Head Coach - Lions announce Jeff Tedford as 2015 HC

[MexicoLionFan]

Garcia's confidence is all that I needed to hear from Jeff...it told me everything. Garcia has the tools to become an outstanding HC, he just needs to believe he can, and clearly he does! If I were Wally I would take a long, hard look at Garcia as HC...at the very least he had better become our next OC because if we let a brilliant young mind like Garcia's get away, Wally will have made another HUGE mistake...he has already missed on Huff, DD, Chris Jones, O'Shea, Milanovich, Austin, Rich Campbell...this list is the creme de le creme of CFL coaching.

For those that are taken aback or offended by Garcia's confidence, you should think again...if he KNOWS he's ready then why stop him? Do you know Jeff Garcia better than Jeff Garcia? And if he does feel that he's ready, what do you want him to say, "I THINK I can do it????" Thinking is for "losers" KNOWING is for winners!

If it were me, I would go with the bold move and make Garcia HC if he completed the interview process exceedingly well...he has an intellect and experiences that LaPolice will never get to, and that's no knock on LaPolice who is going to make a very good HC whether here or somewhere else. If we signed JG only as the OC and LaPolice as the HC, then in 2 or 3 years time we simply run the risk of letting Garcia get away. I think the CFL is VERY fortunate that the likes of DD and JG have chosen our league to coach within...we lost DD and we shouldn't run the risk of losing JG...he brings a knowledge and experience that simply can't be matched, even by Dave Dickesnon...

Trust me on this, Garcia is going to make a very special coach...I want that here in BC...even if that means a season or two of uneasiness. No one would do a better job with mentoring our young QBs...no one could better fix our OLine than a QB...no one can better teach our DLine how to create pressure than a QB...Garcia was legendary for making teams pay for blitzing...that's why a guy that size could play in both leagues with great success and not get hurt!!! Smart, smart guy!

We shouldn't miss on Garcia...there aren't any better names out there or coming soon. Plus, we should hire Lulay as the QB coach and TRAIN HIM to become the OC...bring Barron Miles in to run the Defence...collect the best and brightest minds in football here in BC...it will pay HUGE DIVIDENDS!

[SammyGreene]

“I want to be a head coach and I don’t necessarily think I need to be a co-ordinator first.” Wow! Overconfidence, arrogance? Put in one year as a QB coach and you're ready to head up the whole operation. Most would think he needs more time as a position coach before being considered for even a coordinator's position. A HC needs to have management skills--not merely good offensive (or defensive) instincts or experience. He needs to build a highly-functioning management team of coordinators and position coaches and possess administrative and planning/organizing ability. This takes time to develop by spending some time as a lesser component of a coaching team.

Pinball Clemons was able to do it and I see some of the same qualities in Garcia. I really think that players would love playing for Garcia and would go through a wall for him which is a good starting point. Ultimately his success, as it does with any head coach, would have much to do with who he surrounds himself with on his coaching staff.

If I were Wally, I would take a shot at Garcia as head coach. Sorry but I just don't find Paul Lapolice to be the most inspiring head coaching option out there.

I hear you Ravi. He may just be the breath of fresh year this franchise really needs. It would be an intriguing hire that would get the attention of the very casual fans the Lions have seemed to have lost in recent years. The problem is the Lions can not afford a disaster after the downward trend the last 3 seasons. This would make LaPolice the "safer" choice. Dickenson would give the Lions the best of both as a former star player here.

I was impressed with what Garcia did in his brief time in Montreal and maybe he he could blow Wally away in a formal interview. The other downside would be him bolting to the NFL for even assistant job after one proven season here. It would be very un-Wally-like to make such a hire but his comments last week suggest maybe he would take a chance.

But we have to be fresh and reinstitute new blood. I’m not of a new age. I have a hard time understanding young people, much as I love them.”

It would be interesting to see what the Lions fans reaction would be if Doug Flutie had similar coaching experience to Garcia and said he wanted the BC job.

[SammyGreene]

Garcia's confidence is all that I needed to hear from Jeff...it told me everything. Garcia has the tools to become an outstanding HC, he just needs to believe he can, and clearly he does! If I were Wally I would take a long, hard look at Garcia as HC...at the very least he had better become our next OC because if we let a brilliant young mind like Garcia's get away, Wally will have made another HUGE mistake...he has already missed on Huff, DD, Chris Jones, O'Shea, Milanovich, Austin, Rich Campbell...this list is the creme de le creme of CFL coaching.

