Ullrich on Year One Post MB

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cromartie
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All in all, this article is about what you'd expect to read/hear from a deferential former coach with a decent perspective on the game and life.

I did want to call out this, though, because it strikes me as unusually blunt.

“I totally understand that we just failed and very much needed a change for the market. We didn’t win. I’m going to be as straight as possible: They got rid of some of the trash,” Benevides said. “I know we had some personnel issues but I thought we could scheme out of it. We just never got to be good enough on offence.”

Any guess on who that's pointed at?
Last edited by cromartie on Thu May 28, 2015 5:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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SammyGreene
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cromartie wrote:All in all, this article is about what you'd expect to read/hear from a deferential former coach with a decent perspective on the game and live.

I did want to call out this, though, because it strikes me as unusually blunt.

“I totally understand that we just failed and very much needed a change for the market. We didn’t win. I’m going to be as straight as possible: They got rid of some of the trash,” Benevides said. “I know we had some personnel issues but I thought we could scheme out of it. We just never got to be good enough on offence.”

Any guess on who that's pointed at?
Quite the statement by Benny. The fact he says they thought they could scheme out of it suggests he believes it was their personnel (it was much more than that).

Of course Mitchell comes to mind but he was already relegated to back-up status at one point. How about Larose at safety and even Glenn at QB given both are gone? Just don't know what other departed "trash" he would be referring to that would make such an impact on the field.
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Rammer
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SammyGreene wrote:
cromartie wrote:All in all, this article is about what you'd expect to read/hear from a deferential former coach with a decent perspective on the game and live.

I did want to call out this, though, because it strikes me as unusually blunt.

“I totally understand that we just failed and very much needed a change for the market. We didn’t win. I’m going to be as straight as possible: They got rid of some of the trash,” Benevides said. “I know we had some personnel issues but I thought we could scheme out of it. We just never got to be good enough on offence.”

Any guess on who that's pointed at?
You have to think it was on the Canadian receivers. Glenn had limited range and that was another factor.

Quite the statement by Benny. The fact he says they thought they could scheme out of it suggests he believes it was their personnel (it was much more than that).

Of course Mitchell comes to mind but he was already relegated to back-up status at one point. How about Larose at safety and even Glenn at QB given both are gone? Just don't know what other departed "trash" he would be referring to that would make such an impact on the field.
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B.C.FAN
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SammyGreene wrote:Quite the statement by Benny. The fact he says they thought they could scheme out of it suggests he believes it was their personnel (it was much more than that).

Of course Mitchell comes to mind but he was already relegated to back-up status at one point. How about Larose at safety and even Glenn at QB given both are gone? Just don't know what other departed "trash" he would be referring to that would make such an impact on the field.
Mitchell was the first name that came to mind. But don't forget that Dante Marsh was put in the doghouse last year after a run-in with the Lions' brass when he left town during the bye week rather than remain behind to tend to his injured knee, and then publicly complained about the way he was treated and about the Lions making too many roster changes to be successful.

Marsh was one of the first roster changes made by the Lions at the end of the season when they didn't pick up his option but they made him suffer by refusing to cut him before his contract ran out in February, despite his renewed complaints about the way he was being treated.

Oddly, last November Marsh gave Mike Beamish a quote after Bene's firing that was very similar to the one Bene gave LU today:
"We (players) knew there were going to be changes," Marsh said. "You have to appease the fan base. The longer I've been in this game I realize it's not just about winning. You have to sell tickets. This is a business.

"When the season ticket holders are saying, 'This team sucks,' you have to do something about it."
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Toppy Vann
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Trash could be the players you guys note. Scheme out of - possibly his QB.

All in all this is one very DELUSIONAL former Head Coach who said the right things for about the first year and now the real guy emerges - you know - the one we used to watch on the sidelines.

He was not prepared to be HC and everything from his sideline demeanour - strutting around the sidelines like a bantam rooster and screaming at refs in pre-season etc to his ability to get the best out of his talent.

He had so much chance to learn from Dave Ritchie as DC and yet he kept his distance from him on the sidelines and he was also LB coach.

If your players are asking you to calm down you're no longer their leader.

He's about as fit to be a HC as Kavis Reed turned out to be.

Yelling and ranting is not being tough.

Setting out your clear philosophy, vision and culture that you lead by is leading and as long as the message and actions are clear and in synch they will buy in.

But when you hear that they couldn't even get players to park in the right spots - you know have a leadership problem.

Dumping on Marsh was dumb as other players felt he was wronged.
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WestCoastJoe
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“People will say, ‘You’re making a decision we all love and wish we had enough courage to make’. In the football world, you don’t make that decision. But it felt extremely good,” he said.

“At the time it felt I was making the selfless decision. But I’ve come to find out after six months it was actually the selfish decision because I cannot fail at being a father and husband.”
I think Benny is right is saying that "in the football world, you don't make that decision." Kind of like falling off a horse. Best to get right back on. Fired as a coach? Pretty easy to fall off the radar if you pass up the first opportunities that come your way. And yet time to reflect and heal is important.
“I totally understand that we just failed and very much needed a change for the market. We didn’t win. I’m going to be as straight as possible: They got rid of some of the trash,” Benevides said. “I know we had some personnel issues but I thought we could scheme out of it. We just never got to be good enough on offence.”
They got rid of some of the trash,” Benevides said.
Harsh words. Benny did not have full control of the roster decisions. Some coaches have that authority. Others do not. But Benny essentially chose the players for the team. It sounds like Benny is suggesting there were some attitude issues. Those can undermine a team's focus.
“I know we had some personnel issues but I thought we could scheme out of it. We just never got to be good enough on offence."
"personnel issues" ... Benny was the key guy in personnel decisions: choosing which players get to stay. Injuries? Part of football.

"scheme out of it" ... Benny, along with Wally, was key in deciding to let JC go. Benny hoped to land George Cortez or Paul LaPolice to take over the OC role. Didn't happen. Had to settle for the inexperienced and relatively unproven OC Khari Jones. Our offence was abysmal in the absence of JC.
..........

Benny's reign is over. Looking over the debris from a failed season, there are always reasons, explanations and rationalizations. It is not all on Benny, but a very large percentage of it would seem to fall on his shoulders. Amongst other things, this fan would suggest that ordinary, pedestrian Xs and Os did us in, both on O and D. Conservative, stilted Xs and Os. In the CFL nowadays, it seems to me that your Head Coach has to be a proven Xs and Os master. Just IMO, as a fan.

Hopefully Benny can re-enter the CFL coaching ranks soon enough.
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MB is a really great person. I've had the chance to talk to him on numerous occasions and he was really a pleasure to talk with. He would often engage the fans in conversation whether it be at training camp, after practice, or on the road, and even took the time to get to know some of us. That being said, his skills as a coach were sometimes questionable. I think what we're seeing now is a professional coach who was developed by the big US machine, and we're going to be that much better for it. For the first time in a while I would say in the coaching department we may have a leg up on almost every team in the CFL.
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Big Time
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This article kind of sums up for me why MB had to go. Overly emotional, unsure of himself, and in over his head. Referring to his own firing as "taking out the trash"? :shock: Who refers to themselves that way? Maybe it was said in a self-deprecating way but that doesn't strike me as something a head coach would say. There was an earlier reference in this thread to Kavis Reed. I think this is a fair comparison. I thought Kavis was on the verge of a mental breakdown before he was finally let go in Edmonton. Felt the same way with MB.

The personnel decisions are not only on Wally but MB too. Khalif Mitchell was a huge mistake. He should have been cut early. I love Dante Marsh but when you have a veteran openly acting insubordinate, he needs to be let go. Again, should have been done early. MB kept him around and his leadership was undermined along the way. When a leader loses his credibility, he is done. Period. MB had to go.

I'm sure MB is a fine person but some people aren't cut out to be a head coach.
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DanoT
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MB did pretty well on the TSN panel on draft day. He might have a future as a TV football analyst.
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Lions4ever
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DanoT wrote:MB did pretty well on the TSN panel on draft day. He might have a future as a TV football analyst.
I agree. I think he comports himself pretty well in that environment.
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Toppy Vann
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Lions4ever wrote:
DanoT wrote:MB did pretty well on the TSN panel on draft day. He might have a future as a TV football analyst.
I agree. I think he comports himself pretty well in that environment.
The interview is proof positive Wally does not have as one of his strong suits mentoring skills as clearly if he delivered any messages to Mike about how to do the job or where he was failing, he didn't get them. Wally works best with pros who know their jobs and he was a good HC who set a tone of perform or else.

Starts every day watching film - Is this guy in Fantasyland? You've been fired. That's like being turfed by your gf or wife and everyday reading her old love letters. She ain't calling you back unless you forgot something she wants gone.

You're not likely to get a HC gig again - at least not soon. Film dude is not your problem. You don't know how to lead and you had so many opportunities to learn when you were a junior coach with Dave Ritchie and you could learn sideline demeanour.

Kavis Reed now back in the CFL got an MBA and into other biz of sorts (but then again he was smart and had a long contract). MB was less fortunate and had a transition payment only.

If he could get a gig on TSN he'd be fine. But if he is to coach again he has to learn what leaders and managers do and how they conduct themselves. He learned nothing.

IF he did that interview to now maybe pursue other opportunities, he didn't do himself any favours.
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