Kelly fined $2K by CFL, apologizes for ‘language’

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This article was published 03/11/2009 (5804 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG Blue Bombers coach Mike Kelly has been fined as a result of his post-game interview with CJOB on Sunday following his club’s loss to the Montreal Alouettes.

The league issued a statement late Monday afternoon.

"The Canadian Football League (CFL) announced today that it has fined Winnipeg Blue Bomber head coach Mike Kelly $2,000 following his behaviour during a post-game broadcast on a Winnipeg radio station. The Commissioner cited Kelly’s confrontational language, demeanor and tone, and continued pattern of disrespectful behaviour towards the media, saying it reflects poorly upon the Canadian Football League."

Kelly says he’ll pay the fine.

"We sent out an apology immediately upon arriving in Winnipeg and the commissioner deemed it insufficient and fined me accordingly," said Kelly. "I have to accept his ruling."

Following Sunday’s 48-13 loss, Kelly used a profanity during his post-game interview with Bob Irving and Mitch Zalnasky on CJOB before taking another question and then ending the discussion.

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The Bombers and Kelly issued an apology on Sunday night and the coach had this to say when he met the media on Monday afternoon.

"Here’s how we’re going to handle this. I’m going to make a statement about comments following the game and then we’re going to talk about Hamilton. If you ask me anything else about the comments after game, then we’re done. OK? Everybody understand?" said Kelly, to a much larger than usual crowd of reporters for his day-after post-mortem.

"I apologize if people were offended by the language that I used. I will defend my players like a lion protecting its pride. People that don’t show up for practice (Zalnasky) and make comments about the efforts made by our football team will not be tolerated or accepted. It’s that easy.

"If I offended people, I apologize. I’m passionate about what we do here. I’m passionate about our football team and I’m passionate about these players. I will defend them until there’s not a drop of blood left in my body," said Kelly. "We went out there, we played hard. We didn’t get it done… We didn’t play well enough to beat them but don’t ever question the effort that is put in by our players."

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca