MONDAY,NOVEMBER25,2019 | THEGLOBEANDMAIL O B13
A
week after Colin Kaeper-
nick’s NFL workout fell
apart, disagreements and
distrust about it remain on issues
such as its timing, who was invit-
ed and who could film the quar-
terback.
In conversations with the As-
sociated Press, representatives
from both sides blamed each
other for what went wrong on
Nov. 16. Kaepernick’s side said
the NFL orchestrated a workout
as a public-relations stunt des-
tined to fail, while the league said
it gave him a real chance to show
off his skills – and he didn’t show
up.
A total of 25 teams were sup-
posed to attend the league’s
workout run by two former head
coaches at the Atlanta Falcons’
practice facility. Instead, Kaeper-
nick ditched that workout and
ended up throwing passes in
front of representatives from
eight NFL teams at his own event
at a site 60 miles away.
Kaepernick, who led the San
Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl
seven years ago, hasn’t played
since 2016, when he sparked a
wave of protests and divisive de-
bate by kneeling during the na-
tional anthem to protest police
brutality and racial injustice. The
league in February settled a collu-
sion grievance filed by Kaeper-
nick and Eric Reid.
The AP reviewed both waivers
from the event, and talked to a
person who was involved in the
negotiations from Kaepernick’s
side and two NFL officials with
knowledge of the process, all
speaking on condition of ano-
nymity because the discussions
between the two sides were pri-
vate.
A look at the issues raised by
both sides regarding the botched
workout:
DEADLINETO ACCEPTKaepernick’s camp said the NFL
gave him only two hours to ac-
cept an invitation four days
ahead of the workout.
His side questioned the tim-
ing, purpose and motivation be-
hind a take-it-or-leave-it offer
presented in Week 11. They be-
lieve the NFL cared more about
creating the impression it want-
ed to give Kaepernick a chance
for a new job than actually giving
him a legitimate opportunity.
The NFL said it was commis-
sioner Roger Goodell’s idea to
give Kaepernick a platform for an
unprecedented workout. The
league, which hasn’t arranged
tryouts for other free agents, said
Goodell felt it was right to give
the exiled QB the chance to
showcase his skills. Teams were
expressing interest in knowing
whether Kaepernick was serious
about playing. Kaepernick post-
ed on social media that he was
working out five days a week and
ready to play again.
Goodell spoke to other league
officials and people outside the
organization, and decided an
open tryout would give teams an
opportunity to see for them-
selves. Jay-Z, who is in a partner-
ship with the NFL, was involved
in the conversations. Goodell al-
so spoke to Dr. Harry Edwards, a
civil-rights activist.SATURDAY INSTEAD OF TUESDAYKaepernick’s side requested to
move the workout to a Tuesday,
when most teams bring free
agents in for tryouts. It was con-
cerned that team “decision-mak-
ers” wouldn’t be present on a
weekend.
The NFL said coaches wouldn’t
travel on a Tuesday or any other
day during game week to see a
free agent. It also said generalmanagers rely on their scouts to
evaluate free agents. The league
says it didn’t want to push the
date back because it “did not
want a circus.” The league point-
ed out that free agents are usu-
ally given a call one day before a
workout, “don’t bring in their
own receivers, dictate the order
of the workout, bring in their
own media crew or have media
onsite.”CLOSED TO MEDIAKaepernick’s side wanted to open
the workout to the media to en-
sure transparency.
The NFL said it made clear
from the start the workout would
be closed to media. The league
wasn’t comfortable opening At-
lanta’s practice facility to media
and says it wanted to give Kae-
pernick “the best platform from
which to perform,” and having
camera crews present wouldn’t
help him concentrate on the
workout.
It said the issue of media pres-ence didn’t come up until the day
of the scheduled workout.ATTENDEESKaepernick’s camp said the NFL
agreed to provide a list of team
representatives who committed
to coming. The league later shift-
ed and did not share that list.
