Tired of political scandals? Here's a little bit of sports scandal from Redmonton.
The Edmonton Eskimos in the worst kept secret in the world had mid season traded their former star QB Jason Maas to the Hamilton Ti-Cats. But they got to keep him for the rest of the season because Hamilton didn't make the play-offs.
Everyone knew Maas was leaving, but the Edmonton sports media hushed it up. No analysis not before the Grey Cup. No siree. But now all is over, a month has past and now the real story can be told. Funny that.
Edmonton Sun sports writer Robert Tychkowski has a great take on this in today's Sun, which I thought was worth quoting in full.
Cause all this could have been said earlier, but it shows the corporate pull that a sports team can have in a city, politically over the media, whom it expects to be its biggest booster. Which does little justice for the fans,the players, the team or the league.
Free trade agreement
It's not easy looking bad in a year when you hoist the Grey Cup, but Eskimos management found a way. A team that pocketed about $6 million for selling the Trappers out from under Edmonton started the season by letting Sean Fleming pay $15,000 out of his own pocket to keep Ed Hervey in town. Classy. They did win a title, but only after a "trade'' that wouldn't have passed the BS test in a weekend pickup league. Unable to find a running back on their own, or protect their quarterback, the Esks got a 1,000-yard rusher and a starting Canadian O-lineman for free (since Hamilton wasn't making the playoffs, they let Edmonton keep Jason Maas and Edmonton's side of the package as insurance for the Cup run). It's like the Leafs trading Mats Sundin and Bryan McCabe to Calgary for Jarome Iginla, then letting Calgary keep Iginla until after the playoffs. CFL commissioner Tom Wright, reading from Green and Gold cue cards, approves the deal. The Esks, with Maas, bolstered pass protection and a new running back, win a Grey Cup. The league loses a little dignity.
Tags
sports
CFL
Edmonton Eskimos
Jason Maas
football
Grey Cup
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