Helmet-to-helmet hits and their devastating effects are back in the CFL spotlight but league president Michael Copeland doesnt b

Helmet-to-helmet hits and their devastating effects are back in the CFL spotlight but league president Michael Copeland doesnt believe they are becoming an epidemic. Martinas Rankin Jersey . Edmonton quarterback Mike Reilly took a nasty hit to the back of his head from Toronto rookie defensive lineman Cleyon Laing in the Argonauts 34-22 win Saturday night. Although appearing wobbly upon getting up, Reilly remained in the contest after being evaluated by Eskimos medical staff. On the next play, Reilly dropped the direct snap but recovered and threw a 17-yard TD strike to Shamawd Chambers. When he came to the sidelines, Reilly was re-evaluated and replaced by veteran backup Kerry Joseph. On Sunday, the Eskimos confirmed Reilly had suffered a concussion and hes out indefinitely. That leaves Hamiltons Henry Burris, 38, the lone CFL starter still standing. The six-foot-three, 280-pound Laing was flagged for his hit and the Edmonton native is expected to be fined this week by the CFL. Its an approach, Copeland says, thats working. "Concussions, according to our records, are flat this year relative to last and man-games lost to concussions are down, which I think speaks to better concussion management," he said. "I think its having an affect because when we talk to our officials, they tell us they see more players changing the way they tackle and that the culture among players is changing. "Youre going to see certain plays happen and again theyre fairly high profile. But theres many things people necessarily dont see that I think speak to the success of what weve been doing." On Monday, Edmonton head coach Kavis Reed left it up to the CFL to assess the Laing hit. "I truly believe we dont want to see our players exposed to those kinds of hits," he said. "I trust the (leagues) decision-making process that theyre going to go through in making an assessment as to the severity of that hit and the decision theyll come down with." While the 2013 campaign has been tough on CFL quarterbacks, Montreals Anthony Calvillo is the only other starter out with a concussion. He was injured in a game in August when his head struck the Mosaic Stadium turf following a legal hit by Saskatchewan defensive end Ricky Foley. But the issue of helmet-to-helmet hits is one the league has had to face often this season. On Sept. 18, Saskatchewan Roughriders safety Tyron Brackenridge was fined by for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Torontos Chad Kackert that left the running back with a concussion. Roughly a month earlier, Brackenridge was involved in a helmet-to-helmet collision with Montreals Brandon London that left the Alouettes receiver concussed but Brackenridge wasnt fined for the hit. However, the league slapped Hamilton defensive back Dee Webb with an undisclosed fine for hitting B.C. Lions receiver Marco Iannuzzi in the head on a kickoff in the Tiger-Cats 37-29 win Sept. 7. Iannuzzi suffered a concussion on the play. Webb was also fined last year for a hit on Iannuzzi that left the Lions player with a concussion. And Saskatchewan defensive lineman Levi Steinhauer was fined Aug. 1 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Hamilton kick-returner Lindsey Lamar in the Riders 32-20 win in Guelph, Ont., on July 27. Mike Morreale, a former CFL slotback now heading up the CFL Players Association, doesnt believe head injuries are on the rise in the league. However, he said public awareness about the issue of concussions makes it seem that way. "My gut feeling is because of the awareness level and increase in terms of camera angles, were now becoming more and more aware of it and it looks like its happening more and more often," he said. "I also think theres truth that the bigger, stronger and faster these guys are and the increase in protection levels regarding the equipment they wear would allow someone to play more aggressively as well." Often, the CFL fines a player for a helmet-to-helmet hit but Copeland said the league can issue a suspension if warranted. However, Copeland feels hitting offenders in the wallet is a suitable punishment. "Judging by the reaction of players when they get fined, its certainly working," he said. "I absolutely think its having an effect and changing the way the guys think and I believe thats whats causing the change in culture and mechanics on the field. "The objective of discipline is to change behaviour and at the point we see its not having an affect thats when we have to take a look at the size of our penalties . . . Should we feel the need to continue to increase them well do that. Its a conversation we have with the (CFL Players Association) and we dont think were there yet but its not a place were afraid to go if we feel we have to." Morreale said the CFLPA has been very active in educating players on the dangers of helmet-to-helmet hits but admits the union faces a stiff challenge trying to get some of their constituents to change how they play the game. "In some cases you have to change 20 some-odd years of conditioning on how to play the game of football," Morreale said. "A lot of times, a defender is going for a shoulder and the (ball-carriers) head dips and you have incidental head-to-head contact." However, Morreale believes more can be done to enhance player safety in the CFL and said fortunately both the union and league are on the same page regarding the issue. "I think more needs to be done, which means we have to collectively as players and coaches and management come up with better rules that surround not only fines and suspensions but maybe possibly the rules of the game as well," he said. "Thats what I hope would create part of our discussion around negotiation time. "The league and us are on the same page so theres not a lot of head-to-head on, No, we cant do this, we cant do that. I think we both jointly agree the health of our players is the