Not a fan Bellefeuille...

I hope Bellefeuille works out for you guys as HC. Because he's done nothing as an assistant coach to show he can be successful in this league.

O.C. in Saskatchewan during the Nealon Greene "3-yard pass" years
O.C. in Montreal in 2007: O-line gave up league-high sacks, Calvillo was ineffective, offense produced nothing; the team was successful before Marcel and after him
O.C. in Hamilton: you guys know the story

you have to be kidding.

actually, i'm hardley sure why i'm replying to this thread.

someone already mentioned the fact that it's the preseason right? wich is more about evaluating situation substitutions and player positions than it is about winning.

does the topic starter really believe that on 3rd and 2 on the opponents 28 yardline any coach, would go for the first down instead of kicking?

seriously. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Also, to all of those fans that call for a coaches head mid season, please, please, think long and hard and try to remember the last time a team mysteriously became successfull after a mid-season firing?

Give Bellefeuille his year at the helm before you shoot your mouth. even if are .500 in 2009 keep him for another year then if he can't consistantly bring us to the playoffs, then it's time to find a new coach.

I don't beleive the OP was calling for Bellefeuille's head, or saying that he should be fired.

Just that he thinks it was a bad choice.

IMHO: Bellefeuille's performance last year as a head coach, and in the past as an assisatant coach shows that he has a lot of work ahead of him to justify the Ti-Cats faith in him.

Here's hoping he does.

Dumb thread.... yeah. He's the coach now so we'll see.

Was he impressive as an O.C.? No, I don't think so. The poster noting the Sask. and Montreal years, and last year here, makes a valid point. The stats don't look good.

The problem is that we don't know how much:
a) The Head Coaches of those teams called the shots
b) How much different MB is as a Head Coach than he was as an O.C. This MAY be his spot.

So, for me, I'm watching him just like I'm watching the players. I sure hope that he pans out and grows into being a good and experienced Head Coach with Hamilton.

Based on the results and how the team looks under Marcel i am not yet impressed . The fact that they get so many more penalties than the thier opponent speaks volumes and it is the coaches responsibility. All those offside makes me wonder how they practice and so many interereence penalties too . it seems the other teams might be having better practices that are closer to the real game experience as they have alot of rookies too

I do like the decisions the team has been making thus far in training camp regarding cuts . The team still looks like a high school team alot in how much lack of discipline they show and their penalties and poor execution on short yardage plays and 4th down gambles etc .

I think we need to see who he keeps at Dline , linebacker , reciever and then how the team does for the first 6 games or so before he can be properly evaluated .

I do think he is a smart and positive guy with alot of ideas and good CFL experience but it comes down to results
and how the team plays .

I hope he finds a way to keep Haley and Mcfadden and maybe Hickman .
.

[quote="gerbear9"... and 4th down gambles etc .
[/quote]
What league are YOU watching?

My opinion? He has brought more intensity to the team (practicing at a RUN instead of a walk), is a more aggressive coach, not afraid to make changes (Porter last year), and has the stamp of approval from O'Bie. It is a very young team. There has not been much player retention because, frankly, too many players we had over the past few years have stunk worse than the worst outhouse in Afghanistan.

We are getting the personnel. We are playing aggressively. We have a GREAT defensive coordinator. We have some players that I would like to see here for years to come. It is FAR too early to judge the head coach.

I agree - it's way too early to calling for Marcels head. I like what he brings to the table, carrys himself well and the players respect him. Repost after the first 9 games and lets have this debate. At this point in time - the post is worthless.

Let's not forget this man's extraordinary success at resurrecting the Ottawa Gee Gees. He is a proven teacher of skills who can relate to young players and help them maximize their game. As well, if he has Obie's blessing, then I'm confident that we are in good hands. I like his calmness and intelligence, with an undertone of intensity. This guy is a keeper; let's all await the results. No one will be disappointed.

I agree. His record as an O/C in Saskatchewan, Montreal, and Hamilton is not stellar, to put it mildly.

But maybe he’ll be better as a head coach than he was an O/C…after all, not all good coordinators make good head coaches
(hello, Rich Stubler and Jim Daley)…maybe this is the converse…lacking as a coordinator but may be a good head coach…different skill set required. As long as Marshall and Gibson do good jobs as coordinators, this just might work.

What I do like is that, unlike his predecessor, Marcel is animated on the sidelines and seems very involved wtih things…talking with the coaches and the players…that’s a positive.

My only question about his hire is that Obie didn’t do his due diligence…he just made Marcel the head coach without interviewing anyone else…that’s risky, like Winnipeg did with Kelly this year, and what Popp did in Montreal a couple of seasons back in hiring himself.

