Wally Buono signs extension to 2018

[B.C.FAN]

From bclions.com:

BC Lions owner David Braley along with president and CEO Dennis Skulsky today announced that VP of football operations, GM and head coach Wally Buono has signed a contract extension to 2018.

Buono, who relinquished the team’s coaching reins following the Lions’ 2011 Grey Cup championship season is set to return to the sidelines in 2016.

“Wally’s incredible accomplishments as a coach and football executive are well documented,” said Skulsky. “He is among the greatest coaches in the history of our league and he gives us the best opportunity to win a championship. Most importantly, Wally has the respect, belief and trust of our players.”

Buono, the CFL’s all-time leader in coaching wins with 254 (101 with BC), was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2014 following a 22-year coaching career in Calgary and BC. Coming to the Lions in 2003, he has led the club as GM and head coach to nine previous playoff appearances, six Western Finals, one Eastern Final, three Grey Cup games and two league titles (2006, 2011).

“My sincere thanks go out to David and Dennis for the confidence they have shown with this extension,” said Buono. “We have a big job ahead of us, but with the coaches, football operations staff and players we are assembling I believe we will put a product on the field that our fans will want to support.”

Next up for Buono will be to put the finishing touches on his football operations department ahead of the club’s attendance at this year’s CFL Regional Combines in Edmonton and Montreal next week as well the main CFL Combine slated for March 11-13 in Toronto.

[WestCoastJoe]

Lifetime contract indeed. Braley ain't foolin'. We have stability. Do we have momentum?

As usual there is a lot riding on this season. And some of it is about Wally's legacy. Gonna be interesting.

[TheLionKing]

Guess that puts the rumour that Braley will be selling his team sooner than later to rest.

[BC 1988]

“We have a big job ahead of us, but with the coaches, football operations staff and players we are assembling I believe we will put a product on the field that our fans will want to support.”

That speaks volumes. They are acknowledging the problem.

Will going back to the future (and staying there for the next 3 seasons) accomplish that? It sounds like Tedford has become the convenient scapegoat, and Wally is back to restore success.

My main concern is that Jennings not become the latest casualty of a Dorazio O-line.

[B.C.FAN]

There had been some confusion about the term of Wally's extension. It's for one year through 2017, expiring in early 2018. That leaves the door open for a new ownership group to build a fresh management team.

[David]

Great. At least two more years of indoor football.

I found this quote from Buono rather telling. It does little to dispel the long held belief that he's a control freak.

“When you’ve done two jobs (coach and GM) as long as I have, I don’t think you can do just one job and be, maybe, as content,” he admitted. “Whoever is doing the other half usually doesn’t do it your way. Now, you have to try and conform, or fit in, or blend, and it’s not easy. When I go into a (coaches) meeting now, I don’t have to try and figure out what the other person is thinking. Maybe life is harder for them, but it’s a lot easier for me.”

SOURCE: Mike Beamish, Vancouver Sun - 3/3/16

LINK.


DH

[Rammer]

Great. At least two more years of indoor football.

I found this quote from Buono rather telling. It does little to dispel the long held belief that he's a control freak.

“When you’ve done two jobs (coach and GM) as long as I have, I don’t think you can do just one job and be, maybe, as content,” he admitted. “Whoever is doing the other half usually doesn’t do it your way. Now, you have to try and conform, or fit in, or blend, and it’s not easy. When I go into a (coaches) meeting now, I don’t have to try and figure out what the other person is thinking. Maybe life is harder for them, but it’s a lot easier for me.”

SOURCE: Mike Beamish, Vancouver Sun - 3/3/16

LINK.


DH

This also indicates to me that the Lions will need to be the better the on the field by a significant margin in order to compensate for the lack of imagination that is the Wally way. As we have witnessed from his days in Calgary having the best tram for years without being able to walk away from the last game with the Grey Cup. To the Lions talented teams that fell short, not due to the talent, but the plain stubbornness of the HC to play a conservative game, not wanting to lose.

To be fair, I am all on on the Lions having the best talent in the league. I just don't see that as a realistic possibility for 2016. Without that, Lions are going to be hard pressed to win games by out coaching the opposition with Wally as HC and KJ aa OC.