CFLPA DISAPPOINTED IN AUSTIN RULING
Stoney Creek, ON — The CFL Players’ Association is disappointed in the disciplinary action the CFL and the Commissioner have imposed upon Kent Austin with respect to an incident involving one of our Players.
Actions like these need to be addressed and deterred from happening in the future as they bring both the Players and the CFL into disrepute. It is unacceptable for a Head Coach and General Manager to go out of his way to have intentional unwarranted physical contact with a Player.
From our perspective, the Player would be facing a suspension should the roles have been reversed. In the absence of a suspension, the Player would be subject to a possible fine equal to one half of their weekly game salary.
It is our opinion that the disciplinary action taken by the Commissioner is not consistent with the disciplinary action imposed upon our Players in the past.
The CFL Players’ Association feels very strongly about this issue and want to covey both our disappointment in the imposed sanction and our continued support of all our Players.
Scott Flory
President CFLPA
I'm disappointed in the CFL this year, but nobody cares.
Flory is right!
Take half a game cheque away from Austin like they did with Randy Richards!
At first I was annoyed with Flory over this. Now I'm hoping he upsets Kent so much that him and Eric flee to Saskatchewan so we can rebuild with people who know what they are doing.
Give me a break Flory. A player would not be suspended for that and a fine of $5000 is likely a full week's salary (or more) for Austin given he is coaching 52 weeks a year and not paid on a game by game basis. It was not right, but the fine was an appropriate punishment.
Agree with Flory, and for the last anonymous wah, wah, wah.
Flory is absolutely right on that point. If the tables had been reversed the penalty would have been far greater, and that's not fair at any level of justice or decency. Austin is very fortunate that a player didn't react and come around swinging. He may have found himself in the ICU. What the league did was set a precedent for this type of action should a player ever bump into an opposing coach deliberately. Knowing it only costs 5K, i'm sure it's in the cards some day. It was a classless act from a guy who has got away… Read more »
That should be a one game suspension and a much bigger fine. A coach should be held to a much higher standard than a player. He is supposed to be an example.
He was also disappointed in the collective agreement he tried to negotiate until Cohon took him and the CFLPA to the woodshed. Next time Scott here's some advice. Don't assume you have everyone on the same page, and understand rookies and guys that are backups will play for half the money. Next time get 7 out of 9 starting QBs on your side, and 85% of all the Canadians. All the CFL has to do is wait it out, and if I were the CFL I'd start with dropping the ratio to 5 and watch how fast the rest of… Read more »
Flory is bang on. If a player went out of his way to physically shove a coach, suspension for sure.
With the high regard that many of his followers have for him it would seem that the only solution is to crucify him.
It is not Flory's place to complain about an internal matter.
If you watched the game you saw Kent doing a slow burn for most of it. He is not a pleasant man on the sidelines and I am shocked he has kept his job this long. As a coach and a person I would take Corey Chamblin over Kent Austin anytime. The internal problems Corey had were that of a losing team and yet he maintained his professionalism through it all. A few harsh quips at media persons who ask really dumb questions does not make him a bad Coach. Rude ignorant abusive behaviour from a Coach who most likely… Read more »
No room for immensely dumb losers around here, pack your bags and join Chamblin/Taman immediately. LOSER !
Totally agree with Scott on this. Austin has a huge ego problem. As GM and head coach he should be held doubly accountable.
Hey hey hey hey, what's all the concern over there in "dum"skiville riderville where you can't get right. You need to mind your own business as your team far away from the moon as is a hawk in flight.
I think Flory should spend more time focusing on how bad his offence is at the University of Saskatchewan
Once again Scott Flory I mean "Lying Scott Flory" shows no class.
After seeing the video of this I am wondering what on earth was Austin Thinking? I thought the $5,000 was sufficient but after hearing the comparison to Randy Richards, I agree Austin's fine should have been at the same level. Coaches have to be held to the highest standard much higher than player and what he did was totally assinine.
Scott "The Cave Skull" Flory
He the man who got takin to the cleaners, and he's still representing?
Taken to the cleaners big-time