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

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TheLionKing
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TheLionKing
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Hambone wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:07 pm
TheLionKing wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:04 pm
Surprise hiring. Didn't see this one coming. Anybody know how long Hervey is signed for ?
I would guess minimum 3 years, probably 4, which is standard term for a new GM hire.
Will be interesting to see what the new owners will do. Will they retain Hervey or hire someone else for the position.
leo4life
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Wonder what Mcavoy and Simon are thinking....getting their resumes ready!
TheLionKing
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Who is Ed Hervey ? He's saying all the right things. Only time will tell.

https://www.bclions.com/2017/11/30/herv ... ead-coach/
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CardiacKid
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cromartie wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:00 pm
CardiacKid wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:28 am
Here's a spitball if ever there was one....

The league has agreed to loan the Waterboys $5 million to make their $15 million pitch a $20 million offer.

Braley accepted and is in fact selling the team.....
That's hilarious that you think the league has $5 million sitting around to loan people.
I can't be held accountable for any utterances or statements made while recovering from a Grey Cup hangover....my tongue has planted firmly in cheek. :tease:
maxlion
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WestCoastJoe wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:00 pm
Last word to you, max. I won't go round and round on it. :wink:
I'll believe that when I see it. :cr: :cr: :cr:
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Lion Guy
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TheLionKing wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:07 pm
Not running out to renew my tickets. Need to see more changes/
As am I. If they jettison Washington, Simmons, Jones and Dorazio then I'm all in.
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Hambone
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TheLionKing wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:23 pm
Hambone wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:07 pm
TheLionKing wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:04 pm
Surprise hiring. Didn't see this one coming. Anybody know how long Hervey is signed for ?
I would guess minimum 3 years, probably 4, which is standard term for a new GM hire.
Will be interesting to see what the new owners will do. Will they retain Hervey or hire someone else for the position.
I think unless the club looked to be a tire fire they'd happily stay status quo and settle in for the first year before making any changes. There's a lot for any new sports team ownership group to get their heads around when taking over a team. Business ops should always be their top priority unless the state of the onfield product is in such a state that they have no choice but to deal with it first.
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The_Pauser
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CardiacKid wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:41 pm
Whether or not you like, dislike or are ambivalent to this development, at least there is more certainty surrounding the team. Personally I appreciate that.

But I do very much agree with the point BC Fan made in regards to Hervey's temperment and how the market in Edmonton would be more likely to forgive his shortcomings as an ambassador of the brand.

The market in the Lower Mainland needs to be massaged and cuddled, not beaten over the head with a helmet.
Which is probably why it's a very good idea that Buono is still here for one more season. He can help Hervey through those issues.
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DanoT
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Wow. With Hervey getting the GM job and then asking Wally to stay on as HC for just one year suggests that 2018 will be a sort of transitional year with a lot of collaboration between the two on major decisions.
I suspect that Ed will learn some things from Wally (and he probably learned a few things in the course of getting fired in Edmonton) and that it will mainly be Wally the HC talking to media and it will be Wally deciding to open or close practices.

I liked Ed's out spoken style in Edmonton but he may have gone too far with it at times. He should not have been fired in Edmonton, so their loss is the Lions gain, imo. I don't see any other GM candidates out there with more experience or contacts than Ed.

Redblacks have fired O line coach Brian Chiu, who I think is originally from Vancouver. I would like to see Ed and Wally try to hire him. I am hoping to see some other assistant coach hirings.

With 2018 being Wally's last season perhaps with Ed's input Wally gets less conservative and is more willing to do things a little differently. OTOH if there are no other coaching changes it could still end up as the same old same old.

In any event Ed has an entire season to suss out a new HC, with input from Wally no doubt.

To sum up my feelings, Ed is a good hire, sticking with Wally may or may not workout but it is only for one season. So I am happy....at least for now.
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David
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cromartie wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:16 pm
As to the three roles, I assume Wally will slide upstairs to the VP/Emeritus role, Hervey will stay in his role to be a stronger buffer between Wally the VP and whomever the coach is (which was a problem under Benevides and Tedford) and Hervey will hire a coach, and that will be his hire.
Nope. Wally is done with the BC Lions in less than a year. Retiring.

I am with Maxlion on this and don't quite understand why there is so much negativity surrounding this hire.

* I met Hervey at the Spirit of Edmonton party (Vancouver Grey Cup 2011). Nice guy, but strikes me as being a little on the shy side. Not going to judge how he presents, but I suspect he prefers to not deal with the media due to introversion. Hopefully there are lessons learned from his time as GM with the Eskimos and the friction he caused with the media/league. "Mic'd Up" was not handled well.

