OZZY GETS THE BOOT!!

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
#1

OZZY is off the team. :expressionless:

Shocking news for me!

http://scratchingpost.thespec.com

[b]“I was called in before Christmas,? said the 49-year-old who is the Tiger-Cats’ career scoring leader and holds most of the franchise kicking records. “They said they were going to go in a different direction. They didn’t give any kind of reason. I wasn’t going to sit and argue or debate. They had made up their minds at that point.?

Austin doesn’t want to discuss the coaching staff until it’s formally announced but it’s known that the only change from last year’s crew which coached the Cats to a Grey Cup appearance is the deletion of Osbaldiston[/b]

[b]Osbaldiston, who retired as a player in early 2004, joined the Cats’ coaching staff on a part-time basis under head coach Marcel Bellefeuille three years ago, then became the kicking coaching in 2012, helping then-new placekicker Luca Congi to a great season and helping acclimatize Australian punter Josh Bartel to the CFL . He was given more special teams responsibility under Austin and Reinebold last season, as well as continuing to work with kickers Congi, Josh Bartel and Brett Lauther and long snapper Kevin Scott.

But Congi struggled much of the year, and at one point lost the job to rookie Lauther, who in turn lost it back to Congi.

With the exception of Lauther, who may provide the long-term answer here, the entire 2013 kicking caravan has now departed, as former Cat punter/kicker Justin Medlock returns from the NFL to take up his dual portfolio for 2014. Scott is with the new Ottawa franchise, Congi was released and Bartel was traded to Saskatchewan.

Osbaldiston doesn’t think Congi’s periodic problems last year were the reason he wasn’t re-hired but does concede that the veteran Medlock won’t require much personal mentoring.

“He doesn’t need any, he’s very self aware,? said Osbaldiston, who started his Cats’ coaching stint in 2011, Medlock’s only season in black and gold. “I was around then, but not in a full capacity. I was working more with (Josh) Maveety then and occasionally I’d help Medlock a bit.?

Osbaldiston, who spent 18 seasons in Cat livery and was the kicker for the franchise’s only two Grey Cup victories in the past 42 years, admitted he’s “a little disappointed. I’ve been with the organization so long, and I love the organization so much.

“I enjoy coaching and I thought I was good at it, but at the end of the day, it’s one of those things that happen for a reason.

“For me to be a coach, it would be hard on the family, so I had to think long and hard about whether I want to down that road or not.?

And?

“No.?

Osbaldiston said there weren’t any openings around the CFL anyway and even if there had been, because of concern for his family he wouldn’t move out of this region to pursue a coaching career.

“How many guys do you know who coach in the same area for more than two or three years?? he asked rhetorically. “If I could coach around here, I’d coach until I’m 132 years old.

“I’ll always be a Tiger-Cat.?

And, we suspect, there’ll come a day when he’ll work for this franchise again.[/b]

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRGaxOxXpFc6Cx8XxIFoFCxk_jJiUlh6UD93i9SNPIv-e7smq7aqw

#2

I'm not happy with this decision. They should keep him around as a consultant or something. He's part of our tradition.

#3

What a horrible off season. We have now lost 2 faces of our franchise from the glory years (98/99)

#4

Ozzy should be Hired as an Ambassador for the Ti-Cats same as AC is for the Al's, if your going to move in a different direction coaching wise fine but Ozzy is so much a part of the Tiger-Cats and as the scoring leader should be made one of our key community and team leaders, the guy bleeds Black and Yellow, keep Ozzy on board!

EAT EM RAW TIGER-CATS!!!

#5

More indication that Austin’s leadership style is “his guys, his way”?

#6

As the the head coach and general manager who's guys and who's way should it be ?

#7

Sorry to see Ozzy gone, but anotherdork is exactly right.

#8

There is a reason Coach Austin is where he is and I am where I am. But all I can say to this is.... Booooooooooo.

#9

Didn't state a pro or con view on this leadership style for the Cats in this particular time, but I was suggesting that this is indicative of other moves he's made. As someone who has studied and taught on leadership and organization structure and change, it seems like Austin is a confirmed hierarchical leader and, I believe, that this is generally characteristic of QB's who move into coaching.

Some leaders are willing to work with aspects of an organization that predate them. Others want only those people that they select- sometimes even if the leftovers from another era are good people. Different approaches. Different understandings of loyalty. Different understandings of motivation. Each defensible.

