Ottawa Renegades Thread (Glieberman Circus Thread)

[Madferret]

Bjorn again kicker?
Shreveport connection brings ex-NFLer Nittmo into Renegades camp
By BARRE CAMPBELL, Ottawa Sun


KEMPTVILLE -- The Renegades hope they've found a Swede solution to their placekicking dilemma. Back at training camp at Kemptville College after Thursday's 27-16 pre-season win over the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium, coach Joe Paopao said the team would be bringing in an import kicker this weekend.

That player is former NFLer Bjorn Nittmo, best known for his appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman. When he played for the New York Giants in 1989, Letterman took to Nittmo's foreign name and used it as a running gag. Nittmo, a native of Lomma, Sweden, picked up on it and become a regular guest on the popular show.

It's a long way from midtown Manhattan to Kemptville College, but Nittmo has found the way, thanks to connections with the Gliebermans, who owned the Shreveport Pirates when Nittmo plied his trade there during the 1995 CFL season.

When he arrives, the 38-year-old native of Sweden will compete against veteran newcomer Matt Kellett and Kanata native Pat Fleming, who did his best to complicate an already mixed-up Renegades placekicking situation on Thursday.

Known more for his punting abilities, Fleming looked good on field goal successes from 38 and 41 yards in the second quarter, and also missed a longer attempt from 47 yards out.

It was the first time Fleming kicked field goals since playing minor football as a 17-year-old for the Ottawa Norsemen. Paopao praised Fleming's performance, labelling it as "extremely" pleasing. Meanwhile, Kellett will undergo more tests done on his right eye on Monday to find out why he's seeing double.

The problem started last year, requiring Kellett at times to wear a pirate-style eye patch during games. He thought the problem had sorted itself, but said the double vision returned after the Renegades traded a first-round pick for him on Canadian draft day in April.

"It's frustrating. I feel bad for putting the organization in kind of a bind," said Kellett, who has worn glasses this spring during camp workouts. He said yesterday his close-range vision is fine, but often he sees two of everything when looking at distant objects, including field goal uprights.

"You get traded and you're healthy. Then you get here, and you get unhealthy again," he said. "It's frustrating on my part, and I'm sure it's frustrating on the coaches' part and the organization."

If the situation is in fact frustrating, Paopao wasn't showing outward signs of it yesterday, saying he'd have no problem sending Kellett out to kick field goals if the season were to start today.

"Now we know if Matt Kellett goes down, Pat can step in," said Paopao. "If Pat didn't kick (Thursday), we wouldn't know that."

HUDSON SIDELINED: The hurting on Ottawa's offensive line continues, with centre George Hudson limping around camp yesterday after suffering a sprained foot during Thursday's game. He'll miss at least one week of practice, but hopes to be ready for the opener in Edmonton.

GREAT SCOTT: Eleven-year CFL vet Johnny Scott arrived at camp yesterday and could be on the practice field as early as today. The 36-year-old Scott played two seasons for Hamilton before being cut by the Ti-Cats last week.

OTHER HURTS: Canadian rookie LB Brian Oddi suffered a knee injury on Thursday and could be out for the remainder of the season ... DB Korey Banks (leg) and QB Brad Banks (shoulder) also got hurt in Montreal, but are expected to be fine when camp practices resume today.

http://actioncry.com/renegades/images/banner-renegades.gif

[Madferret]

Renegades sign tackle Johnny Scott

KEMPTVILLE, Ont. (CP) - The Ottawa Renegades bolstered their defensive line Saturday by adding veteran tackle Johnny Scott on Saturday.

Ottawa claimed Scott, a 12-year CFL veteran, off waivers last week from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The six-foot-two, 270-pound tackle signed with the Renegades on Saturday morning before practising with his new team.

Ottawa becomes the fifth CFL team that Scott, 36, has suited up for. He began his pro career with the now defunct Shreveport Pirates in 1994 and has also played for B.C., Toronto and Hamilton. Scott started 16 games with Hamilton last year, registering four sacks and 33 tackles.

"We know he can play and now he has to get the system down," said Joe Paopao, Ottawa's head coach and general manager. Ottawa's final pre-season game will be Thursday at home to Montreal. The Renegades defeated the Alouettes 27-16 in exhibition action last week.

Lot's of ex-Pirates coming to Ottawa eh?

[KB in Kelowna]

Just when the CFL was shedding the circus atmosphere, Bernie and Lonnie come back .

[Madferret]

Just when the CFL was shedding the circus atmosphere, Bernie and Lonnie come back .

