CFL 2024

[bone]

I’m not sure I want to go as far as saying the mess started under Rhodes because it didn’t but some of the really bizarre stuff started during his tenure. Taking money out of the football budget to pay for has been musical acts at the game was one. That was the start of when they seemed to forget football was the reason they were there at all.
The other one that I think really hurt the team was when Jones decided the players needed to be separated from the fans and he canceled the kids day thing at K days that the team had been doing for decades. To me that sent the message that this wasn’t a community team anymore and that’s when fans started losing connection with the players.
They made money during those Rhodes years but only because they were flush with cash when he started. IMO, it was his policies that created many of the reasons fans stopped going.

And signing off on the Ricky Ray trade is up there as well.

Well said. I'd agree it started before him (ie. the Tillman hire). Probably should have said moreso that he left the team in a worse spot than he got it, but so did his predecessor.

 

[timekeep]

I’m not sure I want to go as far as saying the mess started under Rhodes because it didn’t but some of the really bizarre stuff started during his tenure. Taking money out of the football budget to pay for has been musical acts at the game was one. That was the start of when they seemed to forget football was the reason they were there at all.
The other one that I think really hurt the team was when Jones decided the players needed to be separated from the fans and he canceled the kids day thing at K days that the team had been doing for decades. To me that sent the message that this wasn’t a community team anymore and that’s when fans started losing connection with the players.
They made money during those Rhodes years but only because they were flush with cash when he started. IMO, it was his policies that created many of the reasons fans stopped going.

Rhodes had some success with short term thinking and those decisions but he was terrible for customer service and what about the paying fans. I do agree that it started before him though as well, they abandoned the local youth football programs. I can't remember if it was him and Hervey were shooting off their yaps with the CDMFA, saying how come they didn't more support from the league and organizations from all the money they gave the league. And they had to be reminded that didn't give anything.

Rhodes took his season ticket holders for granted.

 

[bone]

Tre's back??? Granted the source is a radio guy, but he worked for the Elks as recently as September, so I'd suspect a pretty good source.

 

[bellagiobob]

Tre's back??? Granted the source is a radio guy, but he worked for the Elks as recently as September, so I'd suspect a pretty good source.

Yup, three year deal. Great news.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Tre's back??? Granted the source is a radio guy, but he worked for the Elks as recently as September, so I'd suspect a pretty good source.

Its a done deal. 3yrs. This is what the fans wanted.

 

[Gordy Elbows]

F

Tre's back??? Granted the source is a radio guy, but he worked for the Elks as recently as September, so I'd suspect a pretty good source

Fantastic! Nice that it’s a 3 year deal too!
Since Larry Thompson took over, every announcement has been good news and geared to the fans.

 

[Arty Spooners Bsmnt]

The elks sign Tre Ford for three years. I renewed my season tickets for next year today. Coincidence, maybe.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Salvaging the relationship with ford is huge.

 

[K1984]

Rhodes had some success with short term thinking and those decisions but he was terrible for customer service and what about the paying fans. I do agree that it started before him though as well, they abandoned the local youth football programs. I can't remember if it was him and Hervey were shooting off their yaps with the CDMFA, saying how come they didn't more support from the league and organizations from all the money they gave the league. And they had to be reminded that didn't give anything.

Rhodes took his season ticket holders for granted.

I think the slow transition from the "Eskimo Way" to the bottom of the barrel organization we have now started when Maciocia took over for Tom Higgins. That little troll is the football equivalent of Rasputin, and he elbowed his way up to the top.

With that came a departure of competent management, a megalomaniac with little man syndrome and a chip on his shoulder calling the shots, and ultimately the departure of Lalalcheur (who isn't great, but way better than what we ended up with) to be replaced by Rhodes. We did end up winning again, but the organization just never felt the same after that little worm was handed the keys to the castle.

 

[timekeep]

I think the slow transition from the "Eskimo Way" to the bottom of the barrel organization we have now started when Maciocia took over for Tom Higgins. That little troll is the football equivalent of Rasputin, and he elbowed his way up to the top.

With that came a departure of competent management, a megalomaniac with little man syndrome and a chip on his shoulder calling the shots, and ultimately the departure of Lalalcheur (who isn't great, but way better than what we ended up with) to be replaced by Rhodes. We did end up winning again, but the organization just never felt the same after that little worm was handed the keys to the castle.

Dany M was a great person and a football fan, somehow he turned that into a HC and GM at the professional level. That hiring turned away allot football knowing fans.

 

[Cloned]

Looking forward to Ford being the deserved starter. Finally.

 

[rboomercat90]

And signing off on the Ricky Ray trade is up there as well.

Well said. I'd agree it started before him (ie. the Tillman hire). Probably should have said moreso that he left the team in a worse spot than he got it, but so did his predecessor.

I forgot Rhodes was already here when Tillman traded Ray. I didn’t think he went back quite that far. Isn’t it funny how the Board always managed to bring in somebody brand new every time they were about to do something controversial? Something about useful idiots and scapegoats, I guess.

 

[rboomercat90]

I think the slow transition from the "Eskimo Way" to the bottom of the barrel organization we have now started when Maciocia took over for Tom Higgins. That little troll is the football equivalent of Rasputin, and he elbowed his way up to the top.

