Wally and his staff ...

[Hambone]

Correct you are Sir P. At the last couple of home game and for I don't know how long prior it was advertised as Geroy an Lulay. Now it's Geroy and JJ. I think the change only stands to reason. Jenning is now the face of th franchise and it's unknown if Travis will even be with the team next season.

Is there a message in there concerning Lulay ?

I don't think so. I don't think there's anything in there that isn't very obvious. There's a transition happening with this team whereby Jennings is now the man. That wasn't made clear until the final third of the season. Jennings still has to prove himself worthy of that but so far indications are good. The play he displayed in that audition is of a style that can get a jaded market interested again. As such the Lions have to ride that. If it means replacing Lulay with Jennings on this trip that is a promotional thing for the Lions so be it.

As for Lulay's future out at Grey Cup I was asked several times by different folks, Lions fans and other fans, what I thought would happen to Lulay. My answer was that I expected him to go to free agency to see if there was a situation elsewhere that would give him a better shot to be the starter than BC wll offer. I think he owes that to himself. If he doesn't find such a situation then I can see him resigning with BC to be Jennings' backup/mentor and defacto QB coach.

[David]

IIRC, Travis and his wife are about to have another child. It's entirely possible the switch was made so he could be with his wife.

Sure, getting JJ in front of the fan base is important, I wouldn't have thought it strange or inappropriate for Travis to have still been on the trip. He's been the face of the franchise for the past 5 years.


DH

[WestCoastJoe]

Offensive Coordinator names ...

X Jarious Jackson? With Jones in Regina.

Jacques Chapdelaine? Who knows? Released in Regina. Hugely experienced and qualified. Some fans would be upset.

X Paul LaPolice? With the Bombers.

Doug Malone. OC in college, as well as Head Coach.

Dan Dorazio. No. Please, no. Because his return would mean the release of Doug Malone as OL coach. Dan did OC work with the Lions.

Steff Kruck. I can't see that happening, although I seem to recall that he and Dorazio cranked up a pretty good offence here.

Khari Jones? Possible. Probable?

Steve Buratto? I kind of doubt Buratto would want to return to the Lions. He got shuffled off previously, with little thanks, it seems.

Jeff Garcia? Has a gig in the NFL.

X Pete Costanza? Staying with Calgary.

Buck Pierce? Inexperienced of course. He will get his chance eventually. Probably not with the Lions.

Travis Lulay? His time will come. With another team? Will he slip away as did Dave Dickenson?

X Doug Berry? No.

X Danny Barrett? No.

[Hambone]

IIRC, Travis and his wife are about to have another child. It's entirely possible the switch was made so he could be with his wife.

Sure, getting JJ in front of the fan base is important, I wouldn't have thought it strange or inappropriate for Travis to have still been on the trip. He's been the face of the franchise for the past 5 years.


DH

I wasn't aware of the Lulays expecting but it certainly would make sense too. Travis being the team guy he is would do the trip even if the timing isn't ideal from a personal perspective. I would also assume whoever representing the Lions when they've done these things brings their spouses and possibly kids. Depending on how far along she is she might not want to travel at this time. Perhaps it's a combination of him preferring to stay home and an opportunity to get Jennings more to the forefront.

[WestCoastJoe]

Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani · 1h1 hour ago
Per #CFL sources: George Cortez has *not* "retired," as the BC Lions had announced. He has told other coaches to keep him in mind for jobs.

Hmmmm

Wally and the Lions announce that Cortez has retired.

Cortez tells contacts that he is available for openings.

One gets the impression that George does not want to work in Wally's organization. Or George does not want to work with Wally. Or what ... ?

Available to work, but not here. Doesn't like the weather? Doesn't like the cost of real estate?

Ah well, from the ruins of this season, will the team rise up once again? It is clearly in Wally's hands now.

[BC 1988]

Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani · 1h1 hour ago
Per #CFL sources: George Cortez has *not* "retired," as the BC Lions had announced. He has told other coaches to keep him in mind for jobs.

So much for Wally's credibility with his assertion that Cortez wasn't pushed.
OTOH, what was the duration of the Cortez contract--just 1 year? I could see Cortez being eager to get away from Wally (with him being on the sidelines again) and willing to say anything to get away.

[The_Pauser]

Arash Madani ‏@ArashMadani · 1h1 hour ago
Per #CFL sources: George Cortez has *not* "retired," as the BC Lions had announced. He has told other coaches to keep him in mind for jobs.

So much for Wally's credibility with his assertion that Cortez wasn't pushed.
OTOH, what was the duration of the Cortez contract--just 1 year? I could see Cortez being eager to get away from Wally (with him being on the sidelines again) and willing to say anything to get away.

