2012 CFL Coach of the Year - Milanovich wins it

[Robbie]

BCLions.com Staff

The BC Lions Football Club is pleased to announce that head coach Mike Benevides has been chosen as one of three finalists for the CFL Coach of the Year Award.

Benevides comes off a historic season for the Lions equaling the club mark for wins by a first-year head coach with 13 as well as setting a new franchise standard with eight home wins. He was selected 45 members of the Football Reporters of Canada along with Calgary’s John Hufnagel and Toronto’s Scott Milanovich.

The winner will be announced at the Coach of the Year luncheon on Thursday, February 28th during this year’s CFL Congress.

With having the best 13-5 2012 regular season record, Mike Benevides has a good chance of winning the award.

There's definitely a bias for Scott Milanovich and his championship season, but his 9-9 regular season record might not automatically give him the award though he did the nomination over Marc Trestman. Perhaps the reason Marc Trestman was not selected as a finalist was a way for the CFL to get back at him for departing for the NFL.

[TheLionKing]

Since the award is based on the entire season including playoffs my bet is on Scott Milanovich

[notahomer]

I voted Milanovich. Benevides had a great year, IMO considering he was replacing a CFL legend. Then again, this year was a step down in many ways considering how the year ended in the playoffs. I hope Coach Benny wins a few awards after this season including the 2014 Coach of the Year

[Toppy Vann]

Robbie's logic is fine but Argos did win a GC and like others I suspect that will be seen as stronger. Scott M. improves a far worse team than Mike B took over and had them peaking in the playoffs vs BC who lost their game of the year. As Billy Beane says in Moneyball - if you don't win your last game no one will remember you. He says it a bit differently.

Also, MB did take over a very good team and he didn't mess up and other than the arm twister early response to Khalif who didn't stop there - Beneides had a stellar year of making the right calls on players and handling whatever he faced. Too bad it was this year.

Or will the voters see a CFL conspiracy and think that Eric Tillman made the Ricky Ray trade to get this outcome for the CFL and get the Argos a Grey Cup win - with the game in Toronto.

Milanovich would be the safer bet.

But if I perceive MB accurately, he will rightly know it is an honour just be in that final group - even if they vote the wrong way.

If Mike B were to lose the vote and be disappointed perhaps Wally Buono who's been there and both lost won could show him this scene from Moneyball where the AGM Peter Brand (not the real name for Paul dePodesta) gets Billy Beane the A's GM who is down on losing and not winning a World Series to the video room where he shows this clip:



I've just been able to see this TWICE here in HK recently and I love this movie!

Billy Beane: If you lose the last game of the season, nobody gives a *poop*.

Peter Brand: The Visalia Oaks and our 240 lb catcher Jeremy Brown, who as you know, scared to run to second base. This was in a game six weeks ago. This guy is going to start him off with a fastball. Jeremy's going to take him to deep center. Here's what's really interesting, because Jeremy's gonna do what he never does. He's gonna go for it. He's gonna around first and he's gonna go for it. Okay? This is all Jeremy's nightmares coming to life.
Billy Beane: Awwww, they're laughing at him.
Peter Brand: And Jeremy's about to find out why. Jeremy's about to realize that the ball went 60 feet over the fence. He hit a home run and didn't even realize it.

[274always]

The irony of it all is that the one guy going to the nfl didn't even get nominated.

you could make a video of the end of the east final when trestman and milo meet on the field :

'hey marc, i beat you man.

it's cool scott. where i'm going you can't follow'

[Blitz]

I really believe that Mike Benevedes did the best job of coaching in the CFL this season. Its very difficult to take over a Grey Cup champion team, especially as a first year HC, and many teams have a real let down after a Grey Cup season. Benevedes improved our Leos from last season during the regular season.

Unfortunately, our Leos lost a crucial playoff game and Milanovich's Argos played very well for two games during the playoffs. Milanovich will likely win the prize for that and if so, will be a deserving winner but Benevedes gets the nod from me...and not just beause I am a Leos fan (at least Im telling myself its not bias )

[Robbie]

In the end, the most popular choice won - Scott Milanovich. Kudos for him for improving the team from 6-12 in 2011 to a Grey Cup in 2012.

