Post by Crash on Sept 6, 2022 16:53:23 GMT -5
Didn't get to the coffee thoughts as one of my girls started school this morning, but I did pour myself a coffee to type this out now.
First off, what did anyone expect going into this game? We actually hung around much longer than I thought we would but it also shouldnt come as a surprise that the D came to play at home, on Labour Day against a flat out terrible Toronto team. The reality is the D knew they basically had to play a perfect game for us to win, and they did not.
Jamie Newman getting pulled in the 3rd quarter is one of more frustrating things this regime has done. What more did anyone expect from him going into this game? We knew he was a rookie, we knew he got most of the 1st team reps all week, we knew that Condell and co. were going to the David Watford/Den Lefevour/Jeremiah Masoli etc. game plan, and honestly I didn't see as much of it as I thought we would in the 1st half. The game is in the balance, the kid has played just fine all things considered and they pull him for a guy that looked absolutely lost out there. Just an incredibly stupid decision - what exactly did Newman do that deserved to get pulled? And Stein's explanation of "Some things didn't carry over from practice" and "We wanted him to see things from the bench for a few mins" is an absolute crock of shit. Then on the 3rd down gamble you can bring in the guy that has been money - is bigger, and warm... and you don't. I said to my group "I have a bad feeling about this one, screams off - tackle and stuffed" AND IT HAPPENED.
Papi White looked as lost as I've ever seen a punt returner much less a 2nd year player. By my count he cost us 60 yards in field position.
Other than that, what's there to add? We knew this game would be a mess. We knew we probably wouldn't win, and we knew the season is basically over. The fact that Hamilton was favoured in Vegas made for some nice coffee money.
Management/Ownership
I've made my share of backhanded comments about management, ownership, Hamilton Sports Group, etc. But something is seriously wrong with this organization. Remember when word broke that Collaros and Austin weren't on the same page? Then more stuff started to leak? It feels like we're heading down a similar path.
Orlondo Steinauer was being groomed to take this team over from the Austin days. Was brought in as a consultant to June Jones and again it was obvious the day would come that he would become the next head coach. I honestly can't say I was against it given his experience and US pedigree. What should have never happened was him being promoted to President of the entire operation. He has no player personel experience, he has no business experience, he has no experience negotiating contracts, he has no experience with scouting, he has no connections (that we know of) in the US, and most importantly he doesn't command the respect of older, more tenured staff.... example? Why were Jeff Reinebold and Jim Barker so quick to leave the organization? Why didn't we promote Burke to a more senior role? The roles are affecting him, he's snippy with reporters, he's not taking responsibility for this mess at all and leaving it all on the players, and frankly the last couple weeks on the sidelines he looks disinterested. He got here and we were constantly going for 2, trying 3rd down gambles, trick plays, onside punts....We knew we needed to pull a rabbit out of our hat yesterday to win and no fakes, no trick plays, no tendancy breakers or risky plays, absolutely mailed this one in. That was more concerning to me than the final score. His comments in his presser that everyone just needs a break (or some time) - it's the middle of the football season, sorry man but you aren't getting much of a break, frankly you don't deserve one.
If I read one more take of "Let Steinauer focus on being President and let Khari coach" - What the hell has Khari done in his coaching career that suggests he's the answer? More importantly what has Steinauer done (see above) to settle in to his role as President?
This brings me to my thoughts on Mitchell and Young - this team has constantly over compensated to try and build a winner and while I do believe it's been done with the best intentions, it hasn't been the sound decision making we might have once thought it was.
George Cortez - Director of Football Operations? The guy had never even been a HC before. Instead of giving him the HC promotion he deserved, we gave him more than he deserved. Result? Garbage. (I know he didnt get a long tenure, but still).
Kent Austin - Quality Head Coach WITH Head Coaching experience - Vice President of Football Operations AND General Manager?.
Orlondo Steinauer - Again, Never been a head coach. 100% Deserves and earns his shot and after 2 seasons, PRESIDENT.
It's so obvious that this team over compensates to try and get people that they "Take chances" on people giving them more than they need to either save money, or entice them to come here. Instead of giving Shawn Burke the VP role, they promote Steinaure to President. Completely unnecessary. If he wanted to leave ala Charlie Taaffe - then let him leave. Its starting to look like he doesnt want to be here anyways.
