Saskatchewan Roughriders - Page 4

wacko · #61 Posted **Jan 14, 2016, 10:00 PM**

Wait, what? Dressler was released???

Yeah, not a fan of this move. Dressler was one of my favourite players. Sure he was short, but he was tough as nails, and proved it every time he was on the field.

Robag · #62 Posted **Jan 14, 2016, 10:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathan

What the actual F*#@!

Both Dressler and Chick were released.

What a

it's going to be in Ridernation!

Nathan · #63 Posted **Jan 14, 2016, 10:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robag

What a

it's going to be in Ridernation!

You can guess the top Twitter trends in Regina and Saskatoon... Almost all of them...

http://trendsmap.com/local/ca/regina

http://trendsmap.com/local/ca/saskatoon

SkydivePilot · #64 Posted **Jan 14, 2016, 10:38 PM**

WTF???!!!!!!!

HomerSPC · #65 Posted **Jan 14, 2016, 10:54 PM**

Excuse my language when I say

Fuck.

jigglysquishy · #66 Posted **Jan 14, 2016, 11:16 PM**

Chick just opened up a gym this week.

Low blow by the Riders.

Arts · #67 Posted **Jan 15, 2016, 3:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jigglysquishy

Chick just opened up a gym this week.

Low blow by the Riders.

Agreed, no regard for the loyalty those two particular players gave to rider nation. If Chris Jones assembles a team with less talent than the players he's let go, fans will be enraged and there will be empty seats and unsold tickets.

esquire · #68 Posted **Jan 15, 2016, 3:45 PM**

Is this not what you guys wanted? I mean, was it not clear to you that Jones is a swaggering jerk who happens to be really good at winning?

Tom Higgins was available if all you wanted was a nice guy.

Arts · #69 Posted **Jan 15, 2016, 3:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Is this not what you guys wanted? I mean, was it not clear to you that Jones is a swaggering jerk who happens to be really good at winning?

Tom Higgins was available if all you wanted was a nice guy.

If he gets us wins our angst will disappear, but seeing so much of the talent (which is proven to have championship capacity) just walk is causing much doubt in the choice of Chris Jones. He doesn't have to be nice, but could he at least acknowledge the value of loyalty by players and fans?

It's going to be an entirely brand new team except without the benefit of an expansion draft like Ottawa had. Hard to see how anyone could assemble a winning team in such a situation. I will not be surprised if we miss the playoffs for the next 4 or 5 years.

yeeg · #70 Posted **Jan 15, 2016, 4:08 PM**

Its called a business...Sh*t happens and you have to move on.

CoryB · #71 Posted **Jan 15, 2016, 4:21 PM**

Not a Rider fan but that was a pretty classless move by any organization. I know in Winnipeg as much as it was time to move on from Pierce for the good of the team he was still a much respected player here to the point fans chanted for BC to put him in when he returned here. For the good of the CFL I sincerely hope Chick and Dessler find new homes for this season, just not in Winnipeg!

Arts · #72 Posted **Jan 15, 2016, 4:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by yeeg

Its called a business...Sh*t happens and you have to move on.

I'm asserting that it's a bad business decision. Dressler was only one year into a 4 year contract. And they had a contract extension with Chick that would have kept him through this season. It's not saving any expenditures to let them go, but with all the rest of the gutting that is going on it likely will cost some revenues. Maybe Jones is taking rider nation for granted and assumes that a new roster will mean a ton of jersey sales with new names and numbers?

CoryB · #73 Posted **Jan 15, 2016, 6:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arts

I'm asserting that it's a bad business decision. Dressler was only one year into a 4 year contract. And they had a contract extension with Chick that would have kept him through this season.

I would think that releasing veterans with high dollar contracts will make it more difficult to sign established free agents. Player agents are likely to advise that regardless of contract length offered by the Riders to view any deal as ending when the season does. Personally if I was a free agent the Riders would be last on my list right now because of these moves. Contracts are supposed to offer both the players and the team some level of security.

Treesplease · #74 Posted **Jan 15, 2016, 6:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryB

Not a Rider fan but that was a pretty classless move by any organization. I know in Winnipeg as much as it was time to move on from Pierce for the good of the team he was still a much respected player here to the point fans chanted for BC to put him in when he returned here. For the good of the CFL I sincerely hope Chick and Dessler find new homes for this season, just not in Winnipeg!

It was time to move on from Pierce for the good of Pierce......Buck is a CTE diagnosis waiting to happen.

Treesplease · #75 Posted **Jan 15, 2016, 7:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryB

I would think that releasing veterans with high dollar contracts will make it more difficult to sign established free agents. Player agents are likely to advise that regardless of contract length offered by the Riders to view any deal as ending when the season does. Personally if I was a free agent the Riders would be last on my list right now because of these moves. Contracts are supposed to offer both the players and the team some level of security.

If the rumours of Dressler's and Chick's salaries and bonuses are to be believed they were going to be making $500k combined in 2016. Those are astonomical numbers for non-QB international players. I think Jones and Murphy had no choice given the poor salary management that Brendan Tamen saddled the team with. These cuts are on Taman - not Jones. Given the ease of replacing the two players with cheaper import alternatives (Lemon for Chick, the other short Smith guy for Dressler) - its a move that had to be made. I am saddened by this news and don't like it at all but the contracts left little choice.

I can't help but agree with Cory that these cuts will affect the riders contract negotiations going forward - players will demand upfront bonus money to play here. Supposedly Lemon got an upfront signing bonus of $85k (risky as hell for the riders). If I was a player knowing that contracts mean nothing for players long term (with any team, not just the riders) I would also seek as much up front money as possible.

esquire · #76 Posted **Jan 15, 2016, 7:25 PM**

^ Good point, Cory... this kind of swashbuckling could come back to bite the Riders. I mean, maybe the Eskimo FAs who want to follow Jones will overlook it, but players on other teams will tread cautiously.