The Calgary Stampeders attempted to return to some sort of normality at McMahon Stadium on Sunday under unusual circumstances.
After the CFL and CFL Players鈥� Association broke off negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement Saturday, the union directed players from seven of the league鈥檚 nine teams to participate in a work stoppage. However, players with the Stampeders and Edmonton Elks reported to their respective camps on Sunday since they won鈥檛 be in a legal strike position until later this month, as per Alberta鈥檚 labour laws.
鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 be out here right now,鈥� said Stampeders linebacker Jameer Thurman. 鈥淭he rest of the league鈥檚 on strike.
鈥淲e voted to be on strike as well, but the Alberta laws are a little bit different, so we鈥檙e required to be out here but we stand with the PA and everything. Hopefully we can get this resolved and get back to playing football.鈥�
The league鈥檚 last labour agreement, reached in 2019 and amended last year to allow the league to stage a 14-game campaign, expired at midnight Saturday.
The lone previous CFL strike came in 1974. The labour situation was resolved before the start of the season that year.
It鈥檚 unclear when the CFL and CFLPA will resume negotiations to work on a new agreement.
According to Derek Wiggan, Calgary鈥檚 union representative, he and his teammates have faith that a deal will get done before the Stamps would be in a legal position to join the strike action in a few days.
鈥淲e鈥檒l go through the process and then on Wednesday we鈥檒l see what happens,鈥� said the defensive lineman, who鈥檚 entering his seventh season with the Stamps. 鈥淚鈥檓 really hopeful. We trust in our bargaining team. I know they鈥檙e going to get us something good, so it鈥檚 just a matter of getting it done by Wednesday.鈥�
Head coach Dave Dickenson is also optimistic that a deal will get done. He said he and his staff can go about preparing Calgary for its first pre-season game on May 28 when the Stampeders are slated to host the B.C. Lions.
鈥淓verybody has that extra buzz right now,鈥� Dickenson said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been all looking forward to get 2022 started. And I tell the guys (they鈥檙e) going to want to be here this year, because we鈥檙e going to have a heck of a year.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to do some things 鈥� we鈥檙e going to have fun, and we鈥檙e going to play winning football. And I think our guys have bought in because they鈥檙e excited to be here.鈥�
Dickenson liked what he saw from his group of returning players and rookies when they took to the turf on Sunday morning.
鈥淭he energy鈥檚 good,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he positivity鈥檚 there. The players are committed. Coaches are excited to see what we鈥檝e implemented (and) whether we can get that communication to the players and take care of the details.
鈥淎lso, there鈥檚 decisions being made in three days as far as who makes the team and who doesn鈥檛, so we control what we can control.鈥�
Despite all the unknowns with how the labour situation will pan out, veteran quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell said it was great to be back practising with his teammates.
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鈥淭he locker room feels awesome because guys are just excited to be back playing football,鈥� said Mitchell, who acknowledged that outside factors have complicated matters somewhat. 鈥淥bviously, the players, we want a deal done because we want to be here playing football when it comes to June. As fast as that can happen would be great.
鈥淚t would be awesome to know that all the other teams are out there practising as well. Right now, for our mindset, is at the minimum right now we鈥檝e got three days of practice, so we鈥檙e going to go out there and focus on that.鈥�
Despite his insistence that training camp shouldn鈥檛 have started amid the labour strife, Thurman decided to make the most of a bad situation.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just good to be back out here going over the plays and learning the system again,鈥� said Thurman, who鈥檚 expected to be one of the leaders on defence again this season after serving as a team captain last year. 鈥淚鈥檝e always had to step up since I鈥檝e been here.
鈥淚鈥檝e always known that a lot of people consider me a leader on this defence, so it鈥檚 the same thing. Nothing鈥檚 changed. I still expect to perform at a high standard and bring guys along with me.鈥�
THE CANADIAN PRESS
