Were you expecting more from Tedford?

[CardiacKid]

In a word, yes.

The matter of wins versus loses was to be a matter of conjecture for me but based on the bill of sale attached to Tedford's arrival, I would have expected far more consistency on the field between games and in games. I was also expecting a greater degree of innovation with the offense and at the very least, an ability to adapt strategy and tactics within games. I guess at the very least, I had hoped a Tedford-coached team would at least be doing or attempting some things on the field that would make the rest of the league, the fans and the media sit up and take notice of the Lions. Instead we are reading about diminishing fan numbers.

However, part of me is fearful of what I think is George Cortez's coaching style, namely bending and shaping players to his direction instead of examining the players available to him and coaching to their strengths. During the Rider's slide in the latter half of last season, he showed a complete unwillingness to adapt to the loss of Durant. He completely mishandled Tino Sunseri and the Rider's run tandem of Messam and Allen. Perhaps Tedford is not taking the Offensive reins to the extent we may have thought or hoped and is instead deferring to Cortez because of his far more recent league experience.

Through out the game in Hamilton, I was often thinking about what the TiCats had done in the last few years to get to where they are. In particular I thought about Austin's first year at the helm when they set a CFL record for the number of different players dressed for a season. The guy was obviously not shy about giving players a chance and if it didn't pan out, too bad so sad, someone else will get a try and maybe they will prove they belong. It seemed like the season was a dress rehearsal for future success. Maybe the Lion's brain trust should just accept this year is a crap shoot and audition a sh*t load of players...maybe something good will come of it before the year is out.

Another facet of Saturday's game was how much the TiCats played in the same manner as which Austin coaches. Namely, with emotion and intensity. And there is also a symmetry to the coaching styles of Austin's assistants, Condell, Steinhauer and Reinebold...take the win with energy, aggression and innovation. Perhaps the vision of how the Lions can win and are to ultimately become champions again is simply disjointed, ununified and murky amongst the players, coaching staff and football operations.

However, one positive I have taken from this year is the losses are not so boring as last years. The Lions are loosing with a certain panache.

So far the coach seems closer to a Bart Andrus than a Marc Trestman...

Bart Andrus always seemed to me some sort of mad scientist, using alchemy to try and turn lead into gold. Trestman on the other hand was very cerebral and was very willing from the start of his CFL career to examine what the parts were to his team and adapt his coaching. He was a very quick study.

I would like Tedford to stick around as his CV remains pretty impressive, there is undeniable potential and this is still early days. However the fact his contract only has one more year after this says to me he doesn't have the greatest support of ownership or Braley is penny-pinching as he did with the Argos and is unwilling to pay for long term success. Also when Braley does sell, who will the new owners want for a football operations/coaching team?

[cromartie]

The more serious problem the Lions have is OLD HEREDITARY MANAGEMENT. No other GM in any sports league would still be around after a 4 year skid like that. You can see it throughout their management with Wally's daughter working with the organization, Wally's assistant promoted to HC (Benevides). And how can a guy like Skulsky attract young e.g. teen/twentyish fans? Wrong image. But Braley can't seem to see it. Too close to management. Everything is the "old boys" network.

Off the top of my head, let's hop a plane to Detroit where....

Matt Millen got eight years of incompetence before the owner's son intervened and promoted his protege and

Joe Dumars got nine years of wandering the wilderness after lucking into an NBA title and....

Dave Dombrowski got 14 years to not win a World Series and....

Ken Holland is on six years and counting of not getting out of the second round of the playoffs.

Plenty of guys get that kind of time. Especially if the city is championship starved and the ownership is foolishly loyal.

As for Tedford, if he doesn't get a wide swath of latitude to blow pretty much everyone left over from the previous staff out the door (and his buddy Cortez if he doesn't redesign that offense to fit the strengths of the personnel on short order), he's toast, and I think we're far enough into the season that that is a reasonable conclusion.

David's homicide detective analogy is a terrific one.

[maxlion]

I ecpected the lions to be inconsistent out of the gate. Best case scenario for me was that they could stay in the playoff race and get things together by the end of the year to hopefully make things exciting in the playoffs. First part has come to fruition, still waiting on the next part. I do have more hope than last year. Just got tired of Bene and Glenn.

Most disappointing for me is the defense and watching Lulay struggle. I think Lulay would be better off resting and watching some series, and I want to see Jennings get some playing time.

I give Wally credit for making necessary changes in the off season. He's not afraid of change.

