Uh Oh! Esks Win or Else

[Rammer]

http://www.edmontonsun.com/sports/colum ... 33851.html

The entire Edmonton Eskimos organization has been put on notice, with nobody's job remaining safe past Friday's game against the B.C. Lions.

President and CEO Rick LeLacheur read the riot act at a press conference Monday at Commonwealth Stadium.

"We have to be accountable. We're 0-4 and our last game was a total embarrassment to the coaches, players and everybody," he said of the 47-21 loss to the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg Saturday.

"We're just not going to accept it. Clearly they were not ready to play. Nobody in the organization is untouchable. Let's see where we are after week five," he said of the future of GM Danny Maciocia and head coach Richie Hall.

LeLacheur said to expect player changes likely prior to practice Tuesday.

wimpslikethat Report Comment
July 26th 2010, 3:39pm
That's what they are asking for when they hired a clueless president and a pretender coach and GM. Lelecheur is still bumbling like there is still hope after 3 years of downhill slide. Let's start all over again with new colors, players, management, and the like.

Glenda Obrigewitsch Report Comment
July 26th 2010, 3:35pm
The Eskimo organization waits too long to do anything about the coaching/gm's/players and even switching their quarterbacks. So if they fire someone, (hopefully Maccocia) after week 5 will they win enough games to get to the Grey Cup? I don't think that in all the years of watching the Eskimos I've been so disappointed in their delayed reactions.

Jim Report Comment
July 26th 2010, 3:35pm
LeLacheur is running the Esks the same way he ran his family's business into the ground. If not for his good friend and mentor, Jack Agrios, he would be picking bottles and cans out the garbage. Campbell needs to get rid of him then the General Manager and hope that the next president actually knows something about business or football, preferably both unlike the current loser......

Bob Androschuk Report Comment
July 26th 2010, 3:32pm
The present Eskimos find themselves in a situation not witnessed since the mid sixties because of poor management, inept drafting of Canadian content (ie. Warren Kean and Adam Braidwood), poor coaching (not necessarily Richie Hall) and a complete lack of passionate and physical players which continues to define our team. The players continue to make excuses for their inconsistent play much like the Oilers of the past decade (i.e. Shawn Horcoff, Ethan Moreau, Fernado Pisanni etc.). I am beyond frustrated with the lack of effort, preparedness, passion and toughness displayed by this team. The one constant in this embarrassment is Danny Macioca. How he has managed to keep his job is in itself one of life's great mysteries.

Nick Brown Report Comment
July 26th 2010, 3:30pm
Okay players, listen-up... You have my blessing to throw the next game this week against BC... If it means that Danny Maciocia will lose his job. Go ahead and stink the joint out on Friday....

Jimmy Dean Report Comment
July 26th 2010, 3:26pm
It's clear danny maccoia can not motivate this team,and since he took over it,s been a total nigthmare.We also have 3 quarterback's not just one over paid loser,i hear lay's calling.

outstrasser Report Comment
July 26th 2010, 3:20pm
Worman may have not been great but at least we won a few and he was close to Ricky.
Strasser has to be the one to go. During the first quarter of the Winnipeg game he refused to alter his pass play strategy until a TD was given up. Any football fan knows that under pressure call plays to avoid the pressure aka Whitlock and McCarty runs; roll out the QB and throw screens.

David Report Comment
July 26th 2010, 3:07pm
Except for Danny Maccocia's first year in Edmonton (Which really was a carry over of Tom Higgins effort,) it has been a total embarrassment. We went from 35 years straight making the playoffs to missing two years in a row and have been mediorcre at best. Now with the worst start in Eskimo history since 1965 (that I've heard,) It's been too painful to watch. Now with BC this weekend, betting against the eskimos. Throroughly, I blame Danny Maccocia for the mess were in. I don't know if it will cure the problem, but it may be a start. And to think, I was hoping that the eskimos would be in the Grey Cup this year, which we are hosting. Now it looks like they will barely make the playoffs. Bye Danny, you get too much for doing to little.