But weren't many on here saying that Wally forced Tedford to hire Cortez? Which is it?

[WestCoastJoe]

George parts ways with Wally. They had worked together in the past. But no more.

Not a retirement, as had been announced. Available for work with another team.

Tedford leaves after one year, taking his vast credentials with him.

Cortez leaves after one year, taking his vast experience with him.

Any of this to do with Wally? Any? Nah, just circumstantial. Wally is beyond criticism.

Team slides down the slope for four years. Blame Benny. Blame Tedford. Blame Wally? No. Can't do that.

At least now all credit or blame clearly is on Wally. Nowhere to hide. Anyone else to sacrifice? There is some justice in these developments.
.........

The protege route with Benny? Fail.

The vast experience route with an outsider, Tedford? Fail.

The protege route with Washington? Not good so far.
..........

Can he do it? Can Wally make the team competitive at the top level?

[DanoT]

When I first read that Cortez was no longer a Lion but not really retired as we had been lead to believe, I thought of the non retirement of Paul McCallum earlier this year.

I'm just glad that for 2016 neither Cortez nor Bellefeuille will be the OC. I think somehow I'm being set up to like the new OC no matter who it is, because he won't be either of the aforementioned guys.

[Hambone]

When I first read that Cortez was no longer a Lion but not really retired as we had been lead to believe, I thought of the non retirement of Paul McCallum earlier this year.

I'm just glad that for 2016 neither Cortez nor Bellefeuille will be the OC. I think somehow I'm being set up to like the new OC no matter who it is, because he won't be either of the aforementioned guys.

I'll have to relisten to tha presser. I recall Wally saying that Cortez had advised them he wouldn't be returning. Retirement may have been hinted at but I don't recall it being specifically stated as he isn't coming back because he is retiring from football. Certainly he wouldn't be the first coach or player whose initial thought at season's end was to retire only to rethink that a few weeks later.

[BC 1988]

When I first read that Cortez was no longer a Lion but not really retired as we had been lead to believe, I thought of the non retirement of Paul McCallum earlier this year.

I'm just glad that for 2016 neither Cortez nor Bellefeuille will be the OC. I think somehow I'm being set up to like the new OC no matter who it is, because he won't be either of the aforementioned guys.

I'll have to relisten to tha presser. I recall Wally saying that Cortez had advised them he wouldn't be returning. Retirement may have been hinted at but I don't recall it being specifically stated as he isn't coming back because he is retiring from football. Certainly he wouldn't be the first coach or player whose initial thought at season's end was to retire only to rethink that a few weeks later.

LOL --I was thinking the same thing-- McCallum being "asked to retire".

The first 1040 interview after the presser, Sekeres asked Wally about Cortez, and Wally replied that Cortez "had informed him of his intention to retire".

[WestCoastJoe]

When I first read that Cortez was no longer a Lion but not really retired as we had been lead to believe, I thought of the non retirement of Paul McCallum earlier this year.

I'm just glad that for 2016 neither Cortez nor Bellefeuille will be the OC. I think somehow I'm being set up to like the new OC no matter who it is, because he won't be either of the aforementioned guys.

I'll have to relisten to tha presser. I recall Wally saying that Cortez had advised them he wouldn't be returning. Retirement may have been hinted at but I don't recall it being specifically stated as he isn't coming back because he is retiring from football. Certainly he wouldn't be the first coach or player whose initial thought at season's end was to retire only to rethink that a few weeks later.

LOL --I was thinking the same thing-- McCallum being "asked to retire".

The first 1040 interview after the presser, Sekeres asked Wally about Cortez, and Wally replied that Cortez "had informed him of his intention to retire".

The words matter, of course.

The end result is Cortez leaves the OC position with the Lions, by his own choice, apparently.

Yet he is available for work with another team. He jumped ship, without a life saver. Radical.

And Tedford jumped ship also.

Abandoned twice in short otder by guys with miles of experience.

Not Plan A. Not even Plan B. More like, man the life boats. We're taking on water.

It is all up to Wally now. Perhaps his sternest challenge in his long career.

[TheLionKing]

Never boring in the Lions' Den

[Blitz]

Never boring in the Lions' Den

It never is with Wally. The guy thrives on conflict, head games, drama, intrigue and manipulation. His words and what goes on behind the scenes are often two very different things.

[B.C.FAN]

People don't usually leave management positions to pursue other opportunities unless they're pushed. I have to assume Wally was behind Tedford and Cortez's decisions to leave, and perhaps McMann's too.