Consolations to Mike Benevedes as the runner-up and he should be proud of being a finalist in his rookie year as head coach.

[David]

I'll stop short of saying Milanovich was undeserving, that would be unfair. Afterall, he won a Championship with a team that certainly wasn't the most talented (top to bottom) in the league, and with all of the pressure of playing it at home.

However, a strong case could certainly have been made for Benevides. He avoided the dreaded "Grey Cup Hangover" and guided his team to a 13 win season. In this age of parity, and losing his QB for a couple of games, that's extremely hard to do. The Argos were, let's face it, mediocre for much of the 2012 campaign.


DH

[TheLionKing]

I guess a Grey Cup victory trumps a .500 season

[WestCoastJoe]

Benny had a great year. Great year. OK playoffs.

So did Milanovich. Aided and abetted by Ricky Ray. Good year. Great playoffs.

Kind of a tossup. Benny was handed a contender. Once the Argos acquired Ray, they were pretty much a contender, but it took a while for Ray and the Argos to get really comfortable.

I've got no complaints about the selection. How would it have been received in the media if Milanovich, Grey Cup champion as a rookie Head Coach, was denied the award? Not good, I would say.

9-9 regular season? Well, we know it is the playoffs that count.

Milanovich 3-0 vs Benevides 0-1 on that score.

[notahomer]

Well my vote shouldn't count (I voted Milanovich) but for the 2013 Coach of the Year. In reality, I hope Benevides wins the 2013 Coach of the year. Milanovich's team didn't have an AWESOME year, IMO but they will be getting fitted for rings. Doubt he repeats.......

[TheLionKing]

They should just award the Coach of the year award to the winning Grey Cup coach.

[cromartie]

They should just award the Coach of the year award to the winning Grey Cup coach.

Au contraire, more often, I would submit the award goes to the coach of the team who improves his team most from the previous season. Take a 6-12 team to a Grey Cup victory? Coach of the Year in my book.

[Robbie]

Scott Milanovich won the 52nd presentation of the Annis Stukus trophy. Below is a list of coaches who won in each season and an asterisk (*) indicates that the winning coach did NOT win the Grey Cup that year.

2012 - Scott Milanovich, Toronto Argonauts
2011 - Wally Buono, BC Lions
2010 - Jim Barker, Toronto Argonauts*
2009 - Marc Trestman, Montreal Alouettes
2008 - John Hufnagel, Calgary Stampeders
2007 - Kent Austin, Saskatchewan Roughriders
2006 - Wally Buono, BC Lions
2005 - Tom Higgins, Calgary Stampeders
2004 - Greg Marshall, Hamilton Tiger-Cats*
2003 - Tom Higgins, Edmonton Eskimos
2002 - Don Matthews, Montreal Alouettes
2001 - Dave Ritchie, Winnipeg Blue Bombers*
2000 - Charlie Taaffe, Montreal Alouettes*
1999 - Charlie Taaffe, Montreal Alouettes*
1998 - Ron Lancaster, Hamilton Tiger-Cats*
1997 - Don Matthews, Toronto Argonauts
1996 - Ron Lancaster, Edmonton Eskimos*
1995 - Don Matthews, Baltimore Stallions
1994 - Don Matthews, Baltimore CFLers*
1993 - Wally Buono, Calgary Stampeders*
1992 - Wally Buono, Calgary Stampeders
1991 - Adam Rita, Toronto Argonauts
1990 - Mike Riley, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1989 - John Gregory, Saskatchewan Roughriders
1988 - Mike Riley, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1987 - Bob O'Billovich, Toronto Argonauts*
1986 - Al Bruno, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1985 - Don Matthews, BC Lions
1984 - Cal Murphy, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1983 - Cal Murphy, Winnipeg Blue Bombers*
1982 - Bob O'Billovich, Toronto Argonauts*
1981 - Joe Faragalli, Saskatchewan Roughriders*
1980 - Ray Jauch, Winnipeg Blue Bombers*
1979 - Hugh Campbell, Edmonton Eskimos
1978 - Jack Gotta, Calgary Stampeders*
1977 - Vic Rapp, BC Lions*
1976 - Bob Shaw, Hamilton Tiger-Cats*
1975 - George Brancato, Ottawa Rough Riders*
1974 - Marv Levy, Montreal Alouettes
1973 - Jack Gotta, Ottawa Rough Riders
1972 - Jack Gotta, Ottawa Rough Riders*
1971 - Leo Cahill, Toronto Argonauts*
1970 - Ray Jauch, Edmonton Eskimos*
1969 - Frank Clair, Ottawa Rough Riders
1968 - Eagle Keys, Saskatchewan Roughriders*
1967 - Jerry Williams, Calgary Stampeders*
1966 - Frank Clair, Ottawa Rough Riders*
1965 - Bud Grant, Winnipeg Blue Bombers*
1964 - Ralph Sazio, Hamilton Tiger-Cats*
1963 - Dave Skrien, BC Lions*
1962 - Steve Owen, Saskatchewan Roughriders*
1961 - Jim Trimble, Hamilton Tiger-Cats*