For those that are taken aback or offended by Garcia's confidence, you should think again...if he KNOWS he's ready then why stop him? Do you know Jeff Garcia better than Jeff Garcia? And if he does feel that he's ready, what do you want him to say, "I THINK I can do it????" Thinking is for "losers" KNOWING is for winners!

If it were me, I would go with the bold move and make Garcia HC if he completed the interview process exceedingly well...he has an intellect and experiences that LaPolice will never get to, and that's no knock on LaPolice who is going to make a very good HC whether here or somewhere else. If we signed JG only as the OC and LaPolice as the HC, then in 2 or 3 years time we simply run the risk of letting Garcia get away. I think the CFL is VERY fortunate that the likes of DD and JG have chosen our league to coach within...we lost DD and we shouldn't run the risk of losing JG...he brings a knowledge and experience that simply can't be matched, even by Dave Dickesnon...

Trust me on this, Garcia is going to make a very special coach...I want that here in BC...even if that means a season or two of uneasiness. No one would do a better job with mentoring our young QBs...no one could better fix our OLine than a QB...no one can better teach our DLine how to create pressure than a QB...Garcia was legendary for making teams pay for blitzing...that's why a guy that size could play in both leagues with great success and not get hurt!!! Smart, smart guy!

We shouldn't miss on Garcia...there aren't any better names out there or coming soon. Plus, we should hire Lulay as the QB coach and TRAIN HIM to become the OC...bring Barron Miles in to run the Defence...collect the best and brightest minds in football here in BC...it will pay HUGE DIVIDENDS!

Great post New MexicoLionFan! You have won me over even more on the idea. If Wally is indeed looking for "fresh young blood" as he suggests, then Garcia should be his man, not a recycled coach who already has turned down the offensive coordinator job here.

We would also have easily the hottest head coach's wife in the league. lol

[Rammer]

Garcia's confidence is all that I needed to hear from Jeff...it told me everything. Garcia has the tools to become an outstanding HC, he just needs to believe he can, and clearly he does! If I were Wally I would take a long, hard look at Garcia as HC...at the very least he had better become our next OC because if we let a brilliant young mind like Garcia's get away, Wally will have made another HUGE mistake...he has already missed on Huff, DD, Chris Jones, O'Shea, Milanovich, Austin, Rich Campbell...this list is the creme de le creme of CFL coaching.

For those that are taken aback or offended by Garcia's confidence, you should think again...if he KNOWS he's ready then why stop him? Do you know Jeff Garcia better than Jeff Garcia? And if he does feel that he's ready, what do you want him to say, "I THINK I can do it????" Thinking is for "losers" KNOWING is for winners!

If it were me, I would go with the bold move and make Garcia HC if he completed the interview process exceedingly well...he has an intellect and experiences that LaPolice will never get to, and that's no knock on LaPolice who is going to make a very good HC whether here or somewhere else. If we signed JG only as the OC and LaPolice as the HC, then in 2 or 3 years time we simply run the risk of letting Garcia get away. I think the CFL is VERY fortunate that the likes of DD and JG have chosen our league to coach within...we lost DD and we shouldn't run the risk of losing JG...he brings a knowledge and experience that simply can't be matched, even by Dave Dickesnon...

Trust me on this, Garcia is going to make a very special coach...I want that here in BC...even if that means a season or two of uneasiness. No one would do a better job with mentoring our young QBs...no one could better fix our OLine than a QB...no one can better teach our DLine how to create pressure than a QB...Garcia was legendary for making teams pay for blitzing...that's why a guy that size could play in both leagues with great success and not get hurt!!! Smart, smart guy!

We shouldn't miss on Garcia...there aren't any better names out there or coming soon. Plus, we should hire Lulay as the QB coach and TRAIN HIM to become the OC...bring Barron Miles in to run the Defence...collect the best and brightest minds in football here in BC...it will pay HUGE DIVIDENDS!

