Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

[Nanookster]

.................another player is taken by that bush league.

What a joke, he is under contract.

[Esks4ever]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

thats happening alot IIRC Winnipeg lost s Dlinemen recently..




The CFL has to address this ASAP... course it would help if we had a commish.

[Deathsdoorstep]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

It would help if the CFL itself wasn't a total effin bush league itself. Don't get me wrong, I love the game, and I support my team....but the CFL is a joke league. Worst officiating in sports. MLS players make more money. Board of Governors that acts like they star on "As the World Turns"....on and on. It's an effin joke. But sometimes I think my support of the CFL is run on sentiment sometimes. Plus, last year's on-field product across the league was the worst in memory.

[Esks4ever]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

A jumpy feelingUnder contract to Esks, Craver joins AFL
By JONATHAN HUNTINGTON, EDMONTON SUN




Keyuo Craver is right in the middle of another controversy.

Already carrying some ugly baggage - an NFL suspension for substance abuse and the notoriety for being burned for Milt Stegall's miracle touchdown - Craver has jumped to the Arena Football League, even though he's under contract to the Edmonton Eskimos.

"I have obligations I need to support financially and I wasn't getting it done up there (in Canada)," said Craver, who has two children. "I needed to take care of some issues off the field."

So, he has signed a one-year contract - worth an estimated $50,000 US, plus living expenses - with the Arizona Rattlers of the AFL.

"I didn't even want to do this, but I just can't sit and wait," continued the defensive back, who was making an estimated $40,000 with the Eskimos last year.





Although the deal is just making headlines now, the transaction actually occurred just before Christmas.

The Eskimos are taking the political high road, allowing the league to handle the case at the moment.

"Michael Copeland (COO of the CFL) is dealing with it right now," said Eskimo head coach Danny Maciocia. "Let's see what the results are."

The Eskimos believe that when they sign players, they become their property. The Green and Gold aren't alone in this sticky situation.

LOST TWO PLAYERS

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have lost two players - QB Ryan Dinwiddie and stud DL Ron Warner - to the AFL this off-season, even though they were under contract.

"If a player signs a contract with a CFL team, he is legally bound to honour it," said CFL spokesman Perry Lefko.

"If he violates that agreement, he can be sued for breach."

However, it appears cooler heads are prevailing between the two leagues.

"Executives from the CFL and AFL are working together to resolve this situation with positive, ongoing, constructive dialogue that is mutually beneficial to both leagues.

"The intent (of the talks) would be to establish a working framework that would be beneficial for both leagues."

UP TO PLAYER

In his option year with the Eskimos, Craver believes players should be able to leave the CFL for the AFL, like the arrangement with the NFL.

"I think it should be up to the player," he said.

But besides wanting money to meet untold bills, there appears to be more motivation behind this move, even though Craver isn't admitting it publicly.

"He wants to get back to the NFL and certainly we think we can give him an opportunity to get to that next level again," said Rattlers' head coach Gene Nudo.

"We obviously scouted him in college (at Nebraska). He was one of the best players in the country at his position.

"And when he went to the NFL, we thought we would never see him again."

But three violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy led to a one-year suspension in 2004, which led to his arrival in Canada.

And although he's now bolted from the Eskimos for another opportunity, Craver still hopes he can return after the AFL season in July.

That's unclear after he gave up Stegall's 100-yard touchdown last year and was benched for the final five games.

[esks4life]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

After reading that, do we want him back?

[Traxy]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

Jesus, he was making 40 grand? CANADIAN? To be scrutinized by as many people as he is in his profession, to have to live up north so far away from home, and to have his name written about in unflattering terms in the papers...I couldn't do it. Plus, its not like the guy has a great offseason job a-la Wad working for Price Waterhouse or whoever. I can't say I blame him for bolting for more money and warmer weather, even though it sucks for our Esks.

[Esks4ever]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

Jesus, he was making 40 grand? CANADIAN? To be scrutinized by as many people as he is in his profession, to have to live up north so far away from home, and to have his name written about in unflattering terms in the papers...I couldn't do it. Plus, its not like the guy has a great offseason job a-la Wad working for Price Waterhouse or whoever. I can't say I blame him for bolting for more money and warmer weather, even though it sucks for our Esks.

problem is he is under contract. a Legal binding contract.

[Opus]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

After reading that, do we want him back?

The real problem isn't so much with Craver reneging on his contract AFAIAC......it's that the AFL can offer more money to some of these guys that need some better coin. I mean seriously, $40K isn't much...especially when they can get an extra 10K and paid in US currency. Who can blame him?

[Uncle Bobby]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

At $40K, he has to be at the low end of the Alberta payscale.

[Diesel]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

Again the issue is the legally binding contract. The League needs to nip this garbage in the bud right fricken now.

[Beerfish]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

$40 G, is a standard low end of the spectrum deal in the CFL, ricky Ray was making $40 grand the 1st year we won the cup.

You can't blame Craver fo trying to do whats best for himself and it's my feeling that he was deep enough in the Esks dog house that he was not going to be on the team by the end of camp in any case.

[Opus]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

Again the issue is the legally binding contract. The League needs to nip this garbage in the bud right fricken now.

The Eskimos can persue reimbursement either through Keyou or his new team for the remainder of the contract, but at 40K what is the use?

I'm sure you recall back before the SMS came in Diez that one of the things I was worried about was the CFL low-balling it's way out of talent. Especially to all those that thought that the new cap needed to be set at a level that was easy to reach for the lowest spending teams (of course this was when those vocal fans ignorantly thought that their team was among the lowest spending). Many had the audacity to beleive that these guys had no where else to go, that if the CFL didn't pay them to play - no one would; and that it was the teams better off financially that were driving up salaries and pushing other teams to the brink of extinction.

This along with the signing of Dinwiddie and Warner proves how wrong they were.

[Diesel]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

On the other hand, the Esks gave him a shot to keep playing the game when no one else would touch him due to his drug problems. Nice payback.... but if his heart and desire level is not with us, then adios

[Opus]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

On the other hand, the Esks gave him a shot to keep playing the game when no one else would touch him due to his drug problems. Nice payback.... but if his heart and desire level is not with us, then adios

Very true as well......

[Diesel]

Re: Keyuo Craver bolts to AFL....................

The Eskimos can persue reimbursement either through Keyou or his new team for the remainder of the contract, but at 40K what is the use?

I'm sure you recall back before the SMS came in Diez that one of the things I was worried about was the CFL low-balling it's way out of talent. Especially to all those that thought that the new cap needed to be set at a level that was easy to reach for the lowest spending teams (of course this was when those vocal fans ignorantly thought that their team was among the lowest spending). Many had the audacity to beleive that these guys had no where else to go, that if the CFL didn't pay them to play - no one would; and that it was the teams better off financially that were driving up salaries and pushing other teams to the brink of extinction.

This along with the signing of Dinwiddie and Warner proves how wrong they were.

Absolutely. Good luck in getting any of those types to admit their error. We all know they'd rather bathe in battery acid.....