I don't believe the question should be whether this is Tedfords team or Buonos team but how much influence Buono should have.MONTREAL — Perhaps it was the fact he arrived early at the scene of the B.C. Lions’ most troubling defeat last year that had Wally Buono thinking as he did when he discussed his future with the CFL team not in infinite terms for the first time.
As he did following last year’s 50-17 playoff loss to the Montreal Alouettes, Buono is sounding again like someone who thinks he could be asked to leave before the end of his contract after the 2016 season if the Lions overhaul is not having the desired effect.
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.”
A B.C. loss Thursday would drop the Lions into a third-place tie with 3-6 Winnipeg in the West Division but both teams would be three points behind Montreal in the chase for a possible crossover playoff spot.
Buono said last year that he needed to step back ...but fining players for dead ball penalites and going over game tape with reporters regarding defensive line play is not stepping back nor is influencing Tedford to play Roh or moving Westerman to defensive end are stepping back.
The reality is that Tedford is in his first season as a HC in the CFL. The last time Tedford was in the CFL, he was an assistant coach under HC Buono in Calgary where Buono was successful. Buono has a rep as a HOF Head Coach and our Leos franchise not only had a lot of early success when Buono came here as HC and Buono was the last HC to win a Grey Cup for B.C.
Of course Tedford is going to defer to Buono as his boss and of course he is going to be powerfully influenced in his first season in the CFL as a HC by Buono, whether it comes to personell, assistant coaches, or schemes.
Does that mean that Buono is making most decisions on the field. Of course not! But is Buono having too much influence. It sure appears that way. The decision regarding Roh is a purrfect example. Buono should not be involved in who plays or not. Too many assistants are part of Buonoès old boys network.
But if this team is going to be successful, Tedford needs to find a way to have Wallys have less reins in his hands.. I highly doubt that would be easy or even possible.