100% true, signed Jeff Reinebold

Looks like your young blood resembles a good coaching staff down the road, I am not sure that the fan base is prepared to wait out the potential low times that this group may have to endure. Now if we could secure Garcia as OC, well then I am good with that. Of course all this depends upon getting the HC that will propel the Lions forward. We have too much talent at the moment to let it slide by for a season or two of grooming a HC.

[MexicoLionFan]

Garcia's confidence is all that I needed to hear from Jeff...it told me everything. Garcia has the tools to become an outstanding HC, he just needs to believe he can, and clearly he does! If I were Wally I would take a long, hard look at Garcia as HC...at the very least he had better become our next OC because if we let a brilliant young mind like Garcia's get away, Wally will have made another HUGE mistake...he has already missed on Huff, DD, Chris Jones, O'Shea, Milanovich, Austin, Rich Campbell...this list is the creme de le creme of CFL coaching.

For those that are taken aback or offended by Garcia's confidence, you should think again...if he KNOWS he's ready then why stop him? Do you know Jeff Garcia better than Jeff Garcia? And if he does feel that he's ready, what do you want him to say, "I THINK I can do it????" Thinking is for "losers" KNOWING is for winners!

If it were me, I would go with the bold move and make Garcia HC if he completed the interview process exceedingly well...he has an intellect and experiences that LaPolice will never get to, and that's no knock on LaPolice who is going to make a very good HC whether here or somewhere else. If we signed JG only as the OC and LaPolice as the HC, then in 2 or 3 years time we simply run the risk of letting Garcia get away. I think the CFL is VERY fortunate that the likes of DD and JG have chosen our league to coach within...we lost DD and we shouldn't run the risk of losing JG...he brings a knowledge and experience that simply can't be matched, even by Dave Dickesnon...

Trust me on this, Garcia is going to make a very special coach...I want that here in BC...even if that means a season or two of uneasiness. No one would do a better job with mentoring our young QBs...no one could better fix our OLine than a QB...no one can better teach our DLine how to create pressure than a QB...Garcia was legendary for making teams pay for blitzing...that's why a guy that size could play in both leagues with great success and not get hurt!!! Smart, smart guy!

We shouldn't miss on Garcia...there aren't any better names out there or coming soon. Plus, we should hire Lulay as the QB coach and TRAIN HIM to become the OC...bring Barron Miles in to run the Defence...collect the best and brightest minds in football here in BC...it will pay HUGE DIVIDENDS!

100% true, signed Jeff Reinebold

Looks like your young blood resembles a good coaching staff down the road, I am not sure that the fan base is prepared to wait out the potential low times that this group may have to endure. Now if we could secure Garcia as OC, well then I am good with that. Of course all this depends upon getting the HC that will propel the Lions forward. We have too much talent at the moment to let it slide by for a season or two of grooming a HC.

ANYONE who is truly great at something KNOWS that they are because they simply can...Reinebold is a great S Ts coach because to him he knows that its easy...struggling as a HC would have meant he knew he was in too deep. Garcia is no one's fool...he knows what he is getting into if he brashly takes a HC position too soon and fails...it would be a LONG TIME before he got another chance. Either you have faith in his judgement or you don't...Garica's success, experience and intelligence set him APART from ANY OTHER CFL Coaching candidate, perhaps in history. Dickenson was good enough to make SD's roster, but he didn't play...Garcia succeeded in the toughest of leagues, in a variety of settings...this mix of skill, experience and talent doesn't come along very often...it can be argued that Garcia's type has NEVER come along in CFL history...we just shouldn't pass on him...

As for the fans, give them some credit...having a young coaching staff of the best and brightest minds would be an easy sell...Lion's fans (including most everyone here) would gladly give Garcia time to get all aspects of the team rolling...and Garcia would NOT bring in a bunch of mediocre people to be his assistants...the best and brightest attract the best and brightest...just look at the White House...Kennedy, Roosevelt, Lincoln all surrounded themselves with the brightest minds...George Bush appointed Comic Book characters...with someone of Garcia's intellect you get that surrounding staff...look at Hufnagel and Austin! BC Lion fans would be excited to have Jeff Garcia as the new HC...Garcia is trust in ability and hope for the future and fans have patience for hope!

[WestCoastJoe]

Double post ...

