ODELL WILLIS, JERRELL GAVINS FINED
TORONTO – The Canadian Football League has fined Ottawa RedBlacks defensive back Jerrell Gavins for a late and low hit on Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Drew Willy last week.
The amount of the fine wasn’t released but the league said it was for the maximum amount allowed.
“This type of play has absolutely no place in our game,” CFL commissioner Mark Cohon said in a statement. “It was unnecessary, extremely dangerous and will not be tolerated.”
Gavins was flagged on the play.
The league also fined Edmonton Eskimos defensive lineman Odell Willis for delivering a high hit on Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Zach Collaros. Following an extensive video review, it was concluded that there was evidence of contact to the neck area.
“We have stressed to players and officials alike the importance of protecting the health and safety of our players in general, and the health and safety of quarterbacks in particular, as the game often puts them in exposed positions,” Cohon said. “Creating a culture of player health and safety is paramount to the Canadian Football League.”
It was also determined that Willis should have been flagged on the play.
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HAMILTON, Ont. – The Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ new stadium will not be ready in time to host the team’s first two home games of the season.
The team confirmed in a release Monday that the games scheduled at Tim Hortons Field July 26 against Ottawa and July 31 against Winnipeg will be moved to McMaster University’s Ron Joyce Stadium due to construction delays.
`”Today’s meeting with Toronto 2015, Infrastructure Ontario, ONSS and the City of Hamilton has made it clear that it would not be possible to safely deliver a game experience that would meet our standards within the current timeframe,” Ticats CEO Scott Mitchell said in a release. “As a result, we will now host our first two home games at Ron Joyce Stadium.
“After holding our home pre-season game on campus last month, we know that we can deliver an outstanding entertainment experience at McMaster. In the coming weeks, we will have greater certainty regarding our August 16 game, but the builders remain adamant that Tim Hortons Field will be ready no later than Labour Day.”
Tim Hortons Field will also serve as a key venue for next year’s Toronto Pan Am and Parapan Games.
It’s been a long time since the Ticats have been able to play in their own stadium. They spent the entirety of last season at the University of Guelph while their new stadium was under construction.
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TORONTO – The Toronto Argonauts were handed some tough news on the injury front Monday as slotback Andre Durie has a broken clavicle and teammate Shea Emry has a concussion.
Head coach Scott Milanovich provided the injury update at the team’s practice session at York University.
Durie, from Mississauga, Ont., is expected to be out of the lineup for six weeks. It wasn’t immediately clear how long Emry will be out.
In two games this season, Durie has 10 catches for 130 yards and two rushes for 18 yards. He suffered the injury late in Saturday’s 48-15 home win over Saskatchewan.
Durie had 92 catches last season for 986 yards.
Emry, a veteran linebacker in his first season with Toronto, has six tackles this season. He was also hurt in Saturday’s game.
The Richmond, B.C., native had 46 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions last season with Montreal.
The Argonauts are tied for first place in the CFL East Division after splitting their first two games.
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EDMONTON – Edmonton Eskimos defensive tackle Don Oramasionwu is out for the rest of the CFL season after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee.
In addition, offensive lineman Thaddeus Coleman is out indefinitely with a dislocated right elbow, the team said Monday in a release.
Both players were hurt in Edmonton’s 28-24 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday.
The Eskimos have won their first two games and are tied with Winnipeg for first place in the CFL West Division.
Swayze, Swayze Waters, king of the CFL.
I really feel for players paid to hit and hit hard and fast. Then told to stop in mid flight, go two inches lower if the QB lowers his head two inches etc. Understand why but still feel for those guys.
I was never a Willis fan even when he was with the Riders but he got robbed in this deal. Not one bit impressed with Cohon's touch football rules.
YEAH THE WILLIS HIT DIDN'T SEEM DIRTY… IT IS FOOTBALL AFTER ALL… IT ISN'T LIKE HE WENT STRAIGHT FOR THE HEAD