ROUGHRIDERS’ NON-ANSWERS ONLY FUEL MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT DONNYBROOK

Marquess of Queensbury (Centre) Rules should be in effect for the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ next practice.

Consider the fact two players — Duron Carter and the suddenly invisible Sam Williams — clashed in a much-publicized altercation Monday at Mosaic Stadium.

Tuesday’s practice was closed to the media, but head coach/ GM Chris Jones volunteered afterwards that tempers flared once more.

“We had an altercation today,” Jones said during his single spasm of illumination. “I’m not going to give you details on it.”

Such was the refrain on a day in which so many pertinent questions were left unanswered.

In light of media reports that the Roughriders pondered dissolving ties with Carter and fellow receiver Bakari Grant, Jones was asked if any disciplinary measures would be taken. “We’re not going to just sit here and harp on something that was blown up, quite honestly, on Twitter.”

Did one of the coaches exhort the players to fight? “We’re not going to mention anything else other than what we just got through saying — that there’s altercations at football practices and that’s what happened. It’s a violent sport and that’s what went on. That’s all the details we’re giving you.”

(TSN’s David Naylor subsequently tweeted: “Can confirm incident at Saskatchewan practice Monday involved at least one coach encouraging Duron Carter and Sam Williams to fight.”)

Will Carter play on Friday against the host Calgary Stampeders? “Our roster will be decided later in the week.”

(Jones had no problem providing a clear response when asked Monday if defensive back Crezdon Butler, who struggled in last Friday’s 33-32 loss to the visiting Ottawa Redblacks, would be in the lineup in Calgary. But now Jones will not address whether Carter, who is coming off a 231yard game, will play on Friday.)

“We won’t expound on anything in our locker-room or in our organization,” Jones continued. “This is all within our walls.” (Stone walls, to be certain.) Carter wasn’t any more forthcoming, dismissing Monday’s imbroglio as “just some football stuff.” Asked whether he thought he was finished as a Rider, Carter responded: “No telling what’s going on in football these days.”

Will he play on Friday? “That’s up to the coaches and everything. I never decide if I play or not.”

Unsurprisingly, Jones responded to a question about the attention Carter vs. Williams has garnered by opining that the story has “absolutely been overblown.” Knee-slapping stuff, this. The status of one of the league’s leading receivers is in doubt as the Roughriders prepare for a game in Calgary. Instant story.

Details about an altercation at practice, and the ensuing fallout, are splattered all over social media and the team did not take one emphatic, effective step toward countering what was widely reported. Remember, too, that the firestorm was fuelled by a cryptic tweet Carter sent out Monday: “It was fun while it lasted... love y’all.”

A marquee player, whose Twitter flock exceeds 17,000, was integrally involved in the story spiralling out of control. Once Twitter was set ablaze, there was organizational silence until Tuesday, when substantial answers were tougher to find than, well, Sam Williams.

“Football is a violent sport,” Jones said. “We practise it hard. There’s going to be altercations and that’s the end of the story.”

Hardly. Thanks in no small part to the Roughriders’ stonewalling, the story lives to see at least another day.