The league said it never made
that promise because it didn’t
want individual team staff to face
media questions leading up to
the workout.UNCERTAIN DETAILSKaepernick’s team said he didn’t
know which receivers he’d be
throwing to and what routes they
would run, so he brought in his
own guys. He also wasn’t imme-
diately informed that former
Browns coach Hue Jackson
would run the workout along
with former Dolphins coach Joe
Philbin.
The NFL said it understoodthose concerns and addressed
them to Kaepernick’s satisfac-
tion.NIKE’S ROLEThe NFL said it agreed to Nike’s
request to shoot an ad featuring
Kaepernick and mentioning all
the teams present at the work-
out.
A spokesman for Nike said the
company did not have a film
crew at the workout and declined
further comment.THE FILM CREWKaepernick’s side wanted to
bring their own film crew be-
cause they didn’t trust that the
NFL would provide accurate vid-
eo and were concerned the
league would edit it to make him
look bad.
The NFL said it invited Kaeper-
nick’s representatives to sit in
with the Falcons’ video director
at the facility to ensure the crew
was capturing all the footage.THE WAIVERSKaepernick’s representatives said
the NFL “demanded” as a precon-
dition for the workout that he
sign an “unusual liability waiver”
that addressed employment-re-
lated issues. They countered with
a waiver from physical injury
that the league rejected. The NFL
said it sent Kaepernick a stan-
dard liability waiver based on the
one used by National Invitational
Camp at all NFL Combines and by
teams when trying out free
agents. The NFL said it was con-
cerned when Kaepernick’s side
wanted to know who would own
commercial rights to the video.THE ASSOCIATED PRESSNFLandKaepernickstillbuttingheadsoverfailedworkout
ROBMAADDI
Free-agentColinKaepernicktakespartinaworkoutforNFLscoutsand
mediaonNov.16inRiverdale,Ga.Thequarterbackhasn’tplayedinthe
leaguesince2016,whenhisprotestsagainstpoliceviolenceandracial
injusticesparkedoutrage.TODDKIRKLAND/THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFOOTBALL
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers fi-
nally ended the CFL’s longest ac-
tive Grey Cup drought on Sunday
night, by hoisting that cherished
silver football prize for the first
time since 1990.
The gold-helmeted Bombers
toppled the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
33-12 in Sunday’s 107th Grey Cup.
It ended a Cinderella story in-
volving a team that finished
third place in the West, took the
hardest road to the champion-
ship game and then slayed the
CFL’s best team of 2019.
The Bombers had lost their
previous five trips to the big
game since 1990. Sunday, the
sixth time was the charm, and
they finally brought joy to their
long-suffering fans.
Winnipeg native Andrew Har-
ris was massive in seizing the
Cup for his hometown, as the
controversial running back had
18 carries for 134 yards and
scored a pair of touchdowns. He
became just the second Bombers
running back in Grey Cup history
to surpass 100 yards – like Char-
lie Shepard did in 1958.
Harris added to his stellar per-
formance Sunday by becoming
the first player to be chosen the
game’s top player and Canadian.
He is the first Canadian to win
the Grey Cup MVP since since
the legendary Russ Jackson of
the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1969.
The Canadian back hoisted
the Cup after the end of a contro-
versial season. He had tested
positive for metandienone dur-
ing the season, an anabolic ste-
roid banned by the CFL. In late
August, he was suspended for
two games. He got the cold
shoulder from the CFL Players
Association, who did not select
him as an All-Star, despite being
the league’s leading rusher.
Media did not select him for a
year-end award.
Quarterback Zach Collaros
made 17 of his 23 passes for 170
yards, beating his former team
during a season in which he ap-
peared on three CFL rosters.
Kicker Justin Medlock kicked
a Grey Cup-record six field goals
for the Bombers, while the de-
fence created seven turnovers.
The Bombers become the first
team since the 2005 Edmonton
Eskimos to finish the regular sea-
son in third place, and win two
playoff games on the road before
going on to win the Cup.
The CFL’s two longest active
Grey Cup droughts were going
head to head – the Ticats hoping
to hoist it for the first time since
1999.
It was total heartbreak for the
Ticats, who lost their third suc-
cessive Grey Cup appearance
dating back to 2015. It was a
night full of frustrations for the
team, which had a club best and
CFL leading 15-3 season. They
also lost their best player early in
the second half, Brandon Banks.
