The Canadian Football League’s British Columbia Lions are in a timeout, have had their allowance suspended and won’t get dessert for a week.
I’m Dave Thomas, and last week the CFL announced that the B.C. Lions were one of four teams to go over the salary cap last season. The Leos blew by the league’s $5.525-million cap by nearly $348,000.
Our CFL insider Farhan Lalji broke down the overage on the Cage.
“This all is the result of bringing back Nathan Rourke and Matthieu Betts last year, and the owner was going all in, and he knew what the pain would look like, but I think their hope was they could manage and move some things around that could at least keep it under $300,000. That way, the fines are a little less, could be under half a million in fines, and they only lose one pick.”
Therefore, the Lions must pay a $643,000 fine and surrender two draft picks. Where those picks go has Farhan’s eyebrows raised.
“How does Calgary get two top ten picks? What did they do to deserve two extra top ten picks? However, the PA (players' association) didn't want the picks to be lost.
“They wanted the same number of guys drafted, so to me the logical solution is to have everybody elevate a spot up, and then take those two picks and put them at the end of the draft,” according to Lalji.
“That way everybody, except the offending team, like I wouldn't move the Lions up, but all the other teams kind of move up one spot, and they all get a slight benefit as a result of what the Lions have done.”
You can hear the entire conversation at SportsCage.com.
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