HERVEY FINED, STUBLER TO ARGOS, WATSON RE-SIGNED

TORONTO – The Canadian Football League announced today it has fined Edmonton Eskimos Vice President, Football Operations and General Manager Ed Hervey $1,500 for comments which bring the league into disrepute.

In his post-season news conference on Wednesday, Hervey said that all teams in the CFL are guilty of tampering including his Eskimos.

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TORONTO – The Toronto Argonauts have named veteran coach Rich Stubler defensive co-ordinator, marking his third stint with the CFL club.

Stubler comes from Calgary where he held the same title with the Stampeders. He replaces Casey Creehan, whose contract was not be renewed.

“Rich Stubler is a veteran coach who is an excellent defensive strategist,” Argonauts head coach Scott Milanovich said in a statement Thursday.

Stubler thanked the Stampeders for allowing him to make the move to be closer to his wife’s family. Still, new Stamps coach Dave Dickenson clearly hoped to retain Stubler saying the move to Toronto came “unexpectedly.”

Stubler, a five-time Grey Cup winner who has coached 28 years in the CFL, also spent time in Toronto in 1990 and from 2003 to 2008. He was defensive co-ordinator from 2003 to 2007, leading a stingy unit that sent 19 defensive players to the CFL all-star team and 27 defensive players to the East Division squad.

He was briefly head coach of the Argonauts in 2008, when he was fired after going 4-6.

Stubler began his CFL coaching career in 1983 with Hamilton. He spent one season as defensive co-ordinator for the Argonauts before joining the Edmonton Eskimos for five seasons. He spent two years as defensive co-ordinator at the University of Oregon, rejoining the Eskimos before moving on to B.C., Toronto and Calgary.

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EDMONTON – The Edmonton Eskimos avoided free agency with Canadian slotback Cory Watson on Thursday by signing him to a contract extension through the 2017 season.

Watson had 42 catches for 319 yards and three touchdowns last season.

He added two catches for 26 yards last Sunday in the Eskimos’ Grey Cup victory over the Ottawa Redblacks.

Watson, a native of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., is a six-year CFL veteran.

(With files from the Canadian Press)