Should Kent Austin Be Suspended?

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TheLionKing
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B.C.FAN wrote:Austin has been fined $10,000 and banned from the sidelines for the Ticats' next game but can work from the spotters' booth.

CFL fines Kent Austin, removes him from sideline for one game, but is it enough?
Good to see the league took action but IMO Austin should be suspended not banned from the sidelines.
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TheLionKing wrote:
B.C.FAN wrote:Austin has been fined $10,000 and banned from the sidelines for the Ticats' next game but can work from the spotters' booth.

CFL fines Kent Austin, removes him from sideline for one game, but is it enough?
Good to see the league took action but IMO Austin should be suspended not banned from the sidelines.
The league offeice 'powder puffed' it!!
"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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TSN post on this topic:

TORONTO — Kent Austin won't be on the sidelines this weekend when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats host the CFL's top team.
CFL commissioner Jeffrey Orridge CFL fined Austin $10,000 on Wednesday and banished him to the spotter's booth Saturday when Hamilton (6-7) takes on the Calgary Stampeders (11-1-1) for making contact with an official last weekend. It's the first time in league history a head coach has been disallowed from being on the field with his team for a game and the fine is believed to be the stiffest ever handed down to a coach.

On Tuesday, Austin told reporters he didn't believe he'd be disciplined for the altercation. Austin said the contact with official Tom Cesari was accidental and that he had received an objectionable conduct penalty on the play.
Austin also added he had apologized to Cesari. But Orridge said he couldn't overlook that Austin actually made contact with the official on the field.

"Whether it was accidental, whether it was unintentional, the bottom line is intent is irrelevant," Orridge told The Canadian Press. "I was not presented evidence that would suggest it was not accidental or intentional but the message is you cannot contact an official in a confrontational manner or context.

"This is unprecedented, and because there has been no policy up until this point it highlights the need to develop a clear policy that there will be zero tolerance of any contact with an official under these types of circumstances whatever the nature. We have to make sure there's a safe space created, a safe working environment for the officials on the field."

The incident occurred in the fourth quarter of Hamilton's 20-18 loss to Saskatchewan on Sunday in Regina. After the Ticats were flagged for illegal procedure, a perplexed Austin walked towards Cesari on the sidelines and swung his hand in frustration, slapping Cesari's hand in the process.

Cesari immediately threw a second flag, a 10-yard objectionable conduct penalty.

Predictably, the Ticats weren't happy with the ruling.

"Although we feel the punishment is unprecedented and harsh, we accept the league's ruling on the matter and move forward as we continue to prepare for this weekend's game at Tim Hortons Field," the club said in a statement.

But the Ticats didn't really have a choice. That's because unlike a player, Austin isn't part of a coaching association or union that's bound by a collective bargaining agreement with the league.

As a result, he didn't have the right to appeal the ruling and have it reviewed by an independent arbitrator.

That's what happened earlier this year when the CFL suspended Montreal receiver Duron Carter for one game after bumping Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell during a game. Carter appealed to an arbitrator, who upheld the original verdict.

It's the second time in as many years that Austin, also Hamilton's vice-president of football operations, has been disciplined by the league. Last year, the CFL fined him $5,000 for bumping into Toronto receiver Dave Stala — a former Ticat — during a game.
However, just because Austin won't be on the sidelines doesn't mean he'll be unable to coach. Assistants in the spotter's booth routinely wear headsets to relay information to coaches on the field, giving Austin the ability to speak with his on-field personnel during the contest.

"I'm not going to be monitoring his activities," Orridge said. "What we have said is he has lost the privilege to be on the field with his team coaching.

"That is unprecedented, that we have removed a head coach from the playing field during a game."

The CFL took plenty of heat this week — particularly on social media — for the time required to render its decision. But Orridge said because there was no precedent in this matter, he needed to speak individually with all the parties involved and gather as much evidence as possible before rendering a decision.

"It was very deliberate, very considered," he said. "It's fact-finding, that's my job.