[MexicoLionFan]

Garcia's confidence is all that I needed to hear from Jeff...it told me everything. Garcia has the tools to become an outstanding HC, he just needs to believe he can, and clearly he does! If I were Wally I would take a long, hard look at Garcia as HC...at the very least he had better become our next OC because if we let a brilliant young mind like Garcia's get away, Wally will have made another HUGE mistake...he has already missed on Huff, DD, Chris Jones, O'Shea, Milanovich, Austin, Rich Campbell...this list is the creme de le creme of CFL coaching.

For those that are taken aback or offended by Garcia's confidence, you should think again...if he KNOWS he's ready then why stop him? Do you know Jeff Garcia better than Jeff Garcia? And if he does feel that he's ready, what do you want him to say, "I THINK I can do it????" Thinking is for "losers" KNOWING is for winners!

If it were me, I would go with the bold move and make Garcia HC if he completed the interview process exceedingly well...he has an intellect and experiences that LaPolice will never get to, and that's no knock on LaPolice who is going to make a very good HC whether here or somewhere else. If we signed JG only as the OC and LaPolice as the HC, then in 2 or 3 years time we simply run the risk of letting Garcia get away. I think the CFL is VERY fortunate that the likes of DD and JG have chosen our league to coach within...we lost DD and we shouldn't run the risk of losing JG...he brings a knowledge and experience that simply can't be matched, even by Dave Dickesnon...

Trust me on this, Garcia is going to make a very special coach...I want that here in BC...even if that means a season or two of uneasiness. No one would do a better job with mentoring our young QBs...no one could better fix our OLine than a QB...no one can better teach our DLine how to create pressure than a QB...Garcia was legendary for making teams pay for blitzing...that's why a guy that size could play in both leagues with great success and not get hurt!!! Smart, smart guy!

We shouldn't miss on Garcia...there aren't any better names out there or coming soon. Plus, we should hire Lulay as the QB coach and TRAIN HIM to become the OC...bring Barron Miles in to run the Defence...collect the best and brightest minds in football here in BC...it will pay HUGE DIVIDENDS!

Great post New Mexico Fan! You have won me over even more on the idea. If Wally is indeed looking for "fresh young blood" as he suggests, then Garcia should be his man, not a recycled coach who already has turned down the offensive coordinator job here.

We would also have easily the hottest head coach's wife in the league. lol

Wally would need to have a lengthy interview process with Garcia and go through scenario after scenario to see how Jeff would handle things...but if he does and Jeff sails through it, Wally should hire him...the experiences of Jeff Garica are UNPARALLELED in the history of CFL Coaching candidates...QBs make great coaches because they KNOW everyone's position, including on defence, so you can anticipate what defences will do...Huff, Austin and Milanovich represent the best coaches in this league for a reason...Garcia also has that ability to COMMUNICATE with people, especially young people...he's very amiable and well spoken, he commands respect and he demands it through results...this is ANOTHER huge aspect to Garica...he won't chest bump or run around and scream at players...he will stay calm and focus on what's happening, but he will hold every player and coach accountable to results...that's the benefit of his time in the NFL...winning isn't everything its the only thing...Garcia knows he has to win and thus the players and coaches are accountable!

[WestCoastJoe]

My take ...

I started this thread with all good intentions. Open mind.

As a franchise we are in such a downward spiral. Sliding down the slope.

As noted by MLF above, we have missed out on so many outstanding coaches, as Wally moved towards the all time wins record. Wally's one Head Coaching hire was a dud.

Have we been blessed with excellent timing, as to the availability of a guy like Hufnagel, or Austin, or Milanovich, or Jones? No.

If no one with more obvious appeal shows up on the radar, I would be content enough, as a fan, to go with Paul LaPolice. He is bright, good with the media, and has some experience, and some success in his resume. He is deeply into the Xs of Os of football.

Now, re Jeff Garcia ...

Xs and Os. Gotta give him that. All the way. He has played with a number of coaches, with a number teams, in a number of systems. He has thrived and flousished. He is obviously adaptable. He surely has survival instincts. He has not been given everything in his life on a silver platter.

I would love to hear him out on the various issues: Philosophy of O and D. Management style. Dealing with the media. Practice planning. Game book development. Game preparation. Health. Work habits. Long term career plans.

