Insider Talk: Dinwiddie wins, Begelton’s offers, operations cap is ‘awful’

Photo courtesy: Argonauts.ca

Insider Talk is a weekly feature on 3DownNation that features anonymous quotes from people around the CFL — players, coaches, personnel people, executives, and agents — regarding the latest news around the league. It’s a combination of insight, analysis, rumours, and friendly gossip.

This week’s Insider Talk is full of discussion regarding Toronto clinching first place, Reggie Begelton’s contract offers, the CFL’s “awful” operations cap, Ottawa and Montreal’s quarterback situation, and the league’s global initiative.

Enjoy this week’s quotes and come back next Wednesday for another edition of Insider Talk.

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Good for Ryan Dinwiddie (leading the Argos to an East Division title). He had those couple of late-game mistakes and he’s got Chris Jones looming in the shadows, who’d do anything to be a head coach again. But they can’t do him dirty anymore. He won too many games and got them a first-round bye even though the East is as competitive as it’s been in a long time.

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The global initiative was supposed to be a revenue-generator for the CFL but all its done is make the league look stupid when these awful kickers go out and spray the ball all over the field. It makes the league look like a joke.

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Calgary wasn’t the only team in the mix for Reggie Begelton. Winnipeg made a big push — I heard they even offered more money than Calgary.

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Craig Dickenson was bang-on with what he said about the football operations cap. Fans have no idea what the entry-level coaches make. There are guys only earning $30,000 and working 70-hour weeks. It’s awful.

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If given the choice between those two big receivers (Reggie Begelton and Duke Williams), I’m taking Duke every time. He’s bigger, he’s just as fast, he makes contested catches, he separates, and he can change the outcome of a game. When I see Duke getting touches against us, I get worried. I don’t get worried about Reggie Begelton. He’s a very good player, but I don’t stay up at night worrying about him.

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I think Ottawa will sign whichever quarterback Montreal doesn’t keep. If (Vernon) Adams stays there, Harris goes back to Ottawa. If the Als keep Harris, Adams will go to Ottawa.

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I’m so impressed by Zach (Collaros) and the way he’s changed his body. He used to be small or at least he was when I first met him. You can really tell now that he’s been in the weight room. It’s the same thing Henry Burris did when he started getting into his mid-thirties. It added years to his career and obviously it has reinvigorated Zach’s game as well.

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I really like (rookie Saskatchewan Roughriders’ defensive tackle) Garrett Marino. He could be good — like, really good. He’s super strong, very fast for his size, and super aggressive. Don’t sleep on him.