That’s how Teddy Thompson rolls. He doesn’t sign big name free agents. He uses his draft picks wisely, which as it pains me to say, is the way your suppose to build any team that has a salary cap.

So, get a Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers type, and then guys will be beating down the door, Claude. Like any other franchise. But I’m glad he’s not making excuses, at least.

How much hookers and blow did it take for the Bombers to lose the Grey Cup to the one owner that owns teams in every division?

But lots of players live away from their family. Luongo’s wife is still in Florida I think. Nabakov just brought his family to NY after like 2 years. Brad Stuart’s wife and kids are still living in the Bay area. Short term contract players usually don’t uproot their family with them every time they get a new team

Its more a convenient excuse and something for fans to pile on. If you win games players will come.

Anyway there are lots of similar reports, Michael Nylander’s wife was apparently reduced to tears upon hearing he was signing in Edmonton and he backed out after the last minute and signed with Washington instead.

…That said, I recall the reason Pronger left Edmonton a few years back was because his wife didn’t like living there. And that brings up my one concern- family. If a player is on the road half the year and all, great, but if his family is stuck living somewhere they don’t want to be, that kind of means he has to pick between his family’s wishes and his own. That’s not a fun call to make- and it means players without families are the ones that are most likely to play in places like Winnipeg and Edmonton, one would think.

NOTE: I’m not saying those are bad places to be- I actually like Edmonton, though I’ve not had a chance to visit Winnipeg. I’m viewing this based on the Pronger situation a while back, not on my own opinion.