Bombers fire head coach LaPolice

[Hambone]

Reminds me of Tom Larscheid apparently recommending the Joe Kapp regime for BC who went out and got the Lions Larry Kuharich as HC and we know what happened then.

One of the worst hiring in the Lions' history

That Kuharich's parents spelled Lar ry with only 1 R should've been a sign.

[BiggestLionsFan]

what would LaPolice think about a huge loss to the Riders?

Just heard this on 1040.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=403819

[TheLionKing]

Reminds me of Tom Larscheid apparently recommending the Joe Kapp regime for BC who went out and got the Lions Larry Kuharich as HC and we know what happened then.

One of the worst hiring in the Lions' history

That Kuharich's parents spelled Lar ry with only 1 R should've been a sign.

His grabbing a Calgary player and chewing him out on the sidelines on national tv should have been another sign

[WestCoastJoe]

Reminds me of Tom Larscheid apparently recommending the Joe Kapp regime for BC who went out and got the Lions Larry Kuharich as HC and we know what happened then.

I was thinking that once they threw in with Kapp they should have had him coach the team. Then in some game we might have seen the University of California fire drill at game end. 1982 ... The Play. Kapp called it Rabatch, a made up word as some combination of "Indian and Mexican".

Every once in a while I like to watch this play.


..........

All those years later ...

Did Kapp go after Mosca intentionally, as a setup, at that function? IMO he absolutely did. Pay back for the hit on Willie Fleming decades later. Too old to really hurt each other, methinks, although the cane was dangerous. LOL

Closure for the 1963 loss to Mosca and the TiCats.

I guess they won't be invited to the same banquet anymore.

[Hambone]

Reminds me of Tom Larscheid apparently recommending the Joe Kapp regime for BC who went out and got the Lions Larry Kuharich as HC and we know what happened then.

I was thinking that once they threw in with Kapp they should have had him coach the team. Then in some game we might have seen the University of California fire drill at game end. 1982 ... The Play. Kapp called it Rabatch, a made up word as some combination of "Indian and Mexican".

Every once in a while I like to watch this play.



Did Kapp go after Mosca intentionally, as a setup, at that function? IMO he absolutely did. Pay back for the hit on Willie Fleming decades later. LOL

I'm having trouble envisioning the Dal Rixhards Band pouring onto the field for the complete effect.

[WestCoastJoe]

Reminds me of Tom Larscheid apparently recommending the Joe Kapp regime for BC who went out and got the Lions Larry Kuharich as HC and we know what happened then.

I was thinking that once they threw in with Kapp they should have had him coach the team. Then in some game we might have seen the University of California fire drill at game end. 1982 ... The Play. Kapp called it Rabatch, a made up word as some combination of "Indian and Mexican".

Every once in a while I like to watch this play.



Did Kapp go after Mosca intentionally, as a setup, at that function? IMO he absolutely did. Pay back for the hit on Willie Fleming decades later. LOL

I'm having trouble envisioning the Dal Rixhards Band pouring onto the field for the complete effect.

Danger Zone. LOL

[Toppy Vann]

Reminds me of Tom Larscheid apparently recommending the Joe Kapp regime for BC who went out and got the Lions Larry Kuharich as HC and we know what happened then.

I was thinking that once they threw in with Kapp they should have had him coach the team. Then in some game we might have seen the University of California fire drill at game end. 1982 ... The Play. Kapp called it Rabatch, a made up word as some combination of "Indian and Mexican".

Every once in a while I like to watch this play.


..........

All those years later ...

Did Kapp go after Mosca intentionally, as a setup, at that function? IMO he absolutely did. Pay back for the hit on Willie Fleming decades later. Too old to really hurt each other, methinks, although the cane was dangerous. LOL

Closure for the 1963 loss to Mosca and the TiCats.

I guess they won't be invited to the same banquet anymore.