There ARE also more collaborative approaches and delegative approaches to leadership and talent recognition/development. Different approaches work in different settings and situations. Some DO argue that the hard man school of leadership is the right approach for sports but I think that - to go to another sport - we can see how another "hard man," Mike Keenan, was a great hockey coach in some settings and a complete mess in others. Pick a sport and the same observations will - I believe - be noted.

#10

I agree with this 110%. BOB YOUNG PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS!!!

#11

Austin discusses coaching changes and that Ozzy will be offered a non coaching position on the team

[url=https://soundcloud.com/am900chml/kent-austin-discusses-2014?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=twitter]https://soundcloud.com/am900chml/kent-a ... um=twitter[/url]
#12

I think there's a risk of over-analyzing this.

I don't know that this change reveals KA's whole philosophical approach to coaching management. When you listen to the clip from CHML, he answered the question about Ozzy quite directly: with Medlock in place, we don't really need a kicking-specific coach, and it's a better utilization of coaching resources to deploy them in a different combination. He also said Ozzy will still have involvement with the organization as long as he wants to, though not as kicking coach because we're not going to have one.

This all makes sense to me. And it doesn't tell me that KA is hierarchical and non-collaborative in his orientation. Maybe he is. Maybe he's a bit of both. Maybe he doesn't fit a particular category.

I guess Ozzy's role will be defined in future, depending on what he wants to do, what he's offered, and what else he has available to do. I hope it works out, he's a good guy and much-beloved by Ticat fans.

#13

A look at one of the currently most successful sports franchises -the Chicago Blackhawks - it would be great to see many of the former Ticats brought in as fan ambassadors. It makes for a connection to the glory days of the franchise! I know Caretaker would fully support this if they would all wear red socks!

#14

Agreed. That's why I was asking. There's been speculation on this board that the handling of veterans, the hiring of Collaros, etc., were indicative of a certain approach. We currently have only a limited number of data points because we are outside of the organization looking in as fans.

It's just that for some of us, analyzing leadership styles and organizational moves is almost as interesting as analyzing player decisions and play designs. I imagine that the architects and engineers among us are waiting eagerly to get into the new stadium, the food services people will examine the concession arrangements and the menu selection, and there are likely all sorts of other occupational niches that I haven't mentioned. Fans are a diverse lot.

#15

I'm not happy about this either. I would have kept Ozzie over Reinbold. Austin did say they would keep Ozzie on in some capacity. I remember when he was an analyst on CHCH TV...he gave great insight into the game.

#16

More like a drop kick. :frowning:

#17

I remember also when Ozzy was doing the CHCH-TV analyst thing.I remember bumping into him somewhere a few years back and chatting him up about his TV gig and football in general.We both had a chuckle over the fact that the team was absolutely terrible when he was doing the show(remember it was during one of our 3-15 campaigns or the dark era from "05-08" as I like to call it).He said that it was hard to go on and do the segment and try to put a positive spin on things when the team was getting blown-out week after week and the Cats were the joke of the league back then,but he mentioned also on how much he loved the team and that they had nowhere to go but up and the fact that no matter how bad they were he would always be a true Cat fan,now that he wasn't playing anymore.So if your ever lucky enough to bump into Ozzy like I did,don't be afraid to approach him and talk to him,he is truly a classy guy who bleeds Black n Gold and a true Ti-Cat Icon and legend.I'm sure that Ozzy will resurface somewhere in the very near future in some capacity with the Cat organization,hopefully sooner than later. :cowboy:

#18

Regarding memories of Ozzy, here's a story that was never widely reported but does show what kind of respect many had for Paul:
In the second half of the 1990 season, David Beckman was the Cat head coach. Beckman was clearly over his head in this position. On a cold windy day in October, the Eskimos were hosting our Cats. Beckman, it was anonymously reported, was "under the weather"; a self-induced condition. Beckman called for Ozzy to kick a 55+ yarder against a 50 km/h wind. When Paul and his teammates objected because of the futility of the situation, Beckman grabbed Paul and slurred, "But you're the OOOZZZZ!"

#19

ROTFLMAO!!!! Yes sir that Beckman was a BEAUTY :lol: I can also recall a report of him going in at half-time and emerging from the tunnel for the 2nd half of most games with a personalized "water bottle" filled to the brim with another type of liquid in it besides water.The best one I heard though was the story of Beckman being so "under the weather" that he was crying after the Cats lost a pre-season game.The players thought so much of him as a coach,that they tanked to start the "91" season losing their first 8 games,just so they could get rid of him :lol:

#20

I think we are thinking with our hearts and Austin is thinking business.I have always enjoyed talking and watching OZZY...he is going to be missed!