Does David Braley ask Wally to coach?

[peeby]

It is a Wally-made problem, it being the titanic-like disaster that is the BC Lions. A long time in the making as noted in other threads. However, David Braley is trying to sell the team and the current state of the team could not be helping. I'm wondering if the owner will ask for a significant change-up sooner than later, and given that CFL owners do not throw money around like they might in the NFL, I wonder if he will simply go to Wally and ask him to take over from Jeff Tedford rather than bring in anyone else? Part of the reasoning would be to put players on notice that the guy who could cut them is now watching them. Yes, I know he watches them right now, but there would be more direct contact.

I believe Wally when he says he's retired from coaching, but it might only be for the duration of the season, and it strikes me that a CFL owner might do such a thing.

I'm not suggesting by any stretch of the imagination that this is a proper solution. I'm just thinking that this might be something I'd think about if I was the owner.

I don't think Mr.Braley would ask for a real shake-up with the other coaches, but it's worth considering.

Fire:
Tedford (can't prepare a pro team to play on any consistent basis)
Cortez (the lesser of the OCs we've had for a long time)
Tedford's son
McMann (Wally's crony, but can't do his job. The improvement in special teams in the Ottawa game is being credited to Tedford)

Then:
HC: Wally
OC: Khari Jones (not a fan, but why not? They're not going to get anyone else this year)
QBs: Make Khari work!! Or maybe ask Lulay to pack it in and lend a hand here.
Receivers: Geroy Simon (I've heard him on the radio and he's ready for something like this)
OL: The same for this year at least.
RB / Special Teams: Got nothing here, but surely they can do better. Would Mike Benevides help out for the duration of the year?

Defence: No changes for this year, but sure would think about it next year. They probably should have let some other team grab Mark Washington when this was threatened a couple years back.

I think I've left the coaching staff a little short here, but I do think this would send the message to the team that they so obviously require.

[CardiacKid]

I can't see Braley asking Wally to do anything in terms of who forms the coaching staff. I think he is just too hands off for that. Any movement in regards to firing and hiring coaches and coordinators is probably going to be done with Wally's impetus for as long as Braley is the owner. And even with the dwindling crowds, I think Braley is going to keep to form. I just don't think he has any desire at this point to do anything other than field offers for the team, regardless of how dire things get.

[WestCoastJoe]

From what Braley has said, and from his actions, or inactions, I think he will continue to let Wally run the team as Wally sees fit. No interference from Braley.

I do not expect Wally to resume HC duties. (I doubt it would right the ship anyway).

2011. We went 0 and 5. This year the record is 4 and 6.

It is in Wally's hands. And that is appropriate, as Wally's fingerprints are all over everything with this football team.

This fan is not calling for Wally to resume HC duties, nor for his firing. That is in Braley's hands, and Wally's own hands.

I think things have to play out. Could be same old, same old. Or there could be surprises. It has our attention.

[MexicoLionFan]

I would guess that most fans would like to see Jeff Tedford, if healthy, be given a chance to actually coach this team the way he wants to. I think its clear that this isn't what JT was given when he signed on...but sign on he did...so he's answerable to this mess. I also think that JT went out of his way to sign Cortez as the new OC, that was his hire and as such he's totally culpable for the offensive disaster this season has been. I mean take away the one SSK game, and our O has literally done nothing outside of Andrew Harris (who has now become nullified with ZERO response).

Jeff Tedford is better than this, but until taking over Special Teams this week, he literally has NOT put his finger prints on this team, which to me is BIZARRE.

[TheLionKing]

It would be poetic justice if Buono returns as head coach. He created much of this mess, let him clean it up.

[MexicoLionFan]

It would be poetic justice if Buono returns as head coach. He created much of this mess, let him clean it up.

A GM/Coach will usually get more out of the players as he controls the "purse strings". I could see Wally doing this and then starting the process all over again next winter, but to what avail?

"Hi, I'd like you to coach my team, here's your new DC Mark Washington, a genius...and your new Special Teams coordinator Chuck McMann, a wily old fox...if you like I could get a former OLine coach of mine back for you, he's the nutty professor!"

[InUrFace]

It would be poetic justice if Buono returns as head coach. He created much of this mess, let him clean it up.

A GM/Coach will usually get more out of the players as he controls the "purse strings". I could see Wally doing this and then starting the process all over again next winter, but to what avail?