Kapp bleeds the blood for whichever team he played for and the Lions will never be out of his blood. Fans in BC will (older ones) will not let recent statements of Willie being okay later be believed as it looked like the dirty hit destroyed that GC win chance. It was a different era than today and CFL in BC was the top game and team and the Lions were the toast of the town. While they didn't play downtown - the players including Willie with the Lions Den mens' clothing store were mostly downtown and very visible as these were the sports stars. Think Canucks players and replace them with the Lions.

Kappy was a better coach than GM and that was nuts here in BC as he had been gone from the CFL for a long time.

There was nothing set up or deliberate and if Mosca had played along the flower incident could have been funny as older players usually take verbal shots at each other versus cane swinging and return punch ups.


TSN has Troy Westwood all over trouncing Joe Mack for his opening media joke - which I too found a slap on the media with the milk and cookies.

To suggest that the death of Richard Harris (followed by 4 wins in a row) was one of the negatives this season was shameful coming from the team's GM. It goes right against his team's history and slaps the players who sucked it up and went on all the way to the GC final loss to BC right in the face. History suggests and the record shows that the Bombers were down but fired up to do well in Harris' honour. 4 games on the road and the GM talking to players is a negative situation.

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=404737

What is interesting is Westwood's suggestion here of "cancer" in the locker room. Not a good thing but while that is leadership to me it is the job of the GM and HC to fix that together. Any sign of a HC not being supported by a GM contributes to team divisions which in football can be very serious thing to get out of hand due to numbers alone.

"Coach Harris, rest his wonderful soul, passed away July 26, 2011. The Bombers won four [straight] games after the passing of coach Harris and they played with tenacity and great spirit to honour the life of one Coach Harris," stated Westwood. "Don't tell me 13 months after the man's passing that this still somehow reflects negatively.

"The cancer that exists in the locker room right now doesn't have to do with the passing and loss of Coach Harris. It's much more deep seeded than that and it was a ridiculous, horrendous and disgusting crutch for [Mack] to throw under his armpit and talk about."

Westwood also took exception to Mack opening the press conference with an attempt at humour.

"First I'd like to thank everybody for coming out to the bi-weekly Joe Mack fan appreciation day. Milk and cookies will be served afterwards," said Mack.

After listening to the press conference five times, Westwood was surprised at Mack's choice to begin with a joke.

"How detached is [Mack] from the temperature of this community, city and fanbase to come out and his opening statement, you haven't said a word to the media or the fans since suffering one of the most catastrophic loses in Blue Bomber history, and you come out with [that as an] opening statement," said Westwood on Thursday.

[TheLionKing]

Troy Westwood sounds off on Joe Mack

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=404737

[Toppy Vann]

Dave Naylor on firing coaches mid year on TSN.This guy is good. CFL does not have the many micro-analysts like hockey does (most of them are over the top cheerleaders) but Naylor does a great job and brings a good reporter's views and edge to this role.

Concludes it does not work.

Ken Miller was 4 and 6 after ruining Greg Marshall's career in Sask.

Hamilton and Toronto in 2008 fired their coaches and these two teams combined for 1 WIN and 15 LOSSES from there.

Lapolice's Bombers defeated Ticats and Marcel B in the East Final last year. Now Marcel is Rec. coach in the UFL for former Argo coach Bart Andrus and LaPolice is sitting at home collecting his full pay cheque and hanging with the wife and kids.

Hamilton still struggling and finally the Argos are headed in the right direction. Cortez has cost the Cats two games for not tossing a challenge flag - interesting how so many of us thought he was ready for HC but he is not gelling his team.

[JohnHenry]

I feel sorry for the great Wpg fans who have to endure the ongoing mis-management of their team. Hamilton was in a similar boat until they hired O'Billovich. He hasn't done miracles but has brought stability and a direction for a floundering organization. Joe Mack is a good scout and talent evaluator, but is totally miscast as a GM after being out of the league for so long.

