Ritchie Hall Released

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B.C.FAN
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Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

I'm not sure whether Corey Chamblin or GM Brendan Taman is calling the shots in Regina. It was Taman who announced that Cortez would not be returning as offensive coordinator and that the team was looking to replace Richie Hall as DC, although he could still play a role in the organization. The Riders seem to be following the Lions' model of dumping two experienced coordinators and undermining the authority of the head coach. That didn't produce good results in B.C.'s case.
leo4life
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Location: vancouver

Another excellent breakdown thanks Blitz.Washington talked alot in the off season about "getting after some people" and being "very agressive" Didnt see it...wonder if was orders from Benny/Wally or Washington just being green...only staff i would like to see return are Bates and Holland,with Bates taking over the Oline coaching...Leos also need a dynamic Special Teams coach...any suggestions?
Blitz
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leo4life wrote:Another excellent breakdown thanks Blitz.Washington talked alot in the off season about "getting after some people" and being "very agressive" Didnt see it...wonder if was orders from Benny/Wally or Washington just being green...only staff i would like to see return are Bates and Holland,with Bates taking over the Oline coaching...Leos also need a dynamic Special Teams coach...any suggestions?
You and I are definitely on the same page leo4life, in terms of the only coaches I would want to bring back.

I would love to get Barrin Miles back here...either as a defensive backs coach or special teams coach. I also believe Miles has excellent potential for a defensive coordinator position.

I really like Kelly Bates and certainly would be happy to see him get the opportunity. He's done a good job for us and a very good job with the CFL draft. Benevedes was nowhere near his league in terms of the draft. But with Mike Gibson possibly available and knowing how good a job he has done in the past, he would be my first choice, while leaving Bates to stay coaching the running backs. He's really helped Andrew Harris and he has said so.

At the end of last season I felt I was in the minority in that I wrote passionately that we should not dump Stubler and Chap, two experienced coordinators, going into a Grey Cup hosting season. I wonder if our Leos would make the same decision if they could go back there again. It certainly didn't work out, although Washington's defense looked good, most of the time, for most of the season, until the wheels fell off in our last three games, including the Semi-Final against Montreal.

The key to our assistant coach hirings is going to be determined by our decision in terms of a HC and whether he will really be able to hire his own staff...as Wally said. I can certainly see Wally pushing for Washington. A new HC would have an easier time saying goodby to Dorazio and McMann...because they knew that Wally was the one pulling the strings. Wally, by stating that the new HC will make those decisions, can distance himself from those choices if he wants to.

Its not an easy thing to suggest going in new directions in terms of assistants. I recognize this is their livlihood and for some its the most important thing in their life. But this is pro football and fan pleasure or displeasure is part of the picture and it comes with the territory.

Right now I'm excited because it seems we have a shot at hiring an experienced HC with a very good background. But if that disappears, I certainly don't have any other name right now that would be interested, available, and who excites me.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
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