"Hi, I'd like you to coach my team, here's your new DC Mark Washington, a genius...and your new Special Teams coordinator Chuck McMann, a wily old fox...if you like I could get a former OLine coach of mine back for you, he's the nutty professor!"

I'll say this if Jeff is fired by Wally it will be his all time lowest move to save his skin. No other HC would even want to come here. Just cant see it. Not with the record of firings and the control Wally continues to have with his interfering ways.

Wally needs to clean his mess up that he has put together for years now. Only he can look in the mirror and take blame. Problem is he is to stubborn to admit his errors and lack of taking responsibility for this mess. Will he just step down and give it to Jeff or someone else to clean up ????? What is his plan when he will step down? Will he just leave and let David B deal with it. Is it to much of a mess for Wally to deal with ??? Will he jump boat onto a life raft and head to Hawaii ??? What are the plans ???? Will Vancouver lose this franchise completely because of Wally and a owner who doesnt care????
So many questions but no answers. As fans what can we do??? Keep writing till we are blue in the face or until our finger tips bleed from typing so many posts. What can we do. Write letters to David B let him see how we feel and our frustration as fans. WHAT???????????? Its coming to the point we have to come up with a plan as fans. We just have to!!!!!!
If David B is that stupid to allow Wally to do what hes doing to this franchise then David will be losing money once the stadium is empty. How could he even sell a team like this in the near future. If Wally is attached to it. No one in their right mind will invest in a ship that is damaged from the bow to the stern and that barley floats and is so damaged its about to sick to the ocean floor.

[Toppy Vann]

The HC is not getting fired.

[Blitz]

It would be poetic justice if Buono returns as head coach. He created much of this mess, let him clean it up.

I would guess that most fans would like to see Jeff Tedford, if healthy, be given a chance to actually coach this team the way he wants to. I think its clear that this isn't what JT was given when he signed on...but sign on he did...so he's answerable to this mess. I also think that JT went out of his way to sign Cortez as the new OC, that was his hire and as such he's totally culpable for the offensive disaster this season has been. I mean take away the one SSK game, and our O has literally done nothing outside of Andrew Harris (who has now become nullified with ZERO response).

Jeff Tedford is better than this, but until taking over Special Teams this week, he literally has NOT put his finger prints on this team, which to me is BIZARRE.

A GM/Coach will usually get more out of the players as he controls the "purse strings". I could see Wally doing this and then starting the process all over again next winter, but to what avail?

"Hi, I'd like you to coach my team, here's your new DC Mark Washington, a genius...and your new Special Teams coordinator Chuck McMann, a wily old fox...if you like I could get a former OLine coach of mine back for you, he's the nutty professor!"

It is very bizarre that Tedford has not put his fingerprints on this team. Perhaps he promised Cortez he could run the offence in order for Cortez to come here. But that makes no sense either because Tedford said he wanted to run an H BackéTight End offence and brought tight ends to training camp and to the lineup for the first 8 games. Its crazy that we used our tight ends as slotbacks and then after cutting Leonard, we used more tight end formations this past game than we used all previous 9 games.

No offensive coordinator has ever run anything other than the spread offence for Wally since Hufgagel coached it for Wally in Calgary. We are using the same Calgary playbook of the 90`s. Cortez used that playbook in Calgary as did Chapdealine. Burratto was not when Wally arrived here and soon Burratto was gone. Chap used it here in B.C. as did Dorazio as OC. In 2007, we went away from it somewhat, with Hufnagel consulting and Kruck calling the plays but we were back in it from 20008-to early 2011. Chap is the only one who ever went away from it, as he did part way through 2011 and 2012 but somehow, even with the success of Chap`s motion and misdirection offence, with the use of single and double tights, in 2013 Chap went away from it again until towards the end of the 2013 season. Khari Jones was back in the Calgary spread offence as is Cortez again.

So it wouldn`t seem to matter who is coordinating the offence - the expectation is to use the old Calgary playbook, no matter who is the Head Coach (Wally, Benevedes or Tedford) or whom is the offensive coordinator, they are expected to run it.