[CardiacKid]

Buy so far I'm just seeing a guy on the sidelines who resembles a hardened 20 year homicide detective surveying a crime scene.


DH

Given his medical history, I hope he doesn't go home at the end of the day and numbs his emotions to all the carnage he has seen with a bottle of JD.

[Toppy Vann]

Post 2 on this topic:

I expect better. I've heard Sol E and Bighill rip their own performance including Sol E make a point about Brooks not hitting QBs and he wasn't laughing.

But this from the HC? Is he in a disconnect from reality?

Most of it all it didn’t look as if the Lions wanted anything to do with the 30C heat and humidity. Elimimian said the Lions didn’t play with enough energy or emotion Saturday. He could have said the same thing about several games so far.

“Any time there’s a game like this you have to question a lot of things about our performance and preparation,” veteran Ryan Phillips said. “Everybody made a mistake. We all know how explosive Banks is but ... if we would have just tackled a bit maybe those things wouldn’t happen.”

Coach Jeff Tedford disagreed when it was suggested his team didn’t display the necessary level of competitiveness.

“We competed. We made too many mistakes,” he said. “It’s a collective effort of miscues.”

Soliciting suggestions for improvement from the Lions this year is a futile exercise as Tedford has stressed to his players the need to discuss their frustrations internally.

“This head coach is anal about people making comments about themselves,” one player said.

Wally even allowed some outright discontent (Jarius Jackson on his situation) and as it was done by JJ professionally and within a media interview by a guy who is not taking it to team mates to divide his team - he was fine with it.

But this is crazy the lack of a clear message from the HC beyond miscues. They did not play hard - all of them. If they did they would not have been blown out.

I listen to Austin, Hufnagel and Milanovich sitting down and going on about their teams as well as allow their coaches to be in the media and they actually say something. Granted Tedford cant do the same on other teams but he has to unleash something.

Austin, Hufnagel and Milanovich will speak of other teams players and QBs. Austin was on about comparing Collaros and Harris of Toronto in making specific comments. Milanovich similar. These guys speak volumes not platitudes and cliches.

but when the players say not everyone is playing hard and the coach is in DENIAL - that spells LOSING ....

[cromartie]

but when the players say not everyone is playing hard and the coach is in DENIAL - that spells LOSING ....

Win as a team, lose as a team, keep the criticism in house. This is what you want from a Head Coach, right?

[Toppy Vann]

but when the players say not everyone is playing hard and the coach is in DENIAL - that spells LOSING ....

Win as a team, lose as a team, keep the criticism in house. This is what you want from a Head Coach, right?

If Tedford is anal on this as some undisclosed player has apparently said that suggests he's not a good pro HC who has a media responsibility.

But his players said what he should have been saying from game 1: players said the truth in post game interviews that players needed to be disciplined, play hard fully the whole game. If they are keeping it in house then that means they have to say the party line of Tedford and that is not right. I think not keeping something in house does not include the obvious like penalties, intensity and doing your jobs. Yes, they shouldn't come out and say our Safety or QB or O Line sucked. That is not what I mean.

[WestCoastJoe]

Yes. I had high hopes. But the way Jeff Tedford kind of fell into our grasp might have been a signal in itself. His arrival was like a gift from the football gods. From a higher league. From a top college. Over qualified it would seem. Not even recruited, but sought Wally out for a talk. Quarterback guru. Designer of creative offences.

Wally had the look of a satisfied, happy cat with the announcement of Jeff Tedford's hiring as our new Head Coach.

Mixed returns so far, to put it mildly. It is early. 7 games only. But some bad signs. Sputtering offence. Sieve for a defence. STs far from special. Most concerning --> players confused, confidence shaken, mailing in an abysmal effort against a team hitting on all cylinders.

Jeff Tedford is in charge. But is this his offence? Is this his defence? Or are those the domain of his OC and DC? The defence certainly seems to be the conception of Mark Washington. The offence seems to be in line with the previous work of George Cortez.

One kind of expected a high powered offence. One was not so sure about the defence after the results late last year. One kind of expected mediocre results from the STs.

One would have to say we are closer to the bottom of the league than the top, at this time.

Just the opinions and musings of a Lions' fan and a CFL fan ...

[MexicoLionFan]

Yes, I expected more.

I thought hiring Jeff Tedford based on where he had come from was a very astute move by Wally Buono especially his Mike B hire. Good all around choice and you need a strong leader at the top to turn it around. I knew he didn't have the instant CFL smarts of a Kent Austin who had just flunked out as an Argo OC only to hired astutely by Eric Tillman who knows too what it takes to win and got a guy who could lead both coaches and players.