"To gather all the evidence and then amalgamate and distill it before reaching a decision that's in the best interests of the league."
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DanoT
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I think the fine and being barred from the sideline for 1 game is a fair punishment but there are several posters on Riderfans.com that are Austin haters who don't agree.

The reason that they hate Austin is because right after winning a Grey Cup as Rider HC he left town, never to return and they felt jilted. Kinda ironic that the Riders hired Chris Jones immediately after he won a GC as HC of the Esks and the RiderFans were gleeful. Kind of a double standard but typical of Rider Nation.

I'm thinking that Austin might enjoy the unique opportunity as a HC to view live action and call plays from the spotters booth. Also in the booth he can also loose his temper and punch walls or kick over garbage cans with impunity. :wink:
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Another whiff and a miss from Orridge. $10k fine and being allowed to coach from the booth is hardly punishment.
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aklawitter wrote:Another whiff and a miss from Orridge. $10k fine and being allowed to coach from the booth is hardly punishment.
Especially since Austin bumped a player last year. Duron Carter was suspended for bumping into a coach on his first offence. This was Austin's second offence and he still gets to coach. Carter didn't get to play.

Its completely a double standard. If they suspended Carter they should have suspended Austin. Since it was his second offence, it should have been a two game suspension.

If it was a court of law, they would have to use case law and past precedent in determining the punishment.

If I was the Players Association I would be pissed.
"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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The CFLPA that labours so hard and long to make sure that player fines can't ever go above $500.00 probably shouldn't have the high road in this. When it is one of their members they go to considerable lengths both in contract negotiation and in specific incidences to defend their members and get them off with as light a punishment as possible. Given that it really did appear as though the contact wasn't intended, this doesn't seem too lenient. $10000.00 isn't an insubstantial (maybe not as high as it should have been for a second offense but that is my opinion) amount and being banished to the spotting booth isn't exactly going to be an easy thing to swallow for a man as prideful as Austin. I almost think he would rather have been suspended for the game rather than sent to his room like you would a 4 year old. I hazard to suggest that if Austin's fine had been limited the way players fines are, then he probably would have gotten a game suspension.
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Sir Purrcival wrote:The CFLPA that labours so hard and long to make sure that player fines can't ever go above $500.00 probably shouldn't have the high road in this. When it is one of their members they go to considerable lengths both in contract negotiation and in specific incidences to defend their members and get them off with as light a punishment as possible. Given that it really did appear as though the contact wasn't intended, this doesn't seem too lenient. $10000.00 isn't an insubstantial (maybe not as high as it should have been for a second offense but that is my opinion) amount and being banished to the spotting booth isn't exactly going to be an easy thing to swallow for a man as prideful as Austin. I almost think he would rather have been suspended for the game rather than sent to his room like you would a 4 year old. I hazard to suggest that if Austin's fine had been limited the way players fines are, then he probably would have gotten a game suspension.
They could have suspended Austin and not fined him. The league had a lot of options. They had fined him before, so why not suspend him this time.

I agree with you Sir Percival, regarding the Players Association to a degree. However, most CFL players don't make that much money and they certainly don't make what Head Coaches make (except quarterbacks). So keeping fines at the lower end makes sense for player discipline and they still have the suspension option.

I highly doubt that Austin is actually paying the fine himself. Most football clubs pay for coaches fines but not player fines. In fact, its usually a part of their contract.

The trouble with unions is that they will fight for an employee (or player in this case) even when they know that the employee is dead wrong. The coaches don't have a union but they do have power from ownership, who are the people who put the Commish in his position and support him or not. The owners have much more power than the Players Association.

I highly doubt that Austin would have preferred to be suspended. Consultations took place with Hamilton as part of the process. Hamilton's CEO is unhappy that Austin even has to be in the spotters box and you can bet Austin is too, and likely felt he should just get a slap on the wrist.
"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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Its interesting to sometimes read that some Lionbackers think Kent Austin is some kind of innovative offensive coordinator or brilliant offensive mind.

