  Lions owner David Braley could step in as the new owner of the Argos. (QMI Agency file) |
David Braley could be on the verge of becoming the owner of the Argonauts.
Radio station CKNW in Vancouver was reporting that Argos owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski's intention to bring aboard another partner was about to fall through. If that was to happen, the expectation is Braley would buy the Argos from the pair.
Braley also owns the B.C. Lions, but the Canadian Football League does not have any rules against one person owning two clubs. Still, it's a stop-gap situation the league would rather not have.
Though Braley helped out Cynamon and Sokolowski financially in the years following 2003, when the two rescued the club from bankruptcy, Cynamon and Sokolowski apparently were not interested in bringing in Braley as an official partner.
Once the Argos ownership issue is resolved, the club will have to hurry up in its business on the football operations side. The Argos have no coach, and the future of general manager Adam Rita also is in doubt. Rita could be done with the Argos completely once the ownership situation is cleared up, but he could stay on in a different role. The name of former Saskatchewan Roughriders GM Eric Tillman has popped up as a possible replacement. Calgary Stampeders vice-president of football operations Jim Barker is thought to be interested if the Argos make a GM change.
Coaching candidates include Montreal Alouettes offensive co-ordinator Scott Milanovich, former Winnipeg Blue Bombers coach Doug Berry, Calgary Stampeders defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones and Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive co-ordinator Greg Marshall.
The Argos have gone 7-29 in the past two seasons, missing the playoffs for consecutive years.
A message left with Argos president Bob Nicholson was not immediately returned.
