Davis: Good news, bad news thus far into CFL season

Five weeks into the CFL season, there are two undefeated teams (Montreal, Saskatchewan) and two winless teams (Hamilton, Edmonton). It’s typical of the league, which is always full of good-news and bad-news stories. Here’s a collection:

Good: Montreal Alouettes defensive end Shawn Lemon is finally being punished for the most serious behavioural breach imaginable from a professional athlete — betting on your team’s games. An independent arbitrator validated an indefinite suspension imposed earlier by commissioner Randy Ambrosie.

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Bad: Toronto Argonauts head coach Ryan Dinwiddie remains committed to suspended quarterback Chad Kelly, according to 3DownNation’s Justin Dunk. It’s disappointing that Kelly, who got a nine-game suspension for continually mistreating a former Argos coach, isn’t going to be bumped out of the CFL by rookie backup Cameron Dukes. And neither is John Murphy, Toronto’s assistant general manager, who did nothing when informed about Kelly’s reprehensible behaviour.

Good: Canada’s Copa America semifinal against Argentina on Tuesday won’t conflict with any CFL games. MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays having an abhorrent season also helps the CFL’s TV numbers.

Bad: Edmonton quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson criticized the schedule-maker for making his team play three times on short rests. Several kickers were fined for complaining about computer chips in the footballs. They were all fined for being correct.

Good: The league’s early-season schedule features single games four nights per week.

Bad: Travelling fans are OK with Fridays and Saturdays but really don’t like night games on Thursday or Sunday.

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Good: B.C. and Montreal have good teams and are drawing decent crowds. One of Toronto’s games showed packed end zone bleachers.

Bad: Mosaic Stadium had its smallest regular-season crowd for a Saskatchewan Roughriders game, when 23,923 tickets were distributed before they won their fourth straight game Thursday. Attendance in Edmonton, Calgary, Hamilton, Winnipeg and Ottawa is also concerning.

Good: Cameras in the Command Centre.

Bad: No microphones in the Command Centre to hear the decisions being made regarding video review. A reminder that video review is a horrible idea, sometimes getting the right call enforced while continually ruining the spontaneity of every sport. How did they get that reviewed call wrong Friday, ruling that Ottawa quarterback Dustin Crum threw a “lateral” to Ryquell Armstead?

Good: Quarterbacking is better league-wide than last year, led by B.C.’s Vernon Adams Jr. and Montreal’s Cody Fajardo. And they’re making stars respectively out of receivers Alexander Hollins and Tyson Philpot. B.C.’s Justin McInnis, too, who didn’t look anything like this when he played in Saskatchewan.

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Bad: Except for one game, Hamilton Tiger-Cats highly-paid, drop-prone receiver Tim White.

Good: Corey Mace was the right choice for Roughriders head coach. The Riders were also considering Scott Milanovich and Buck Pierce. Milanovich is 0-5 as Hamilton’s head coach while Pierce, Winnipeg’s offensive coordinator, is with a 1-4 team.

Bad: Watching the Winnipeg Blue Bombers grow old.

Good: TSN announcer Rod Smith properly calls B.C.’s quarterback “Adams” while virtually everyone else at the network calls him “V.A.” Fans recognize players by the name on the back of their jerseys, not by first names or nicknames.

Bad: The looming end of two eras, with the Elks being sold from community-ownership to private owners, which could also signal the end of beleaguered head coach Chris Jones. Jones’ timeline has numerous successful stops dating back to first working with legendary coach Don Matthews.

Good: Retired linebacker Henoc Muamba joining Milt Stegall on TSN’s panel. Part-time panelist Matt Dunigan whenever he’s in the booth as a colour analyst.

Bad: CFL.ca is an unreliable website, reminding everyone of last year’s statistical fiasco with Genius Sports.

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Good: Augmented broadcasts, adding information such as receiver’s routes and ball speed, although I don’t know anyone who watches them.

Bad: Gambling ads still dominate every telecast.

Good: During the PGA’s John Deere Classic, the golf commentators announced Saturday’s Calgary-Montreal game was going to be televised on CBS. Montreal’s comeback victory was highly entertaining.

Bad: Audio during Alouettes home games.

Good: Lions head coach Rick Campbell posted a starting lineup Sunday that included 10 Canadians, three more than required, before their 44-28 victory in Hamilton.

Bad: Undecipherable roster rules that reduce on-field time for Canadian players.

Good: Thirteen of the 20 games have been decided by one scoring play, eight points or fewer, with four more chances this week.

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