[Rammer]

I am not for the Esks throwing this game, but I would enjoy them losing without firing the GM and HC/DC. This is tenuous ground that the Lions are playing on this weekend, it is better for the Lions to keep DM and RH in place, it may be vital to the Lions final standings.

[TheLionKing]

Edmonton is a dangerous team Friday. Lions need to come out early firing on all 8 cylinders and score often. The longer the Eskimoes hang around the more likely they'll find a way to win. (we all know the Lions can't make adjustments at the half)

[Rammer]

Edmonton is a dangerous team Friday. Lions need to come out early firing on all 8 cylinders and score often. The longer the Eskimoes hang around the more likely they'll find a way to win. (we all know the Lions can't make adjustments at the half)

If Lions lose and hopefully we hear similar ultimatums being issued.

[Solar Max]

Edmonton is a dangerous team Friday. Lions need to come out early firing on all 8 cylinders and score often. The longer the Eskimoes hang around the more likely they'll find a way to win. (we all know the Lions can't make adjustments at the half)

If Lions lose and hopefully we hear similar ultimatums being issued.

Not to be negative, but I think that's exactly what will happen. They won't be followed through on, but there could be some issued in case of a LIons loss.

[the-real-hugo]

Translation of whole press conference..."If we lose on Friday, my buddy Danny and I will make Richie Hall the scapegoat in all of this"

Not saying Hall is the purrfect coach, but the problem has been there a lot longer than Richie.

[Blue In BC]

Hard to figure out the Esks. They have some very good talent but perhaps it's time to shake things up on the roster.

While they did make a number of changes during the off season, more may be in order.

[Toppy Vann]

While it might placate angry fans I am not sure it was quite the right message to send putting the threat out on the GM and HC. If the players get a collective sense of 'it's over for this regime' I doubt you will see a collectively fired up Esks side. They should be fired up for the Lions given their situation but who knows.

This poster - the first after the story - kind of hits it on the head for me. Not sure all should be fired but....

"Fire them all, starting with Lalacucheur. Clearly he knows nothing about pro-football and the people he hires seem to know less, which is hard to believe."
johnny googla, July 26th 2010, 7:33pm

Who hired this GM and HC? Who let this HC be DC and HC together - a sure sign unless you come in with the credentials of a Mark Trestman that you are in over your head. The problem of selection of coaches in Esky land seems to be with Danny Macciocia and whether it is dumping an OC or hiring the Lions guy - JC - his fingers are all over it.

I read somewhere that Eric Tillman's name is out there. Maybe that was dropped by the Esks to prep fans and media for a mid season change. Not sure if it'd mean Danny Mc would be toast or forced to return to the field and also give Ritchie Hall a chance to be just DC (if he was prepared to suck it up and take it). Doing that might be just re-arranging deck chairs on the sinking ship as they say and more drastic changes might be needed but the question is who could come in and turn around that mess. Not sure if Tillman were in Eskville that he'd ever ask Dave Ritchie to come in and lead the team for the balance of the season but who else with CFL credentials has the leadership experience to do anything at this point.

It might not help this season but the best CFL football mind out there with no job as GM is Eric Tillman. The incident with the touch of the girl is not something that I think should keep him out of football as it is was a one-off situation fuelled by a reaction to medicine (that is why he was home from the office as he was loopy which I believe can be true). The best non-working HC is Dave Ritchie but age is against him with the team decision makers - although he didn't look old here in BC.

The irony in the BC situation is that the Lions President has zip to do with the football side just like when Bobby Ackles came in. It was dual heads - Wally and Bobby reporting to the owner.

[Lionheart]

For me, this situation in edmonton is like a complete double rainbow.. so intense and wonderful.

[the-real-hugo]

I read somewhere that Eric Tillman's name is out there.