Where do we go from here?
The issue with the promotion you gave Steinauer is once you give him the President title there's no putting that cat in the bag, you can't really demote him without outright firing him, and that means a full blown rebuild - with a Grey Cup at home next season. As much as I think he's in over his head I dont know for certain that I want to see that, but again you're in the pickle of him having this President title.
At some point this organization needs to return to a traditional structure with a VP/GM and a Head Coach, why is it that Calgary, Saskatchewan and *cough* Winnipeg have no issue doing it this way? If Mike O'Shea doesn't need a promotion, why does Steinauer?
Enter Danny McManus - Groomed in Winnipeg, he's an assistant General Manager. Would giving him the role of VP/GM be a stretch? Not really - at least he's spent the last few years watching a championship team get built from the front office. He isn't getting promoted in Winnipeg and would naturally fit in well.
From there - hand selecting his own Head Coach is the way to go. We've tried it the other way and it's not working.
I think this is going to get worse before it gets better, I think this year was completely wasted and it may cost us our potential franchise QB (I really hope it doesn't) and the chances of this team being competitive for next year's GC are lowering by the day. We're the worst team in the league with middle of the league talent.
I'll finish with this - If you truely want to see this team in the GC at home again next year, I think there's a better chance that this regime spends like crazy in free agency and pulls something out of it's ass than firing Stein, the entire coaching staff and lets someone else come in and have to build it in 1 season. That type of pressure isn't going to allow anyone to thrive, so it's a really tough spot to be in.
Dane Evans
In pro football, arguably more in the CFL than the NFL... if you don't have a QB you have nothing.
Calvillo, let him go because we had signed McManus.
Collaros, let him go because we had Masoli.
Burris, let him go because we signed Collaros
You 100% do not release, trade, etc. Dane Evans unless you believe 2 things...
1. That he's completely lost it and beyond fixing.
2. That you have someone better.
His contract isnt that big of a deal because if you look at Edmonton, they still dont have a QB. You look at Ottawa, they had to pay more for the guy we let walk.
It's crazy that I have to even say this, but he's still young, talented and wants to be here. (presumably). There's no world where i'd give up on him yet.
First off, what did anyone expect going into this game? We actually hung around much longer than I thought we would but it also shouldnt come as a surprise that the D came to play at home, on Labour Day against a flat out terrible Toronto team. The reality is the D knew they basically had to play a perfect game for us to win, and they did not.
Jamie Newman getting pulled in the 3rd quarter is one of more frustrating things this regime has done. What more did anyone expect from him going into this game? We knew he was a rookie, we knew he got most of the 1st team reps all week, we knew that Condell and co. were going to the David Watford/Den Lefevour/Jeremiah Masoli etc. game plan, and honestly I didn't see as much of it as I thought we would in the 1st half. The game is in the balance, the kid has played just fine all things considered and they pull him for a guy that looked absolutely lost out there. Just an incredibly stupid decision - what exactly did Newman do that deserved to get pulled? And Stein's explanation of "Some things didn't carry over from practice" and "We wanted him to see things from the bench for a few mins" is an absolute crock of shit. Then on the 3rd down gamble you can bring in the guy that has been money - is bigger, and warm... and you don't. I said to my group "I have a bad feeling about this one, screams off - tackle and stuffed" AND IT HAPPENED.
Papi White looked as lost as I've ever seen a punt returner much less a 2nd year player. By my count he cost us 60 yards in field position.
Other than that, what's there to add? We knew this game would be a mess. We knew we probably wouldn't win, and we knew the season is basically over. The fact that Hamilton was favoured in Vegas made for some nice coffee money.
Management/Ownership
I've made my share of backhanded comments about management, ownership, Hamilton Sports Group, etc. But something is seriously wrong with this organization. Remember when word broke that Collaros and Austin weren't on the same page? Then more stuff started to leak? It feels like we're heading down a similar path.