That said, I really hope it works out…and won’t be calling for Marcel’s head anytime soon.

Start the season 0-4 and I reserve the right to change my mind on that…

I hate to respond to such a ridiculous thread but .....

 we should not be looking for miracles this season. The groundwork for the future is still being laid. It will take more than one season and probably more a lot more player additions for all of this to come together.

I certainly noticed some major improvements on the O-line and on the defence already but it is hard to read too many other things from exhibition games.
As long as we get more than 3 wins this season, progress will have begun. Next season should be much better. But if not, that's when the critical examination should begin.
I think Marcel has the right character traits to be a head coach. Obie is an excellent talent spotter so I think his decision on Marcel needs to be respected. He wants to go out a winner too.

These are very wise words, mr62.

Bravo!!

P.S.

I wouldn’t set the bar for wins at such a low threshhold, though
the team may come together much faster than you think.

We have made a great deal of progress in the last 2 years
and several teams seem to have digressed from last year.

Last year, I was very disappointed that a more EXPERIENCED head Coach was not hired to replace
Taaffe. The previous off-season we passed on TOM HIGGINS ( ! ) and retained Charlie.
After that disaster, I thought mgmt. would surely take NO chances of repeating the previous 3-4 miserable seasons, and find a bona-fide PROVEN CFL Head Coach.
Replacing Taaffe with Marcel just astounded me ! Im not in favour of ON-THE-JOB training for Head Coaches anywhere...especially in light of OUR wretched performances of the recent seasons. Head Coaches NEED credentials !!! Otherwise, its another crapshoot, a real longshot…and our fans deserved better than that for their PERSERVERANCE and SUFFERING.
However, weve got what weve got…but the Pittsburgh Penguin scenario - coach-to-cup - is a rare happening.
My feeling is negative …I wont be surprised to see a change 8 games in. Unless ,of course, we do a Charlie II , and let him talk Obie into another season because we really feel " hes headed in the right direction". At which point Tiger-Cat fans take over from ARGO fans as the biggest saps in the league.
Until then, we STILL live in HOPE.

Winning solves a lot.....losing fuels the fire

So far, it's a 4 way tie for first (and last) in the East.......the standings change as of July 1st.

....that's all that's known as of now.

(stay tuned)

No I don't feel they made a bad choice in hiring Marcel. (YAWN) Could you pass the Penuts please

http://www.thespec.com/videogallery/588742 Haha... Sad...

I tend to agree with the overall sentiment of BigKitty ...

I, too, was baffled at the complete LACK of an EFFORT to even LOOK for a more qualified, accomplished and otherwise seasoned veteran HC.

In football, two of the MOST IMPORTANT people on the team are the HC, and the QB - in each of those positions, for the Tiger Cats, are two men with ZERO professional ACCOMPLISHMENTS to their name. How can ANYBODY be optimistic ?

For me, this season will be ALL about "the evening out" ... just looking for a good time, and an opportunity to enjoy cold beer on a hot summer day ... If the Cats can put together some W's - BONUS!!

Peace.

BigKIttywrote:
" I`m not in favour of ON-THE-JOB training for Head Coaches anywhere...especially in light of OUR wretched performances of the recent seasons. Head Coaches NEED credentials !!!"

 Big Kitty:   using this logic.... Montreal would never have come up with Marc Trestman and Wally Buono would have been passed over. Bart Andrus could be another example. The supply of head coaches would dry up quickly unless new people are given a chance. And.....just who was available last season?

Charlie had "credentials"...and where did that get us?
Obie has "credentials" and we got him. Smart move. Let him do his thing and respect his choices. By making Marcel head coach last year it brought some stability quickly and some hope for the future as the re-building got underway. It's way too early to be dumping on Marcel.

GIVE HIM A CHANCE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! :?

Who says he won't pull a John Huffnagel in his first full year as head coach? The most experience doesn't always make the best coach, look at Don Matthews last year. Brought in to Toronto because he was probably THE most experienced CFL head coach, and ended up leaving after a few games because the crapness of the Argo's was stressing him out.

Please people stop acting like Huffnagel and Trestman are good comparisons, neither of those walked into a team that had been the worst team in the league for the last 3 years and had an expected starting QB with under a season of experiance.

Huffnagel's assistant coach's resume it a LOT more impressive than Bellefeuille and you can argue that all Trestman did was not fail.

Andrus is a better examble, but MANY people feel the blew team have made a HUGE mistake.

And we are giving Bellefeuille a chance, we are sitting with are fingers crossed, all we are saying is that based on what we seen of him as an assistant, and last year as the head coach we think the Cats faith in him is misplaced.