National Post on CFL Front Office Moves

Today's Post article presents a bunch of possible front office scenarios across the CFL including the Cats.

An Argo-Cat fan


Ticats' moves will ripple across CFL
New Coaches, GMs; Teams can expect a busy off-season of changes
Matthew Sekeres, National Post
Published: Wednesday, November 07, 2007

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have fired the first shot, but it promises not to be the last. You may hardly recognize Canadian Football League front offices and sidelines next year if the dominoes fall in certain ways.

The Tiger-Cats are in search of a general manager after firing Marcel Desjardins on the weekend, and the fate of head coach Charlie Taaffe hangs with the successor.

Club president Scott Mitchell intends to hire a general manager this month, and said he was seeking an A-lister who had accomplished enough in the game to be given full control of football operations. What Mitchell is suggesting is that he will hire someone away from another team, and if it is a lateral move-- GM chair to GM chair-- that could set many dominoes into motion.

It is just the start of what is going to be a busy off-season," a CFL executive said. "Trust me."

Taaffe has many fans around the league and, should he be fired, he could land elsewhere. After all, there could be plenty of empty offices.

This weekend, the spotlight will be on the Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders, the semi-final road teams that underachieved in the regular season.

Calgary head coach Tom Higgins, if not general manager Jim Barker, needs a win in Saskatchewan to feel secure. (Neither is a candidate in Hamilton). The speculation is former CFL and NFL assistant John Hufnagel could be the Stampeders' next coach, and that former Roughriders general manager Roy Shivers could take over personnel duties should Barker depart.

In Montreal, head coach and general manager Jim Popp led the team to its worst record since 1986 in his first full season of coaching duties. Popp's rich, long-term contract means he is likely to return as general manager rather than be fired altogether -- unless he wants to leave or the club is prepared to eat more than $1-million in severance.

If Popp were to move to Hamilton, he could work with someone he has hired (Taaffe) and the person who brought him into the CFL (Ticats director of football operations Dan Rambo), both of whom Mitch-ell would like to keep. But Popp, who built the Alouettes into consistent winners from 1996 until this year, might also command the dual role he now holds with Montreal.

If Popp stays with the Als, he could hire Taaffe to coach again, assuming the latter is available. Taaffe won two coach-of-the-year awards while guiding Montreal to a 24-12 record in 1999 and 2000.

One source said that Winnipeg general manager Brendan Taman is at the top of Hamilton's wish list, and the Ticats could move quickly if the Bombers get knocked out of the playoffs. Taman's star is on the rise after several personnel finds and the Bombers' marked improvement, but changes at the top of the organization could have a trickle-down effect.

Team president Lyle Bauer hired Taman in 1999 and refused to fire him during some rough patches, but Bauer's future is uncertain. David Asper, chairman of National Post and executive vice-president of CanWest Global Communications, wants to invest $65-million into a new 40,000-seat stadium.

Asper's offer, which is also contingent on government funding, would be in return for full ownership of the community-owned club. The team's board of directors has already voted to give ownership to Asper's company should the plan proceed.

In Toronto, Argonauts president Keith Pelley is leaving for a 2010 Olympic position and sources say ownership is trying to convince head coach Michael (Pinball) Clemons to come back. Clemons planned on leaving coaching after this season, but Toronto's owners do not want to lose him and Pelley at once.

Minus Pelley, and possibly Clemons, where does that leave general manager Adam Rita and director of player personnel Greg Mohns? A move from Toronto to Hamilton is the most logistically seamless in the CFL.

Then there is B.C. Lions director of player personnel Bob O'Billovich, who lives in Oakville, Ont., and has been within Hamilton's area code ever since the franchise began tinkering with its football department in 2005. O'Billovich fits all of Mitchell's criteria, and has done a spectacular job stocking the Lions with high-end talent.

The 67-year-old O'Billovich said yesterday that he is contemplating retirement should the Lions win another Grey Cup this year, and would not talk to another team until B.C.'s season is over. But his contract expires in February and O'Billovich said he would be willing to listen to offers later this month.