1. Did I expect him to magically turn it around brilliantly and run the board?

No, as even Trestman took time to adjust and he's been gone a long, long time from the CFL and the coaching standards in the CFL today have never been higher in Austin, Milanovich, etc.

2. Did I expect him to focus better on team philosophy, direction to coaching staff and coaching them up and quickly instill a performance oriented culture with both individual and team collective accountability?

Yes as that is the role of HC and on this he is getting failing grades from me.

There is a lack of character and team leadership in the core of this team and he seems to be unaware. He should have been finding out from Paul Mc Kevin Glenn even before he signed - what went on in BC. He's got leaders like Harris who was one of the visible quitters last game sitting on the bench thinking who knows what. REC as a group. I'd trade the lot of them for any group in the CFL now as they have no fight, no desire, no character.

I'd have then not gutted the room of the Tim Browns unless he couldn't play which we know he can as there is something lacking in this team and it keeps showing up. It's about them as individuals. Travis too surely sees it and knows it.

No team game can be won (soccer or football) without a strong core group of top performers who are extensions of the coaching staff when it comes to accountability and the best HC's know that they too are accountable to the team for bad decisions and these top coaches 'fess up if they make a bad call and it not defensible and they commit to listen if it is a bad call rather than blindly execute a 3 and 4.

3. Was I surprised by anything based on what I knew of his background listening to him interview or his prior roles at university?

Yes. I didn't hear a clear, coherent philosophy of what he was going to establish in his team and it's not getting clearer as they muddle along.

The H back and up tempo was - well okay sounds interesting - but is this based on what his new OC was suggesting or was this something that he just thinks might be a good idea? I didn't feel then - nor do I see it yet - a clear difference in thinking from what Cortez has been known for.

I sort of thought it sounded like Tedford was suggesting he'd call the plays (which said to me this guy is nuts as he's not been in the CFL for years and how does he think he knows better than guys who know the opposing coaches, their tendencies and their players? I know that didn't happen but it was naive and a bad sign he doesn't grasp his role.

4. Was this a bad thing? Retaining his DC and ST coaches and K. Jones?

No as I felt there is a budget and it might be a problem but even if there is no budget some continuity is good and he's an experienced HC who can instil in the staff preseason exactly what he stands for, what he wants and how it wants things done.

But I am disappointed that he has not seemed to set the philosophy, tone and accountability culture and then let the coaches come to him with their schemes and thoughts. If he has it's been ignored and that's his job to get fixed immediately. His job is to ensure that the schemes etc that the coaches want to employ meet the right tests. He has failed a bit here although we're not 0 and 7. He is the coach of the coaches as a key role as HC. He then lets them coach but has overall direction and philosophy and monitoring. Austin/Milanovich style.

What Tedford should have done in keeping former coaches is hold accountability off season sessions where both O and D coaches must review the season's schemes and pick them apart. Might not be pleasant but force all to be honest as he was really new to the CFL. If the schemes are then accepted with no issues, then there'd be consequences for those not telling it like it is.

5. Was I surprised by his personnel decisions?

Yes.

Cutting guys like Logan and Brown without seeing them in action is surprising. Not sure why Marsh is such a pariah but I'd have been inclined to ask for him to come to TC (unless there is some HGH issue as some Lion on Twitter alleged IIRC. I trust I recall that right as I don't want to falsely accuse anyone of anything. )

Letting Bighill fall back into coverage? That's a bad high school coaching decision to try and get too much out of your best players. I'm shocked he lets that happen,

6. Were there any signs off season that this might not be a successful HC quickly?

Yes, when I was reading that the HC was personally teaching Travis Lulay how to fall etc I was horrified. You might direct your offensive staff to do that a certain way especially Khari Jones who has played QB in the league more recently than he has but if this is how you spend HC valuable time that's an Oh Oh for me.

7. What needs to happen?

First off Jeff Tedford needs to get back to his job - set the tone, accountability, etc.

He might first get a compilation of the TSN shot of his bench during the debacle so they can see in the mirror what it looks like to fans who pay to watch them play.

You won't create a motivating culture by focusing on the negatives but show that bit of video high-lites like holding the mirror up in front of each of their faces.

This looks to everyone fellows like you've quit. Quit on yourself, quit on your team mates, quit on this organization, its coaches and its fans. We get it - you're down. We've all been there but leadership is when there is adversity and it is unacceptable to the HCand this organization and our GM that players quit in a game.

