Milanovich resigns

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Lionsfan65
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Its official, Scott Milanovich resigns as Argos head coach to join the Jacksonville Jaguars staff as QB coach. The writing was pretty much on the wall since Barker was fired though.
Things aren't looking to great in Argo land right now.
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WestCoastJoe
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Copeland has shown nothing in terms of football management. One thinks he will have to ask those American football people he visited whom to hire.

At this point, Barker and Milanovich look pretty good, to this CFL fan, anyway.

Tommy Condell is now on staff as a personnel assistant. He is about due for promotion. Fallback choice if Clements does not board the Argo ship?
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DanoT
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So how are the Argos going to sign anyone in FA when the players don't even know who is the HC or GM that they might be playing for?

I guess this is Copeland's team now :rotf:
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What a friggin mess
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Lionsfan65 wrote:Its official, Scott Milanovich resigns as Argos head coach to join the Jacksonville Jaguars staff as QB coach. The writing was pretty much on the wall since Barker was fired though.
Things aren't looking to great in Argo land right now.
I think that this happened 3 days after Barker was dusted might be more coincidental than fallout. When the Argos were cleaning out their lockers Milanovich figured he'd coached his last game. I think he started looking for other thing back then. The NFL season wrapped up only 3 weeks ago meaning this is about as early as NFL offers and acceptance would happen. Barker's firing didn't start him looking for something else but might've been what caused him to accept an offer he already had.
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DanoT
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They are saying over at ArgoFans that the Argos will announce within 24 hours that former CFL QB and until just recently Green Bay OC, Tom Clements will be the new Argo GM/HC, at $1 Million/year for 5 years. If this is true then I take back any negative comments, criticism, or thoughts that I had about Michael Copeland.
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Hambone wrote:
Lionsfan65 wrote:Its official, Scott Milanovich resigns as Argos head coach to join the Jacksonville Jaguars staff as QB coach. The writing was pretty much on the wall since Barker was fired though.
Things aren't looking to great in Argo land right now.
I think that this happened 3 days after Barker was dusted might be more coincidental than fallout. When the Argos were cleaning out their lockers Milanovich figured he'd coached his last game. I think he started looking for other thing back then. The NFL season wrapped up only 3 weeks ago meaning this is about as early as NFL offers and acceptance would happen. Barker's firing didn't start him looking for something else but might've been what caused him to accept an offer he already had.
Without knowing any "insider" information, I suspect you are correct. Milanovich was looking and likely, when it became clear to him and thus the Argo's, that he was going to be leaving, then they had to pull the pin on Barker. At best, the Argo's may have let Milanovich make his own announcement of his leaving rather than dusting him ala Barker. Good on them....
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DanoT wrote:They are saying over at ArgoFans that the Argos will announce within 24 hours that former CFL QB and until just recently Green Bay OC, Tom Clements will be the new Argo GM/HC, at $1 Million/year for 5 years. If this is true then I take back any negative comments, criticism, or thoughts that I had about Michael Copeland.
The announcement that Tom Clements has left the Packers "to pursue other interests" was made on January 26 so the dominoes are falling into place quite quickly for the Argo's since the very next day, Mianovich is confirmed as moving on to the Jags... Sometimes it takes time to bring all the pieces together.... but once they are in place..... bingo... bango, it's all done....
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These next two hires for the Argos (assuming it's not one person to become head coach and GM - a serious mistake for someone not named Hufnagel or Buono) are absolutely critical. Not to overstate things, but with the state of this franchise being what it is, there is almost no margin for error.

That is why Tom Clements is a risky hire IMHO. Lots of NFL experience, but as QB coach and OC. None as the head man, and while he played a number of years in Canada, it was a long time ago and that doesn't always translate (for Exhibit A, I present "Tedford, Jeff").

I get what Copeland, Tanenbaum and Bell may be trying to do here: sign someone with cache and name recognition in the Toronto market to gain some traction and 'big league' acceptance. But I would warn them to tread very carefully here. CFL experience trumps all. Not saying someone can't step in from the outside and do wonders. Trestman worked out perfectly. But then again, he had Anthony Calvillo and a stacked line-up, not Drew Willy and a team coming off a 5-13 season. If it were me, I would take the less risky, proven option of Eric Tillman as GM, and Corey Chamblin as HC, with Tommy Condell as the OC.


DH :cool:
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David wrote:These next two hires for the Argos (assuming it's not one person to become head coach and GM - a serious mistake for someone not named Hufnagel or Buono) are absolutely critical. Not to overstate things, but with the state of this franchise being what it is, there is almost no margin for error.

That is why Tom Clements is a risky hire IMHO. Lots of NFL experience, but as QB coach and OC. None as the head man, and while he played a number of years in Canada, it was a long time ago and that doesn't always translate (for Exhibit A, I present "Tedford, Jeff").

