As he collected another CFL outstanding player award, Bo Levi Mitchell had a not-so-subtle message for the league and its players: Get a deal done.
The Calgary Stampeders quarterback was named the CFLB次元官网网址檚 top player Thursday night during the leagueB次元官网网址檚 awards banquet at the Winspear Centre.
The CFL and CFL PlayersB次元官网网址� Association will begin talks this off-season on a new collective bargaining agreement. The present deal expires in May 2019.
Negotiations the last time around were testy before a deal was eventually hammered out. This upcoming round is expected to again be contentious with the union already unhappy the league wonB次元官网网址檛 be giving players signing bonuses until after a new deal is reached.
B次元官网网址淚 think I can speak for every single person here,B次元官网网址� Mitchell said. B次元官网网址漈o the CFL, to the CFLPA: Get the damn thing signed.
B次元官网网址淚 think we agree we want something fair, so does the league. I stand strong with my brothers in the union and I want us to get the best deal we can but I also want to see a deal signed and this league up and running as fast as possible.B次元官网网址�
Balloting was conducted by members of the Football Reporters of Canada and the nine CFL head coaches. A total of 60 voters participated.
MitchellB次元官网网址檚 first top player award came in 2016. But his focus is firmly on the Grey Cup game Sunday when Calgary faces the Ottawa Redblacks.
The Stampeders are in the title game for a third straight year but are 0-2 over that span. Mitchell led Calgary to a CFL championship in 2014.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e judged, first and foremost, by championships,B次元官网网址� Mitchell said. B次元官网网址淚 believe winning a Grey Cup wonB次元官网网址檛 be revenge or redemption for the last couple of years but it will build on a legacy that this organization has put together over decades of work.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be an amazing feeling if we can get that done as a team.B次元官网网址�
Mitchell, 28, had a CFL-high B次元官网网址� and career-best B次元官网网址� 35 TD passes in leading Calgary (league-best 13-5 record) atop the West Division.
The Katy, Tex., native threw for 5,124 yards. He also had 42 completions of 30-plus yards and a TD-to-interception ratio of 2.5, both league bests.
Mitchell received 47 first-place votes to become the ninth multiple winner in CFL history. HeB次元官网网址檚 also the second-youngest to accomplish the feat as Jackie Parker won his second in 1958 at age 26.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, the CFLB次元官网网址檚 second-leading passer with 5,209 yards, was the finalist.
Winnipeg linebacker Adam Bighill claimed top defensive player honours. The five-foot-10, 230-pound Blue Bomber received 57 first-place votes for his second award after winning in 2015 with the B.C. Lions.
Bighill had 105 tackles, four sacks two interceptions and a CFL-high four forced fumbles in his first season with Winnipeg. Bighill spent the B次元官网网址�17 campaign with the NFLB次元官网网址檚 New Orleans Saints and thanked former B.C. head coach Wally Buono for giving him his chance to play professionally.
B次元官网网址淵ou see the best football players on the field in the CFL,B次元官网网址� Bighill said. B次元官网网址淒own south I canB次元官网网址檛 say thatB次元官网网址檚 always the case.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a fact guys can play football and get the opportunity to play here and do great things. I think thatB次元官网网址檚 truly a special part of the game up here.B次元官网网址�
Bighill is the first Bomber to win the award since Jovan Johnson in 2011 and the ninth to claim multiple honours.
Hamilton linebacker Larry Dean, who had a career-high 105 tackles, was the finalist.
Ottawa players captured three honours, including two for kicker Lewis Wards (rookie, special teams). Slotback Brad Sinopoli was top Canadian.
Ward made 51-of-52 field goals (league-record 98.1 per cent), including a pro football-record 48 straight that will carry over into 2019. The undrafted Kingston, Ont., native earned 50 first-place votes in rookie balloting and 43 for the special-teams honour.
B次元官网网址淢y big thing for people who want to pursue their goals is donB次元官网网址檛 quit,B次元官网网址� Ward said. B次元官网网址淛ust because it doesnB次元官网网址檛 happen when you want it to doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean it canB次元官网网址檛.