Travis was hooked but he stood there and helped Beck out - if others too did - point them out. A HC expects no less than that in every game, on every down even if you're not in the play.

He then has to say, that he never wants to address the team like that and he won't as this is not going to happen as long as he is HC.


Then - and now comes the hard part - he has to tell them the things that will be focused on in this short week to be ready for the Als. Here he has to take some accountability as does the staff.

OUTSTANDING post Toppy, thanks...and it is so true, he has NOT shown what he attempted to set out in Training Camp with both his coaches and players. There is no ingenuity, no creativity, no mental toughness, no strength through accountability...he seems to just be allowing EVERYTHING to slide all around him. And what is so amazing is that Jeff Tedford IS BETTER THAN THIS! So for me, the question has become, "what gives"? Why has Tedford come out with his guns unloaded and jammed into the holster? Kent Austin came into a MUCH WORSE situation in HAM, but he was BOLD and LOUD about what he wanted to do and what he expected FROM EVERYONE on his team...Tedford has acted like a Canary. He needs to take back control of this football team by starting with accountability for EVERYONE. At this point in the season, Coaches and Players that continue to struggle and make fundamental mistakes need to be held accountable by Tedford...from this, he will at least know who he can go to war with and who he can't!

[MexicoLionFan]

Yes. I had high hopes. But the way Jeff Tedford kind of fell into our grasp might have been a signal in itself. His arrival was like a gift from the football gods. From a higher league. From a top college. Over qualified it would seem. Not even recruited, but sought Wally out for a talk. Quarterback guru. Designer of creative offences.

Wally had the look of a satisfied, happy cat with the announcement of Jeff Tedford's hiring as our new Head Coach.

Mixed returns so far, to put it mildly. It is early. 7 games only. But some bad signs. Sputtering offence. Sieve for a defence. STs far from special. Most concerning --> players confused, confidence shaken, mailing in an abysmal effort against a team hitting on all cylinders.

Jeff Tedford is in charge. But is this his offence? Is this his defence? Or are those the domain of his OC and DC? The defence certainly seems to be the conception of Mark Washington. The offence seems to be in line with the previous work of George Cortez.

One kind of expected a high powered offence. One was not so sure about the defence after the results late last year. One kind of expected mediocre results from the STs.

One would have to say we are closer to the bottom of the league than the top, at this time.

Just the opinions and musings of a Lions' fan and a CFL fan ...

Excellent post Joe, and yes, we all know that this is Jeff Tedford's team, but why does it seem that he's NOT in charge? Cortez is doing what he has always done, and Washington hasn't lived up to what he promised both US THE FANS and Tedford with a more aggressive Defence! As TLK said, if our Defence became any more passive, we would be dropping 12 guys into coverage and STILL allowing big plays! Tedford needs to "show up" and take control over this team the way that Kent Austin did when he arrived in HAM. Austin may not have made many friends with those around him, but EVERYONE LIKES TO PLAY ON A WINNER and will quickly forget about how "mean" a guy is (Vince Lombardi) when they are riding a winning streak!

[MexicoLionFan]

Coach Jeff Tedford disagreed when it was suggested his team didn’t display the necessary level of competitiveness.

“We competed. We made too many mistakes,” he said. “It’s a collective effort of miscues.”

Soliciting suggestions for improvement from the Lions this year is a futile exercise as Tedford has stressed to his players the need to discuss their frustrations internally.

“This head coach is anal about people making comments about themselves,” one player said.

This is VERY troubling to hear, because it is the SAME Wally Buono/George Orwell "Newspeak" that has gotten us into this mess. To watch that game from the sidelines and make the comment, with sincerity, that the Lion's players "competed" and that it was simply a case of "too many mistakes" is as frightening as Toppy suggests! In fact it is downright TERRIFYING! The Lions are not going to get better through DENIAL (the Wally Buono prescribed medicine), they need harsh truth right now, and the fact is that this team appears to be UNPREPARED to play against most teams and are not giving 100% effort, which means (of course) that they believe that they can "get away" with a half hearted effort, which is very troubling.