Austin, as offensive coordinator of Toronto was anything but brilliant or innovative. In 2004, his offence ranked dead last in the CFL, in 2005, it was the 6th ranked offence in the CFL, and 7th in the CFL in 2006. Austin was fired after than season.

Austin inherited a very good Riders team in 2007 that had ranked 3rd in CFL offence in 2006. They improved one spot to being the 2nd ranked offence behind our Leos that 2007 season, with our third string quarterback Jarious Jackson at the helm. We lost the WDF that year to the Riders, a game that we should have won and likely made a big mistake by inserting a very rusty Dickenson into the game in the second quarter and he struggled.

Austin has a .569 winning percentage as a Head Coach, helped by his 12-6 second place regular season in 2007 in Saskatchewan. Coaching in the weak East Division Austin has won 27 games and lost 25 games over the past 3 seasons, barely over a .500 average. Austin has been fortunate to have weak opponents in the East, for two of his first three season in Hamilton, with a struggling Montreal franchise and a new franchise in Ottawa in 2014. Last season, Ottawa, in only its second season as a new franchise went to the Grey Cup game while Hamilton stayed home.

Hamilton has won 6 games this season and lost 7 games.

Austin was fined and only suspended to the press box. If Travis Lulay made contact with an official in a dispute, he would be suspended for a game and he surely would not be allowed in the spotters box, being able to help Jennings or Khari Jones.

I sometimes read how Austin has been such a positive for the CFL. I'm not so sure about that. Yes, he has had some success and a Grey Cup win in his only season in Riderville and he was able to get Hamilton into two Grey Cup games in his first two seasons there but he was not playing against tough opponents in the East. He is arrogant, hot tempered, and his team is struggling, with very good talent.
"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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I don't recall Austin being hot tempered when he played. Can anyone correct me on that ?
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Blitz wrote:Its interesting to sometimes read that some Lionbackers think Kent Austin is some kind of innovative offensive coordinator or brilliant offensive mind.

Austin, as offensive coordinator of Toronto was anything but brilliant or innovative. In 2004, his offence ranked dead last in the CFL, in 2005, it was the 6th ranked offence in the CFL, and 7th in the CFL in 2006. Austin was fired after than season.

Austin inherited a very good Riders team in 2007 that had ranked 3rd in CFL offence in 2006. They improved one spot to being the 2nd ranked offence behind our Leos that 2007 season, with our third string quarterback Jarious Jackson at the helm. We lost the WDF that year to the Riders, a game that we should have won and likely made a big mistake by inserting a very rusty Dickenson into the game in the second quarter and he struggled.

Austin has a .569 winning percentage as a Head Coach, helped by his 12-6 second place regular season in 2007 in Saskatchewan. Coaching in the weak East Division Austin has won 27 games and lost 25 games over the past 3 seasons, barely over a .500 average. Austin has been fortunate to have weak opponents in the East, for two of his first three season in Hamilton, with a struggling Montreal franchise and a new franchise in Ottawa in 2014. Last season, Ottawa, in only its second season as a new franchise went to the Grey Cup game while Hamilton stayed home.

Hamilton has won 6 games this season and lost 7 games.

Austin was fined and only suspended to the press box. If Travis Lulay made contact with an official in a dispute, he would be suspended for a game and he surely would not be allowed in the spotters box, being able to help Jennings or Khari Jones.

I sometimes read how Austin has been such a positive for the CFL. I'm not so sure about that. Yes, he has had some success and a Grey Cup win in his only season in Riderville and he was able to get Hamilton into two Grey Cup games in his first two seasons there but he was not playing against tough opponents in the East. He is arrogant, hot tempered, and his team is struggling, with very good talent.
Interesting analysis, Blitz. Another current CFL head coach who I think has been somewhat over-rated, including on this forum--and touted as part of the new, young breed of innovative CFL coaches--is Scott Milanovich. However, a similar analysis of his record as the Argos' head coach shows an even weaker record than Austin's. In his four plus years with the Argos, Milanovich has amassed a record of 43-42, for a winning percentage of 50.6, and, as with Austin, this record is in the weak East division. Perhaps he's been seen more positively than his record would warrant because he seems to be free of Austin's obnoxious tendencies.
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South Pender wrote:
Blitz wrote:Its interesting to sometimes read that some Lionbackers think Kent Austin is some kind of innovative offensive coordinator or brilliant offensive mind.

