Argonauts shoot big money in wrong direction
The Toronto Argonauts, true to their nautical nickname, have given Marc Trestman a boatload of money.
According to Justin Dunk of 3downnation.com, Trestman is to receive $600,000-plus per annum over a three-year deal — and that is to be the head coach. Trestman will not have accompanying job descriptions such as general manager. GM Jim Popp will handle the rest of the football operations.
Popp and Trestman give the Argonauts the best chance of reversing their fortunes. That is the good news for the Argos and the CFL. The bad news: The riches are misdirected.
A player — not a head coach, not a GM — should be the highest-paid employee on every CFL team. The players are the product. They are the ones who attract the fans and appear on highlight packages.
Never in the salary cap era has a player entered the $600,000 stratosphere. Edmonton Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly and Hamilton Tiger-Cats pivot Zach Collaros will reportedly make slightly more than $500,000 in 2017. Ex-Saskatchewan Roughrider Darian Durant once commanded a comparable salary.
Trestman, much like the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mike Babcock, has raised the bar for head coaching salaries. Watch for coaches’ wages to escalate. Meanwhile, player compensation will continue to be regulated by a collectively bargained salary ceiling.
The teams have ample available cash, as evidenced by Trestman’s lottery win. Alas, a systemic double standard prevents the players from receiving a fair allocation of the dollars.
The players are the show — show them the money.