Lionbackers.com

Blitz wrote:The Time Has Come


“The time has come
A fact’s a fact”

(Midnight Oil)



THE BIGGER PICTURE

The time has come for a look at the bigger picture of what ails our Leos. We’ve been at the top of the league as an organization for over four years. We are all aware of what took place to get there, after wandering the desert (or being lost on the ocean) for a long time.

David Braley, stuck with our team, even during it’s low times and then got the chance to hire Bobby Ackles and did. That meant instant credibility, in terms of leadership and experience. Ackles connected with the fan and the business and corporate community. Ackles, long time NFL connections, were invaluable in helping bring in talent. He got the opportunity to hire both Wally Buono and Bob O’Billovich, two very experienced football men. O’Billovich brought in the talent, Wally assessed it and made good decisions. We signed an experienced quarterback in Dave Dickenson, providing a greater sense of stability. Casey Printers electrified crowds in 2004 and helped bring in new fans.

Buono ran a disciplined, professional football team. Our talent became the best in the league. Our players reconnected with the community. Attendance continued to increase. We proved we could win with different quarterbacks (Dickenson, Printers, Pierce, Jackson), we upgraded our offensive line by deciding to go with two import offensive tackles, and developed a tougher offensive mindset.

However, it was on defense, where the greatest changes were made that were the key to our success. Brent Johnson emerged as a premiere defensive end in the league, Otis Floyd was a terror, and Carl Kidd gave us inspiration. Korey Banks and Dante Marsh became shutdown short side halfbacks. Ryan Phillips, while wasted for one season, gave us another defensive ball hawk. Barrin Miles gave us defensive backfield leadership, Ty Williams was a great run stopper and defensive leader. Cameron Wake was added to the mix last season and became the best defensive end in the league in his rookie season.

However, it was Dave Ritchie, hired in 2005, was our best defensive weapon. Ritchie was experienced, innovative, and got our defense to play a different style. We became aggressive and led the league in interceptions and fumble recoveries. Almost every defensive player on our defense in our 2006 Grey Cup season, scored a touchdown. Playing defense as a Leo was fun, exciting, and gave everyone the opportunity to make big plays.

On special teams, we continued to get faster and better. Carl Kidd offered to play special teams and as our ‘arrow’ he led with passion. Jamal Johnson, Jason Pottinger, Jerome Dennis, Ricky Foley became players who played special teams with a tremendous sense of pride. Barrin Miles, a veteran, would set an example, as a veteran, by his play on special teams. Paul McCallum solidified our place kicking game. Ian Smart became the best return man in the league. Mike Benevedes was a dedicated, smart special teams coach.

Yes, mistakes were made along the way. We did a poor job of dealing with the Dickenson/Printers quarterback situation, we underestimated our offensive line talent at tackle in 2005 and didn’t have enough depth at defensive back, we moved Phillips out of wideside defensive half in 2006, we underplayed McKay-Lauscher when he was here, the decision to make Glatt a middle linebacker is questionable, and the decision to let Thelwell go may have been too hasty. We probably hung onto Dickenson a year too long and didn’t get trade value for him and our decisions to play him rusty in playoff games was at the very least, very questionable.

However, many more right, than wrong decisions were made during the past five years, from the decision to give Bent Johnson the opportunity to start at defensive end, the decision to pick up Korey Banks from Ottawa’s demise to letting players go when it was necessary and we let players like Carter, Warren, Young, and Kidd go. We drafted well and stocked our team with great Canadian talent.

However, things would begin to change for the 2008 season and it’s impact has still not been totally felt.


THE 2008 SEASON-A SEASON OF CHANGE

There have been numerous changes that have had a major impact upon our 2008 Leos team. First of all the loss of Bob O’Billovich and Richard Wade to Hamilton took away a key component of our team, the ability to bring in top talent each season. Yes, we found Stefan Logan, who has been a pleasant surprise and give Ackles credit for that scoop. However, the off-season need to bring in a deep threat receiver to compliment Geroy Simon, to find a quality nickel back to replace Knowlton, and to find a backup import linebacker never materialized.

Bobby Ackles passing unexpectedly, was a huge blow. He was not only the face of our Leos but his quiet leadership, wisdom, and perspective, were important for Wally Buono.

Coaching changes have also had a huge impact. We have a play caller on offence in Chapdelaine, who was with us in the past, but we made changes to our offence last season, and it has been an adjustment again offensively. However, it was on defense and special teams that the most changes were made. We have a new defensive coordinator in Benevedes and a new defensive backfield coach in Washington, both in their rookie seasons, in those positions. We also had to adjust to a new special teams coach.