Austin, as offensive coordinator of Toronto was anything but brilliant or innovative. In 2004, his offence ranked dead last in the CFL, in 2005, it was the 6th ranked offence in the CFL, and 7th in the CFL in 2006. Austin was fired after than season.

Austin inherited a very good Riders team in 2007 that had ranked 3rd in CFL offence in 2006. They improved one spot to being the 2nd ranked offence behind our Leos that 2007 season, with our third string quarterback Jarious Jackson at the helm. We lost the WDF that year to the Riders, a game that we should have won and likely made a big mistake by inserting a very rusty Dickenson into the game in the second quarter and he struggled.

Austin has a .569 winning percentage as a Head Coach, helped by his 12-6 second place regular season in 2007 in Saskatchewan. Coaching in the weak East Division Austin has won 27 games and lost 25 games over the past 3 seasons, barely over a .500 average. Austin has been fortunate to have weak opponents in the East, for two of his first three season in Hamilton, with a struggling Montreal franchise and a new franchise in Ottawa in 2014. Last season, Ottawa, in only its second season as a new franchise went to the Grey Cup game while Hamilton stayed home.

Hamilton has won 6 games this season and lost 7 games.

Austin was fined and only suspended to the press box. If Travis Lulay made contact with an official in a dispute, he would be suspended for a game and he surely would not be allowed in the spotters box, being able to help Jennings or Khari Jones.

I sometimes read how Austin has been such a positive for the CFL. I'm not so sure about that. Yes, he has had some success and a Grey Cup win in his only season in Riderville and he was able to get Hamilton into two Grey Cup games in his first two seasons there but he was not playing against tough opponents in the East. He is arrogant, hot tempered, and his team is struggling, with very good talent.
Interesting analysis, Blitz. Another current CFL head coach who I think has been somewhat over-rated, including on this forum--and touted as part of the new, young breed of innovative CFL coaches--is Scott Milanovich. However, a similar analysis of his record as the Argos' head coach shows an even weaker record than Austin's. In his four plus years with the Argos, Milanovich has amassed a record of 43-42, for a winning percentage of 50.6, and, as with Austin, this record is in the weak East division. Perhaps he's been seen more positively than his record would warrant because he seems to be free of Austin's obnoxious tendencies.
I couldn't agree more. I don't view Milanovich as an innovative coach in terms of offence nor that successful either. The most innovative offensive coordinators are Trestmann, Chapdelaine, Dickenson, and Maas of the recent era.

Why those:

Trestmann combined the West Coast offence with the spread offence into a quick strike offence. Trestmann's offence was really more West Coast than spread but he combined both elements often brilliantly.

Chapdelaine was really the first offensive coordinator to really marry the pro offence in the spread offence in 2011, plus he added a lot of motion/misdirection. He was the first to introduce a lot of tight end sets, the increased use of the fullback in the running attack as a blocker, and his use of motion and misdirection was innovative in a variety of ways for both the run and the pass.

Dickenson's offence is really an enhanced version of Hufnagel's offensive philosophy. Hufnagel was a run first/ play action offensive style of coordinator and introduced new run blocking schemes. What Dickenson has done is add his own mix to the offence, and he has enhanced a passing attack designed to exploit all three layers of the field vertically and horizontally. Dickenson is especially innovative with using play action to exploit linebackers and and is also innovative in the use of his tailback in the passing game.

Jason Maas uses motion to change formations at the last possible moment countering the defensive scheme. He also used slot backs as tight ends, holding them in pass protection on one play and shifting into a bunch formation with layered level routes the next. His offense flexes and uses levels to spread and attack the opposing defense at the weakest point. Maas has created a hybrid mix of flexbone with the traditional spread offence.

As for the rest of the offensive coordinators, I haven't really seen any significant innovation.
"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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