Hamilton's History a Thing of the Past

It comes almost on queue. Nearly every time Hamilton signs a marquee player, as they did last week by signing Andy Fantuz, someone will inevitably bring up the names of Jason Mass, Casey Printers and Kenton Keith, the three biggest busts in recent Tiger-Cat history.

It is undeniable that these three (among some others) were spectacular failures during their time with the Tiger-Cats. They all came to the team with plenty of hype, but failed to live up to even a scintilla of that hype.

But, with the exception of Keith, it was a completely different front office that acquired these players. Current VP of Football Operations Bob O'Billovich took the job at the tail end of 2007, when Maas had already been jettisoned to Montreal and Printers was already in house. And while bringing in Keith proved to be a mistake, it was one of the few errors the front office has made since Obie's arrival. The list of players brought in since are unlikely to be called a bust by anyone. The list includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Kevin Glenn
• Dave Stala
• Otis Floyd
• Markeith Knowlton
• Arland Bruce
• Jamall Johnson
• Justin Medlock
• Rey Williams
• Alex Gauthier
• Dan Goodspeed
• Jason Jimenez
• Avon Cobourne
• Stevie Baggs

Every one of those players, at one time or another, performed at a high level while wearing a Tiger-Cat uniform. Their respective achievements speak for themselves. Markeith Knowlton was the 2010 Most Outstanding Defensive Player; Kevin Glenn broke many of Danny McManus' passing records in 2010; Arland Bruce provided the team with star-level production at Receiver, something that had not been seen since Darren Flutie retired; Dave Stala has not missed a game since his arrival (he missed plenty with the Alouettes), and has been one of the most reliable pass catchers in the entire league; Jamall Johnson is a perennial All-Star and ranks among the league leaders in tackles; Justin Medlock is, arguably, the best Kicker in the CFL; Stevie Baggs was a terror following his return from the NFL in 2010. I could go one, but you get the point.

Hamilton, like every team in every sport, has a history of bad moves. But it seems that Hamilton is the only team whose history gets thrown out as a storyline following every transaction. It's not that Hamilton hasn't made mistakes, they have, but that is only one half of the story. Without bringing up the names I listed, the story is incomplete.

What category Henry Burris, Martell Mallett and Andy Fantuz fall into won't be known for some time, but the belief that the Tiger-Cats spend big money only to be disappointed is a thing of the past.

The Secrecy of Player Salaries, Pt. 2 (Twitter Edition)

A recent debate has broken out on Twitter regarding publicizing player salaries. I have written previously on the subject but input from people who are directly impacted by disclosing salaries have given their opinions on the subject.

It all started when Sportsnet's Arash Madani sent out a tweet somewhat bemoaning the fact that the CFL does not release player salaries. Dave Naylor of TSN also weighed in. Both reporters feel as if the salaries should be made public.

Then things got interesting. First, it was Nikki Jimenez who agreed with me that salaries should be kept private. Then Kevin Glenn made his opinion known, which aligned with Mrs. Jimenez.

The arguments for disclosing salaries were the same we always hear: other leagues publicize their salaries so CFL should as well and fans pay the salaries so they have a right to know. I don't agree at all with either sentiment. For starters, just because other leagues do it doesn't mean every league has to. That is, quite honestly, a rather weak reason. Secondly, while fans may pay to watch the team and therefore contribute to players' salaries, teams like Hamilton lose money, which means fans aren't paying the whole freight. Also, just because your purchases help to offset cost doesn't grant you the right know what the employees make. Purchases made by Tim Horton's customers pay for those salaries, but you wouldn't dare walk into your local coffee shop and ask to know what the guy or gal behind the counter makes.

I'm not surprised at the stances taken by the respective groups; reporters want to know more and players (and their wives) want to keep their privacy. I also don't think either side is wrong, I just happen to side with Kevin Glenn and Nikki Jimenez.

I am sure this is an issue that will continue to spring up, but until a really strong reason for publicizing salaries is made – and that has yet to happen, in my opinion – the status quo is just fine. Players are people too, and just because they are talented enough to make a living in a high-profile profession, does not mean they lose the right to their financial privacy. I don't see how a fan's enjoyment of the game is enhanced by knowing what the players make. I understand that transparency is important, but so is individual privacy. On this issue, privacy should win out.

Ryan Hinds' Worthy Cause

The CFL players do untold amounts of charitable work, whether it be running football camps, doing stuff in the communities they play in or helping out in their hometowns. CFL players are as generous with their spare time as any athlete on the planet, and the league does an excellent job of recognizing the players' contributions off the field, and awards one such player at year's end with the Tom Pate Memorial Award at the annual CFL Awards banquet.

Ryan Hinds is just the latest to use his burgeoning stardom to give something back. Hinds has partnered up with the non-profit organization Guyana Help the Kids and has started his own blog to help spread the word. Guyanna Help the Kids does its charitable work in the field of health care, and Hinds will volunteer his time by going back to his home country with doctors from McMaster in March.

Stories like this don't make the headlines, and even when they are published they sometimes get overlooked. I hope Hinds finds as much success in this arena as he has on the football field.

What's Still Left to Do

It was a slow start to free agency for the Tiger-Cats, but the slew of signings on Friday and Saturday saw the team fill some holes and upgrade its talent.

But that doesn't mean the work is done for the Ti-Cats' front office; Hamilton still have some questions that need addressing.

First and foremost is either signing or parting ways with Kicker Justin Medlock. The former being much more preferable than the latter, but Hamilton has to decide one way or another what they are going to do with their kicking game. Bringing Medlock back should have been a priority before free agency started, but with his desire to try out for NFL teams, that was obviously not possible. Medlock seems open to returning, so the Cats need to get him signed. Now that the team has finished the bulk of their major free agent upgrades, it's time to focus heavily on bringing Medlock back for the 2012 season.

Many, including myself, expected the Cats to upgrade their young Secondary during free agency, but when the BC Lions decide to sign almost every available Defensive Back, the Cats were left with few options. They could still go after Brandon Isaac, Mark Estelle or Tad Kornegay, but I get the feeling the team will stand pat.

The team signed Offensive Lineman Tim O'Neill and Defensive Lineman Greg Peach, but some more help along the lines is probably still needed. Not to start – both Lines look to have their units set – but for depth. That could come in the form of American free agent camps or the draft (or last year's draft picks, like Offensive Lineman Moe Petrus), so unless someone like Rob Murphy, Taylor Robertson or Alex Buzbee agree to sign for cheap, the Cats are likely done exploring the open market for help along the lines.

The Tiger-Cats have already made a lot of changes as we inch closer to the start of the 2012 regular season and more changes are sure to come. The team has done a lot, but there is still more left to do.

Eiben Officially a Tiger-Cat

After 11 season, Kevin Eiben has traded his Double Blue for some Black & Gold, as the team made his signing official today.

Eiben had been linked to the Cats since the opening day of free agency, and he brings a wealth of experience to his new team.

Despite where his football home was over the last decade, I have always liked Eiben. He was a great player for Toronto, and even though he is at the tail end of his career, he still has a lot left to give. He won't be a starter – the Linebacking corps is set – but he will probably see some time on Defense. Where he will make the most impact is on Special Teams.

Eiben's addition also helps Hamilton add to its Canadian depth. If Ray Mariuz retires again, Eiben can slide right into his role. If Mariuz returns, the Cats are in even better shape.

Any way you slice it, Eiben's signing is very good news.