WHAT REALLY AILS US

There are a number of things that have hurt us in our 2008 season. From a player perspective there will always be growing pains with quarterbacks like Jackson and Pierce, who lack a lot of experience, but we won in the past with Printes, Pierce, and Jackson, so that is not the major problem. A bigger problem has been our offensive scheme, our running game this season at times, and the fact that defenses are able to cheat on our big three receivers, without another import deep threat.

Defensively, our inability to shut down the run up the middle, our lack of a strong push from the inside tackle position, and the fact that quarterbacks can step up into the pocket and have lots of time has hurt us. Our pass defense is giving up huge passing yardage each game, a combination of a lack of a consistent rush, even with the two best defensive ends in the league, has hurt us badly. Miles is older, a step slower at safety, and Reggie Myles has not been good enough at nickel has also hurt.

A more passive defensive scheme, some questionable defensive play calls, have also played a role and our defensive backs are not having the same kind of season as in the past, are also having an impact. Our defense led us in the past, special teams played a key role, and our offence often took advantage. That isn’t the case this season.

However, none of those things are what really ails us the most. What really ails us is the fact, that as an organization, we’ve allowed other teams to catch up, both talent wise. We also being outcoached, both on the practice field and the playing field on game days.

The big question is why has that happened? First of all, our success in winning the Grey Cup in 2007 and winning a record 14 games last season, has not forced us to make personel changes, where they need to be made this season. The second is that we have continued to go in-house, in terms of coaching, when perhaps we needed to bring in some coaches with new ideas. Let’s have a look at both.

TEAM CULTURE

Winning the Grey Cup in 2006 was huge for our Leos organization, who really were the best team in the league beginning in 2004 but came up empty, in terms of a Grey Cup victory in 2004 and 2005. The seeds of the struggles that we are facing now began at the start of 2007 at training camp. It was a terrible camp and the practices throughout that season continued to reflect it, especially on offence. While our defense slid some, it was still a strength and the addition of Cameron Wake and the play of Ryan Phillips masked that we were moving away from what made our 2006 defense so great. However, it was on offence, where those seeds were planted. There was dissatisfaction with the change to run the football more from some players. Practices showed a lack of concentration, focus, and intensity. However, with John Hufnagel consulting, Kruck and Dorazio changing the style of our offence into a dominating running attack, allowed us to lead the league in points and touchdowns scored. Our special teams were opportunistic and we continued to be the best team in the league during the regular season.

However, that country club atmosphere, would continue into 2008 and this time the talent around the league had improved so much that this season we haven’t been able to overcome it. The decision to drop Joe Smith from the lineup and insert Stefan Logan was made, not only due to Logan’s running style and talent but also to try to open up a vanilla running attack. If it was meant to also send a message to our players it was lost because Joe Smith was not a dog at practice.

That message could have been sent or needed to be sent in other areas. It could have been sent by rewarding Stith for his great play instead of playing Rob Murphy after three practices. It could have been sent by inserting Stith into this last game against Calgary. If Murphy wants to chat at practice or before games, rather than warming up, perhaps we should play someone who is ready to show he really is excited about playing.

It could have been sent to Javy Glatt or Otis Floyd by inserting Pottinger and Jamal Johnson in there, when their play on defense has not been good enough. It could have been sent to Aaron Hunt, for showing up to training camp out of shape by inserting Bell at defensive tackle. It could have been sent by pulling Banks for undisciplined play or Barrin Miles for substandard play at safety since the middle of last season at safety. However, there have been different standards for players like Jarious Jackson and Joe Smith than there have been for other players and that can be a confusing message to players.

A second confusing message to both players and coaches was the return of Jaques Chapdelaine as our play caller. When Wally said there was no position for Chapdelaine at the end of last season and then hired him again and gave him the keys to our offence, it gave the wrong message, that certain players had too much influence. It sent the wrong message to Steve Kruck and Dan Dorazio. For Kruck, it meant his hard work in play calling our offence to the most points in the league and most touchdowns meant nothing. For Dan Dorazio, it meant that instead of sharing the offensive duties with Steve Kruck, he was now the sole offensive coordinator but his influence was really lessened with his old boss now calling the plays and really being in charge of the offence.

On defense, bigger mistakes were made. By going with two coaches in new positions we lost something that would be hard to regain. If we wanted to hire Mark Washington as our defensive backfield coach, then we should have hired an experienced defensive coordinator. If we wanted to promote Benevedes then we should have hired an experienced defensive backfield coach. We also might have been wise to allow Washington to break into the coaching ranks by not immediately moved him from player to coach on the same team in his first season but found a way to work him in gradually. To go from a player to a coach at the professional level, with no coaching experience, is not a decision that is often made.