With that came a departure of competent management, a megalomaniac with little man syndrome and a chip on his shoulder calling the shots, and ultimately the departure of Lalalcheur (who isn't great, but way better than what we ended up with) to be replaced by Rhodes. We did end up winning again, but the organization just never felt the same after that little worm was handed the keys to the castle.

I agree with all this.
One thing I’ve never been clear on though is how DM ended up here in the first place. He sure didn’t have the traditional roots that almost all the other coaches we’ve seen in the league have had. Who was it that wanted him and vouched for him in the first place? I can’t imagine it was Hugh Campbell who never seemed like much of a guy for off the board hires. Seems even less likely in hindsight too with the way DM went behind his back to take over.

 

[guymez]

Rhodes had some success with short term thinking and those decisions but he was terrible for customer service and what about the paying fans. I do agree that it started before him though as well, they abandoned the local youth football programs. I can't remember if it was him and Hervey were shooting off their yaps with the CDMFA, saying how come they didn't more support from the league and organizations from all the money they gave the league. And they had to be reminded that didn't give anything.

Rhodes took his season ticket holders for granted.

Len "winning isnt enough" Rhodes.

What a piece of work he was.

A look back....
https://3downnation.com/2017/04/09/len-rhodes-wrong-fire-ed-hervey/

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[Stoneman89]

F

Fantastic! Nice that it’s a 3 year deal too!
Since Larry Thompson took over, every announcement has been good news and geared to the fans.

No kidding. LT has turned out to be the best move this organization has made for about a decade or more. Right now, he's rolling a bunch of 7's. Plus he has a relatively hot wife.

Now change the name back please.

 

[MoontoScott]

Yup, three year deal. Great news.

I won't say I called it

 

[brentashton]

Very detailed article on the entire demise, sale and now rebuild of the Elks.

The StarPhoenix ePaper

The StarPhoenix ePaper offers current issues of The StarPhoenix ePaper.

epaper.thestarphoenix.com

 

[joestevens29]

That’s a lot of money for an unproven player

 

[abootzky]

That’s a lot of money for an unproven player...

...on a typical CFL non-guaranteed deal which mitigates but doesn't completely eliminate the risk. They gave the vast majority of the people still following the EE what they wanted. I will be renewing my tickets asap - sooner than I have any year since 1997. After their disastrous home & home vs WPG in late-September, I was sad, angry and about 95% out for next season. Kudos to the organization for turning me back around so quickly. A little hope goes a long way, apparently.

 

[MoontoScott]

...on a typical CFL non-guaranteed deal which mitigates but doesn't completely eliminate the risk. They gave the vast majority of the people still following the EE what they wanted. I will be renewing my tickets asap - sooner than I have any year since 1997. After their disastrous home & home vs WPG in late-September, I was sad, angry and about 95% out for next season. Kudos to the organization for turning me back around so quickly. A little hope goes a long way, apparently.

The deal makes good sense for both parties.

Despite all the negative publicity around the team, Edmonton is still a great place to play.

A storied history, a beautiful stadium and (as players have said) NFL style facilities inside. The team also has a renewed vision.

The city is also much more affordable than Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver where housing prices and cost of living are out of sight.

Let's say that Ford makes $400k during the season. After tax that will be around 265K unless he can transfer some income to his spouse (if has one?). If you want to convert the Northern peso to USA dollars then that 265K (with an exchange rate of 40%) becomes about 160K. Not huge bucks in today's world and who knows where the Canabuck will bottom out. So not big buying power.

I like people I've met from Regina and Hamilton but not sure I would want to live/play there. The Stampeders are struggling now and already have a new #1 QB. So he looked around and made a smart move. The EE were his best option.

From the team's perspective you now have someone you can market--a center-piece. People around town know his name. Free agents will also see this as a positive for the franchise and will be more inclined to sign here.

My biggest concern is that he tends to be injury prone but as Hervey says he will have to work harder at protecting himself and that can be taught (to some extent). The truth is that every CFL QB is one tackle away from having his season end.

So the franchise survives and possibly has a #1 QB for a decade. I'm excited for the future.

 

[Stoneman89]

...on a typical CFL non-guaranteed deal which mitigates but doesn't completely eliminate the risk. They gave the vast majority of the people still following the EE what they wanted. I will be renewing my tickets asap - sooner than I have any year since 1997. After their disastrous home & home vs WPG in late-September, I was sad, angry and about 95% out for next season. Kudos to the organization for turning me back around so quickly. A little hope goes a long way, apparently.

I won't be getting season's tickets (used to have them for many many years, but at the stage in my life where we spend a lot of weekends at our seasonal, etc), but I do plan on taking in some games now for sure. Well done LT, I am jacked!

 

[Cloned]

No kidding. LT has turned out to be the best move this organization has made for about a decade or more. Right now, he's rolling a bunch of 7's. Plus he has a relatively hot wife.

Now change the name back please.

They’re probably gonna end up with Esks. A good compromise.

 

[Heavy Dee]

They’re probably gonna end up with Esks. A good compromise.

It's a bad compromise. It only soothes some old fans like you and I. Does nothing to relate to new fans. Keep it as Elks.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

It's a bad compromise. It only soothes some old fans like you and I. Does nothing to relate to new fans. Keep it as Elks.

how does elks relate to new fans more than esks?