‘I’m just glad it’s over’: Lauther excited to focus on football rather than CBA

Brett Lauther enjoyed some celebratory beverages Thursday after CFL players voted to ratify the new collective bargaining agreement with the league.

“I put back quite a few beers last night,” the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ kicker and CFLPA player rep said Friday after practice. “I got a full night of sleep, so it feels good to be focused in on making field goals and trying to score points again instead of other stuff.

“I’m happy for the players. I’m proud of these guys and not only just them — the staff, the equipment guys, the fans (and) the medical team here. I’m just happy we’re back to playing football. There was a lot of ups and downs through this but life is too short to have a bad day and I’m just glad it’s over for everyone.”

The CFLPA and the CFL had reached a tentative deal May 18 but on Monday, the players voted against the deal. With a league-imposed deadline of Thursday at 10 p.m. Saskatchewan time, a new deal was ratified just hours before the deadline.

“There were a few days there where certainly there was room to be a little uneasy and nervous, if you will,” commissioner Randy Ambrosie said Friday on The Green Zone. “But in the end, I had a lot of faith and confidence in the CFLPA’s bargaining group and the CFL’s bargaining group.

“I actually think they did a remarkable job of creating a framework for a long-term partnership between the players and the league. In the end, as they say, all’s well that ends well and I think we ended up in a really good spot and it does set us up for a great future together.”

Lauther said the deal the union and league eventually agreed to wasn’t too different from the one that had been voted down by the majority of the players who voted just days before.

“I think we just had a goal in mind as a players’ association to push it to the end to get the best and most fair deal as possible and we truly did that this time and the strike and everything proved that,” Lauther said.

“I’m just glad both sides came to an agreement that worked out for each other and we’re not doing this for another seven years hopefully.”

Lauther said one of the things he’s looking forward to seeing from the deal is revenue-sharing with the league, even though most of that kicks in over the next few years.

There will also be the return of padded practices, with teams allowed up to 12 a year.

“It’s more for development, especially younger guys and Canadian O-linemen,” Lauther said. “It’s tough to come out of college football, whether you are in the States or Canada, and then you go to a league where maybe you don’t play for the first couple years and you don’t have pads on and then you get in games and then it’s a tough transition. That was the explanation I got.”

The new deal also includes provisions for “nationalized” Americans and lasts for seven years, coming to an end after the 2028 season.

Clarification on the new ratio rule in effect in 2023 – teams have to declare before game who the three vet American players are. 1 can start. The other 2 have to be back-ups/one on each side of the ball.

You need to have completed 3 years w/ your team or 5 in CFL to be eligible

— Jamie Nye (@jamienye) May 27, 2022

Penalties on this rule have not yet been determined but expectation is by PA they will be severe.

— Jamie Nye (@jamienye) May 27, 2022

Head coach Craig Dickenson said he noticed a difference in the players now that the CBA is done and ratified.

“You can see it in general and specifically with the player reps – Brett Lauther and Kienan (LaFrance) and those guys – because it’s a lot on their plates and it was stressful times for all of us,” Dickenson said.

“The fact they got a deal done there at the 11th hour was really a relief for all of us and it’s nice to be able to focus on football and what we do from here.”

And the Riders will get a lot of football over the next few days.

The team is to play its Green and White Game on Saturday, its first pre-season game Tuesday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Mosaic Stadium and its second pre-season game next Friday in Vancouver against the B.C. Lions.

“We’re going to try to play most of our vets that we know or feel very good about in the second pre-season game so because of that, they won’t play as much in the first, if at all,” Dickenson said. “That’s why we want to get them some good work (Saturday) because if we don’t, they go a full week without really doing much of anything.”

The Riders’ Green and White game Saturday is to be the first one in Saskatoon since 2019 due to the COVID pandemic and the 2021 shortened season.

“I played (University of Saskatchewan) football here, so this is home. These are the old stomping grounds,” said Riders guard Evan Johnson, who is from Regina but now calls Saskatoon home.

“It’s awesome we’re back in Saskatoon here for both training camp and the Green and White game. Saskatoon is a nice, central location for a lot of the province so we get to interact with some fans who maybe don’t make the drive all the way down to Regina during the season.”

The Green and White game is set for 3 p.m. at SMF Field on Saturday.

Notes: Linebacker Micah Teitz (groin) once again didn’t participate in camp. Dickenson said it’s an injury Teitz was dealing with in the off-season … Dickenson said linebacker Derrick Moncrief took a shot to the head in a contact drill a few days ago. Dickenson said the team is being cautious with him and has kept him out of the drills.