Finally, the days have arrived when you can see that an organization is starting to move from being innovative to becoming too set in their ways. Wally likes control and hiring in-house. That has some advantages but over the long haul it also can have some serious disadvantages. Bob Ackles was a much stronger leader after his work in the NFL when he returned. O’Billovich had seen a lot outside of Wally’s organization. Dave Ritchie probably made the biggest impact as a Leos coach and he came from the outside.

When you have coaches like Chapdelaine, Dorazio, Kruck, Benevedes, and Washington, most of their experience comes under one roof and that roof is the Buono way of looking at things. Wally is also getting very set in his ways. Past success does that and Wally is also very conservative at times.

We might have been better off if we had allowed the influence of Hufnagel on Kruck and Dorazio continue into this season, in terms of our offensive direction, than going back to the past with Chapdelaine. We would have been wise to consider hiring Chris Jones, a very smart defensive coordinator out of Montreal, with the imminent retirement of Ritchie, rather than allowing Calgary to scoop him. We might have been wise to hire someone, not out of the Calgary organization, a fired receivers coach, to come in to coach our special teams but instead looked elsewhere. A successful organization hires both inside and outside, looking for both stability and new ideas. We have the stability down, in terms of Wally always going to people he has worked with in the past, but the innovation part of it, is lacking. We seem to always go back to the past when hiring or stay in-house.

Perhaps even more profound, we might have been wiser to have had Wally become our General Manager and hired John Hufnagel to coach, before Calgary hired him but that would have been Wally’s decision. However, Wally was starting to lose his edge in Calgary before he left. Leos fans always write that Fateri made a huge mistake but perhaps the change to B.C. was what Wally needed to get his spark back.

WRAP

Right now, we’re at the cross-roads. This season is still young enough and anything can happen in the playoffs. However, our talent is not good enough right now, in that we have some weak spots and our practice habits need to intensify or changes need to be made. Our player leaders have to lead by example with their intensity at practices. We’re quite simply being outplayed at some key positions.

Quite frankly, we’re also being outcoached. Chapdelaine looks like he is ready to step out of a rut but he’s also had some excellent game plans in the past and reverted. We have to continue to be innovative on offensive and much more aggressive on defense, in terms of both scheme and play. Our special teams have to also get better. Right now we’re an undisciplined team, a team that takes too many penalties, and a team that doesn’t have that edge and you just can’t turn that on on game day….same goes for our coaches!! Right now Wally cant' say he's running a disciplined team with all the mental errors and penalties out there. It’s time to get it together before it’s too late.

Rammer wrote:What concerns me is the desire that should have been in the core of the team leaders at the beginning of the season, that has yet to materialize, allowing the Stamps, Esks and Riders surge past us not on talent, although all have shown solid additions, it is on desire.

Last year perhaps one reason we had so much success was due to our D and the ability to steal the game for us with a bend and take the ball away approach, everything seemed to roll our way. Add to that in the defensive penalties that seem to hurt us at the wrong time (we didn't see many called against us on the 5 yardline with the game at stake last season).

What really was frustrating last night was the yardage given up at crucial times on our one strength this season, ST play. For the first time that I can recall, we were beaten up on ST, an indicator of how much effort a team is prepared to give on game night.

The OL while the names tell me that they should be allstars, we are not achieving that level. Jimenez has had a solid contribution this season, nice to see him settle into a controlled manner and seemingly few errors. Why we can't hammer the line 3 yards downhill on short yardage though concerns me.

PigSkin_53 wrote:In a sense Wally is a dinosaur who’s time has long since past him by.

He tends to fly in the face of modern change reading his own press clippings far too often rather than read the writing on the wall. His tendency to be stubborn and immovable have kept him from numerous successes in the past, and will continue to haunt him in the future.

He has very little tolerance for any player who has fallen behind their game, but when it comes to his own worth as head coach it is a different story, and he is exhibiting all the same signs as the players he has cut over the last five years. That is that his best days are behind him.

His recent history of bad decisions will bear me out on this. If you wish I can summarize them for you, but you know as well as I do what they are.

If a players is only as good as his last game, and what have you done for me recently is Coach Buono’s credo, then I ask you as a fan will you accept anything less than a 100% from the head coach and his coaching staff?

Wally conveniently looks the other way on this subject, and I ask you if he were anyone other than Wally Buono, and only head coach and not general manager on this team do you really think he would have lasted this far into the season?

