Single Point Links posted in April 2016

Tom Muecke: 1963-2016

Published on April 27, 2016 11:59 PM

Muecke played with some great quarterbacks (Clements, Huffnagel, Dewalt, Salisbury in Winnipeg, Ham and Allen in Edmonton) but was never in the right place, right time to get a team for his own. My condolences to the Muecke family.

All Teams SMS Compliant in 2015

Published on April 25, 2016 9:06 PM

After two seasons of single teams violating the cap, all teams are compliant with the SMS in the first full season in which the new cap was known.

CFL/NFL Form Officiating Partnership

Published on April 22, 2016 1:06 PM

It will be interesting to see if only the knowledge of NFL officials working early games will result in fans rating the officiating higher as a result despite what metrics might say, and complaining more loudly from August through November about the state of officiating.

CFL/CFLPA Revamp Drug Policy

Published on April 22, 2016 1:00 PM

A substantial revamp of the policy. Unfortunately, without an agreement to revise this policy annually outside of the CBA negotiations, it will likely not evolve, but jump substantially every 5+ years after being outdated. The changes create a working policy for the CFL, but they are not the leaders that they need to be.

Bombers Announce $4.4 Million Profit for 2015

Published on April 13, 2016 9:30 PM

A $4.4 million operating profit after major payments were made on stadium loan and renovations is cause for celebration and to silence naysayers. The team now has a substantial sum of $5.5 million in their rainy day fund.

See also: 2015 Grey Cup Profit

2015 Grey Cup Profit $7.1 Million

Published on April 12, 2016 10:58 PM

The Bombers announced on Tuesday a $7.1 million profit from the 2015 Grey Cup Festival. The league can never get complacent, but this event is entrenched as an annual profitable Canadian sporting event.

See also: 2015 Blue Bomber Profit

CFL Approves 10 Rule Changes for 2016

Published on April 8, 2016 4:01 PM

My best summary of the rule changes accepted for 2016:

  • Replay official in the Command Centre to assist the on-field officials. The committee rule change recommendation for the video official describes the role as to correct obvious errors not challengeable by replay.
  • Challengeable penalties expanded to include offensive pass interference, illegal contact on an eligible receiver and illegal interference on pass plays as well as no yards called, illegal blocks on kick plays, contacting/roughing the kicker or passer, and illegal interference at the point of reception on kick off attempts.
  • Unsuccessful 2-point converts will now be automatically reviewed.
  • Pushing players through gaps in the offensive line on place kicks (field goal and single point attempts) is no longer allowed.
  • The definition of a peel-back block has been changed to make it illegal for any offensive player to block a player moving towards his own goal line below the waist, rather than just players that start the play in the tackle box.
  • Players in a three-point stance are now allowed to move slightly, point or make signals for blocking assignments before coming to a set position for 1 second before the snap without drawing an illegal procedure penalty.
  • Changed offsetting penalties in some scenarios resulting in down replayed with no yardage applied, such as when a defensive player is offside and offensive player is called for holding the offside player.
  • Removing the choice of scrimmaging the ball to teams scored upon by field goal in the last three minutes of the game.
  • Removing objectionable conduct penalties for defensive players who remove a ball from the play after a turnover.

That is 9 of 10, I don’t know what the 10th is though I expect the additional challengeable penalties are considered two separate changes, though the rejected change was not mentioned in the committee recommendations press release either, so there may be a small, wording change not documented. The rejected proposal was for the limits for downfield blocking by offensive linemen on passing plays and has been sent for more analysis and further consideration next year.