So 29 of the 52 winners, or about 56% of them won coach of the year despite not guiding his team to a championship. And since the award was introduced in 1961 it wasn't until the 9th winner in 1969 did the winning Grey Cup coach also win coach of the year.

Are there any winners that you clearly disagree with? For me in 1983, I don't see how Cal Murphy won for Winnipeg when Don Matthews, in his rookie season as head coach improved the team from 4th to 1st in the west and Grey Cup appearance should have got the honours. And I supposed he got redemption when he won in 1994 for Baltimore for taking an expansion team to a Grey Cup appearance.

I'm not entirely sure, but I'm fairly certain all the winners coached his team for the entire season. In other words, he never left or became head coach in mid-season and I guess it doesn't look good on his record if he only played part of the season. Charlie Taaffe was the last coach to win consecutive awards from 1999 and 2000 when he had 12-6 records for Montreal and first in the east, without capturing the GC. Whereas in Greg Mohns in BC didn't win in 1999 despite guiding the Lions to first in the west for the first time in 12 years. And as biased as Lions fans are, do you think that Steve Buratto deserved to win 2000 coach of the year instead despite taking the team in mid-season, having a losing regular season record, but came strong in the playoffs and clearly was the better team than the Alberta playoff opponents and the Alouettes?

[Toppy Vann]

This is the kind of thing that I don't quite understand. Yes, it is hard to get in and out of Regina but this .. Hufnagel leaving during the lunch to catch a plane?

Some of these football GMs just don't understand that concept of a FRANCHISE in a small league that has to to GROW. What on earth (unless some family or medical or emergency would lead to this????)

Hufnagel’s early lunch break draws criticism

March 1, 2013. 1:25 pm • Section: BC Lions, COMMUNITY, Football, Sports, STAFF
- See more at: http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2013/03/0 ... hfcuq.dpuf

The classic CFL moment of the offseason has to go to Calgary Stampeders’ head coach John Hufnagel.

Rather than waiting stoically through an awards luncheon in which everyone knew that another man would be picking up the Annis Stukus Trophy – the Argos’ Scott Milanovich, predictably, was named the league’s coach of the year — Hufnagel got up and abruptly left the proceedings at the Delta Hotel in Regina.

Apparently, he had a plane to catch.

-

Once again a CFL GM proves that the game of football and the CFL is too important to be left in the hands of the football specialists - some just don't get it.

GMs not living in their own communities full time also irks me as they should be doing their job that should include marketing the team to sponsors and fans. The pursuit of business mediocrity in some cities is appalling but I digress from today's grievance:

To me Hufnagel disrespected a lot of people and the CFL - from the commissioner, owners, other GMs, coaches, and teams to his own franchise and fans.

The public statement in this story that he gave later is not helpful. If it were something that he could not share in public for a host of very valid reasons then it would be far better for all and him that he simply express his regrets upfront and miss this event entirely.

Imagine if other GMs and coaches all walked out to do the same thing?

Can you spell bush? I can and today it is spelled - Hufnagel.