Started by Riders fans who thought ET got a raw deal. Quite positive that Tillman will never represent the Green & Gold (almost bet my life on it). That has less to do with the fans (although many don't want him) and more to do with the philosophical beliefs of the community owned Eskimo organization.

[DanoT]

Well if the Lions lose, Lions coaching staff might be in big do do too and that IMO would be a good thing if Chaps gets fired and maybe Wally stays GM and hires Dave Ritchie or someone else to be HC and then Machocia keeps his job in Edmonton.
OTOH if Esks lose and there is an Eskimo house cleaning at the top, then in the long run the Esks are better off without Machocia and this is something that the Esks fans want and who knows maybe the players too. It was stupid of the Esks President to make those comments because if Esks lose and their aren't firings then the Esks President really looks lame. IMO he has backed himself in a corner and he should not have publicly said what he did.

[notahomer]

This was an ugly loss against the Bombers, IMO, the kind that can help a team refocus? I really think a lot of the Esks problems come back to the recievers and their droppsies. If Whitlock has a big 4th quarter, I'm guessing I'm not enjoying this game much at all.

[Shi Zi Mi]

Wow.....if the Esks do lose to our Lions on Friday.....the pressure will be unbearable to make major changes!!

Possible MAJOR trades??........I could see Ricky Ray being dealt with his salary.......and right now Hamilton is not happy with their QBing......or possibly Toronto even with the 3-1 record?........should be interesting.

I'm glad the Lions are playing the Esks THIS week and not next..........because teams in a funk usually stay in the funk until AFTER a major change/shakeup (coach firing, major player trade, etc).

[Hambone]

It's definitely an interesting matchup this Friday. Here we are only 5 weeks into the season and we have an incredibly important game for 2 teams desperate for a win. It really is a must-win matchup for both. For years the West has had the comfort of knowing they can stay alive in the playoff race right to the end thanks to the crossover rule. The way things are starting this year it could well be the East taking advantage.

Reading some of the comments over on Esksfans.com they seem to be organizing a "neck-tie party" and wouldn't be happy unless at least 2 invitations are handed out, with Maciocia being the prefered guest of honour followed by LeLacheur. Cleaning house is a very difficult thing to do in mid-season. It's even more difficult to do when you're hosting the Grey Cup. LeLacheur might be able to pull the trigger on Maciocia and/or Hall. However being a community-owned organization removing LeLacheur would not be easy. For a privately owned club all the owner has to do is snap his fingers and it's done. Not so for a community-owned team. As such I think the lynching party will be most disappointed. Edmonton has a fairly lean organization to begin with. It's not like they have a lot of options to fill mid-season vacancies from within. Nor are there ever a lot of good external candidates already collecting EI. Eric Tillman's name was mentioned but he might still be a bit too much of a PR hot potato for the generally conservative "Eskimo Way". Everybody likes to bring Dave Ritchie's name up, but does it make any sense for any team to hire a 72 year old coach who has been out of the game for over 2 years? Nope. If you're going to clean house you want to do it in the offseason when you can have access to countless more candidates than are available in mid-summer.

Should the Esks find themselves having to make any organizational changes this summer I think all we would see is a shuffling of the deck chairs with Richie Hall drawing the short straw if anybody is canned. He will be the least deserving but unfortunately as things usually go in the business of sports that's the easiest move to make to appease those looking for blood. I think all we'd see happen is Maciocia doing the desperate GM move or returning to the sidelines to take over as HC with Hall being demoted to DC if he chose to accept. If he didn't accept the demotion he'd be gone with perhaps DL coach Mike Walker taking the DC vacancy. Then in the offseason, after the Grey Cup, we'd see a purge the likes of which only the most grizzled and oldest of Eskimo fans could possibly remember. If they don't get things turned around quickly and get themselves at least to a Division Final I think that purge will happen anyways. Having said that they have to like the fact they are facing an equally struggling BC Lions club to try busting the bagel in the W column.