Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 07, 2020, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE C1 PLUS SPORTS ? ARTS ? LIFE ? ARTS@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ? SPORTS EDITOR: STEVE LYONS 204-697-7285 ? SPORTS@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ? WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020 CONNECT WITH LIFESTYLE STORIES THAT MATTER SECTION C? CFL players preparing for the worst T HE B.C. Lions made sure to count every last penny when announcing a new contract for free-agent quarterback Mike Reilly ahead of the 2019 Canadian Football League season. Reilly, who had emerged as one of the league's biggest stars over his six seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos, generated major headlines when he signed a new deal totalling $2.9 mil- lion over four years, making him the highest-paid player in the CFL. The decision to announce specific details of the contract was viewed by those who keep a close eye on the CFL as a curious move, if only because the league, as a rule, doesn't make con- tracts public. But there was a motive behind revealing Reilly's money: to show casual observers and those who cared little about the league that, in fact, the CFL was the real deal, able to afford big payouts. But that's certainly misleading. For every Reilly there are many more players making much less. In fact, according to Brian Ramsay, executive director of the CFL's players union, half of the more than 500 players that suited up in 2019 made around the league's minimum salary, which was $56,000. Thanks to a new collective bargaining agreement signed ahead of last season, that number has since jumped to $65,000 in 2020, assuming there's a season. Given the high number of players making modest salaries, the CO- VID-19 pandemic has created unstable ground for many in the CFL. And with the 2020 season hanging by a thread, many are trying to do their best to navigate through unchartered waters. That includes Winnipeg Blue Bomb- ers fullback John Rush. But don't think Rush, who has been making around the league minimum since cracking the Bombers' roster in 2017, is looking for pity. What he really wants - and what he's been so vocal about on his Twitter account, @JohnRush32 - is for people to understand that a major- ity of players in the CFL aren't much different than those watching them in the stands. It's why he gets so disappointed when he sees people online disparaging the league and its membership, claiming CFL athletes shouldn't receive public assistance from the government be- cause "they're all millionaires." "It really upsets me when people don't understand a full story and decide to comment on it. A lot of the people commenting make more than us," Rush told the Free Press in a phone interview earlier this week. "We all pay our taxes the same exact way all other Canadians do. It's not like we're getting tax sheltered. I'm not living in some mansion in Tuxedo or on Wellington Crescent." Rush hopes the CFL will have a sea- son this year. CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie has said many times in recent weeks that the board of governors is listening intently to medical professionals and is working diligently to plan for "as much football to be played as possible." The best-case scenario would be for a mid-September start, though fans would likely not be permitted to attend, further complicating things for a gate- driven league. What's most likely at this point is the season will be lost. For those making modest salaries, the fear of a com- pletely wiped-out campaign is even more real. The CFL's recent request for money from the federal government - $30 million of immediate aid and a total of $150 million for a lost season - isn't expected to directly benefit the play- ers. In the event the CFL loses the season, whatever money is handed out from the government would be divided into shares distributed evenly to each of the nine teams and the league office. Individual teams, including the Bombers, have applied for the federal government's wage-subsidy program, which pays 75 per cent of salaries over 12 weeks and expires on June 1. But that's capped at the first $58,000 of an individual's salary and is limited to full-time employees - not players, who are technically contract workers. Players, both from Canada and elsewhere, are being encouraged to apply for other government programs, including employment insurance, and, if eligible, for support from the Canadian Emergency Relief Fund. Some players have already applied and received cheques. Those relying on EI will need to wait until mid-May, when training camps were supposed to start, as an official date of being out of work before they are eligible. At first glance, the idea of a pro- fessional athlete receiving financial assistance from the government seems odd. But upon closer evaluation, it's far from unreasonable and, during a pandemic, even necessary. "Our members pay into EI - Ameri- can or Canadian - so it's less about nationality and more about whether you've made the contributions, have the certain amount of hours (600 per year)," said Ramsay. JEFF HAMILTON NHL probing 'reprehensible remarks' by Leipsic, others SCREENSHOTS showing repugnant and insulting remarks - some mis- ogynistic, some racist, others hinting at drug use and sexual conquests - from a private group chat between several hockey players, including a pair of NHLers from Winnipeg, Bren- dan Leipsic and Jack Rodewald, have become very public. The NHL and Leipsic's employer, the Washington Capitals, are suit- ably outraged, and sent out scathing statements Wednesday castigating the players. The Free Press obtained and re- viewed a file containing 55 different conversations. They target various women, including accompanying pho- tos of them taken from social media which the men then take turns ridicul- ing in the graphic threads that follow. Specific disparaging comments are also directed toward the wife of Vancouver Canucks forward Tanner Pearson, which includes a picture posted by Canucks social media of her holding their infant during a pregame warm-up. There's another aimed at Edmon- ton Oilers captain Connor McDavid's girlfriend in a picture where the couple was dressed for Halloween as the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who. There are also comments from Leipsic in which he criticizes several former teammates with the Canucks and even some current Capitals team- mates. There is also repeated talk of party- ing on the road and drug use including "molly and blow," "fresh powder" and asking another player for "schnip." There's also a post where Leipsic is mocking a woman who posted a picture of herself on Instagram with an inspirational message about being two years sober. "Sounds like a brutal 2 years to me," he wrote to the group. In addition to a barrage of insults, some in the group chat brag about their sexual conquests, referring to them as "kills." Late Wednesday, the NHL issued a statement regarding the conduct of Leipsic and Rodewald, currently in the Florida Panthers system, hinting they could face punishment from the league. "The National Hockey League strongly condemns the misogynistic and reprehensible remarks made by players Brendan Leipsic and Jack Rodewald in a private group chat that has surfaced on social media. There is no place in our league for such state- ments, attitudes and behaviour, no matter the forum. We will address this inexcusable conduct with the clubs and players involved." Comments from Leipsic, 25, and Rodewald (AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds), 26, surfaced in chats in a group called "Angels Zeee," which happened on Instagram over the past several months, based on time stamps. The names of Leipsic's brother, Jere- mey (University of Manitoba Bisons), Jackson Keane (University of North Dakota), and Jordyn Boyd (former Bison) also appear in the group. The exact source of the leaked comments and how they came to light couldn't be immediately confirmed. The Capitals issued a statement late in the day. "We are aware of the unacceptable and offensive comments made by Bren- dan Leipsic in a private conversation on social media. We will handle this matter internally," a spokesman said, without providing further details. MIKE MCINTYRE AND JASON BELL ? CONTINUED ON C3 ? CONTINUED ON C2 Scrambling for funds with season in doubt MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Winnipeg Blue Bombers fullback John Rush stands Wednesday outside of his office at Scotiabank in True North Square, where he is employed as a financial adviser. Brendan Leipsic C_01_May-07-20_FP_01.indd C1 2020-05-06 10:55 PM ;