But having Wally back coaching on the sidelines would add interest. We would see Leone punt the football from the opposition 30 yard line, on third and one, rather than attempt a field goal. We would see Wally back coaching the short yardage unit, which would guarantee that we would be stopped on third and a foot, when Wally decided to take one of his few risks. If miraculously we made the playoffs, we could expect Wally to start a very rusty quarterback - perhaps he would bring back Spurgeon Wynn, just to make sure we had a rusty quarterback starting the playoff game.

We would get the opportunity, when Wally went into an alternate consciousness during games, which he did quite often, and start screaming ``Doug, Doug`, throw it to Allan Pitts``, and an assistant would remind Buono that it was John Beck throwing to Manny Arseanult. Lionbackers would be more interesting because each game, we`d have a thread titled `Who is Wally going to cut``. Only experienced Lionbackers would guess that the player Wally would cut would not have been at fault and likely had played a good game but Wally used the strategy to keep his team on their toes. `We would have won the game if It wasn`t for Player X who lacked execution`Buono would say, and the shocked player would be on his way to another team immediately.

Wally`s changes would shore up our defense. Andrew Harris would be playing defensive back and asked to take a pay cut, Casey Printers would be brought back again, and every opposition CFL player would renegotiate their contracts and install a new no trade contract to B.C.

[JohnHenry]

The HC is not getting fired.

I agree. Tedford will coach at least until the end of this season. I think Cortez kind of fell into Tedford's lap after he was released from the Riders. Cortez' stock in Regina dropped precipitously last season, although having to start Sunseri, Doege and 40-yr-old Joseph at QB might tend to do that. He seems like yesterday's man, but perhaps Tedford thought Cortez might be a good fit. They worked together in Calgary with Wally and with Tedford being out of the CFL loop for so long, hiring an experienced OC and former associate like Cortez might have made sense. Who knew?

I wrote several weeks ago about something being very wrong with the Lions offence, beyond having young inexperienced players. Lulay just seemed to be going through the motions without his usual intensity. Now the entire offence has dropped into the abyss, lacking leadership and direction. Is that the head coaches fault? I'd peg that on the OC.

I had suggested rather than firing Cortez the team could elevate Khari Jones to co-OC in charge of the passing game and calling the plays. Cortez could look after the running game, which he strongly believes in, much like how Dorazio and Chaps used to share the run/pass responsibilities. It's probably not ideal but I hate to see anyone get fired mid-season. I'm sure Cortez is a good man and has earned the respect he is due.

But heads do have to roll. The coach needs to get the attention of his players, pronto, to right the ship.

Cutting veterans now might be foolish as their contracts and bonuses are guaranteed for the remainder of the season. I'd suggest Arseneux and Gore should be demoted to the reserve list, at least preserving their trade value. We need more fight from our receiving corps. Guys who will go up and get the ball no matter what. You need that in 3-down football, there are no do-overs like in the NFL.

Rather than sending 5 or 6 receivers out into pass patterns while the QB only has 1.5 seconds in the pocket before he gets creamed, that just isn't working anymore. At least Travis had the legs to run for his life and avoid sacks, perhaps masking the deficiencies of our pass protection.

In my view, this offence is crying out for a "Thunder & Lightening" rushing attack. This would free up Harris from some of his pass blocking assignments, so he could go into pass patterns or provide an outlet for the swing/screen pass, giving the opposing pass rushers a moments hesitation. With another skilled RB on the other side, there's the potential to swing it out the other way. More hesitation from the pass rushers...plus two potential pass blockers riding shotgun with the QB.

Harris seems most effective when he running vertically towards the line with speed. In the slot, one juke and Andrew's gone for 10 to 15 yards or more. With 2 RB's, the defence couldn't key on him as much. Lumbala, who's an adequate blocker, has no rushing attempts this season and gained 6 yds last year. He's not going to scare anyone. Defences can completely ignore him. So we have the Lightening but little Thunder. A bruising international RB who's a great blocker and a rushing/receiving threat to match Harris, might do wonders for our offence. Perhaps an Avon Colborne (or dare I suggest John Henry White)-type?

Don Matthews started two imports in the backfield when the Lions were dominant in the mid-80's because he considered the fullback a "skill" position. Perhaps the Lions need to rediscover that...or has the game changed so much that the FB is redundant?

[TheLionKing]

Seems to me that there is a designated back who is a blocking back who seldom if ever carries the football. There was Lyle Green, now it's Rolly Lumbala. Defences only need to concern themselves with stopping Andrew Harris. Nobody else is going to carry the ball.