Orlondo Steinauer was being groomed to take this team over from the Austin days. Was brought in as a consultant to June Jones and again it was obvious the day would come that he would become the next head coach. I honestly can't say I was against it given his experience and US pedigree. What should have never happened was him being promoted to President of the entire operation. He has no player personel experience, he has no business experience, he has no experience negotiating contracts, he has no experience with scouting, he has no connections (that we know of) in the US, and most importantly he doesn't command the respect of older, more tenured staff.... example? Why were Jeff Reinebold and Jim Barker so quick to leave the organization? Why didn't we promote Burke to a more senior role? The roles are affecting him, he's snippy with reporters, he's not taking responsibility for this mess at all and leaving it all on the players, and frankly the last couple weeks on the sidelines he looks disinterested. He got here and we were constantly going for 2, trying 3rd down gambles, trick plays, onside punts....We knew we needed to pull a rabbit out of our hat yesterday to win and no fakes, no trick plays, no tendancy breakers or risky plays, absolutely mailed this one in. That was more concerning to me than the final score. His comments in his presser that everyone just needs a break (or some time) - it's the middle of the football season, sorry man but you aren't getting much of a break, frankly you don't deserve one.
If I read one more take of "Let Steinauer focus on being President and let Khari coach" - What the hell has Khari done in his coaching career that suggests he's the answer? More importantly what has Steinauer done (see above) to settle in to his role as President?
This brings me to my thoughts on Mitchell and Young - this team has constantly over compensated to try and build a winner and while I do believe it's been done with the best intentions, it hasn't been the sound decision making we might have once thought it was.
George Cortez - Director of Football Operations? The guy had never even been a HC before. Instead of giving him the HC promotion he deserved, we gave him more than he deserved. Result? Garbage. (I know he didnt get a long tenure, but still).
Kent Austin - Quality Head Coach WITH Head Coaching experience - Vice President of Football Operations AND General Manager?.
Orlondo Steinauer - Again, Never been a head coach. 100% Deserves and earns his shot and after 2 seasons, PRESIDENT.
It's so obvious that this team over compensates to try and get people that they "Take chances" on people giving them more than they need to either save money, or entice them to come here. Instead of giving Shawn Burke the VP role, they promote Steinaure to President. Completely unnecessary. If he wanted to leave ala Charlie Taaffe - then let him leave. Its starting to look like he doesnt want to be here anyways.
Where do we go from here?
The issue with the promotion you gave Steinauer is once you give him the President title there's no putting that cat in the bag, you can't really demote him without outright firing him, and that means a full blown rebuild - with a Grey Cup at home next season. As much as I think he's in over his head I dont know for certain that I want to see that, but again you're in the pickle of him having this President title.
At some point this organization needs to return to a traditional structure with a VP/GM and a Head Coach, why is it that Calgary, Saskatchewan and *cough* Winnipeg have no issue doing it this way? If Mike O'Shea doesn't need a promotion, why does Steinauer?
Enter Danny McManus - Groomed in Winnipeg, he's an assistant General Manager. Would giving him the role of VP/GM be a stretch? Not really - at least he's spent the last few years watching a championship team get built from the front office. He isn't getting promoted in Winnipeg and would naturally fit in well.
From there - hand selecting his own Head Coach is the way to go. We've tried it the other way and it's not working.
I think this is going to get worse before it gets better, I think this year was completely wasted and it may cost us our potential franchise QB (I really hope it doesn't) and the chances of this team being competitive for next year's GC are lowering by the day. We're the worst team in the league with middle of the league talent.
I'll finish with this - If you truely want to see this team in the GC at home again next year, I think there's a better chance that this regime spends like crazy in free agency and pulls something out of it's ass than firing Stein, the entire coaching staff and lets someone else come in and have to build it in 1 season. That type of pressure isn't going to allow anyone to thrive, so it's a really tough spot to be in.
Dane Evans
In pro football, arguably more in the CFL than the NFL... if you don't have a QB you have nothing.
Calvillo, let him go because we had signed McManus.
Collaros, let him go because we had Masoli.
Burris, let him go because we signed Collaros
You 100% do not release, trade, etc. Dane Evans unless you believe 2 things...
1. That he's completely lost it and beyond fixing.
2. That you have someone better.
His contract isnt that big of a deal because if you look at Edmonton, they still dont have a QB. You look at Ottawa, they had to pay more for the guy we let walk.
It's crazy that I have to even say this, but he's still young, talented and wants to be here. (presumably). There's no world where i'd give up on him yet.
