Rick Campbell confirmed as HC

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maxlion
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SammyGreene wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 1:07 pm
Interesting to note Campbell's staff has been completely removed from the Red Blacks website. Obviously all were in a lame duck scenario with new head coach coming in but would be surprised if none of them end up following Campbell to BC. Always thought Vancouver native Noel Thorpe was a solid DC.
Mark Nelson coached with Rick Campbell in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Ottawa (including 4 years as DC in Ottawa). Wouldn't be surprised to see him here in some capacity.

Bob Dyce could be a good hire as STC.

I doubt we'll see Thorpe here if Campbell is DC.
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Sir Purrcival
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Is anybody else concerned about the Edmonton West stuff? We brought in a whole bunch of Esk players, a former Esk GM, we have a new coach that is a former Esk coach and now we are talking Jason Maas as OC. I may be over stating things a little but it isn't like the Edmonton Bitumen Train has been burning up the league over the years. I'm not really comforted by the idea that a group that over the years has produced a middling product is somehow expected to take us to the promised land here. It is why I worry about Hervey. He seems to be very uni dimensional in his thinking. He sticks with what he knows but isn't that one of the problems we had with Wally B? I'm just not seeing the creative mind in the lot here. A dynamic OC might go a long way to fix that but I don't think that is Jason Maas. Not by a long shot. He just doesn't seem to be that much of a cognitive coach. He coaches what he knows, pushes a lot of emotion which can be both positive and negative and as a player I thought he was physically capable but creative certainly wasn't the adjective I would have used to describe him. After watching him as a HC for a few seasons, I have no reason to change that opinion.
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B.C.FAN
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Sir Purrcival wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 1:54 pm
Is anybody else concerned about the Edmonton West stuff? We brought in a whole bunch of Esk players, a former Esk GM, we have a new coach that is a former Esk coach and now we are talking Jason Maas as OC. I may be over stating things a little but it isn't like the Edmonton Bitumen Train has been burning up the league over the years. I'm not really comforted by the idea that a group that over the years has produced a middling product is somehow expected to take us to the promised land here. It is why I worry about Hervey. He seems to be very uni dimensional in his thinking. He sticks with what he knows but isn't that one of the problems we had with Wally B? I'm just not seeing the creative mind in the lot here. A dynamic OC might go a long way to fix that but I don't think that is Jason Maas. Not by a long shot. He just doesn't seem to be that much of a cognitive coach. He coaches what he knows, pushes a lot of emotion which can be both positive and negative and as a player I thought he was physically capable but creative certainly wasn't the adjective I would have used to describe him. After watching him as a HC for a few seasons, I have no reason to change that opinion.
Our GM and director of player personnel Torey Hunter are both ex-Eskimos who don't seem to have had much success bringing in anyone who hasn't worn green and gold.
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squishy35
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B.C.FAN wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 2:31 pm
Sir Purrcival wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 1:54 pm
Is anybody else concerned about the Edmonton West stuff? We brought in a whole bunch of Esk players, a former Esk GM, we have a new coach that is a former Esk coach and now we are talking Jason Maas as OC. I may be over stating things a little but it isn't like the Edmonton Bitumen Train has been burning up the league over the years. I'm not really comforted by the idea that a group that over the years has produced a middling product is somehow expected to take us to the promised land here. It is why I worry about Hervey. He seems to be very uni dimensional in his thinking. He sticks with what he knows but isn't that one of the problems we had with Wally B? I'm just not seeing the creative mind in the lot here. A dynamic OC might go a long way to fix that but I don't think that is Jason Maas. Not by a long shot. He just doesn't seem to be that much of a cognitive coach. He coaches what he knows, pushes a lot of emotion which can be both positive and negative and as a player I thought he was physically capable but creative certainly wasn't the adjective I would have used to describe him. After watching him as a HC for a few seasons, I have no reason to change that opinion.
Our GM and director of player personnel Torey Hunter are both ex-Eskimos who don't seem to have had much success bringing in anyone who hasn't worn green and gold.
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David
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Sir Purrcival wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 1:54 pm
Is anybody else concerned about the Edmonton West stuff? We brought in
Hey, better than Toronto West. :wink:

On a more serious note, you claim Ed has been unidimensional in his thinking, but what about hiring Claybrooks last year? And not meddling in his support staff decisions. How did that work out for him? At least we know what we're getting with Campbell. Frankly, I am not sure the organization can afford to whiff on any "swing for the fences" personnel decisions anymore. Maas is a well-respected OC. Did great things with Campbell in Ottawa. He was hired by the Eskimos, in part, by his skillful offensive work with the Redblacks.

At least we know the days of guys coming late to meetings are over. :wink:


DH :cool:
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I would really start to wonder if the Lions change their colours to green and gold.
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Hambone wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:06 am
Belize City Lion wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 4:32 am
Campbell resigned in Ottawa. The fact that there was no resistance from the team and no talk about the Lions owing any form of compensation seems to indicate that Campbell had an escape clause in his contract. Not uncommon in a long term contract. Or the GM was considering firing him anyway but when Campbell offered to resign it gave Ottawa the opportunity to move on without possibly having to pay out the remainder of Campbell's contract.
The term used at the time was "mutually decided to part ways". I always take that to mean just that. Desjardins didn't call him in to fire him and he didn't simply hand in his resignation. They met and came to a mutual agreement that he would leave and at the same time likely cleared up the terms and loose ends of the departure such as any remaining financial compensation required, freedom to immediately put himself on the market no strings attached etc. Call it an amicable divorce I suppose.