most important thing." Education, Copeland said, is a key. "Football is a contact game but it can be a very safe game when played properly," he said. "Thats what were trying to communicate to everyone involved." --- HALL OF FAME: Former CFL players Brian Fryer, Dan Ferrone, Miles Gorrell and Earl Winfield, along with builders Jake Ireland and Don Loney, will be formally inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame this week in Edmonton. Theyll be presented their jackets Wednesday and have their busts unveiled Thursday morning before the Hall of Fame gala dinner later that night. The festivities will culminate with the Edmonton Eskimos hosting the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday afternoon. Peter Kalambayi Jersey . Johns, N.L., to Thunder Bay, Ont., after a deal was announced to build a new $106-million "event centre" in the Lake Superior community. Will Fuller V Jersey .C. Lions signed cornerback Dante Marsh to a contract extension on Friay and released receiver Paris Jackson. http://www.cheaptexansjerseysonline.com/?tag=alfred-blue-jersey-online . Bibeau, Torontos sixth-round pick at No. 172 overall in last years draft, was named the outstanding goaltender of the 2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup.Brendan Taman still has plenty on his plate less than three weeks before the start of CFL free agency.The Saskatchewan GM has signed four pending free agents — including starting defensive linemen Tearrius George and Canadian Ricky Foley — but still has 19 players slated to hit the open market at noon ET on Feb. 10. That includes slotback Weston Dressler, offensive lineman Ben Heenan and safety Tyron Brackenridge, all major contributors to the Roughriders 2013 Grey Cup-winning team.Taman is hopeful he can re-sign one of those players before the deadline, possibly two. But Taman doesnt believe hell get all three before then because Heenan, a 24-year-old Regina native, has attracted significant NFL interest and Taman expects the six-foot-four, 310-pound tackle to test free agency.Two would be nice and one would be acceptable, I think, but theres a chance it could be zero, Taman said during a telephone interview Thursday. It all depends on how the whole business side works out in the next two weeks of negotiations.Were not going to get every guy back, we know that. Were just trying to minimize the hits on how many we lose and who it is.According to the CFL website, 30 of the 136 potential free agents have re-signed with their clubs. Nine have been released outright, with Toronto Argonauts cornerback Kalil Carter and Calgary Stampeders defensive lineman Shawn Lemon going on to sign NFL deals with Minnesota and Pittsburgh, respectively.On Thursday, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers released linebacker Ian Wild so he could pursue NFL opportunities.Montreal receiver Duron Carter (75 catches, 1,030 yards, seven TDs) and Hamilton all-star cornerback Delvin Breaux are among the remaining 97 pending free agents but both have worked out for multiple NFL clubs and are expected to sign in the U.S. Also garnering interest south of the border is Calgary centre Brett Jones, the leagues top lineman in 2014 whose CFL deal also expires next month.Saskatchewan leads the CFL with its 19 pending free agents. Taman said the Riders and Brackenridges camp have narrowed the gap in their talks but another factor in the process is determining how Brackenridge fits into new defensive co-ordinator Greg Quicks scheme.The six-foot, 189-pound Brackenridge had 64 tackles and three interceptions last season after earning CFL all-star honourrs in 13 . Johnathan Joseph Jersey. Taman said the Riders have made the 29-year-old Dressler a contract offer his representatives are currently mulling over. The five-foot-seven, 179-pound native of Bismarck, N.D., has spent his entire seven-year CFL career in Saskatchewan and the five-time 1,000-yard receiver is a huge fan favourite.Dressler had 27 catches for 320 yards and a TD last season, rejoining the Riders after being released by the NFLs Kansas City Chiefs.Weve made an offer, theyre going to sit on it for a while and take their time to go over their strategy and plan things out, Taman said. At the end of the day theyll let me know where theyre at but weve thrown it out at them.I think every year we go through this, we have two or three guys that are pretty significant guys who can hit the market. Some weve kept, some we havent and this year is no different. If we lose all three, we just have to move on and figure out how to win games without them. Were hoping we dont get to that point with all three of them but if we do, we do.Another interesting potential free agent is running back Jerome Messam. The 29-year-old Toronto native, who grew up in Brampton, Ont., averaged a solid 5.5 yards per carry last season but only had 70 rushing attempts.The six-foot-three, 245-pound Messam was the CFLs top Canadian in 2011 when he ran for 1,057 yards with Edmonton. He has rushed for 1,115 yards the last three seasons combined with the Eskimos, Montreal and Saskatchewan but has averaged a solid 4.8 yards per carry.Last year, the Riders used multiple running backs as Anthony Allen rushed for a team-high 930 yards. Will Ford (452 yards), Messam and Hugh Charles (86 yards) also saw action in former offensive co-ordinator George Cortezs scheme.Fortunately for Saskatchewan, new offensive co-ordinator Jacques Chapdelaine is familiar with Messam from their days together with the B.C. Lions.Jerome is a talented kid and hes Canadian, Taman said. Hes got a lot of value but some teams might think that to.When he did play significant time I thought he did pretty well but there were reasons why he didnt play in the other games. Thats obviously a coaching thing weve got to sort through.Jacques has some familiarity with him from B.C. so I think theres some comfort there but again its up to me to try and get him back. 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