B次元官网网址淭he easiest way doesnB次元官网网址檛 always last the longest so youB次元官网网址檝e got to put the work in and do the hard work that it takes.B次元官网网址�
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Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Jordan Williams-Lambert was the rookie finalist while B.C. Lions kicker Ty Long was the special-teams runner-up.
Sinopoli, of Peterborough, Ont., earned his second top Canadian award after winning in 2015. He had 116 catches B次元官网网址� a single-season record for a Canadian B次元官网网址� for 1,376 receiving yards with four TDs as Ottawa (11-7) finished atop the East Division.
Sinopoli, who received 32 first-place votes, has cracked the 1,000-yard plateau the last four seasons. Not too shabby for a player who reverted to receiver after winning the Hec Crighton Trophy as a quarterback.
B次元官网网址淚t was a tough pill to swallow when someone tells you youB次元官网网址檙e not good enough to do something youB次元官网网址檝e obviously been doing for a while,B次元官网网址� Sinopoli said. B次元官网网址淏ut in football the biggest lesson is when someone asks you to do something B次元官网网址� really try to own that role.
B次元官网网址淭hings usually blossom from that.B次元官网网址�
WinnipegB次元官网网址檚 Andrew Harris, last yearB次元官网网址檚 winner and the CFLB次元官网网址檚 top rusher for a second straight season, was the finalist.
Bombers tackle Stanley Bryant earned the top lineman award for the second consecutive year. He registered 44 first-place votes to become the first multiple winner since MontrealB次元官网网址檚 Scott Flory (2008-09).
B次元官网网址淚 really donB次元官网网址檛 know what to say,B次元官网网址� Bryant said. B次元官网网址淭his is just a really big honour.
B次元官网网址淭o get it back to back is a surprise but it shows hard work pays off. IB次元官网网址檓 part of one of the best groups in the CFL.B次元官网网址�
The six-foot-five, 311-pound Bryant anchored a Winnipeg line that paved the way for Harris (CFL-best 1,390 rushing yards. The Bombers also scored a league-high 53 offensive touchdowns and allowed 36 sacks, tied for third-fewest overall.
Hamilton guard Brandon Revenberg was the finalist.
SaskatchewanB次元官网网址檚 Chris Jones claimed top coach honours with 41 first-place votes. OttawaB次元官网网址檚 Rick Campbell, the B次元官网网址�15 winner, was the finalist.
In his third season with the Riders, Jones led the franchise to a 12-6 record and second-place finish in the West Division. That matched the most victories for the franchise since 1970 and earned Saskatchewan its first home playoff game since 2013.
Jones is the first Rider coach to win the award since Corey Chamblin in 2013. He credited his coaching staff and players for the honour.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e just got a really really good group (of coaches) thatB次元官网网址檚 dedicated to each other,B次元官网网址� Jones said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e like brothers, they fight like brothers but when we walk out of the room weB次元官网网址檙e together.
B次元官网网址淥ur players, we work them B次元官网网址� they put the work in.B次元官网网址�
Pierre Vercheval, a former CFL top lineman and Canadian Football Hall of Famer whoB次元官网网址檚 now broadcasting football, received the CommissionerB次元官网网址檚 Award for outstanding contribution to Canadian football. Buono, who retired at seasonB次元官网网址檚 end, claimed the Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership award.
Buono, 68, spent 46 CFL seasons a player, coach, GM and league governor. The Canadian Football Hall of Famer and member of the Order of Canada won a record 282 regular-season wins and seven Grey Cups, five as a coach.
B次元官网网址淔ootball is a game that you get paid to win,B次元官网网址� Buono said. B次元官网网址淭herefore in 46 years IB次元官网网址檝e only been a winner seven times.
B次元官网网址淚 have no complaints other than I didnB次元官网网址檛 win enough Grey Cups. Other than that, I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 do anything different. IB次元官网网址檝e been very blessed.B次元官网网址�
Edmonton Eskimos long-snapper Ryan King received the Tom Pate Award, given annually by the CFLPA for sportsmanship and community service. B.C. fullback Rolly Lumbala claimed the Jacke Gaudaur VeteransB次元官网网址� Trophy for exemplifying the qualities of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 veterans.
By Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
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