Could you imagine how much better the Bombers record would be over the past decade if they had lured a leader like Wally Buono to Wpg instead of a parade of losers? We can only thank Bobby Ackles who planted the seed in Calgary that Buono could be unloaded in B.C. (after the Stamps GM Fred Frateri was convinced the game had passed Wally by ) Ackles was very proactive in smoothing the transition and getting the deal done. I think Frateri whined about getting compensation for Wally's transfer...but ended up with nothing (except Feterik Jr. at QB and a ticket out of town.)

[Rammer]

I feel sorry for the great Wpg fans who have to endure the ongoing mis-management of their team. Hamilton was in a similar boat until they hired O'Billovich. He hasn't done miracles but has brought stability and a direction for a floundering organization. Joe Mack is a good scout and talent evaluator, but is totally miscast as a GM after being out of the league for so long.

Could you imagine how much better the Bombers record would be over the past decade if they had lured a leader like Wally Buono to Wpg instead of a parade of losers? We can only thank Bobby Ackles who planted the seed in Calgary that Buono could be unloaded in B.C. (after the Stamps GM Fred Frateri was convinced the game had passed Wally by ) Ackles was very proactive in smoothing the transition and getting the deal done. I think Frateri whined about getting compensation for Wally's transfer...but ended up with nothing (except Feterik Jr. at QB and a ticket out of town.)

Feterik was ready to part, when he started receiving the backlash on the move, that is when he moved the conditions to wanting compensation. Ackles wasn't having any part of that and waited him out, with the knowledge that the whole thing was going to blow up in the Stamps face. Wally moves to BC and then gets a few players to follow, best move for the Lions as not only didn't they give anything up for him, they received assets as well.

[WestCoastJoe]

The F Troop
.................

The Cast ...

Feterik, Michael, the Dad and team owner

Fathead errrr Fateri, Fred, the wannabe GM

Feterik, Kevin, the Son and wannabe quarterback

Wally Buono, already legendary coach and GM
.............

The plot ...

Son of millionaire box maker wants to play quarterback, so his Dad buys him a team.

Fateri talks big, has no experience at anything to do with football, convinces Dad he knows more than Hall of Fame bound GM and Coach, Wally Buono.

Buono eventually is forced to play the Son at QB.

Fateri makes a grand show each game, running up and down the sideline, alternately cheering the Son, or chastising the referees. Off the field Fateri generates media coverage for his wardrobe and collection of shoes. Fateri also clubs with the players.

Out of the rubble, Bobby Ackles rescues Buono. Cool. Very cool for Lions' fans. It regenerated my interest in the franchise and in CFL football.
...........

Stranger than fiction? Oh yeah. And a helluva story, with a pretty good ending.

[Rammer]

The F Troop
.................

The Cast ...

Feterik, Michael, the Dad and team owner

Fathead errrr Fateri, Fred, the wannabe GM

Feterik, Kevin, the Son and wannabe quarterback

Wally Buono, already legendary coach and GM
.............

The plot ...

Son of millionaire box maker wants to play quarterback, so his Dad buys him a team.

Fateri talks big, has no experience at anything to do with football, convinces Dad he knows more than Hall of Fame bound GM and Coach, Wally Buono.

Buono eventually is forced to play the Son at QB.

Fateri makes a grand show each game, running up and down the sideline, alternately cheering the Son, or chastising the referees. Off the field Fateri generates media coverage for his wardrobe and collection of shoes. Fateri also clubs with the players.

Out of the rubble, Bobby Ackles rescues Buono. Cool. Very cool for Lions' fans. It regenerated my interest in the franchise and in CFL football.
...........

Stranger than fiction? Oh yeah. And a helluva story, with a pretty good ending.

You forgot the infamous statement by Fateri, "I can sell ice to an Eskimo". Well he did sell an empty box as a GM to a box maker. It was a bizarre time in Calgary, you just didn't know what was going to happen next, poor Duningan.

[TheLionKing]

I guess we shouldn't be too disparaging towards Fateri and Feterik. If it wasn't for them, the Lions wouldn't have gotten Buono