One more thing. Many of us have criticized Wally for lack of Xs and Os leadership. However, in terms of the management side of running a football team, Wally has all of that in his back pocket. Garcia can benefit from that.

Pending a satisfying interview, I would be intrigued, as a fan, if we gave the opportunity to Jeff Garcia. It is way outside of the box thinking. And sometimes that is what it takes. How much more did Marc Trestman know about being a Head Coach before he got the Alouettes job, than Garcia knows now? Trestman was never a Head Coach until that time. And he certainly was never the quarterback that Garcia was. Benevides mentored for ten years as a volunteer and then assistant. Where did that get him as a Head Coach?

Do we really want to miss out once again on a guy who could turn out to be outstanding as a Head Coach? How will we feel, in two or three years, if Wally plays it safe, as is his tendency, Garcia goes elsewhere, kicks butt as a Head Coach, and we are near the bottom of the pile in the CFL?

I hope Wally talks to Garcia about the top job. And I hope Garcia knocks it out of the park.

Our franchise needs a jolt of fresh air. Even Wally admits that.
.............

Reality, as I see it, Wally makes a conservative, "safe" choice. Not spectacular. Results on the field not spectacular, as in middle of the pack.

[MexicoLionFan]

I would love to hear him out on the various issues: Philosophy of O and D. Management style. Dealing with the media. Practice planning. Game book development. Game preparation. Health. Work habits. Long term career plans.

One more thing. Many of us have criticized Wally for lack of Xs and Os leadership. However, in terms of the management side of running a football team, Wally has all of that in his back pocket. Garcia can benefit from that.

Pending a satisfying interview, I would be intrigued, as a fan, if we gave the opportunity to Jeff Garcia. It is way outside of the box thinking. And sometimes that is what it takes. How much more did Marc Trestman know about being a Head Coach before he got the Alouettes job, than Garcia knows now? Trestman was never a Head Coach until that time. And he certainly was never the quarterback that Garcia was.

Do we really want to miss out once again on a guy who could turn out to be outstanding as a Head Coach? How will we feel, in two or three years, if Wally plays it safe, as is his tendency, Garcia goes elsewhere, kicks butt as a Head Coach, and we are near the bottom of the pile in the CFL?

Once again, great stuff Joe, and the info above was the heart of the matter...Garcia needs to come in and SHOW Wally that he is ready...that means having a great plan ready for each contingency...it means our style and philosophy...Wally said he wants us to be feared again, we have those players right now! Elimimian and Biggie are the two biggest hitting LBs in the league...THEY SCARE PEOPLE when they are attacking...not retreating 20 years on every down to defend the pass...ATTACK!

Garcia knows this...he knows on both sides of the ball we have to play smart, but aggressive...being passive doesn't get you anywhere in football...Garcia, even back to his San Jose St. days was ALWAYS an aggressive QB...sure he would take what you are giving, but he would always test defences deep down the seams to keep them honest...

It is my opinion that if Garcia has a tremendous interview, we should hire him...we just don't want to miss on this guy even if its not the "purrfect" timing! I like LaPolice and know that he would do a good job, but Garcia gives us a chance to develop the best coaching staff in the CFL within a 2-3 year period, and that's worth everything...plus I LOVE the idea of having Garcia groom LULAY to be his replacement in a 5-6 year period...I also do NOT want to lose Travis...plus we should bring back Geroy...if he wants to coach NO ONE could do a better job of coaching receivers in the CFL than Geroy Simon...Simon was also very much like a coach while he was a player...he would make a great coach!

[globespanner]

I truly believe Jeff Garcia is the epitome of an over achiever. I think he would make a great head coach Below ara list of some of the coaches he has played for. He learned and absorbed and excelled in most of his stops.

Some of Garcia's mentors and Head coaches

Wally Buono
Steve Mariucci with a big push from Bill Walsh the GM at the time
Andy Reid
Jon Gruden

No guarantee but the exposure to coaching royalty had to mould him. I think he knows what a leader is and s a great motivator as well as well organized as over achievers have to be.

For me it would be an interesting hire, experience or not. He would bring in fresh blood to the organization which has badly grown stale. As said earlier, his contacts in the NFL rival Bobby Ackles. He was with so many teams, he will know players coaches and scouts who could really help this franchise.

