—win the defensive battle and win the game.

They are not a high-scoring offensive team being ranked fifth in the league for average points per game at 24. However, it was their defense that came through time and time again when all odds were against Winnipeg.

You could look at opening week in the CFL when Alex Suber intercepted Kevin Glenn and returned it to the house for the six points that helped Winnipeg to a 24-16 win.

Do not forget about the 33-24 win over the Toronto Argonauts in Week 4 that saw Winnipeg’s defense hold Toronto to just seven points in the three remaining quarters, allowing Buck Pierce to put up 33 points to win the game.

Then you have to look at Week 9 when Joe Lobendahn chased down Chris Williams and stripped him of the ball right at the goal line before Winnipeg recovered the ball and went on to win 30-27.

Those are just some of the examples of the Winnipeg defense that will need to do the same once again on Sunday should Winnipeg look to snap a 20-year Grey Cup drought.

There is no question that Buck Pierce and the Winnipeg offense can put on a clinic at times. Pierce and company have failed to put up the points needed and tend to rely on the defense to make plays.

The offense would only need to manage the game clock as they did Sunday against Hamilton, allowing Chris Garrett the opportunity to burst through holes.

If Winnipeg can find a way to take away Travis Lulay’s first and second reads while Buck Pierce uses his run game to his advantage like he did in the Eastern final and handle the ball, Winnipeg could just be 60 minutes away from hoisting the Grey Cup.

His name is Chris Garrett and he grew up in Utica, New York. He was born in February of 1987 and he currently plays professional football for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

He played college football at Ohio University, was named a third-team Freshman All-American and All-MAC as a return man in 2006.

During the 2007 season Garrett would set records for kick return yards with 145, longest kick return with 94 and kick return touchdowns with one.

Not until the 2008 season did Garrett really start shining, as he was named to the third-team All-MAC, was Ohio's career leader in kick return averages at 26.5 a return. He would finish sixth in the MAC in all-purpose yardage at 131.5.

During that same season Garrett would rush for a career-high 222 yards and two touchdowns while setting a school record with 321 all-purpose yards during their win over Miami.

In the end Garrett finished with the Ohio Bobcats with 43 punt returns for 450 yards and one touchdown as well as 82 kickoff returns for 2,185 yards and three touchdowns. At the same time, Garrett carried the ball 300 times for 1,346 yards and seven touchdowns over his four years.

Come time around the NFL draft Garrett went unselected but was invited to a rookie camp held by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When nothing emerged, Garrett returned home, working hard on completing his dream to play ball.

It wasn’t until the 2010 year that Garrett would finally get his shot at the professional level, signing with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and being activated for the Banjo Bowl against their rival, the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

During this game the Winnipeg defense was so stiff that Garrett never had an opportunity to return any balls and would wait a week before getting on the field.

It wasn’t until the final game of the season that Garrett had a real opportunity to showcase himself as the primary running back Fred Reid went down with an injury. Garrett would rush for 82 yards on 13 carries and one reception for 20 yards.

Chris Garrett would return to the Bombers in the 2011 training camp but was released prior to the 2011 campaign. In August, Garrett got the call from the club to return once again and signed a contract.

Garrett was primarily used on the practice roster for depth purposes behind starting back Fred Reid and Carl Volny. It wasn’t until Week 14 that Garrett would get his chance at the starting job with both Reid and Volny being lost for the season due to injuries.

Since taking over the job in the regular season, Garrett averaged 96 yards a game, breaking two for over 100 yards and being the first running back to break the century plateau in the 2011 season. Garrett would also rush in four touchdowns while adding 20 receptions for 91 yards.

Then when the Bombers clinched the Eastern final and was one win away from the Grey Cup, Garrett had arguably his best football game in his career, rushing for 190 yards behind 29 attempts and one reception for 10 yards.

When you look at Chris Garrett you can see a running back that has the speed, strength and determination to be one of the best at what he does.