Yes. Lonnie has alot to prove to this City, we are all holding our breath that he doesn't draft another dead guy...

[leaferfan87]

Yes. Lonnie has alot to prove to this City, we are all holding our breath that he doesn't draft another dead guy...

He drafted a dead guy?

[Madferret]

He drafted a dead guy?

*lol*
Ya you don't remember? A highlite of the Glieberman era Part 1...

[Madferret]

Reports: Ottawa suspensions test rules
TSN.ca Staff

Those waiting for the Ottawa Renegades to do something controversial under new owners Bernie and Lonie Glieberman didn't have to wait very long. On Tuesday, the Renegades suspended eight players - including four potential starters - something the Ottawa Sun and Ottawa Citizen reported as being less than normal procedure.

Instead of cutting 10 players to get down to the league-mandated roster limit of 50, the Renegades only axed two while putting eight veterans on the suspended list. All eight players have been hurt during camp and were unlikely to be ready for Ottawa's Thursday exhibition game against Montreal. Suspending them allows the Renegades to retain eight healthy bodies for the game.

The Ottawa Citizen made it clear that the controversial moves were made right at the top. According to the Citizen's report, team president Lonie Glieberman had already said the Renegades would not be handcuffed by the salary cap if other teams were flaunting the rule. That logic was applied to the roster decisions on Tuesday.

"We're going to play by the same rules as our competitors," Glieberman told the Citizen.

Head coach and general manager Joe Paopao admitted to the Sun that most of the eight are expected to come off the suspended list on Friday - the day after the game.

The Renegades now have ten players on their suspended list: offensive linemen Val St. Germain, George Hudson and Mike Sutherland, receivers David Azzi and Darryl Ray, quarterbacks Brad Banks and Tyler Paopao, defensive lineman Cameron Legault, linebacker Syniker Taylor and defensive back Leonard Myers.

Asked by the Citizen if he thought the team was exploiting a loophole in the rules, Paopao said, "That's a good question." "We have never done this before," Paopao told the Sun. "But other teams have." When contacted by the Sun, the league appeared to show little anxiety over the transactions.

"If a club reports that a player has left camp, then it's grounds for a suspension," said Ed Chalupka, the CFL's senior VP, football operations/secretary. "In the absence of any other evidence, we have to go by what the club tells us. Every indication we have is that those players have left. Those rules have been in place for years. What's flagging this one is just the quantum."

Chalupka would not tell the Sun if he felt Ottawa's dealings were suspicious, nor would he comment on the possibility of complaints from other teams. The Citizen, however, said one team demanded an explanation from the CFL after the transactions were approved, and two others were grousing about the move.

On the other hand, the Hamilton Spectator reported Wednesday that the banged-up Tiger-Cats might have to adopt the same strategy employed by the Renegades, since the injury reserve list does not come into effect until the season starts and 40-man rosters are declared.

"We had to cut down to 50 players on Monday, had about a dozen guys hurt for Friday's game and we have Montreal to play five days later," Ticat coach Greg Marshall told the Spectator. "We may be suspending guys. We're in a real tough situation. I had to cut 11 kids yesterday and now I have no one to play linebacker in this game. Five days later we have to play Montreal. Who cares, but us?"

Marshall said the league system of not employing an injured list in the preseason to prevent teams from "hiding" players causes more problems than it solves.

"Everyone plays a different exhibition schedule with nine teams in the league," Marshall told the Spectator. "Don't force us to get down to 50 players if you can't injury-list them and we still have to play an exhibition game. Then we have to turn around and play a regular season game five days later.

"Now you want me to put a competitive product on the field for an exhibition game? Sorry. We've got to survive."

I heard one of the guys who has been suspended tested postive for the Drug that conrols Bi-Polarism....
Ok, that was a low blow.

[Madferret]

I was talking to David Azzi today and when I asked him how he felt about tommorows game, he told me he hurt his hamstring and he'd be back for the Esk's game. I'll re-ask him the question next time I see him...

[leaferfan87]

*lol*
Ya you don't remember? A highlite of the Glieberman era Part 1...

I was only about 4 or 5 when they owned the team before.

[J.R.]

I was only about 4 or 5 when they owned the team before. That's no excuse, Dub-ya. ;)

With no school or other commitments, you should have been face planted in Ottawa Greenrider and other CFL news. =}

[leaferfan87]

That's no excuse, Dub-ya. ;)

With no school or other commitments, you should have been face planted in Ottawa Greenrider and other CFL news. =}

LOL!

