Darian Durant Out For Season, Conveniently For Tiger-Cats

Sportsnet's Arash Madani just reported on his Twitter feed @arashmadani: "BREAKING: The #Riders announce QB Darian Durant suffered a torn tendon in his right elbow that will require surgery. Season likely over."

That's obviously not good for the Riders, but good for the Ticats who are playing Regina at home on Sunday. Apparently the Rider backup is some guy named Tino. The Cats have managed to screw up a lot of games they had a chance to win this year (like last week against Montreal). Let's hope they don't look this gift horse in the mouth and step on their throats.

Arash Madani Article on the 2014 CFL Collective Bargaining

This article by Arash Madani about the impasse between the CFL and the CFLPA for their next contract is required reading. Interesting that Madani works at Sportsnet and yet is probably the best reporter on the CFL beat.

One item I found interesting from the article was about practice rosters:

"2) Expanded practice rosters and injured lists. While presently, practice rosters are expanded after NFL cuts in September, the league wants more players at the $600/week stipend, which would provide more competition to usurp more expensive veterans."

Never would have occurred to me that players wouldn't want expanded practice rosters, but I suppose as a vet I could see their perspective. Personally I like the idea of expanded practice rosters for non-imports, so that more Canadian players are getting experience practicing rather than waiting at home for injuries to strike.

Every team having a few more Canadian receivers and linemen on the practice roster would increase Canadian depth in the CFL.