In the comments post Campbell's departure the tone of the TSN commentators was markedly indicative that Campbell was highly unhappy with the GM's personnel moves.
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Sir Purrcival
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David wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 3:35 pm
Sir Purrcival wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 1:54 pm
Is anybody else concerned about the Edmonton West stuff? We brought in
Hey, better than Toronto West. :wink:

On a more serious note, you claim Ed has been unidimensional in his thinking, but what about hiring Claybrooks last year? And not meddling in his support staff decisions. How did that work out for him? At least we know what we're getting with Campbell. Frankly, I am not sure the organization can afford to whiff on any "swing for the fences" personnel decisions anymore. Maas is a well-respected OC. Did great things with Campbell in Ottawa. He was hired by the Eskimos, in part, by his skillful offensive work with the Redblacks.

At least we know the days of guys coming late to meetings are over. :wink:


DH :cool:
He did hire Claybrooks and many of us here thought that was a great choice given the strength of Calgary's D and success in winning the Grey Cup the season before. However, that was probably one of the least "swing at the fences" swing he possibly could have taken so while I will give him credit for making the choice, it wasn't exactly an "out there" hire if you take my meaning. And it stands as one of the few outside of the box he has largely made. Many thought he should have jettisoned Jarious Jackson but didn't so you could ask how not meddling in the support staff decisions worked out for him too. I guess I am just leery of how many ties he seems to have to Eskimo's and former Eskimos. As I said, it isn't like they have burned up the league in the last decade and questions have already been asked here about just how exhaustive his HC search seems to have been or not. I'm not saying he's wrong but I do know that bringing in a bunch of ex "Esks" both players and coaches looks more like an address change than an attempt to build something new. Hopefully Campbell will bring in a fresh face in terms of OC. I don't see Maas's presence on the sidelines being a positive overall given the number of Esk alumni already hovering around. Maas hasn't happened yet so this may be much ado about nothing but given a preference, my hope would be that we can find some bright light OC that doesn't come out of the Esk system. Some variety is good.

And yes maybe it is better than Toronto West but it does bear to mention that they won a Grey Cup more recently than the Esks have.
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I think the Claybrooks hire was lauded across the CFL, by media and fans of other teams, as a great hire. General consensus being he was destined to be a good one. I think a few fan bases were disappointed their team didn't land him. Even Rider fans came across as somewhat jealous, lamenting how they may have missed out thanks to Jones' departure too late in the offseason to get him. But that was then, this is now.
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SammyGreene
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Maas as Riders new OC is apparently a done deal. So what happens here now? Jackson returns? Ryan Dinwiddie? Stephen McAdoo?

Too bad we actually had a good OC and potentially HC here in Khari Jones until Wally thought he was the root behind Jennings' struggles.
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B.C.FAN
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SammyGreene wrote:
Thu Dec 05, 2019 11:34 am
Maas as Riders new OC is apparently a done deal. So what happens here now? Jackson returns? Ryan Dinwoodie? Stephen McAdoo?

Too bad we actually had a good OC and potentially HC here in Khari Jones until Wally thought he was the root behind Jennings' struggles.
Dave Naylor of TSN is reporting on the Jason Maas to Saskatchewan deal. That's surprising to me, given Maas's connection to Rick Campbell and Mike Reilly, and Ed Hervey's affinity for former Eskimos.

Naylor also says Ryan Dinwiddie, Stephen McAdoo and Paul LaPolice are among a long list of candidates for Ottawa's head coaching position. The Redblacks seem to be undertaking a thorough, wide open hiring process. The Lions may have to wait until that process is finished before hiring an OC.





Naylor: Hearing Maas will join Riders as OC
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squishy35
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Bring Back Steff Kruck… He was awesome in the role while he had it.
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squishy35 wrote:
Thu Dec 05, 2019 12:23 pm
Bring Back Steff Kruck… He was awesome in the role while he had it.
I wouldn't even mind Steve Burratto if he's up for it.
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Sir Purrcival wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 1:54 pm
Is anybody else concerned about the Edmonton West stuff? We brought in a whole bunch of Esk players, a former Esk GM, we have a new coach that is a former Esk coach and now we are talking Jason Maas as OC. I may be over stating things a little but it isn't like the Edmonton Bitumen Train has been burning up the league over the years. I'm not really comforted by the idea that a group that over the years has produced a middling product is somehow expected to take us to the promised land here. It is why I worry about Hervey. He seems to be very uni dimensional in his thinking. He sticks with what he knows but isn't that one of the problems we had with Wally B? I'm just not seeing the creative mind in the lot here. A dynamic OC might go a long way to fix that but I don't think that is Jason Maas. Not by a long shot. He just doesn't seem to be that much of a cognitive coach. He coaches what he knows, pushes a lot of emotion which can be both positive and negative and as a player I thought he was physically capable but creative certainly wasn't the adjective I would have used to describe him. After watching him as a HC for a few seasons, I have no reason to change that opinion.
Why do you think I call him Ed-monton Hervey?

I don't really consider Campbell to be an ex-Eskimo (even though he was an assistant for a number of years) because it's been a while since he left Edmonton, he's also done stints in Calgary and Winnipeg, and most recently Ottawa. I like this hiring. Many of his other moves involving former Eskimos, not so much.
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Though Maas may be a good OC, I for one am happy he is not coming. Just don't care for the man and his anger. Just hope they don't bring back Jackson. I think if Ryan D doesn't get the Red Blacks job, he may be the guy. I just don't see him getting the Ottawa gig. Better candidates out there. But whoever gets the Ottawa job, they will last a year or 2 and be gone, as long as they have their current GM, who is the worst GM in the league. He is too cheap to pay his good players. I would not be surprised if they let Lewis Ward walk.
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