[InUrFace]

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-1040- ... g-1.360475
Wally sounds like he wont retire until his contract is done. He says he is not a quitter. Crazy talk!!!
He sounds like a GM who is confused and outdated. He said David B doesnt pinch pennies when it comes to improving the football team, so why are you so
cheap? In the beginning hes asked about was it scheme or play calling. Then his answer ..of course is something
totally different. Its the other team. My

My head is shaking what the heck ..Wally has poor excuses.

[Toppy Vann]

I get everyone's frustration with the team and the GM but firings won't be a quick fix and this guy is not one to do it mid year.

What he doesn't address and was not asked - was the compete level of his players - the quitting. Remember he is the one who gutted the leadership of the offence.

It seems he has yet to meet the HC (at the time of this interview) but was to do so after.

On Harris - JT is to visit with him find out what is going on.
My take on what Wally is saying.


The key leadership issues that Wally has gone by over the years came out and by the way this IMO is what good leaders do -keep calm in the storms and focus yourself and others.

Wally stressed that they have to get the players and coaches ready for McMahon. refocused and get a game plan ready for the Stamps.

The Offence has to improve and they have to have the confidence to play and they have to improve. That formula always worked for Wally as he knows that the answers have to come from within the coaches and player group that he has there.

When asked if changing at the coaching level are in the works- he didn't want to get into that now as they had to to get ready for Calgary. Didn't say it wouldn't happen but dismissed the topic.

His tough question was about the schemes when you run just 4 times.
He certainly isn't questioning the schemes but says-
> the OL was struggling protecting the QB - beck had no time OL's worst game.
> the RB might not hit the holes at the right speed etc (what holes were there ?)
> They need to be consistent and make big plays and if you're not on the field for more than 18 minutes you can't do much as well

He singled out Hawkins, Burnham, Collie and added when Sekeres said his name - Rainey being good.
Notice by who he mentions for kudos on offence is NOT on the list? No Gore, No Arceneaux.

He said your main guys have to be good.

Muamba he was cagey on. They'd be competitive on $$$$. Didn't want to get into that.

Towards the end Sekeres asked about Wally as to how he is doing personally as his mantle is full of hardware and does he need this.

I respect that he is not one to quit and not one to not finish a commitment he made. He gets high marks from me on that.
++++

One thing that is not dissimilar between BC and Toronto is the decision of the organizations to stick with their QBS (Lulay and R Ray). BC's problem is that there is no backup really ready to take over unlike the Argos with Ray.

Fans for the most part supported Lulay being THE guy and fans too helped run Kevin Glenn out of town.
++++

I'm past the frustrations and now just hope they can refocus and make some changes that get them a better outing in Calgary.

But I'm also betting that the symptoms of cancer in that team are real - not fighting for the INT, quitting during the game - all the stuff said on the TSN 1040 show.

[Toppy Vann]

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-1040- ... e-1.360668

Duane Forde of TSN on what ails the Lions Def.

It can be summed up as 'everything is happening between the hache marks and within 10 yards of the LOS. '

He felt Beck looked good when flushed out of the pocket and was on the run.

Get more runs attacking the perimeter - make them cover you sideline to sideline to free up the field more and stretch the field vertically.

You guys know - the same stuff folks suggest here.

Lulay was similar to Wally on his interview but he had few answers or suggestions other than you have to be ready to play and believe you can win.

[Toppy Vann]

“I just had to get out of there,” Harris explained Monday. “For me, in that situation, I just needed to cool off. I wasn’t being selfish. I wasn’t pissed off (not getting the ball). I was just frustrated. I’m a competitor. I play to win on every snap. When things aren’t going right, and you’re confused about what’s going on, it’s definitely frustrating.”

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/lion ... z3lnZ1HkNl

Nothing there to be concerned about as I've never regarded Andrew Harris as a leader in the sense of the concept where a player has the respect to be listened to when he speaks. Not a knock at all on him - just some players are best leading by the play as they don't quite lead from the big picture like a Lulay can do. We're not all wired alike. If your team leader did that - like a starting QB - now that would be a story of substance.

LU said Harris was polite to him while declining to be interviewed post game.

He did what momma always said to do: "If you haven't something nice to say, just cuss and swear." I mean "say noting at all."