Sign him uo

[MexicoLionFan]

I truly believe Jeff Garcia is the epitome of an over achiever. I think he would make a great head coach Below ara list of some of the coaches he has played for. He learned and absorbed and excelled in most of his stops.

Some of Garcia's mentors and Head coaches

Wally Buono
Steve Mariucci with a big push from Bill Walsh the GM at the time
Andy Reid
Jon Gruden

No guarantee but the exposure to coaching royalty had to mould him. I think he knows what a leader is and s a great motivator as well as well organized as over achievers have to be.

For me it would be an interesting hire, experience or not. He would bring in fresh blood to the organization which has badly grown stale. As said earlier, his contacts in the NFL rival Bobby Ackles. He was with so many teams, he will know players coaches and scouts who could really help this franchise.

Sign him uo

Exactly...he has been coached, moulded and tutored by the brightest guys in both leagues...but even more than that, look at those coaches including Wally...Just Win Baby...Garcia wasn't handed a thing in the NFL, playing in Canada earned him a rep, he took everything he got because he earned it the hard way! Garcia knows how to win and has the skills to make it happen!

As Joe said, Wally could be a HUGE HELP to Garcia by handling his administrative tasks and helping him around that aspect of the job...this could work out very well as Wally and Jeff got along very well considering they are definitely from different generations!

So to rephrase, with the Garcia hire, Wally's desire to be involved actually becomes a POSITIVE that Garcia would welcome, not a hinderance as LaPo might see it...this situation feels like it has a lot of karma behind it...I am very intrigued!

[WestCoastJoe]

One more thing ...

Garcia has thrown his hat in the ring. He wants to be a Head Coach. How would we as fans feel if we play it safe, make a conservative choice, go nowhere as a franchise, and see Garcia flourish somewhere else.

That would be just about the most insulting thing I can imagine for our franchise. From out of the blue, along comes Jeff Garcia, makes himself available to us, and we turn him down. Crazy.

A once in a generation opportunity. I think you have to roll the dice. And it is very good odds. IMO ...

And Wally is right here, keeping us to the straight and narrow. Keeping us grounded. Oh, yes, grounded, but it could be in a good sense. Feet on the ground. We won't be blowing the budget, screwing up the ratio, missing hotel or airport times, et cetera.

[Rammer]

Garcia's confidence is all that I needed to hear from Jeff...it told me everything. Garcia has the tools to become an outstanding HC, he just needs to believe he can, and clearly he does! If I were Wally I would take a long, hard look at Garcia as HC...at the very least he had better become our next OC because if we let a brilliant young mind like Garcia's get away, Wally will have made another HUGE mistake...he has already missed on Huff, DD, Chris Jones, O'Shea, Milanovich, Austin, Rich Campbell...this list is the creme de le creme of CFL coaching.

For those that are taken aback or offended by Garcia's confidence, you should think again...if he KNOWS he's ready then why stop him? Do you know Jeff Garcia better than Jeff Garcia? And if he does feel that he's ready, what do you want him to say, "I THINK I can do it????" Thinking is for "losers" KNOWING is for winners!

If it were me, I would go with the bold move and make Garcia HC if he completed the interview process exceedingly well...he has an intellect and experiences that LaPolice will never get to, and that's no knock on LaPolice who is going to make a very good HC whether here or somewhere else. If we signed JG only as the OC and LaPolice as the HC, then in 2 or 3 years time we simply run the risk of letting Garcia get away. I think the CFL is VERY fortunate that the likes of DD and JG have chosen our league to coach within...we lost DD and we shouldn't run the risk of losing JG...he brings a knowledge and experience that simply can't be matched, even by Dave Dickesnon...

Trust me on this, Garcia is going to make a very special coach...I want that here in BC...even if that means a season or two of uneasiness. No one would do a better job with mentoring our young QBs...no one could better fix our OLine than a QB...no one can better teach our DLine how to create pressure than a QB...Garcia was legendary for making teams pay for blitzing...that's why a guy that size could play in both leagues with great success and not get hurt!!! Smart, smart guy!

