Uh, what were your takeaways of, one, that trade and maybe a couple other trades that happened across the CFL?

Well, I think the, the Lauther trade, I mean, look, I, I remember when they, they signed him, and he had had a really wonky year in Saskatchewan last year.

Like, it was a going concern all year, and I, and I, I phoned Shawn Burke, and I said like, "You know, what's, what's, [laughs] what's the deal with signing Lauther?" And he said, and he said, "Well, he had a back injury all last season, and he's healthy now, and, and we think he's good to go." And, you know, he, he's not just had a bounce back year.

Uh, he is 94.1% on the season, you know, which is, that's, I mean, that's a career best.

I mean, the only ti- year in his time in his career that he's been close to that I think was in 2018, which his first year in Saskatchewan.

So, I mean, it was a definite need for the Riders.

You know, they, they just benched the kicker that they used to replace him, Alex Hale.

Do you have any update on how maybe serious this injury is to Chad Kelly?

Uh, what were your takeaways of, one, that trade, and maybe a couple other trades that happened across the CFL?

Well, I think the, the Lauther trade, I mean, look, I, I remember when they, they signed him, and he had had a really wonky year in Saskatchewan last year.

Like, it was a going concern all year, and I, and I, I phoned Sean Burke, and I said like, "What's, what's, [laughs] what's the deal with signing Lauther?" And he said, and he said, "Well, he had a back injury all last season, and he's healthy now, and, and we think he's good to go." And, you know, he, he's not just had a bounce back year.

Uh, he is 94.1% on the season, you know, which is, uh, I mean, that's a career best.

I mean, the only ti- year in his, time in his career that he's been close to that I think was in 2018, which is his first year in Saskatchewan.

So, I mean, it was a definite need for the Riders.

You know, they, they just benched the kicker that they used to replace him, Alex Hale.

Do you have any update on how maybe serious this injury is to Chad Kelly?

So when you've watched McLeod Bethel Thompson, you know, and fans have said what took so long to get to him, it just kind of feels like, I don't know about you, Dave, but watching him play, It just, he's much better than Jake Mayer.

Yeah, I would say so.

Look, and I've been, you know, fairly, you know, strong in my defense of Jake Mayer as not the biggest problem on the Ottawa Red Blacks.

And I think, you know, there were...

We've talked about the defensive side of the ball.

We've talked about the offensive line.

We've talked about the lack of run game, none of which have to do with the quarterback.

I

So when you've watched McLeod Bethel Thompson, you know, and fans have said what took so long to get to him, it just kind of feels like, I don't know about you, Dave, but watching him play, It just, he's much better than Jake Mayer.

Yeah, I would say so.

And look, I've been, you know, fairly, you know, strong in my defense of Jake Mayer as not the biggest problem on the Audible Red Blacks.

And I think, you know, there were...

We've talked about the defensive side of the ball.

We've talked about the offensive line.

We've talked about the lack of run game, none of which have to do with the quarterback.

I

What do you make of the switch of going to another veteran quarterback and McLeod Bethel-Thompson for tonight's game?

Well, I would say probably nothing to lose at this stage.

And I think the other thing that there was a time where the offense under Jake Mayer, I think you could see it getting better, kind of weak and getting closer.

And I think that kind of peaked a few weeks ago.

The output the last few weeks, and I was a little bit surprised maybe that they didn't do this a week ago for the Toronto game after the previous one.

So, Yeah, I think it was inevitable at some point.

And look, I speculated on this program that I thought they might go right from Jake Mayer to Bryson Barnes at some point because I don't know what McLeod Bethel Thompson represents for the future of the Red Blacks.

What is the possibility of Chad Kelly, who's on the field as we speak, as the Argos are trying to close out a game against Edmonton, that he lands in Ottawa for next season?

Dave, what was it like on the day for you?

I was woken up by a phone call and told to turn on the TV right away.

Just caught the second jet going into the Twin Towers.

And it was one of the fastest drives I've ever done down Deerfoot Trail, listening to the radio.

And the radio had announced that a plane had gone into the Pentagon and there was another one headed for Washington.

And the emotion that I recall that day was just utterly, was being utterly terrified.

Absolutely no one knew what was going on.

I wonder if we can just talk about some of the things that changed

Dave Naylor think about that?

