I tend to agree with those who prefer Bob O’Billovich as a top choice for the Ticat GM position. Although he is 67 years of age, he has vast CFL experience in management, player personnel and coaching and he is still making sound player personnel decisions for the B.C. Lions. He would also be able to step in and quickly evaluate whether the team should carry on with Charlie Taaffe’s system. The other thing he may able to do is provide confidence and stability to the Ticats organization for two or three years- he has seen everything that can go right and wrong in the CFL and it never seemed to phase him, at least not publicly.
While Jim Barker also has a strong football background, some of his player personnel decisions with the Stampeders have fallen a bit short this year.
A case in point is the backup quarterback situation in Calgary. When Henry Burris was injured part way through the season, the Stamps received poor performances from Akili Smith and Barrick Nealy. They ultimately relied on Ben Sankey to fill the gap until Burris returned. And where did the Stamps find Sankey? Buono and O’Billovich had brought him up from the Arena 2 Football League when the B.C. Lions’ quarterbacks were injured and they released him when Buck Pierce and Dave Dickenson returned to the roster.
One downside to O’Billovich as opposed to Barker is that O’Billovich may not have as much experience as Barker at managing the new Salary Management System. In fact, only eight CFL GMs have actual experience at managing the SMS and the Ticats just fired one of them.
The SMS issue is a valid one, TCTD…that is why any assistant GM has to have some inner capologist to tap into. LOL Either the GM and/or one of his staff has to have that ability to work that aspect. The successful NFL programs tend to have that area covered in their football operations.
Oski Wee Wee,
If the Cats were to continue their penchant for hiring people with zero actual GM experience for that post, may I humbly suggest:
I love how a Hershey melts in your mouth...I mean a Hershey bar!
I would actually be RIVETED to the monitor watching Ticat pressers if Barbara were the GM, but I digress. LOL
Oski Wee Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,
