Rookie GM rips Tiger-Cats

Newly hired Hamilton Tiger-Cats general manager Marcel Desjardins had some brusque words Tuesday for his players.

Desjardins said some players among the struggling Ticats (4-14)are not pulling their weight andwill have a rude awakening in the off-season.

"If they think they can just ride it out over the next two weeks and not give what they are paid to do, they might get a shock in the off-season," he said.

Desjardins also acknowledged that he had received "second-hand" information that some Ticats deliberately played poorly earlier this season in an effort to get one or more members of the coaching staff fired.

"In some cases, players had — again, this is second-hand — intentionally stopped playing to get somebody removed from their job," said the rookie GM. "It's been said. I haven't seen it, but it's been said."

The Ticats fired head coach Greg Marshall following a 0-4 start.

Offensive co-ordinator Joe Paopao and offensive line coach Kani Kauahi were released a few weeks later.

The Ticats will miss the post-season for the fourth time in the past five seasons.