I get what Copeland, Tanenbaum and Bell may be trying to do here: sign someone with cache and name recognition in the Toronto market to gain some traction and 'big league' acceptance. But I would warn them to tread very carefully here. CFL experience trumps all. Not saying someone can't step in from the outside and do wonders. Trestman worked out perfectly. But then again, he had Anthony Calvillo and a stacked line-up, not Drew Willy and a team coming off a 5-13 season. If it were me, I would take the less risky, proven option of Eric Tillman as GM, and Corey Chamblin as HC, with Tommy Condell as the OC.


DH :cool:
I don't think this is really comparable to Tedford. Tedford had a lot of experience as a head coach in the college ranks. That's the same approach he took to coaching a pro team, and that angered a lot of players. They simply didn't want to play for him because he treated them like kids with ridiculous curfews, hours of video, and such a high tempo practice that they were often fatigued by game time.

That's not to say that Clements would be a failure, but like you say he has that name recognition that should catch on in the Toronto market, he has experience coaching at the highest level and was the assistant head coach for the Green Bay Packers (as well as OC and QBC) along with experience in the CFL as a player. If he can surround himself with competent people who understand the league then he could do quite well.
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David
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The_Pauser wrote:I don't think this is really comparable to Tedford. Tedford had a lot of experience as a head coach in the college ranks. That's the same approach he took to coaching a pro team, and that angered a lot of players. They simply didn't want to play for him because he treated them like kids with ridiculous curfews, hours of video, and such a high tempo practice that they were often fatigued by game time.
That is a fair point. Tedford may not be a slam-dunk comparable to Clements. Tedford coached really young men and thought his leadership techniques could translate to the pros (it didn't). However, one could argue that at least he has the title of Head Coach on his resume. Brilliant offensive or defensive strategist don't always make Head Coaching material. Rich Stubler is a purrfect example. Let's not forget a big source of frustration for Tedford (as it could well be for Clements) is the budget restrictions in our league. We simply don't have the seemingly unlimited resources up here that they're availed down south.

This is not to say Clements will fail. I am just calling it "risky." The larger point was just that Copeland has virtually no margin for error to turn things around in Toronto. I hate to contemplate the risks of a bad hire and continued losing. If I'm Copeland and am picking right now between a "cache" signing that makes headlines and gets the attention of the market vs "proven winner," I'd have to opt for "proven winner." But that's just me. :2cents:


DH :cool:
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David wrote:That is why Tom Clements is a risky hire IMHO. Lots of NFL experience, but as QB coach and OC. None as the head man, and while he played a number of years in Canada, it was a long time ago and that doesn't always translate (for Exhibit A, I present "Tedford, Jeff").

DH :cool:
Really though there are a lot of parallels between Clements and Hufnagel. Huf did have a 2 year stint as GM/HC in the Arena League in the late 90s. That was the only time he held either position prior to being hired in Calgary. Just like Clements his gridiron career was spent as QBC or OC.
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David
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Again though, Clements (if they are indeed going after him) could turn into a freaking genius hire. We don't know. My point was that it comes with considerable risk (despite his pedigree) because he's never been a Head Coach. Unfortunately, at this stage, "risk" and "Argos" are as dangerous as "gas" and "fire." Their primary GOAL should be to become a stable, winning franchise. Dominant perhaps in 5 years.

If they're going to offer Clements the coach AND GM job (which might be the only way they could get him to come north and offer the type of money he'd be seeking), that's even riskier. That's a lot to take on for someone (basically) new to the league.

Past transgressions aside, Eric Tillman has a history of turning around franchises and is very well connected down south. He'd be my choice for GM. He's also good at that "corporate speak" that Copeland and Tanen-Bell like. I'd either shoot for Trestman or hire Chamblin as HC. Both have Grey Cup rings.



DH :cool:
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David wrote:Again though, Clements (if they are indeed going after him) could turn into a freaking genius hire. We don't know. My point was that it comes with considerable risk (despite his pedigree) because he's never been a Head Coach. Unfortunately, at this stage, risk the Argos really can't afford. Their primary GOAL should be to become a stable, winning franchise. Dominant perhaps in 5 years.

If they're going to offer Clements the coach AND GM job (which might be the only way they could get him to come north and offer the type of money he'd be seeking), that's even riskier. That's a lot to take on for someone (basically) new to the league.

Past transgressions aside, Eric Tillman has a history of turning around franchises and is very well connected down south. He'd be my choice for GM. He's also good at that "corporate speak" that Copeland and Tanen-Bell like. I'd either shoot for Trestman or hire Chamblin as HC. Both have Grey Cup rings.



DH :cool:

tillman is GM in Hamilton. Can't talk to anyone employed by another CFL club after Jan31 (3 days way) per CFL rules
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The most important thing in T.O. isn't winning it is getting people in the seats and we have learned in B.C. that a gunslinger QB and a 12-6 winning record doesn't always get people out to games.

For the snobbish T.O. sports crowd a former CFL star with an 11 year coaching career with the Green Bay Packers will sell better than Tillman or Chamblin so imo Clements is the safer call with the more impressive (to T.O. fans) credentials.
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