Since the SSK games, Lulay has only had ONE GAME of passing for more than 200 yards. THIS IS THE CFL, those kind of numbers are NOT going to result in wins...and as HORRIFIC as the Defence has been thus far, how can Cortez and the Offence be allowed to just continue merrily with the same old SH$T??? There are "high priced" veteran "talents" all over the Offence who simply aren't producing...I think it is time to give younger players a chance to contribute and move forward. Manny Arceneaux isn't getting any younger and his athleticism has declined, so he is probably as good a place to start changing as any. But, until our Offensive systems change, better results are likely NOT coming...Tedford has the intelligence, experience and teaching abilities to design a much more effective offensive game plan here, but he has simply deferred to Cortez's spread offence and that's been a disaster. Like the previous two seasons, without Andrew Harris, we simply wouldn't have an offence!

[MexicoLionFan]

Well there is a bright side to all of this. Eventually, the level of play will force some kind of change. Last year we had Benevides, the year before Chapdelaine. The turnover is beginning and I don't think Tedford will be content to continue in this vein. With all the years of experience, he will either tell Wally to do something different (ie, give him control of the coaching decisions) or tell him to get someone different. Personnel on the field will change too. Those who don't perform will be gone.

Why do people think Wally still has any say in coaching decisions?

Really? You don't remember how last offseason played out with Wally and his handling the MW situation with Tedford...likely with McMann as well? Why would Kelly Bates have been shown the door?

[MexicoLionFan]

The main problem could lie with the offensive coaching. The schemes don't seem to mesh with the players we have. Travis seems frustrated and isn't playing with his usual verve. This goes beyond Travis' shoulder injury or his restructured contract which makes him a free agent who can sign with any team next season (although the offence did look better late in the game with a QB who could put some zip on the ball.)

Boy, when the "main problem" with the Lions lies with the Offence, they must really be a mess because I'm not sure if our Defence could get any worse!

[Toppy Vann]

This should be the most troubling to fans if this is the HC view of the need to inform media and fans of what's going on with the team.

I've noticed this year the football beat reporters are finding little but one or two platitudes from HC Jeff Tedford and that is disturbing and won't help pacify fans nor sell tickets.

When LU says it is FUTILE to ask for improvement suggestions, this shows badly on the coaches and the club.

Did this last game even have a TSN Tedford interview in it?

Soliciting suggestions for improvement from the Lions this year is a futile exercise as Tedford has stressed to his players the need to discuss their frustrations internally.

Letting Lulay be the face of the franchise is gutless (although Wally is doing his share and agree with him or not - he's not hiding out).

[Rammer]

I expected an 8-10 or 9-9 record from this team, hopefully putting them in the hunt for the final playoff spot. So far they're on pace for that, so I can't say I was expecting more. Most pundits were more pessimistic, predicting the Lions would finish last. The dynasty years are over and it will take time to get back to that level. I have patience.

My expectations were even lower knowing the leadership that the Lions released. Combine that with the unknown factor on Lulay ( both his durability and his potential performance), and the playoffs looked like a long haul for this season.

I would even hazard the thought that the Lions record is much better than their on field play. They are lucky to be in a playoff fight currently

As for Tedford's leadership, it really hasn't surfaced to date. The D is as bad if not worse than the end of last season and that is hard to imagine. Washington is Wally's next chosen one, so far his chosen ones haven't lite the league on fire in BC. Benevides and Washington seemingly coach the way Wally wants to coach, and they stick around. Great for moving up the ranks on the coaching of the BC Lions, unfortinately just not good enough for league standards.

Wally' s teams in the past overcame much of this under coaching by having by vastly superior talent. Long gone are those days, and they look a long ways off currently. Still the CFL is a QB's league and a Flutie type can fall into your lap, that won't happen while Lulay remains a Lion. Love his heart but facing facts here, a QB has to be able to hit open receivers, and he has had time this season from the unexpected play of the OL. Strange that the OL is the bright spot, but perhaps not considering the change of OL coaching.

That leads back to the loyalty that Wally has shown his coaching staff, that is the ones that follow his philosophy of football. Coaches that were under Wally that didn't last have had success in the CFL dating back to Burratto and as current as Stubler. When Tedford was hired I thought the Lions had a leader who would move the club in a direction of cutting edge schemes, player development, and excitement for the fans. Instead he hires Cortez whoay be the one OC in the league is both smarter than JC and even more stubborn about his offensive plays beyond success.

1/3 of the season has past, and the grace period for judgment on Tedford is acceptable. So far IMO I don't like the direction as there isn't any improvement by the O or D. The lack of aggression. Y either side of the football is embarrassing, getting your lunch taken like the Hamilton game without any fight shows a team without leadership.

Summation, this can easily get better, but don't bet the rent money that will happen.