To be a complete back one must be able to catch on the run, power through the offensive line and be there for your quarterback on blitz packages. Garrett continues each and every week to improve each stat and will only get better as time progresses.

Looking ahead to next season, Garrett will certainly return in training camp and while you hate to see players go out that way, this season may be the last for Fred Reid.

If true we’ll most certainly be seeing a battle between Garrett and Carl Volny next season in training camp, as the Bombers look to hoist a Grey Cup banner in their new stadium.

When it looked like Garrett would have to wait his time to play football again, he was recalled, activated and at the end of the day helped put his team in the grand finale.

As you look back on the 2011 season and what could have been on a full 18-game schedule, Garrett could have rushed for almost 2,000 yards in his first full season.

And come Sunday, Chris Garrett will look to be on the top of his game as he looks to help his team bring home a Grey Cup championship that has eluded their city for over two decades.

He is one win away from establishing himself as one of the premier backs in the league and has done so behind a hard work ethic and professional manner.

The final week of the Canadian Football League has arrived, and we are just several games away from finding out who will host the Eastern and Western finals and which teams will face off in the Semi’s.

For the Calgary Stampeders to have a remote chance at hosting the big game, they’ll need to beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers while having both the B.C. Lions and Edmonton Eskimos lose their games against the Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

For B.C., they are sitting comfortably, holding both season series over Edmonton and Calgary, so a win there and they will host the divisional game.

Finally, Edmonton and rookie head coach Kavis Reed would like nothing more than to win and have B.C. lose to host the divisional final game after finishing last in the division just a season ago.

Before we can get to the final results, we must first play through four games and to start the week off, the Toronto Argonauts will look to spoil the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' shot at consistency.

With Hamilton locking up the sixth and final playoff spot several weeks ago, head coach Marcel Bellefeuille and company looked to tweak their game plan in preparation for the postseason.

They are currently 2-6 on the season away from Ivor Wynne Stadium but are tied with Montreal for one of the best home records at 6-3.

Several missed opportunities over the season have Hamilton looking to win on the road against either Winnipeg or Montreal. Should Hamilton head to Montreal, they have not won there since 2002 in week 17, when they won 29-26.

Hamilton is currently employing a two-quarterback system that has seen limited success. To make matters worse, Kevin Glenn and Quinton Porter have yet to make a solid case to play an entire game.

For Toronto, they have played the spoiler role quite well in recent weeks after being knocked out of the playoffs.

They have won games over Calgary and Winnipeg but lost to Edmonton after late heroics were unsuccessful.

Heading into the final game, the Argonauts will be without quarterback Steven Jyles after he was placed on injured reserve after being hit hard by Johnny Sears last weekend in Winnipeg.

Either way, this will be a good test for several of Toronto's backups as they prepare for the 2012 season. Meanwhile, Hamilton will look for any shot at consistency and putting up offense after being shut down a week ago in Saskatchewan.

Friday evening will showcase the Saskatchewan Roughriders heading to Edmonton to face the Eskimos. Through nine games this season against Western opponents, the Roughriders have come up empty.

They are last in the division with a 5-12 record after defeating Hamilton last week. Ryan Dinwiddie will most likely be at the controls once again with Darian Durant out for the season.

Saskatchewan head coach Ken Miller announced earlier in the week he will step down as the head coach as well as the vice president of football operations at the conclusion of the season.

As the offseason approaches, the team is already facing a fair number of questions regarding talent as well as head office personnel, and the latest news is another blow the club will have to sort out.

For Edmonton, they have had a bumpy ride since the start of the season and have an opportunity to rebound and secure a spot in the Western Final on Friday night.

Defensively, the club put up strong numbers against the run, allowing only 58 yards rushing. Offensively, running back Jerome Messam is only 19 yards away from reaching the 1,000-yard mark.

For Saskatchewan, they will continue their spoiler role while many players will be auditioning for jobs in the offseason as the Eskimos look to fine tune any issues they might have as they prepare for the postseason.