"I've always had an agreement with the [Lions] that if somebody has a GM job they want to offer me, I wouldn't be bound by my contract," said O'Billovich.

msekeres@nationalpost.com

nice Read thank you for posting it

If the Argos do lose both Pelley and Pinball, even if they win the GC I predict they will have far fewer season ticket holders next year. Might be wrong though but that's just my feeling. Fortunately though their owners are well connected in the Toronto community. What do they have now, about 11,000 season ticket holders?

Wow. If Jim Barker is not a candidate for the Tiger Cats then maybe O'Billovitch is a front runner along with Brendan Taman.
If Charlie rejoins Jim Popp....its anyone's guess about who our new coach will be. Looks like Hufnagel is Calgary-bound which is too bad for us.
Nothing about Wally Buono though.
The guessing game continues.

8) Yes, this mysterious saga continues !!! One thing is certain, if Taaffe leaves for somewhere else, then we are back to square one again !!! A new GM, along with a new HC and assistants, equal another rebuilding year and more and more promises for this teams success, whenever !!!!

Get ready for another long, long season next year again !!!! This is getting ridiculous !!!!

If Taaffe isn't given another season he will go somewhere and make our front office look ridiculous because he will win.

I'll go out on a limb here and predict that any new GM will like Charlie as head coach. I know, sounds far out there but just saying. :wink:

With so many coaching and GM changes in the works for next year maybe the Tiger-Cats will have an easier time than they had this year. This season we were in a very competitive league with teams that were well established and had continuity. Rebuilding this year couldn't have come at a worse time.
Maybe next year the other teams (with the likely exception of BC unless Buono and O'Billovitch come here) will have some growing pains to get through too.
That should give us more of a fighting chance in 2008.

does anyone think that it would be a PR nightmare
if the cats ushered in the marshall plan part 2?
if brendan comes riding in don't you think the best candidate he knows is the DC in the peg?
if obee is the guy would you be adverse to having a chapdelaine/obee/printers/simon reunion?

just a thought, city legend

They need to stop worrying about PR and just do what’s right for the onfield product. Personally I really hope we don’t get Tamen, I think Bob O is the right guy, I’m not all that crazy about anyone else, especially Pop.

Ya , what has Popp done in Montreal besides win ??????

I don’t care, he’s only won 1 grey cup while he’s been there. He took over a very strong team and kept them competive by adding one or 2 good rookies a year and he has never been able to find q.b’s or sign any quality free agents. Maybe if he didn’t have that imports are a dime a dozen mentality he would have won a few more grey cups.

drexl, its worth noting that they probably don't care
who your choice is either so enough about who you're not crazy about and be sure that this team will be in much better hands with taman, rita, mohns or o'billovich.

 city legend

O'Billovich said he would be willing to listen to offers later this month.
Obie is the rite man for the Gm job imo, with Dunigan as H.C-imho :thup: :thup:

Not bad, but I’d tweak it like this:

Obie as GM
Charlie as HC
Dunigan as OC

There was also an article by Dan Ralph on this topic posted today on the globeandmail.com website:

"Ticats have viable candidates to consider for vacant GM's post
DAN RALPH

Canadian Press

November 7, 2007 at 11:04 AM EST

Scott Mitchell certainly has some options to consider as he searches for someone to fill the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' vacant GM's post.

Mitchell, the Ticats' president, fired Marcel Desjardins last weekend following Hamilton's 21-19 win over Edmonton that capped an otherwise miserable 3-15 season. It marked the third straight year Hamilton has posted the CFL's worst record and the fifth time in six seasons the club has missed the playoffs.

Fortunately for Mitchell, it would seem that there's a good crop of worthwhile candidates from which to choose Desjardins's successor.

In no particular order, here's a look at some potential prospects:

Must Interviews

Bob O'Billovich, player-personnel director, B.C. Lions: The Lions have been the CFL's best team the last two years and a reason why has been O'Billovich's ability to find diamonds in the rough. In 2003 he found an unheralded quarterback named Casey Printers who, with some work, became the CFL's outstanding player in '04. And this year, O'Billovich unearthed Penn State linebacker Cameron Wake, who as a defensive end has registered a CFL-high 16 sacks and has been named the West Division nominee for top rookie and defensive player. Last year, defensive lineman Aaron Hunt was the CFL's top rookie. O'Billovich has also been a CFL GM during his 30-year tenure in Canada and lives in nearby Mississauga, Ont.