Well, here's where that sits.

The Argonauts and Chad Kelly are having conversations about an extension.

The tricky part of this is the Argos don't want to do a one-year deal.

They want to do a multi-year deal.

And I think Chad Kelly probably would like to as well.

And, you know, you get signing bonuses and all that kind of wrapped up in that kind of thing when you do a multi-year deal.

Any word on a Ottawa connection with one being a Red Blacks guy, but also, you know, an Ottawa guy himself, Jesse Lucchetta?

Dave Naylor think about that?

Well, here's where that sits.

The Argonauts and Chad Kelly are having conversations about an extension.

The tricky part of this is the Argos don't want to do a one-year deal.

They want to do a multi-year deal.

And I think Chad Kelly probably would like to as well.

And, you know, you get signing bonuses and all that kind of wrapped up in that kind of thing when you do a multi-year deal.

Any word on a Ottawa connection with one being a Red Blacks guy, but also, you know, an Ottawa guy himself, Jesse Lucchetta?

Dave, I think it's safe to say that maybe the Rams should have had to Australia a little bit earlier than the day before that game.

Yeah, but I think rest is a huge part of football.

Granted, it's week one, but still, rest is a factor.

It's why when schedules come out, the first thing that coaches and general managers will do is look and see how many games they have a rest advantage and how many games they have a rest disadvantage, to kind of see where the schedule shakes out for them.

And look, many...

Examples that we can kind of point to where teams had global travel schedules that differed.

But one of them, I'm going to say it's three seasons ago, it was Buffalo versus Jacksonville in London.

Why aren't there Tommy Stevenses in the National Football League to plow ahead for one inch? All you need is an inch, and they can't get it done in the NFL.

So what bomber team are we getting on Sunday?

This is the thing that I find interesting about the Bombers, even over the last few years, is just when you're about to sort of write them off from the upper tier of the CFL, or even challenging to be in the upper tier, they get up off the mat.

They're like the zombie.

You can't kill them.

And you go through a stretch of games there.

They lost by 22.

They lost by 16.

There's so many like him in the CFL, and I'm glad this league's getting a big spotlight for what it meant in his career to land in Cincinnati.

What does Jim Popp need to do to kind of reestablish himself here in the CFL? I'm not going to second guess him at all, but what do you think he needs to do to kind of establish himself with the Red Blacks and maybe earn that next year contract?

Well, I think you'd want to see some players signed this fall.

And one of the advantages that Jim Pop has is, you know, he's been working in the UFL, evaluating players, overseeing all the transactions, the liaison with the NFL, all those kinds of things.

You know, it's funny.

In this day and age, a lot of times when guys go to their first NFL camp and get cut, they don't immediately pivot and say, well, I'm going to go to the CFL.

It's often their second or third camp, which is why we see a lot of 24-, 25-, 26-year-old rookies in this league.

But when guys have been in the UFL and they go and they get cut, I think there's a greater likelihood that those guys are willing to come to Canada because they've already done the spring league thing.

But, you know, is there kind of a dial on your end of where you think they are in terms of quarterbacks they have currently here in Ottawa?

What does Jim Popp need to do to kind of reestablish himself here in the CFL? I'm not going to second guess him at all, but what do you think he needs to do to kind of second, you know, establish himself with the Red Blacks and maybe earn that, you know, next year contract?

Well, I think you'd want to see some players signed this fall.

And one of the advantages that Jim Pop has is, you know, he's been working in the UFL, evaluating players, overseeing all the transactions, the liaison with the NFL, all those kinds of things.

You know, it's funny.

In this day and age, a lot of times when guys go to their first NFL camp and get cut, they don't immediately pivot and say, well, I'm going to go to the CFL.

It's often their second or third camp, which is why we see a lot of 24-, 25-, 26-year-old rookies in this league.

But when guys have been in the UFL and they go and they get cut, I think there's a greater likelihood that those guys are willing to come to Canada because they've already done the spring league thing.

But, you know, is there kind of a dial on your end of where you think they are in terms of quarterbacks they have currently here in Ottawa?

But I was not expecting Jim Pop's name to return to the Canadian Football League to try to help the Red Blacks.

Well, I think it came down to two things for Ottawa.

