Football Operations: GM Ed Hervey, HC Wally Buono and the Coaching Staff

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maxlion
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B.C.FAN wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:16 am

Hervey has a lot to prove. He has always struck me as an arrogant, toxic personality, the complete antithesis of Wally's fan-friendly personality. Hervey was run out of Edmonton when he rubbed fans and media the wrong way. The Lions brand loyalty is not as strong as the Eskimos' brand loyalty. Hervey can't afford to turn off the people this franchise needs.

This also shuts off Geroy Simon's route to career advancement as GM. Geroy lacks experience but he is a much better face for the franchise than Hervey.
I'm surprised at how prevalent this view is given that Hervey spent 18 years working his way up in a single organization. Clearly he has some people skills. I like his style. Does Geroy have the skills that Hervey brings? I have no idea. Hervey is proven, Geroy is unknown.
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B.C.FAN
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It's a bizarre structure. Wally is VP and reports to Braley because Braley doesn't want to trust someone new. Hervey as GM can fire Wally as head coach and overrule Wally's choice of assistant coaches. It's a recipe for disaster.
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Hambone
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maxlion wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:17 am
Hambone wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:11 am
maxlion wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:53 am
Love this decision. This franchise needs a fresh set of eyes to evaluate what we have and need, and Hervey is the best available, maybe the best in the league. A little bit of swagger doesn't hurt. Great move.
He has to prove it to me first.
Sure. Every GM and coach has to prove themselves over and over again. It's the nature of the business. But his track record so far is outstanding.
Let's put it this way. When Wally came to BC as GM I was really excited. Hervey doesn't give me that feeling.
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B.C.FAN
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Wally said he wanted to hire Hervey five years ago as assistant GM but the Eskimos promoted Hervey to GM instead.
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This is ridiculous. Absolutely bizarre. I tuned in because I needed relief from what was happening down south and I get this stupid decision.

The problem with the Lions isn't the GM. IT'S THE FRICKEN COACHES. So hands up, who thinks they will all be back?

Me too.

Ridiculous.
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B.C.FAN
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Hervey scored some points when asked about Jonathon Jennings. He said Jennings is going to be the quarterback of the future but "the first priority is protecting the quarterback."
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Toppy Vann
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ED HERVEY IS GM and Wally HC for the next season.

https://www.bclions.com/

https://www.bclions.com/2017/11/30/bc-l ... ason-2018/

Good news for the potential buyers as Hervey is neither fan nor media friendly and comes with a huge sack of chips for both shoulders lol.....
Last edited by Toppy Vann on Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Spud387
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Lion Guy wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:36 am
This is ridiculous. Absolutely bizarre. I tuned in because I needed relief from what was happening down south and I get this stupid decision.

The problem with the Lions isn't the GM. IT'S THE FRICKEN COACHES. So hands up, who thinks they will all be back?

Me too.

Ridiculous.
Usually you start with a new GM and the GM decides on coaching staff... So any coaching decisions should be made by the new GM
maxlion
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B.C.FAN wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:26 am
It's a bizarre structure. Wally is VP and reports to Braley because Braley doesn't want to trust someone new. Hervey as GM can fire Wally as head coach and overrule Wally's choice of assistant coaches. It's a recipe for disaster.
It is unusual. I'm surprised. There have been other unusual arrangements like this--Chris Jones as Def coordinator and assistant GM in Toronto, Austin/Tillman in Hamilton.

Wally says it is for one year only. Can it work for a year? It makes me feel better about it knowing that it is for a year. Definitely some non-traditional thinking going on here.
maxlion
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Lion Guy wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:36 am
This is ridiculous. Absolutely bizarre. I tuned in because I needed relief from what was happening down south and I get this stupid decision.

The problem with the Lions isn't the GM. IT'S THE FRICKEN COACHES. So hands up, who thinks they will all be back?

Me too.

Ridiculous.
Not me. There will be changes. Book it.
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“Wally was very clear during our discussions that I would be working from a clean slate as it relates to player personnel and football operations staff, but my first request of him was that he remain on as head coach for the 2018 season. He is unquestionably, the best person to lead our team on the field next year and I am very pleased he has agreed to do so. We will work together in coming days to assemble the rest of our coaching staff.”
On the surface this suggests that he's dumber than dumb but in reality what it says is that Braley doesn't want to toss Wally out and Wally is his guy.

Secondly, Hervey is likely desperate for a job and no others would take it short term with the ownership all up in the air.