Didn't the Sabres also draft a dead guy?

[Madferret]

Cromartie caught in middle with 'Gades
Paopao moves lineman after releasing White, Shelling
By BARRE CAMPBELL -- Ottawa Sun

The Renegades have been cut down to size.

And Ottawa coach and GM Joe Paopao came up with more interesting moves to reach the 40-man limit that will reshape the team heading into the 2005 season.

The biggest change comes on defence with veteran import Keaton Cromartie, who has been with the club since 2002 as a defensive lineman, will start at middle linebacker with Ottawa native Jason Kralt as the backup -- provided Paopao doesn't pull the trigger on a trade before Friday's regular-season opener in Edmonton.

Cromartie moves to the middle of the defensive backfield following the release of young import Tony White, who had been viewed as a future star. Also released were import linebacker Chris Shelling, import offensive lineman Morris Unutoa, Canadian offensive tackle Christian Liebl-Cote and import defensive end John Turntine.

All CFL teams cut down rosters to 40 players -- 19 Canadians, 18 Americans and three QBs of any nationality -- by 3 p.m. yesterday. The roster does not include players on a team's suspended list, injured reserve or practice roster.

The Renegades moved import defensive lineman Johnny Scott onto the suspended list and activated Canadian defensive tackle Cameron Legault off the injured list, along with non-import offensive linemen George Hudson and Val St. Germain.

TOUGH BATTLE ON DEFENCE

The expulsion of highly regarded players like White, Turntine and Anthony Collier, who was released on Friday, demonstrated how tough the competition was for jobs along the defence's two front lines during training camp.

Kyries Hebert and Gerald Vaughn will start as outside linebackers between Cromartie, with Kralt and import D'Wayne Taylor as backups. In the defensive backfield, Bo Rogers and newcomer Greg Moss, who has impressed Paopao, are set to start on the corners with George McCullough on the sideline with a foot injury.

"He's Mighty Mouse," Paopao said of Moss, a Miami native who's listed at 5-foot-7 and 175 lbs. "If he was 6-foot, he'd probably be in the NFL. He's tough and he plays physical." Korey Banks and new import Sean Weston get the nod at halfback.

"We like his upside," Paopao said of Weston. "We think he's going to get nothing but better." Surviving cuts were three players from the 2005 Canadian college draft -- linebacker and first-rounder Cam Yeow, receiver/fullback Cory Hathaway and defensive lineman Adrian Baird.

Hathaway, a native of Lethbridge, Alta. who played college ball at Tulsa, emerged as the team's starting fullback. "He's been a heck of a find," said Paopao.

The roster could change before Friday's opener in Edmonton, with the Renegades taking a look at the cuts of other teams. The club picked up import receiver Frank Cutolo off waivers from the B.C. Lions on Friday.

"He's been productive on a team where they have a slew of receivers -- proven receivers," said Paopao. "We'll see where he's at, and we'll go from there." In his two years with the Lions, Cutolo played four games against the Renegades and scored three touchdowns, with 14 catches for 351 yards.

Among the cuts by Edmonton yesterday was veteran quarterback Khari Jones, who was the 2001 league MVP with Winnipeg. "I've always liked him," said Paopao of Jones who he worked with in B.C. when Jones broke into the league in 1997.

Brad Banks, who could miss the opening two weeks with a shoulder injury, Darnell Kennedy and Paul Peterson are the backups to starting QB Kerry Joseph. "If we didn't have those guys, (Jones) would be a guy we'd have to consider."

NOTABLE CUTS: The Argos released T John Feugill, a two-year starter with Toronto -- including last year's Grey Cup victory in Ottawa. The 6-foot-7, 288-lb. Feugill lost his job to newcomer Jerome Davis, a former defensive lineman converted to offence by the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. Also released was WR Lal Knight, a former Argos starter who sat out all of last year after being released by the club in training camp 2003. The Argos also decided on a No. 3 QB, keeping youngster Charles Peterson ahead of former NFL player Scott Covington, who was also cut ... Veteran OLs Fred Childress and Canadian Luc Mullinder, who was expected to battle for a starting spot on the defensive line, were among 12 players cut by the Roughriders. Childress was a 12-year veteran who earned CFL all-star honours three times and was named the league's top lineman in 1998 while with Calgary ... The Tiger-Cats released 15 players, including veteran QB Ben Sankey ... Rookie RB Jeronimo Huerta-Flores of the Vanier Cup-champion Laval Rouge et Or was among three players let go by the Alouettes.

Nice move Pows on grabbing Cutola.
:thumb: