A Revamped Defensive Line!

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CardiacKid
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A very interesting headline by Lowell Ullrich.... Minter may finally get his chance with the Lions: Changes are all over the place, why not the defensive line, too?

And a tasty little tidbit written by Ullrich that echoes what has been said here in regards to the attitude on display from upper management....

As such perhaps, any put-down of the Lions work on the front four this season by media mongrels have routinely been requested to join general manager Wally Buono in his office classroom for film study, a laborious task where they are reminded of their inadequate status as talent evaluators.

Sorry....should have included the link.

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/footb ... story.html
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WestCoastJoe
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There’s a reason why the Lions are seventh against the pass and last against the run, but disrupting the opposing quarterback with what they are doing up front is not chief among them, they say.]

They can, however, entertain the notion that 265-pound Craig Roh might sit in favour of a player in Minter they wanted to play in the defensive interior all along.

At 6-foot-1 and 278 pounds, Minter didn’t do enough with three NFL clubs the last two seasons but to his mind has merely been a victim of circumstance.

“I just didn’t have the right people pushing for me. I believe I can play. But the politics is no different in this league than any other,” Minter said. “You just need someone who is willing to believe in you.”

That someone would seem to include Buono, who suggested last week it was time to see Minter after pushing hard for Roh in training camp. B.C. hasn’t won a game in Montreal since before its 2011 Grey Cup victory. Another change can’t hurt.
So Wally pushed hard for undersized Roh in TC.

And now Wally wants to see Minter, a little bit more heavy, but hardly near the size of Eric Taylor or Khalif Mitchell.

Wally gets what Wally wants.

And God forbid any media types question his judgment in things such as evaluating the play of the D Line.

And how is Wally's undersized draft pick project doing?

Wally seems to have gotten a bee in his bonnet about going small and fast in the D Line. It has not been working out well, in the eyes of the media, or with some of Wally's colleaagues around the league. But with Wally, they have been just fine.
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

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

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InUrFace
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CardiacKid wrote:A very interesting headline by Lowell Ullrich.... Minter may finally get his chance with the Lions: Changes are all over the place, why not the defensive line, too?

And a tasty little tidbit written by Ullrich that echoes what has been said here in regards to the attitude on display from upper management....

As such perhaps, any put-down of the Lions work on the front four this season by media mongrels have routinely been requested to join general manager Wally Buono in his office classroom for film study, a laborious task where they are reminded of their inadequate status as talent evaluators.

Sorry....should have included the link.

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/footb ... story.html
This goes to show you Wally is a control freak in all aspects of this organization. Wally needs to go now!!!! I cant handle another part of his meddling and over seeing schemes, personnel and play book. His time should be done here ...David B needs to wake up. I wont buy a ticket the rest of this season or next if hes still doing this. He said in the beginning of the season Jeff would have full control Its his team now. I havent seen any control ...Wally is still pulling the strings the master puppeteer once again with the coaching staff. Why is Jeff not having the balls to stick up for himself and tell Wally this is my team I run it the way I want to or get another HC. This would not be happening in any other organization in the CFL. Wally would of been fired last few seasons ago. So why not here. :bang: :bang: :bang:
TheLionKing
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Further evidence this is Wally's team not Tedford's. If Buono wants to run the club he should come out of his office and down to the field. At the very least, the players will know who they answer to. Buono should decide once and for all whether he is a General Manager or a de facto coach.
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korey&dante4ever
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InUrFace wrote:.Wally is still pulling the strings the master puppeteer once again with the coaching staff. Why is Jeff not having the balls to stick up for himself and tell Wally this is my team I run it the way I want to or get another HC.
From a province article in July:
"Coach Jeff Tedford made the ratio shift in training camp. General manager Wally Buono swallowed hard and made Dean Valli an expensive extra part. Fellow non-import Matt Norman was also given a raise before he went on the six-game injured list, where he may reside all year."

Tedford has say/control.
-Believes in building from the trenches outwards. A great O-Line and D-Line guarantees an above average team.
-A coach that has to give a motivational pregame speech is probably a coach that is insecure about his game plan.
InUrFace
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TheLionKing wrote:Further evidence this is Wally's team not Tedford's. If Buono wants to run the club he should come out of his office and down to the field. At the very least, the players will know who they answer to. Buono should decide once and for all whether he is a General Manager or a de facto coach.
Wally wants it all he always has even with MB and other OC DC he controlled them with schemes etc,,, Then if his *poop* doesnt work he throws them under the bus and fires them like its there doing. This will continue until he retires or is fired enough is enough all season ticket holders should be pissed and have been lied to by Wally and Skulsy since the beginning of the season. They need to stand up and do something about this crap.
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Hambone
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WestCoastJoe wrote:So Wally pushed hard for undersized Roh in TC.

And now Wally wants to see Minter, a little bit more heavy, but hardly near the size of Eric Taylor or Khalif Mitchell.

Wally gets what Wally wants.

And God forbid any media types question his judgment in things such as evaluating the play of the D Line.

And how is Wally's undersized draft pick project doing?

Wally seems to have gotten a bee in his bonnet about going small and fast in the D Line. It has not been working out well, in the eyes of the media, or with some of Wally's colleaagues around the league. But with Wally, they have been just fine.
A hallmark of defences under Wally has been beef in the defensive tackle positions; Tyrone Williams, Dante Booker, Cam Legault, Aaron Hunt, Khalif Mitchell, Eric Taylor. Suddenly going smaller and faster is quite a change of philosophy for Buono. It comes across to me as Wally ceding to the philosophy of Tedford and his staff as opposed to directing it. I've also read that Tedford was the one pushing hard for EMA. Question is was it Wally making these decisions or has he been allowing himself to take the heat for some of Tedford's calls?
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JohnHenry
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TheLionKing wrote:Further evidence this is Wally's team not Tedford's. If Buono wants to run the club he should come out of his office and down to the field. At the very least, the players will know who they answer to. Buono should decide once and for all whether he is a General Manager or a de facto coach.
I'd be very surprised if the roster make-up wasn't a collaborative decision between the coach & GM. Tedford probably has final say on who will play. Just because Wally was quoted in the article doesn't necessarily mean he's making the roster decisions. I suspect because Wally is good with the media he's trying to lessen the load on Tedford who doesn't seem to enjoy chit-chatting with the media as much. I'd say this is very much Tedford's team.
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DanoT
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JohnHenry wrote:
TheLionKing wrote:Further evidence this is Wally's team not Tedford's. If Buono wants to run the club he should come out of his office and down to the field. At the very least, the players will know who they answer to. Buono should decide once and for all whether he is a General Manager or a de facto coach.
I'd be very surprised if the roster make-up wasn't a collaborative decision between the coach & GM. Tedford probably has final say on who will play. Just because Wally was quoted in the article doesn't necessarily mean he's making the roster decisions. I suspect because Wally is good with the media he's trying to lessen the load on Tedford who doesn't seem to enjoy chit-chatting with the media as much. I'd say this is very much Tedford's team.
It seems to me that a lot of the accusations about Wally meddling with the coaching of the Lions is more speculative than factual. I could be wrong so I would invite those who claim it is Wally's team and not Tedford's to present some factual evidence. :popcorn:
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KnowItAll
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DanoT wrote:
JohnHenry wrote:
TheLionKing wrote:Further evidence this is Wally's team not Tedford's. If Buono wants to run the club he should come out of his office and down to the field. At the very least, the players will know who they answer to. Buono should decide once and for all whether he is a General Manager or a de facto coach.
I'd be very surprised if the roster make-up wasn't a collaborative decision between the coach & GM. Tedford probably has final say on who will play. Just because Wally was quoted in the article doesn't necessarily mean he's making the roster decisions. I suspect because Wally is good with the media he's trying to lessen the load on Tedford who doesn't seem to enjoy chit-chatting with the media as much. I'd say this is very much Tedford's team.
It seems to me that a lot of the accusations about Wally meddling with the coaching of the Lions is more speculative than factual. I could be wrong so I would invite those who claim it is Wally's team and not Tedford's to present some factual evidence. :popcorn:
I have wondered about that myself, but I figure most people here know more about such things than I do.
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Toppy Vann
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I get why some feel that Wally's the one making the calls and that somehow Jeff Tedford is restricted from putting his stamp on the team.

While I think Tedford's approach to this team is wrong I do not agree that he is shackled by Wally. What is missing from JT's team that Wally brought to his team's is a demand for performance.

The HC sets out a clear vision and philosophy with respect to all aspects of the team (off, def, st's etc.) that includes the kind of performance expectations and accountability culture he's going to hold everyone accountable to. JT has not done this and it shows:

> players make no effort to get a ball or prevent an INT and all we hear is 'their guy dove for the ball...we didn't. Worst outcome is to move the guy inside and cut AC Leonard.

But defenders of JT could say, it was dealt with privately but that is not the message a good HC sends. Remember Manny in tweeterverse is supported by coach boyko and S.Gore 85..... That is the culture of the losing band of bros.

We know from McCallum last year there were issues in the team including just parking. Seems JT has done nothing to change it. It's worse.

> The soul searching . ... unclear, unfocused and nothing of substance other than moving a few parts around the board.
When the Redblacks chopped Brandon McDonald - you think that the others on that team didn't get the message? I 'd say they did.

> Now we see JT back tinkering err coaching - getting on guys in practice. That is fine but get a clear, consistent way. Where is your staff. That is their job to coach and correct. Wally would be watching intently. PLayers knew that he could take them out in a minute's paperwork so they did their jobs.

First clue to me this guy is not on his game. His personal coaching of T LULAY to fall. That showed where his priorities were.
===


LU's columns today and recently intimate a very frustrated Wally and how he fumes watching re-runs of practice tape. You hear it interviews as far back as 3 and nearly 4 yard gamble of JT that he would not comment on but you know what he thinks. Quite frankly, you could suggest just as easily that Wally is interfering and undermining by his media comments. Their top draft pick - Wally said it's was Jeff's pick and it was a bust.

Popp is in the story too and I think he says it best what a GM - HC in football relationship is about:
“You want a coach to run it the way he wants but if there hits a point where it’s not going the way you want, why waste time?
http://www.theprovince.com/sports/footb ... story.html
The routine is still the same for Wally Buono after every practice, despite four years removed from holding the dual role of coach and general manager of the B.C. Lions. The frustration level is about the same lately too.

Buono will attack the rewind button like an angry B.C. Hydro customer on his office monitor each afternoon watching tape, searching for answers about the CFL team, even though he ceded the ability for meaningful change to coach Jeff Tedford.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
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WestCoastJoe
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Hambone wrote:
WestCoastJoe wrote:So Wally pushed hard for undersized Roh in TC.

And now Wally wants to see Minter, a little bit more heavy, but hardly near the size of Eric Taylor or Khalif Mitchell.

Wally gets what Wally wants.

And God forbid any media types question his judgment in things such as evaluating the play of the D Line.

And how is Wally's undersized draft pick project doing?

Wally seems to have gotten a bee in his bonnet about going small and fast in the D Line. It has not been working out well, in the eyes of the media, or with some of Wally's colleaagues around the league. But with Wally, they have been just fine.
A hallmark of defences under Wally has been beef in the defensive tackle positions; Tyrone Williams, Dante Booker, Cam Legault, Aaron Hunt, Khalif Mitchell, Eric Taylor. Suddenly going smaller and faster is quite a change of philosophy for Buono. It comes across to me as Wally ceding to the philosophy of Tedford and his staff as opposed to directing it. I've also read that Tedford was the one pushing hard for EMA. Question is was it Wally making these decisions or has he been allowing himself to take the heat for some of Tedford's calls?
Could be.

Whoever made the call to go small in the D Line, it does not look like the right approach. And even with smaller guys in the interior of the DL, more help with pressure from the various ways would be beneficial.
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

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

Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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CardiacKid
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Hambone wrote:
WestCoastJoe wrote:So Wally pushed hard for undersized Roh in TC.

And now Wally wants to see Minter, a little bit more heavy, but hardly near the size of Eric Taylor or Khalif Mitchell.

Wally gets what Wally wants.

And God forbid any media types question his judgment in things such as evaluating the play of the D Line.

And how is Wally's undersized draft pick project doing?

Wally seems to have gotten a bee in his bonnet about going small and fast in the D Line. It has not been working out well, in the eyes of the media, or with some of Wally's colleaagues around the league. But with Wally, they have been just fine.
A hallmark of defences under Wally has been beef in the defensive tackle positions; Tyrone Williams, Dante Booker, Cam Legault, Aaron Hunt, Khalif Mitchell, Eric Taylor. Suddenly going smaller and faster is quite a change of philosophy for Buono. It comes across to me as Wally ceding to the philosophy of Tedford and his staff as opposed to directing it. I've also read that Tedford was the one pushing hard for EMA. Question is was it Wally making these decisions or has he been allowing himself to take the heat for some of Tedford's calls?
Say what you want about Wally (hard-headed, dictatorial) but he is someone who will definitely take the heat for his coaches, particularly guys who served with him before. I doubt he looks kindly upon people outside the Lions' family giving their two bits worth (someone like Ullrich) so a guy like him would run interference for Tedford.
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JohnHenry wrote: I'd say this is very much Tedford's team.
Yes, including the assistant coaches. But there are some people on this board who will never believe this to be the case.
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B.C.FAN
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DanoT wrote:It seems to me that a lot of the accusations about Wally meddling with the coaching of the Lions is more speculative than factual. I could be wrong so I would invite those who claim it is Wally's team and not Tedford's to present some factual evidence. :popcorn:
:whs: I suspect there's healthy collaboration between Wally and Tedford but I haven't seen any evidence that Wally is calling the shots on personnel.

LU has a couple of new articles quoting Wally speculating about a premature end to his contract this year and comparing himself to Jim Popp, who has repeatedly stepped in and out of coaching roles in his tenure as GM in Montreal. Some excerpts:
After dropping hints in The Province earlier this year that he might walk away after this season, Buono said he will honour his contract with owner David Braley but recognizes his lasting power is diminishing in the face of lukewarm results and falling attendance.

“At the end of the year I would make a decision whether to extend or not. If we don’t get better they might want to say, ‘Wally, why don’t you take a little buyout?’” Buono said.

“That’s their right, but that’s not what is driving me. What’s driving me is being 3-5 ain’t no fun. We should be better. A 4-4 record or 5-3, I can handle that maybe, but not this. They might not want me here anymore because this is bull sh-t being 3-5.”

Neither Braley nor president Dennis Skulsky have expressed any public dissatisfaction but the discontent on some social media sites of Buono has grown quicker than that of first-year coach Jeff Tedford.

The general manager says he accepts his share of blame but knows it also can be spread around.

“If (Braley) doesn’t like what I’m doing, fire me, I’m fine with that,” he said. “I take my share of personal aggravation and anger. But my hands are somewhat tied. Whether I make a recommendation on personnel or other things, they’re just recommendations and I have the right to do that but I have to stop. Jeff’s made recommendations and I support them. If I make a suggestion I got to let it go.”
Ullrich: Buono realizes he won’t have this job forever
MONTREAL — The routine is still the same for Wally Buono after every practice, despite four years removed from holding the dual role of coach and general manager of the B.C. Lions. The frustration level is about the same lately too.

Buono will attack the rewind button like an angry B.C. Hydro customer on his office monitor each afternoon watching tape, searching for answers about the CFL team, even though he ceded the ability for meaningful change to coach Jeff Tedford.

There is frustration in his voice when asked if he would ever consider copying the playbook of the general manager who on four occasions has rewritten the blueprint for retaking the role of coach, Jim Popp of the Montreal Alouettes.

“I wish I could still do it like Jim; (coach) for a year, then take a year off. You don’t have the wear and tear and the emotional fatigue,” Buono said prior to arriving here early in advance of the Lions’ second straight game against the Als Thursday but first this year with Popp in charge.

“If I could do it like Jim, I might still be coaching.”
Ullrich: Look who Popps back into coaching
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