This will be a must-win for Ricky Ray if he wishes to host the Western Final, and he will do all he can to put a win on the board.

Saturday will feature a double-header with big Eastern division implications on the line as both Winnipeg and Montreal are one game away from hosting the finals.

Winnipeg needed just one more win last week to host the Eastern Final. However, they fell short and will look to defeat Calgary this week for that shot.

The team will be without premiere quarterback Buck Pierce, who suffered what was labeled a leg injury before being diagnosed a knee injury.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will also be without the services of Johnny Sears after his hit on Steven Jyles last week. That hit resulted in a one-game suspension for Sears and fines for Rob Murphy and Taylor Robertson after their comments were posted on Twitter.

With Pierce out, this will give Alex Brink just his third start in two years, but he has shown a lot more poise and pocket awareness since his inception.

For Calgary, they too will want a win to keep pace in the West, but they are only .500 at home. Drew Tate will start once again in favour of Henry Burris, who may have played his last down in Calgary.

In their win over Montreal, Calgary allowed 380 yards passing by Anthony Calvillo, something that few clubs can rebound from and still win a game.

They will need to provide better coverage in the secondary and limit Greg Carr’s presence while limiting the run game. Through the last three games, Calgary has allowed 479 yards on the ground.

Between the two clubs, you would have to nod your head toward Winnipeg wanting to win this game more, with the new stadium next season, 20 years without a Cup and their first postseason game since 2008.

The final game of the week will have the B.C. Lions hosting the Montreal Alouettes. Through nine games at home, B.C. has won six, including the last four games.

Travis Lulay has thrown one interception in his last four starts behind eight touchdowns. His ball control will be crucial once again this week.

Looking at one of their biggest games of the season, Montreal will have wished this was a home game after a near perfect home record of 6-3 record. However, they will be without the services of receiver Kerry Watkins and offensive lineman Josh Bourke, both placed on the nine-game.

The league announced the Most Outstanding Player nominations, and quarterback Anthony Calvillo leads the Alouettes once again. This might come as a surprise to many however as receiver Jamel Richardson made a strong case after going 12 games this season with over 100 receiving yards.

One shocking statement to look at is how over the course of the season quarterback Anthony Calvillo's age may have caught up on him. No more has Calvillo looked like the dominant quarterback the league has seen for many years.

Through the latest set of games, you can see Calvillo struggle, overthrowing or missing his receivers, unable to scramble and made to look, well, human.

B.C. will look toward exploiting that as they try to wrap up first in the West while Montreal tries for a win to potentially secure the East.

Either way, this game will come down to ball control between Travis Lulay and Anthony Calvillo, and for this I will give the young apprentice the win.

The Canadian Football League announced today that following Johnny Sears helmet-to-helmet hit on Toronto’s quarterback Steven Jyles, that a one-game suspension was appropriate.

Looking at the hit repeatedly, there was no cause to determine what the player’s state of mine was at that time.

After watching the hit you could see that as the player went forward, Jyles did not slide at the appropriate time, allowing sufficient room for Sears to make his move. It appears the result of that action followed up with the hit was the only available option.

What will make this suspension harder to tolerate is the lack of consistency and transparency throughout the league after a similar hit was applied to Winnipeg’s quarterback, Buck Pierce, by Ejiro Kuale.

That hit resulted in a fine and no suspension for Kuale. That verdict should have been applied here as the plays were similar, except for that Jyles had the ball this time around.

One of the issues that has plagued the league for several years now has been their revolving door for inconsistent calls towards certain players and teams.

The league did announce that Rob Murphy and Taylor Robertson were both fined for their comments on Twitter, directed towards Johny Sears.

There is certainly no room in the CFL for language and threats towards any other player regardless of what happened. This league has built itself a solid image over the years; however, results like this will bring the integrity down.

Whatever the case may be, it is expected that the CFLPA will appeal, delaying any suspension that Johnny Sears may face as a result of his actions.