I find Hervey quite distasteful in his disdain for the media and fans and if he's so good in scouting, hire him to do that - as he has proven worthy there.

Notice the attitude shift in Jason Maas towards league policies of mic'd up when Hervey was fired?

This media market is a GM killer if you fail to meet these obligations. At least Wally will do that.

A new HC should be what his first order of business was and see what's out there despite the potential change in owner. IF a new HC is successful with a good, new staff I'm sure a new local group would keep him on.
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B.C.FAN wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:26 am
It's a bizarre structure. Wally is VP and reports to Braley because Braley doesn't want to trust someone new. Hervey as GM can fire Wally as head coach and overrule Wally's choice of assistant coaches. It's a recipe for disaster.
I just assumed Wally was also stepping down as VP along with GM as being VP and Coach is truly a different kettle of fish. Hervey and Buono will need to have a very good working relationship to get this to work IMO.
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Hambone
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B.C.FAN wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:26 am
It's a bizarre structure. Wally is VP and reports to Braley because Braley doesn't want to trust someone new. Hervey as GM can fire Wally as head coach and overrule Wally's choice of assistant coaches. It's a recipe for disaster.
Odd for sure but perhaps not a disaster in the waiting. If Hervey is being honest he did say it was him, as the new GM, who asked Wally to stick around to coach one more year. In that regard it causes me far less concern than if Wally the VP made the decision to replace Wally the GM but retain Wally the HC. While Hervey's hire doesn't leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling I think it's safe to say as GM he will be completely in charge of HC Wally and won't put up with meddling from VP Wally. When Wally says it's Ed's show I believe it because I don't think Ed would take the job if that wasn't the case.

With this scenario of Ed requesting it Wally is effectively the Interim HC for 2018 before stepping down. Hervey must have a plan or approach in place already to address Wally's successor. I guess we'll have to see how the rest of the coaching staff rounds out. Could their thought process include targeting someone to be promoted to the 2019 HC job? There was some pontification over Laval's Glen Constantin a year or two ago. Could he be a consideration to bring in for a year to get his pro feet wet as a Coordinator then promote him?
Last edited by Hambone on Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Toppy Vann
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B.C.FAN wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:37 am
Hervey scored some points when asked about Jonathon Jennings. He said Jennings is going to be the quarterback of the future but "the first priority is protecting the quarterback."
Shouldn't the HC announce who his QB is?

Watched some recorded video on Hervey on the Lions site and he's clearly lacking in:

a) interview skills
Or more likely,
b) leadership skills as he's all about cliches none of which paint a coherent picture or suggest he has any vision here.

The bizarre nature of this is that Wally has the direct connect to the owner irrespective of the GM.

The other thing is Wally wanted to hire this dude 5 years ago as assistant GM proves that Wally knows football but not how to select and develop leadership talent.

Who has Wally brought on successfully like Hufnagel did with Dave Dickenson and possibly Rick Campbell who propelled in some ways - Maas to a HC role

Wally's had two failures as HCs in recent years - Benevides and Chapdelaine.
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Toppy Vann
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Hambone wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:51 am
B.C.FAN wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:26 am
It's a bizarre structure. Wally is VP and reports to Braley because Braley doesn't want to trust someone new. Hervey as GM can fire Wally as head coach and overrule Wally's choice of assistant coaches. It's a recipe for disaster.
Odd for sure but perhaps not a disaster in the waiting. If Hervey is being honest he did say it was him, as the new GM, who asked Wally to stick around to coach one more year. In that regard it causes me far less concern than if Wally the VP made the decision to replace Wally the GM but retain Wally the HC.

With this scenario of Ed requesting it Wally is effectively the Interim HC for 2018 before stepping down. Hervey must have a plan or approach in place already to address Wally's successor. I guess we'll have to see how the rest of the coaching staff rounds out. Could their thought process include targeting someone to be promoted to the 2019 HC job? There was some pontification over Laval's Glen Constantin a year or two ago. Could he be a consideration to bring in for a year to get his pro feet wet as a Coordinator then promote him?

This makes sense.

I'll grant Hervey two things:

1. Selection of Jason Maas as HC has worked out not badly.

2. Getting Mike Reilly as QB not so bad either.

I suspect it's too early for Hervey to have a plan as I do think he's not much of a leader. On the Lions site he's one minute "open" , team and "we not me" and then "detailed" and "intense" which contradicts his open and team. Doesn't sound like a leader to me.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
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