Where does the buck stop? In many ways this season is reminiscent of Wally’s 2002 year, with a record of 6 wins 12 losses and 0 ties, his last with Calgary, where the Stamps missing the playoffs entirely. Is history repeating itself?

In 18 years of having either lost the division finals, or the semi-finals, he has but four Grey Cup wins to his credit with Calgary and BC combined.

Don Mathews himself was terminated for a five game loosing streak here in this very town in 1986 with a record of 8 wins, 6 losses, 0 ties. I wouldn’t be making this statement if Don had been General Manager of the BC Lions would I?

Do I want a new head coach of the BC Lions?

No but I want Wally to take a long, hard look in the mirror and tell me if he is committed to
leading this team to a Grey Cup Championship this season, and excepting the responsibility for the many losses that could have otherwise turned us into the dynasty franchise we had the capability of being, and stop the bleeding and inventing new ways to loose football games.

Why did we turn back the clock on the promise we so richly shared last season?

I can accept loss as well as anyone of you the fans of this team can, but this path we now tread will bring us to nothing but ruin and grief.

PigSkin_53 wrote:Don Mathews himself was terminated for a five game loosing streak here in this very town in 1986 with a record of 8 wins, 6 losses, 0 ties. I wouldn’t be making this statement if Don had been General Manager of the BC Lions would I?

No Ka Oi wrote: I have a feeling once the chips are down, this team will come through, but there seems to be little sense of urgency right now. I don't think the team needs to be blown up, they have proven they can win but are just not motivated. Perhaps we can fault the coaches for not putting a burr in their saddle?

ziggy wrote:I have to disagree with Blitz on the offence played pretty well part of his post. I thought that they were terribly inconsistent and while the yardage doesn't look bad, a lot of it was from sporadic big plays followed by quick two and outs. It looked promising in the first quarter, then the offence lost its focus failed to sring together drives and left the defence on the field for far too much of the last half of the game.

I also think we are worrying too much about the run at this point although it may become a problem down the road .We have much bigger issues to deal with now. We are being beaten consistently by the passing attack . Who would run against us when we are so easy to throw against?

It's easy to point out an individuals weakness, but its a team game. If the Offence doesn't move the ball the defence spends too long on the field and gives up points. If special teams give up good field position points are often scored, if they fail to gain good field position and the offence doesn't move the ball points aren't scored and field position is lost. No rush the opposing QB picks apart the DB's. Poor pass protection and the QB makes bad decisions, a bad throw or throws and int.

None of this is news to anyone on this site , but my point is, the guy or group who looks bad often aren't the only ones at fault. I don't think the whole team has fallen apart or we need wholesale changes. I hope we need just need a little tweaking.

PigSkin_53 wrote:In a sense Wally is a dinosaur who’s time has long since past him by.

He tends to fly in the face of modern change reading his own press clippings far too often rather than read the writing on the wall. His tendency to be stubborn and immovable have kept him from numerous successes in the past, and will continue to haunt him in the future.

He has very little tolerance for any player who has fallen behind their game, but when it comes to his own worth as head coach it is a different story, and he is exhibiting all the same signs as the players he has cut over the last five years. That is that his best days are behind him.

His recent history of bad decisions will bear me out on this. If you wish I can summarize them for you, but you know as well as I do what they are.

If a players is only as good as his last game, and what have you done for me recently is Coach Buono’s credo, then I ask you as a fan will you accept anything less than a 100% from the head coach and his coaching staff?

Wally conveniently looks the other way on this subject, and I ask you if he were anyone other than Wally Buono, and only head coach and not general manager on this team do you really think he would have lasted this far into the season?

Where does the buck stop? In many ways this season is reminiscent of Wally’s 2002 year, with a record of 6 wins 12 losses and 0 ties, his last with Calgary, where the Stamps missing the playoffs entirely. Is history repeating itself?

In 18 years of having either lost the division finals, or the semi-finals, he has but four Grey Cup wins to his credit with Calgary and BC combined.

Don Mathews himself was terminated for a five game loosing streak here in this very town in 1986 with a record of 8 wins, 6 losses, 0 ties. I wouldn’t be making this statement if Don had been General Manager of the BC Lions would I?

Do I want a new head coach of the BC Lions?

No but I want Wally to take a long, hard look in the mirror and tell me if he is committed to
leading this team to a Grey Cup Championship this season, and excepting the responsibility for the many losses that could have otherwise turned us into the dynasty franchise we had the capability of being, and stop the bleeding and inventing new ways to loose football games.

Why did we turn back the clock on the promise we so richly shared last season?

I can accept loss as well as anyone of you the fans of this team can, but this path we now tread will bring us to nothing but ruin and grief.