Is Obie past his prime?

Isn't Obie a little past his prime to be a G.M.?

Next thing you know they are going to try to hire an 80 year old special teams coach.

:cowboy:

With age comes experience… And experience is a good thing…But I never liked Obie so I don’t want us to hire him…

If you want the younger guys (Taman, Tillman, Propp), I think you'' find them "pretty tight on their perches"... No way is Pinball going to leave off as HC and come here as GM...

Who, other than the previously identified candidates would you nominate, that has experience in the game, a proven CFL track record and IS available for employment?

Don't give problems-give solutions!

Obie has been director of player personell for B.C. from his home in Oakville. Isn't that a little curiouse why he is not working out there with the team? He is definately experienced, but I find his situation a bit odd with B.C.. With regard to some of the younger talented executives, someone would be available for the right price.

As far as finding problems and not offering solutions, maybe I am a bit frustrated realizing our organization has been surpassed by success on and off the field by all the other organizations in the league. Though happy for Toronto and a successful Grey Cup Celebration, I am tired of defending the Cats all weekend. Also getting a bit long on the Caretakers softball comments.

Anyway, not sure about Obies current role the last dozen or so years in the league, but my gut is not feeling him. Just starting to get a bit frustrated in my post Grey Cup duldrums. :frowning:

Dunno, Killer, if you aren't on or off the mark.

I sort of think the Cats have been very successful in delivering on many "off field" things...the marketing, the upscaled washrooms, the improved foods/catering, the TV screen and scoreboard all indicate Sr Mgmt is throwing money back at the spectators/fans in an appropriate fashion. (so I think you are a little off base there)

On the other hand, you are spot on the mark that we have issues with the Club President, GM, or GM prospects, HC, OC, DC and assistants.

Is Mike McCarthy ready to step up to a GM role? It would be a dangerous gamble for the team, and they might have to "sit" a few greybearded types in the organization to take this step!

Does MMc have "contacts" to hire a HC or supervise the staff" Unknown.

It might be "better" to hire an older GM for a year or three that could understand he was going into retirement from that position, and had a job to do to evolve his replacemnt, that the Club would prosper beyond his retirement.

And those "old guys" are in a position to collect every last "favour" or every last "tip" or "trick" they ever learned along the hard and rocky path...it would be "dumb" not to cash in on some of that!

Best Regards, because you do makev a lot of "sense"!

Lifter

Lifter,

The game experience has definitely improved and been brought up to standard - I thank Caretaker for that. I would put MMc in the same boat as Obie, definately experienced and connected, but he has never really jumped in the spotlight in recent years or never seemed to have the desire to.

Maybe experience is the way to go to mentor someone younger into the role. Wouldn't have Obie and Desjardins been a good combo? We'll never know.

Last year was very frustrating and seeing all the success by the other organizations and I found our lack of respect on and off the field just got to me.

Caretaker has been good to us, but he has used the team, and the C.F.L. to grow his profile and his marketing profile. They must be making decent dough doing the league website and organizing the Vanier Cup etc. Caretaker is not doing all this out of charity anymore. He realizes the marketing potential of being involved in a strong brand like the C.F.L.. Anyway that's a bit off topic.

Let's hope they bring in a pro that will build on our nucleus of guys like Setta, Moreno and Printers!

Prime Shmime.

Time in the business is paramount.

It's about contacts.

Contacts a skill for spotting talent
which Obie has honed for decades.

P.S.

Obie and his wife live in Oakville because
his wife looks after his widower son's child
during the day when his son is working.

Edmonton's Paul Jones in based in the States and the Cats' Dan Rambo is based in Ottawa, so no, I don't find that fact that Obie works out of Oakville to be that unusual for a director of player personnel. That is why you have video conferencing and cellphones. LOL

As for the "prime" comment, I thought I just heard Marv Levy say "Obie? He's just a baby!" :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

If he were a boxer, I'd be worried about the age thing. As long as he has the chance to develop a protege in the football operations side to eventually succeed him, I see absolutely no reason for him not to be considered.