Banks, the league’s leading re-
ceiver and 2019 most outstand-
ing player, would not get the vin-
dication he so badly wanted, af-
ter he returned a punt for a
touchdown in the 2014 Grey Cup
against the Calgary Stampeders,
but had it overturned by a penal-
ty flag.
Dane Evans completed 16 of
his 27 passes for 203 yards, and a
touchdown, against two inter-
ceptions.But for the Ticats, it was a
night of turnovers, missed catch-
es, passes batted down and a pa-
rade of pass-rushers getting to
Evans.
During a brisk night with tem-
peratures hovering around the 3
C mark, a crowd of 35,439
watched at McMahon Stadium
on Sunday, but it was not a sell-
out.
The Bombers’ defence had not
given up a touchdown since the
second quarter of the Western
semi-finals and, as a group, they
were disruptive right off the top
Sunday.
They orchestrated a turnover
on Hamilton’s very first posses-
sion as Brandon Alexander
grabbed an Evans pass that
tipped off the hands of Ticats re-
ceiver Jaelon Acklin.
Winnipeg’s defence came
hard on the next series, too –
sacking Evans on consecutive
plays. The second was by CFL’s
Most Outstanding Defensiveplayer Willie Jefferson, which
forced a fumble that was reco-
vered by Bomber linebacker
Adam Bighill.
The Bombers swiftly turned
that into a touchdown, as Harris
rumbled the final 15 yards into
the endzone to provide a star-
tling 7-0 lead.
The Ticats trimmed that lead
quickly with a field goal, and the
Bombers then missed one and
conceded a single point.
The Ticats went for it on third
down, but David Watford’s quar-
terback sneak fell just short and
the Tabbies turned the ball over
on downs.
Hamilton kicked another to
make it 8-6. The Bombers an-
swered back with another to pull
ahead 11-6.
The Bombers mixed in backup
quarterback Chris Streveler for
part of the second quarter. He
tossed an 18 yard touchdown
pass to Harris. The flashy Cana-
dian running back celebrated by
spinning the football off the turf
as his Bombers took an 18-6 lead
and looked totally in control.
Before the half was through,
Medlock booted a second field
goal for a 21-6 lead
The half-time show was head-
lined by Keith Urban. The Nash-
ville-based, New Zealand-born
and Australian-raised country
superstar was an enormous get
for the CFL. The shaggy-haired
four-time Grammy Award win-
ner has an affinity for the coun-
try-loving city of Calgary, having
played the Alberta city several
times dating back to the late
1990s.
Yet, it was his first CFL game.
His 13-minute set included a
medley of five hit songs, along
with some flashy pyrotechnics as
cheer teams from across the CFL
crowded around his stage.
Medlock added a third field
goal to open the second half, and
the news wasn’t getting any bet-
ter for the Ticats. Hamilton’s ex-
plosive receiver Banks limped off
to the locker room – done for the
night after six catches for 72
yards.
A Hamilton special teams
trick play finally gave the Ticats
some life. Kicker Lirim Hajrulla-
hu faked a field goal, then
launched a pass to Luke Tasker,
which resulted in a 12-yard gain.
The Ticats followed that up with
a four-yard touchdown pass
from Evans to Bralon Addison,
dampened only by the fact that
their two-point conversion
failed.
The Tabbies had inched to
within 12, but the Bombers never
allowed them any closer. The
Bomber party could not be de-
railed.Winnipegrunningback
playsvitalroleinBlue
Bombers’shellingof
beleagueredHamilton
RACHELBRADYCALGARY
WinnipegBlueBomber
AndrewHarrispushes
asideHamiltonTicat
SimoniLawrenceduring
the107thGreyCupin
Calgary.Harriswas
chosenasthegame’s
mostoutstandingplayer,
aswellasthemost
outstandingCanadian–
thefirsttimeinGreyCup
historythathonourfellto
thesameplayer.
NATHANDENETTE/
THECANADIANPRESSHometownheroHarrissoarsagainstTicats