TORONTO — Canadian Football League Commissioner Jeffrey L. Orridge issued a statement on Wednesday regarding discipline against Kent Austin, who was involved in an incident with a game official during Week 14 action in Regina:
Respect for officials is a basic tenet of sport. Their impartial participation makes fair competition possible. And their security is paramount. That is why it is absolutely unacceptable for a coach to confront an official and make contact with him, even if that contact was inadvertent and accidental.
For his behaviour in a sideline incident with an on field official during his team’s game on Saturday, Sept. 24, Hamilton Tiger-Cats vice-president of football operations and head coach Kent Austin will be removed from the sidelines for the Tiger-Cats’ next game, this Saturday, Oct. 1. He will be allowed in the spotters’ booth but he will not have the privilege of joining his team on the field or interacting with officials on the field. Furthermore, Coach Austin is fined $10,000. A penalty of this magnitude levied against a coach for an interaction with an official is unprecedented in our league.
Our examination of this situation did not yield a comparable precedent on which to base a decision. That has highlighted for me the need to develop and announce a clear policy that makes crystal clear that there will be zero tolerance of physical contact with officials, whatever its nature, and immediate and serious penalties should such contact occur. That work is now underway.
Personally - I'm OK with the fine amount - but I think a one game suspension - should be just that - a suspension - not just a move up to the spotters booth.
Agreed he should be suspended and his actions have also shown why this team lacks discipline. I also think his time as a HC have ran its course in Hamilton and its time to move on from him as HC. Step back and continue on as an exec. I always thought he was a very overrated coach and this season is showing his inability to prep the team to start the game. The lack of run is hurting this team and his unwillingness to even attempt to get things going that way. Every game he is out coached and it shows with our record. To me this is the final straw it is time to move on from him. This isn't the first incident either.
I’m ok with suspension for contacting of ref… Whatever the reason!! However I am troubled with the call made by the refs re: illegal procedure on centre given that it is done 99percent of the time by centres and has never ever been called before. So before we make a mockery of the handling of ball on an offensive snap, the league should come clean on the penalty and state that the call was WRONG!!!
Coach has no discipline and self control then why should our team ?! Bob Young has to sit this man down and review Ticats code of conduct , what an embarrassment to our organization
For this Saturday’s home game against Calgary, who instead of Austin will be allowed to throw a challenge flag or call a timeout on behalf of Hamilton? If no one else is allowed, doesn’t that give Calgary an unfair advantage?
My prediction too is that Orlondo Steinauer as Assistant HC will be designated to throw challenge flags and call timeouts for this Saturday's home game against Calgary. If Austin is allowed in the spotter's booth and is in constant contact with Steinauer by headset, he could still make decisions like these and relay them to Steinauer. Hoping this is what happens
However you feel about the League's decision, accepting it without appeal is the smart move here.
It's best to go ahead and serve the "removed from the sideline"measure this week, for a game the Cats have only a faint hope of winning in the first place.
If Austin were to take this to arbitration, it would not only create a sustained distraction, but would likely be upheld in the end anyway, and could end up affecting a bigger game.
8) And to think that fans were out raged with former HC George Cortez for his caustic manner and pompous style
when answering questions from the media !! <!-- s:roll: -->:roll:<!-- s:roll: -->
Austin makes Cortez look like an alter boy, in comparison !! <!-- s:oops: -->:oops:<!-- s:oops: -->
Amazing how times have changed.....but then again they haven't, they have just got worse <!-- s:oops: -->:oops:<!-- s:oops: -->