We shouldn't miss on Garcia...there aren't any better names out there or coming soon. Plus, we should hire Lulay as the QB coach and TRAIN HIM to become the OC...bring Barron Miles in to run the Defence...collect the best and brightest minds in football here in BC...it will pay HUGE DIVIDENDS!

100% true, signed Jeff Reinebold

Looks like your young blood resembles a good coaching staff down the road, I am not sure that the fan base is prepared to wait out the potential low times that this group may have to endure. Now if we could secure Garcia as OC, well then I am good with that. Of course all this depends upon getting the HC that will propel the Lions forward. We have too much talent at the moment to let it slide by for a season or two of grooming a HC.

ANYONE who is truly great at something KNOWS that they are because they simply can...Reinebold is a great S Ts coach because to him he knows that its easy...struggling as a HC would have meant he knew he was in too deep. Garcia is no one's fool...he knows what he is getting into if he brashly takes a HC position too soon and fails...it would be a LONG TIME before he got another chance. Either you have faith in his judgement or you don't...Garica's success, experience and intelligence set him APART from ANY OTHER CFL Coaching candidate, perhaps in history. Dickenson was good enough to make SD's roster, but he didn't play...Garcia succeeded in the toughest of leagues, in a variety of settings...this mix of skill, experience and talent doesn't come along very often...it can be argued that Garcia's type has NEVER come along in CFL history...we just shouldn't pass on him...

As for the fans, give them some credit...having a young coaching staff of the best and brightest minds would be an easy sell...Lion's fans (including most everyone here) would gladly give Garcia time to get all aspects of the team rolling...and Garcia would NOT bring in a bunch of mediocre people to be his assistants...the best and brightest attract the best and brightest...just look at the White House...Kennedy, Roosevelt, Lincoln all surrounded themselves with the brightest minds...George Bush appointed Comic Book characters...with someone of Garcia's intellect you get that surrounding staff...look at Hufnagel and Austin! BC Lion fans would be excited to have Jeff Garcia as the new HC...Garcia is trust in ability and hope for the future and fans have patience for hope!

The Jeff Reinebold signature was more to do with Reinebold's entrance as a HC with the Bombers back in the day. He had confidence in spades, but that didn't translate to success on the field. He was done and didn't resurface until he got the gig with the Als many years after with some stints in the Europe league. I am not saying it couldn't work, but you have to admit that if I said choose between Dickenson and Garcia, the easy money has to go on Dickenson given his intergration into the process of coaching. Garcia would also have to be lights out in his interview with Wally, and I am not sure that his resume offers more than what LaPolice can bring to that meeting with Wally.

[South Pender]

I appreciate the enthusiasm expressed for Jeff Garcia--at a time when we need new-found enthusiasm re the Lions. But I respectfully disagree that Garcia's "knowing" he can be a great HC means that he can and will be. Simply put, the world is full of people who "know" that they could be successful at levels far above their talents. Self-deception--or unrealistic self-image--is a very common phenomenon, something seen by clinical psychologists every day. So, for me anyway, Garcia's announcing that he knows that he could be a successful HC in the CFL at this point in his development sounds more like an unrealistic self-appraisal than evidence of his having the right stuff right now. Garcia has a reputation for shooting off his mouth or, to put it a little more gently, being opinionated. All I'm saying is that although Garcia may have what it takes to be a HC, depending on his word for this would be a mistake. Actions speak a lot louder than words, and a few years of real coaching in the CFL--maybe culminating in an OC gig--would provide a much more accurate picture of his real HC potential. I ran across this short piece from Pro Football Talk (from 2009) about Garcia.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... both-ways/

As for the Trestman example, it's important to remember that Trestman coached at varying levels with NFL teams (not to mention an additional several years with college teams) for 17 years, including a number of those years as Offensive Coordinator--developing his leadership and management skills--before he took on the HC job in Montreal. Garcia, on the other hand, although a good QB in his day, has what? 3 months of coaching experience.

Just my $.02.

[WestCoastJoe]

Jeff Reinbold is, IMO, one helluva coach. He ran wild is his time with Winnipeg, and he might never have been suited to the world of Head Coaching.

As noted a few times on here, when he was with the Lions, I saw him present at a coaching clinic on STs. Very impressive. He kept most of the wild guy stuff off the agenda.

I am glad to see him do well with Hamilton.

Not recommending him for our HC gig.