Greg Mohns, player-personnel director, Toronto Argonauts: Mohns has spent nearly 20 years in the CFL, working in the front office with Hamilton, Memphis, B.C., and Toronto (twice). He has earned two Grey Cup rings with the Argos ('96, 2004) and has previous NFL experience with the Kansas City Chiefs. Mohns is well connected to both the NFL and NCAA ranks and is credited with finding cornerback Jordan Younger and defensive end Jonathan Brown, two main cogs in Toronto's CFL-best defence this season. He's meticulous and pays close attention to detail in his reports and has a keen eye when it comes to evaluating players. Another advantage, too, is Mohns knows Hamilton and the Ticats' importance within the community.

Should Speak To

Paul Jones, player-personnel director, Edmonton Eskimos: A top CFL talent evaluator for some time. Jones has spent time previously with Winnipeg and Toronto before joining the Eskimos eight years ago. Jones has been part of seven Grey Cup teams, including four winners. He's credited with bringing the likes of receiver Jason Tucker and kick-returner Tony Tompkins to Edmonton. The only drawback is Jones is based in Louisiana and might not be willing to re-locate to Hamilton.

Mike McCarthy, player-personnel consultant, Hamilton Tiger-Cats: Has previous experience as a GM with Toronto, winning a Grey Cup with the Argos in '91. McCarthy has long been a fixture in Hamilton during three separate stints with the CFL club. Another top talent evaluator with an NFL background (San Diego, New England) who has an extensive scouting report library. McCarthy has spent 20 years in the CFL while also working with Ottawa and B.C. and would offer a seamless transition into the post.

Interesting options

Brendan Taman, GM, Winnipeg Blue Bombers: A respected individual throughout the CFL, Taman has built the Bombers into a contender. Although he's entering the final year of his contract, unless the Bombers brass has fallen on its head lately, Taman should re-sign with the club, even with new ownership coming in. But if he left, Taman would be a definite favourite for the Hamilton job.

Jim Popp, head coach/GM, Montreal Alouettes: At first glance, this suggestion will draw sheepish snickers. Popp is the only GM that Montreal has had since the club relocated from Baltimore in the 1990s and is regarded as one of the league's top GMs. But he has struggled adding the coaching duties to his portfolio. Again, unless president Larry Smith has a brain cramp, the only change to Popp's job description should be dropping the coaching duties and returning to being one of the CFL's best GMs.

Roy Shivers, former GM, Saskatchewan Roughriders: There's no questioning Shivers' keen eye for talent. He helped stockpile the Calgary Stampeders' roster during their dominant run before becoming the Riders' GM and helping transform that franchise into a West Division contender. But Shivers can be set in his ways, which in turn sometimes makes him prickly to deal with.

Joe Womack, player-personnel director, Saskatchewan Roughriders: Completing his first year with Roughriders and has prior CFL experience in B.C. with current Riders GM Eric Tillman and has been a scout in the NFL for a few teams. But has no prior experience as a general manager or heading up a football operations department in Canada. A longshot.

Thanks, but no thanks

Dan Rambo, football operations director, Hamilton Tiger-Cats: More than qualified for the job and would the overwhelming favourite for it if he was willing to leave Ottawa. An interesting sidenote, too, is Rambo reportedly has an out clause in his Hamilton deal that would allow him to become the GM of an Ottawa expansion club if that became a reality. And the CFL is expected to announce either during Grey Cup week or shortly afterwards that it has reached an agreement in principle to return to the Canadian capital once a huge real estate project involving Frank Clair Stadium is complete."

I agree Obie looks like a good choice, but do have to question his age. We need to get someone who will actually potentially last for 3 years (although after last year they may not sign anyone for more than 1).

As far as Dunigan as OC, not a bad choice, but I would still prefer some more experience. I honestly think we need more help with the DC position. Near the end of the year I thought the offensive calls were a little better. Just didn’t seem to be able to find a way to work in passes that were > 15 yards. The defence was way too vanilla, and easy to read.

It’s going to be another tough year is we abandon most of our coaches again.