* Still, I suspect Edmonton is much more of a football fishbowl than Vancouver. There aren't many who cover the Lions. Will they be shut out of things? I highly doubt it, especially with Wally here. After that? Who knows, but this gets to my next point:

* Ed Hervey knows how to build a winner. This is primarily what I care about, and 80-90% of what he is being hired to do. Put it this way, I'd much rather have a guy with a solid pipeline to players down south, can astutely address team weaknesses, and is a proven winner, than a guy who is a s%*%ty GM but comes across well in media interviews.

* Yea, the VP thing is a bit odd, but it's for less than a year, guys. I can live with this. If the year goes well, I don't see the Waterboys hiring someone else. They are tight with Wally. I am sure Hervey will be retained. I also suspect that for 2018, he is going to be putting his mark on this team. Mark my words. He is no patsy or "yes man" puppet.


DH :cool:
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WestCoastJoe
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In view of the ownership situation, this move is probably the best we could hope for. It creates a new reality, at least the potential for one.

Some might oppose Hervey for his seeming arrogance. I doubt that we see that with Wally, Neil and Geroy here.

Hervey won't be putting his brand on things this year. Or possibly ever, depending on new ownership.

We will see Wally speaking to the press as Head Coach.

2018 will probably seem like 'deja vu, all over again,' as Yogi Berra would say.

2019 could be different. Braley might sell. Hervey might be in charge regardless of change in ownership. I like what Hervey did in Edmonton. Jones was a good hire. Maas was a good hire. Talent was good. I like that Hervey did not stop Jones and staff from leaving for a better opportunity in Regina.

I think it is clear that Ed Hervey could use some PR with the media schooling. Wally is very good at that. My all time favourite CFL coach Don Matthews did not have that PR gift with the media, although his players certainly bought in. IMO the best recommendation for Ed Hervey is the two decisions he made in hiring a Head Coach, Chris Jones and Jason Maas. That is IMO the key function of a GM, hiring a good HC. Bobby Ackles made two excellent hirings, Don Matthews and Wally Buono.

My hunch ... 2018 will seem a lot like we have come to know. 2019 could be a new beginning.

Do Ed and Wally change this year's staff significantly? That might tell us something. How do we address the pass protection issue Hervey mentioned?

We will see.
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Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

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David
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David wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:57 pm

* I met Hervey at the Spirit of Edmonton party (Vancouver Grey Cup 2011). Nice guy, but strikes me as being a little on the shy side. Not going to judge how he presents, but I suspect he prefers to not deal with the media due to introversion. Hopefully there are lessons learned from his time as GM with the Eskimos and the friction he caused with the media/league. "Mic'd Up" was not handled well.

DH :cool:
Wow, I just clicked on the Lions' website and watched a couple of Ed Hervey interviews. One of the first things he says is "I am more of an introvert." Good to know my instincts about people are often correct. :wink:




DH :cool:
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Toppy Vann
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maxlion wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:14 pm
Toppy Vann wrote:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:03 pm

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.
Hiring Chris Jones and winning the grey cup was pretty good too. Odell Willis. Derel Walker. Otha Foster. Aaron Grymes. John White. James Franklin.

The Eskimos are still running on the team he built. Our team just got a lot more competitive.
Very good points and if nothing else, Edmonton continues to show stability and the ability to let players go and return even though it's hurt them.

What is interesting is how little James Franklin has been given any sort of opportunity in Edmonton so he's got a limited body of work and one rumour from a TSNer - IIRC - was that he'd likely want an NFL shot sooner than later. Given Hervey's knowledge of Franklin (and others on the Esks roster) would the Lions be thinking he'd be able to attract a game changer or two from Edmonton.

Franklin would only be a good move if he was not NFL bound and right now you'd have to think he feels he owes zero to the CFL as he isn't playing much. Of the FA QBs he's got fewest blemishes as he has less work out there to judge from.

At the end of the day, the owner and Wally are tight. I 'm sure not even Bobby Ackles was as tight as Wally and David Braley are as Ackles was public on not wanting the Commissioner gone and this was in public opposition to his owner. Braley is loyal to Wally and Wally's been loyal to him and no GM whoever it was could ever change that dynamic.

And why would this change? It wouldn't as David Braley on more than occasion saved the CFL and franchises when NO ONE else would step up.

I also concur that Edmonton's timing in firing their GM was gutless and amateurish at best rather than lay out the requirements that he was to meet with the CFL and the media etc.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
JohnnyMusso
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This is totally surprising news. There was no rumours out there Hervey was coming here. The question is does he really have final say. Will Buono give up total control. Also when the team is sold in a year or so is Hervey gone. New ownership will want their own guys.

I also have a feeling there will be changes in the coaching staff, just how much is uncertain.
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