Blue add tackling demon to linebacking corps

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This article was published 15/05/2015 (3798 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE Winnipeg Blue Bombers have added an intriguing piece to potentially fill one of the holes in their linebacking corps.

The club announced Thursday the addition of import linebacker Sammy Brown (6-2 240, Houston), a former college star who has spent the past three seasons trying to stick with the St. Louis Rams and Miami Dolphins.

In 2010 with the Cougars, Brown registered 76 tackles and 7.5 sacks, while leading Conference USA in tackles for loss with 20. A year later as a senior, he had 93 tackles and a league-leading 13.5 sacks, while leading the entire NCAA with 30 tackles for loss.

His addition comes in a week in which Johnny Sears Jr. signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats while Ian Wild, also a fixture in the front seven last year, signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the off-season. The Bombers did sign Canadian Sam Hurl in free agency this winter and have pencilled him to the middle linebacker spot on their depth chart.

 

Argo fined for rude tweets

MONTREAL — Defensive lineman Khalif Mitchell has been fined undisclosed amounts by the Canadian Football League and the Montreal Alouettes for inappropriate posts on Twitter, including a link to a holocaust denial video.

CFL commissioner Jeffrey Orridge said Mitchell violated the league’s social media policy.

“There is absolutely no place in our league for commentary used to divide or disparage others along the lines of sex, race, religion or sexual orientation,” Orridge said in a statement.

“While we acknowledge that players have a right to hold and express their own opinions, in no circumstance do we condone activity or comments that are derogatory or inappropriate, putting the League’s reputation in question — and we feel Mr. Mitchell’s recent posts on social media have violated these principles.”

Alouettes president and CEO Mark Weightman said the team denounced Mitchell’s online posts.

“His postings are disappointing and in no way reflect the opinions and values of the Montreal Alouettes Football Club,” said Weightman. “His postings were completely unacceptable and the Alouettes apologize to anyone who was offended by them.”

He said the team fined Mitchell the maximum allowed under CFL rules.

B’nai Brith Canada alerted the Alouettes and the league to a series of tweets sent recently by Mitchell. It said Mitchell’s Twitter feed was “replete with bizarre postings and outlandish conspiracy theories, comparisons of police officers to the Ku Klux Klan and hateful videos denying the Holocaust.”

“As an all-star and role model for Canadian youth, Mr. Mitchell should not be sending out divisive and hateful tweets under the banner of the Montreal Alouettes organization,” said Michael Mostyn, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada. “Mr. Mitchell has a history of posting wacky and offensive tweets.”

In 2012, the CFL fined Mitchell an undisclosed amount for violating the league’s social media policy for using derogatory terms against people of Chinese descent.

Among Mitchell’s tweets was one with a link to a video called “The Greatest Lie Ever Told, the Holocaust.”

The 6-6 lineman signed with Montreal last season from the B.C. Lions. The Virginia Beach, Va., native was a CFL all-star in 2011.

 

Bradwell hangs up cleats

TORONTO — Canadian wide receiver Mike Bradwell has retired after a six-year career with the Toronto Argonauts.

Bradwell was originally selected by the Toronto Argonauts in the second round (13th overall) of the 2008 CFL draft.

He caught 25 passes for 350 yards as a rookie in 2009, leading Toronto’s Canadian receivers.

Bradwell registered 116 catches for 1,240 yards and six touchdowns over his career and played in Toronto’s 35-22 over Calgary in the 2010 Grey Cup final.

— staff / The Canadian Press