Oski Wee Wee,

Precisely. The bottom line is that as long as he can get the job done effectively and bring in players who can make a difference, who cares where he may reside? He's a seasoned veteran of all things CFL, and that has its advantages.

Bring him in and see how long he wants to work. 2 yrs and we win the cup, then Mike steps up and continues sounds good to me.

read Mike's profile 20 yrs in the cfl.

Bring Obie_won in as HC, So he can evaluate the talent next training camp. keep Taffe on as his understudy, then in mid season when the team is on track Taaffe can resume control Obie_won can work from home! :cowboy:

We have McCarthy who I think is one of the best in finding talent already. We need a full time enthusiastic young GM to build on the future, not a semi -retired guy who is babysitting is widower's son's child or whatever that guy said.

Maybe we should have kept the 80 year old guy the we let slip away last spring.

Lets not fall into the retread category. (see Charlie Taffe) at least Obie has heard of Casey Printers unlike Taffe who had to dig up video tape to see what all the fuss was about.

I'm not sure who the answer is yet, but I'm not leaning towards Obie. :frowning:

didnt we hire a young hotshot gm who was suppose to be the next great thing ,marcel oh way he stunk so i say give it to obie he has exp and a few grey cup rings as a coach a gm and director of player personal as for his age who cares look at marv levy.plus we do not need him here for 10 yrs all we want him to do is win now over the next 3 yrs and bring us a grey cup.lancaster did it in 2yrs with us.

…or a 79-year-old Defensive Co-ordinator. Wait, they tried that already!

AGE = wisdom, Sign him to pick his brain, thats what, However he could be headed to the ARG,s. and Ticats could get Rita?

And Well get alot Older very Quickly

If Obie is past his prime (I don't think he is), Taman won't be released, Jim Popp stays in Montreal (I hope)..then that sure cuts down the list of prospects with the credentials that Scott Mitchell has listed.
Who does that leave? Higgins (no thanks). Then there's Mohns (OK). Rita (not so sure). But do we really want to market that we use cast offs from the A___'s?
Maybe Mike McCarthy after all...if he wants it?
Just wondering as we continue in this GM vacuum.

I am 80 years old. Maybe I should apply.(HAH!!!)

What does age have to do with it? For this job, what counts is knowledge, experience, contacts, and interest. All of these Obie seems to possess.
I’m reminded of all the worries about Chang and Williams earlier in the year. The ‘experts’ said that their drawback was not knowing the Canadian game. Actually, the problem was their jumping from College ball to the Pros. It used to be designated as the “Peter Principle”. This said that everyone gets promoted until he reaches his level of incompetence.

No such worries with Obie. He’s been there, done that.

I’m not saying that he is automatically the right man for the job. But, his age and accompanying experience are pluses, not minuses.

Still worried about the rumours of Obies immenant signing?

Rod Rust and Marv Levy can't be far behind.
I'd take Lancaster over all of the above. We seemed to run Ron out of town for being past his prime, despite putting up a Grey Cup during a time when the organization had no money and inept ownership.

I hope Obie has still got it.

A famous exchange at a press conference puts this into perspective:

Howard Cosell: "Muhammad, you’re not the man you used to be ten years ago."

Muhammad Ali: “I spoke to your wife, and she said you’re not the man you were two years ago.?

:D :D :D

It's about evaluating personnel, maintaining the football operations staff, running the SMS, and acquiring onfield talent. If Obie needs a nap during the day, I'm sure he'll work out some arrangement in his schedule to accomodate that and being a solid GM during his awake state. LMAO

I am sure he will hire the necessary assistant GM and delegate tasks whenever necessary...

Why are people holding a wake already for a guy who lands a Cam Wake gem on a fairly regular basis? Boggles my mind!

The man has energy, focus, and has forgotten more about football than the median armchair GM on this site would ever know. That works for me at 37, 67, or 167. :stuck_out_tongue:

Congrats to Obie if the hire reports are accurate.

Oski Wee Wee,