One is they could let the season play out and replace Sean Burke after the season when you would have had the sort of full menu of people you could go to either working in the Canadian Football League or not.

But if you were going to make a move now, your pool of people really becomes smaller.

I mean, there's not that many people that are equipped to come in and oversee or the review of a CFL operation as Jim Popp is doing with Ottawa.

who aren't otherwise engaged somewhere.

And Jim Popp had been working in the UFL until last year.

What's the delay? Just say Kirk Cousins is the starter because Fernando Mendoza clearly needs work.

What do you think of what has gone on in Ottawa this week with the removal of Sean Burke, although many probably expected it to happen sooner rather than later? But I was not expecting Jim Popp's name to return to the Canadian Football League to try to help the Red Blacks.

Well, I think it came down to two things for Ottawa.

One is they could let the season play out and replace Sean Burke after the season when you would have had the sort of full menu of people you could go to either working in the Canadian Football League or not.

But if you were going to make a move now, your pool of people really becomes smaller.

I mean, there's not that many people that are equipped to come in and oversee or the review of a CFL operation as Jim Popp is doing with Ottawa.

who aren't otherwise engaged somewhere.

And Jim Popp had been working in the UFL until last year.

What's the delay? Just say Kirk Cousins is the starter because Fernando Mendoza clearly needs work.

So maybe you can survive for five innings as Arrighetti.

Keegan, last year a l- a lot was made of the fact of how likable that Blue Jay team was, and maybe that's just the nature when you come into a season without expectations and you end up in the World Series, you're gonna be very likable.

And in some ways, I can look at this team two ways.

In some ways, when you s- when you score the fewest runs of any team in Major League Baseball, you're talking about watching a team play poorly with runners in scoring position all season, like we saw two nights ago.

And but yet, at the same time, you're watching a game like last night, where you're basically, you know, keeping this team together with kind of, you know, glue and tape, and, and they're still hanging into it.

Where do you put this team sort of on the likability scale for the fans of this season?

Why do you think that is?

The answer that was given I think last time was that basically since the dome got converted to a baseball stadium, there's not...

Mm

... for most Americans is under $100,000 if you're, like, for your, when you first show up, 100,000 Canan- Is he really gonna come? He made 5 million last year in college.

And it's funny, none of the guys who are starting quarterbacks in the CFL right now ever got a dime of NIL.

But there's a kid in BC named Kaedon Salter, who was the starter at Colorado last year, you know? And he's, he's the backup to Nathan Rourke.

He's the kid who started and won that game at BC.

He rushed 10 times for 160 yards.

It was the greatest rushing performance for a first-time starting quarterback in CFL history.

Good reminder.

Mm

... for most Americans is under $100,000.

If you're, like, for your, when you first show up, 100,000 Can...

Is he really gonna come? He made 5 million last year in college.

And it's funny, none of the guys who are starting quarterbacks in the CFL right now ever got a dime of NIL.

But there's a kid in BC named Kaedon Salter, who was the starter at Colorado last year, you know? And he's, he's the backup to Nathan Rourke.

He's the kid who started and won that game at BC.

Good reminder.

Is a job with the Ottawa Red Blacks, be it if there is someone to replace Burke, or as high as the president's role, the new president's role, is that seen as a coveted job right now, given the state of this franchise?

Well, I've had a few phone calls and texts about it in the last week.

No, I honestly have.

People reach out to me and just say, you know, what do you think? Or, you know, just want to have conversations about it just because they know I'm familiar with the market and the league and the team and all of that.

And I know having spoken to Mark Dowdy that, you know, he's had a lot of inquiries, you know, kind of right off the bat.

So, you know, the market is responding.

And I think, you know, I said this many times about Ottawa.

So how big of a job is it going to be for Dinwiddie, whoever else may be hired in the short term, and the football president in terms of the roster? how big a job is it going to be for them to overhaul this roster and how quickly, potentially, can it happen?

Is a job with the Ottawa Red Blacks, be it if there is someone to replace Burke, or as high as the president's role, the new president's role, is that seen as a coveted job right now, given the state of this franchise?

Well, I've had a few phone calls and texts about it in the last week.

No, I honestly have.

People reach out to me and just say, you know, what do you think? Or, you know, just want to have conversations about it just because they know I'm familiar with the market and the league and the team and all of that.

