You didn't hear it from him, unless these tidbits from Lefko come true, then you read it here first.
Because this is Grey Cup week and all news that is not about the championship game is supposed to be embargoed under official decree from the league office and with the threat of a serious wrist slapping, we provide you with some interesting rumours making the rounds.
TORONTO: General manager Adam Rita will not be back with the Toronto Argonauts because he doesn't want to be the offensive co-ordinator for head coach (and soon to be GM, too) Jim Barker. Rita's contract ends at the end of the year and, though offered the OC job, he took a pass. Rita wants to coach again, but in the right situation. It's not happening in any role in Toronto.
So that means Barker is looking for a new OC and a personnel director. He'll also be shopping for some quarterbacks. He can defend Cleo Lemon all he wants and say he won 10 games as a rookie, but that will be a hard sell to season-ticket holders and Argo fans as a whole.
Expect talks to heat up between the Argos and Edmonton over veteran quarterback Ricky Ray. We still think Jeff Garcia, even at age 40, is a good fit for Toronto and you wouldn't have to break the bank to get him. He's playing in the United Football League now and the money isn't great.
Barker may also try to get Calgary's Drew Tate, who recently signed an extension, but it doesn't hurt the Argos in making a pitch for him or Montreal's Adrian McPherson.
HAMILTON: Both of the team's co-ordinators -- Mike Gibson on offence and Greg Marshall on defence -- are rumoured to be on their way out. The offence struggled, while the defence had its problems, too, and we're told head coach Marcel Bellefeuille became more involved in that area, which didn't sit well with Marshall. Could Rita be coming to Hamilton as the OC? Makes a lot of sense.
As for the defensive co-ordinator, we're told Richie Hall is a longtime friend of Bellefeuille and loves the Hamilton area and the job is his if he wants it.
WINNIPEG: Several things could happen here: Defensive co-ordinator Kavis Reed could be heading to Saskatchewan as the new coach, and that could create an opening, which will surely be filled by Marshall. He's worked there before and is friends with head coach Paul LaPolice.
The quarterback situation is definitely going to undergo some changes. Most likely the Bombers won't keep perennially-injured Buck Pierce. We're not even sure about Steven Jyles, who was injured near the end of the season.
CALGARY: Rumours persist that Tillman will make an overture to Stamps' offensive co-ordinator/quarterbacks coach Dave Dickenson, but sources say Dickenson isn't going anywhere. The Stamps have some interesting free agents, notably trash-talking cornerback Dwight Anderson.
B.C.: Everyone keeps wondering about general manager/head coach Wally Buono. I'm told he'll be there in both positions for at least one more year. The Lions will need a backup for Travis Lulay. Don't see Jarious Jackson back with the Lions.
EDMONTON: Expect Tillman to overhaul the team, beginning with the hiring of a new coach. He wants old pal Kent Austin, but he's not moving from Cornell for professional and personal reasons. Reed is the frontrunner for now, but George Cortez, the quarterbacks coach of the Buffalo Bills, is in the mix. However, the Bills have won two straight and all is well in Buffalo -- at least for now.
Tillman will be eyeing Als' offensive co-ordinator Scott Milanovich and he's also a longtime friend of Doug Nussmeier, the quarterbacks coach at the University of Washington. Whatever happens, Tillman will dump a lot of Hall's favourites, who are old and overpriced. We wouldn't be surprised if he lures Riders' player personnel director Joe Womack and gives him the role of assistant GM. Tillman will look to acquire Canadian draft picks and will likely shop Ray to gauge interest.
SASKATCHEWAN: Head coach Ken Miller keeps dropping hints he may retire after this season. If the team wins the Cup, it will be a great way to ride into the sunset. If he does go, expect offensive co-ordinator Doug Berry to take his place. He's been a head coach with Winnipeg.
MONTREAL: For quite a few weeks now rumours have been circulating about head coach Marc Trestman being on the short list of the University of Minnesota head coaching job. He's refused to talk about it, concentrating solely on the job at hand. Expect Trestman's name to be flying around for various jobs in the U.S. in the college and professional ranks. His stock has risen with his third trip to the Grey Cup since he joined the CFL. At the very least, he's established himself as a quarterback guru.
The Als, meanwhile, will go into Sunday's game against Saskatchewan with several players probably in their final career game, notably Ben Cahoon. It's an annual topic, but this time it might finally happen. And up top, president Larry Smith is leaving in December and his successor just might be television analyst Jock Climie. Or it might be some lower-profile individual with a business profile in Montreal.
AND OTHER STUFF: There are rumbles that commissioner Mark Cohon will leave his post after the 2012 Cup in Toronto and seek other challenges. We're going to already suggest his successor will be Toronto 2012 Grey Cup chairman Chris Rudge, who was on the short list to be commissioner in 2003. Rudge, by the way, has lined up two high-profile individuals to be co-chairs of the 2012 Cup and they will be revealed early next week. We're told it won't be Pinball Clemons. Rudge was chief executive officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee, which had major stars from the athletic world involved in the torch-lighting ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics, including Wayne Gretzky. He's a former Argo owner and you don't get any bigger than Gretzky if you're trying to push the 2012 Grey Cup as a national event and not strictly Toronto's. We'll throw out Gretzky's name, even if turns out it's not him. After all, no one in the CFL world is allowed to talk about any team business and this is a rumour column. If any of this comes true, you read it here first.