And I know having spoken to Mark Dowdy that, you know, he's had a lot of inquiries, you know, kind of right off the bat.

So, you know, the market is responding.

And I think, you know, I said this many times about Ottawa.

So how big of a job is it going to be for Dinwiddie, whoever else may be hired in the short term, and the football president in terms of the roster? How big a job is it going to be for them to overhaul this roster, and how quickly, potentially, can it happen?

Put the third

stringer in there.

Please do something.

I get you.

I don't think we're so much.

I'm not trying to make Jake Mayer into something that he's not.

I'm just saying for what he is, for the tools that he has and the limitations that he has, which is I don't think he's been the Ottawa Red Black's biggest problem.

I hate yo-yo quarterbacks, Dave, but how are you feeling about how things are being managed in Hamilton?

Do you think that the, this could be resolved quickly? Could it be before the end of the season? Where do you think they're at?

I would be surprised if this is resolved quickly, and, and that's just my takeaway from my conversation with Mark Goudie this week, where it sounds like he wants to hear from a lot of people.

Sounds like he wants to hear a lot of different points of view, you know, either from people that might be candidates for the job or people that might have input into what, uh, his priorities should be in filling this.

And I think generally he's got his priorities in place.

He's looking for somebody with a football background.

You know, I think if they had somebody who understood the business of football, understood the business of marketing football, you know, that would be kind of the sweet spot.

But, you know, it's clear that getting the product right i- is the first priority, and having somebody to, to oversee that.

And you're gonna, you're gonna talk to people and, and with outside eyes telling you about your football team and, and that's can be good information to have.

Do you think that they're, this could be resolved quickly? Could it be before the end of the season? Where do you think they're at?

I, I would be surprised if this is resolved quickly and, and that's just my takeaway from my conversation with Mark Goudie this week, where it sounds like he wants to hear from a lot of people.

Sounds like he wants to hear a lot of different points of view, you know, either from people that might be candidates for the job or people that might have input into what, uh, his priorities should be in filling this.

And I think generally he's got his priorities in place.

He's looking for somebody with a football background.

You know, I think if they had somebody who understood the business of football, understood the business of marketing football, you know, that would be kind of the sweet spot.

But, you know, it's clear that getting the product right i- is the first priority, and having somebody to, to oversee that.

No.

Doesn't seem all that feasible, at least in the short term.

I think, yeah, I, I mean, Roger Goodell, that's a strong statement when he said it will happen.

Now, he didn't say necessarily even under his watch.

But the NFL's an interesting situation 'cause although it's the gargantuan of North America, you know, outside of North America, you know, it's, it's not an international game.

Now, it has become a lot more, even in the last 10, 15 years.

If you look at NCAA rosters right now, most teams have Europeans.

And there are, you know, they've realized that there's free education if you're big and strong and you're in Europe and you wanna go to school in America.

Why is that?

What have been the stories that have caught your eye this year?

Well, you know, I was talking, uh, a lot, following a lot of the, the, the development of Dion Walker.

I just think with so many young players...

I mean, it's really, uh, fascinating to me, the defensive side of the ball because of all the newness.

You know, the new coaching staff, Jim Leonard's new scheme, and then so many players that have pretty short NFL resumes that the Bills are counting on this year.

And I, and I think when you, you look to going into camp, you know, there's, there's a risk involved here, right? That you're, you've got players that have got high ceilings, but you don't really know how they're gonna adapt, and they don't know what they're gonna be ready for.

But Dion Walker has really emerged.

What have you, what have you seen and what do you expect from this new youth, influx of youth that is going to permeate the defensive lineup?

Uh, where do you come out on this game early on leading up to Saturday?

Well, it de- you know, I, I'll say this about Trey Ford.

He's, he, you know, there's never been a debate about his ability.

There's never been a b- a debate about, you know, his ability to make throws.

You know, certainly he can run the ball.

It's all been the variance, right? Like, within the course of a game or over the course of games, what's the range you're gonna see? You know, he, he can bring you out of your seat and then put you back in it, right? That's, that's kind of what, what his thing...

But that drive he had in that game, uh, this week, this past week, where, like, it, it was like, I think that was the best drive of Trey Ford's career, you know? And, and that, you know, that was a, that's a meaningful win for them.

[laughs]