Smells like a setup

Something stinks around this Charlie Taaffe mess.
I think that the organization and the fans were setup by Taaffe, UWV, Bill Stewart and the entire 'lie, cheat & steal' mentality that festers in sports south of here. I believe that this was leaked to the WV press, or maybe the reporter was in cahoots, to test the reaction of the Ticats organization, thinking that possibly they could steal Charlie and they wouldn't really care. I really think this was a done deal long ago and is only arising now because they believe they figured out how to get around Taaffe's contract.
If Charlie Taaffe has interviewed for a college job in the States then he has no honour, terminally lacking in the sports world today anyway so I guess we should not expect it in Charlie, and would never be trusted north of the border ever again, something that Taaffe should think about after his son has graduated and moved on. And if he accepts a job that he interviewed for while holding the position as the Ticats head coach then he should be taken to task along with UWV, Bill Stewart et al for remuneration for breach of contract, tampering, costs for new coach search, legal costs etc. etc. etc. Who is going to trust Charlie down there either, I guess all of the dishonourable organizations would.
It is funny that I read a post on the UWV website that read.....'Do the Canadiens think a signed coaching contract is really worth anything?'
I guess it isn't if you have no honour.
I also guess that 'winning isn't everything, it's the only thing' not only on the field, even in the coaches room, the head office, the board room, wherever.
Disillusioned, I am.

If Charlie resigns and Hamilton hasn't given him any up front money, there's not much they can do. You can't MAKE somebody coach. This happens all the time in football coaching circles. You move on. All the coaches and GM's understand. They know next time it could be them who gets a better offer.

What setup? Mitchell fired his boss, in most cases bringing in a new GM brings in a new coaching staff IE: Tillman, Barker.

Then Bigh Mouth Mitchell goes on the air and says that it will be the new GM's decision to retain Taafe and his staff or not.

Of course Taafe started making phone calls. Wouldn't you? Out of this came at least two interested parties: Montreal, UWV...

Taafe for whatever reason decided he dosen't want to stay for any of the following reasons:

1-Promises of making playoff
2-Displayed methods and abilities of OBilovich
3-Selection of coordinators

Mitchell then said this. We are commited to Charlie UP TO 2009... In other words despite having 2 years on his contract. They are only commiting to one more year.

Why would Taafe go along with this when he can get a 4 year deal with people he knows he can work with?

Taafe didn't setup anyone, he reacted and opportunities came. Now they can force him to stay but he could "retire the day before training camp" or do the minimum his job demands. In other words if the Ticats force him to stay they are slashing their own necks and Taafe will join MWV university at some point anyway as they can fill the position for the short term and put in place Taafe's schemes and playbook and wait out the Ticats.

Mitchell had the "right" to act the way he did but Taafe's actions are logical and in order with anyone who is well regarded in his field of work. Most people in his situation would have done and do the same.

If he wants out or has mixed loyalties the faster the Ticats let him go the more chances they will be allowed to speak to employed candidates like Marshall or Hall and the more time the new HC will have to work with the GM to prepare for the upcoming season.

:thup: I concur. I basically said the same thing on the other thread (the "big" one)

I think once management sits down and analyses the situation they will see that this is an opportunity for them to completely start fresh. Obviously hiring Creehan takes out the possibility of hiring Higgins but there are lots of good candidates out there.

I would start with 3 guys.

Greg Marshall
Kevin Strasser
Chris Jones

I do not criticize Taaffe’s actions now either. From the get go he has been held in limbo by the organization. He has been hung out to dry in the media by Mitchell repeatedly, and Mitchell also said that CT would not pick his own coordinators. It sounds like Mitchell is running and/or coaching this team.

Remember, Mitchell was not even part of the organization when Charlie was hired, and SM was supposed to be on “the business side” - as if anybody couldn’t see this coming. This is the hazard of having an agent run your team. Agents air out grievances in the media to gain leverage and have instant gratification in mind, not long term stability and improvement. That’s is why the 'Cats were “committed to Charlie in '08,” not '09. He is not a bad guy for dumping them before they dumped him.

I would think it was actually rather honourable of Charlie to try to re-sign his assistants before flying the coupe. Assistants get canned with the header, and it would seem that he tried to protect them before leaving.

The way I see it.....

  • Charlie had good reason to look around when he was told his future was up to the new G-M. So he contacted his buddies. Good move on his part. Wouldn't we all be looking given his situation?
  • so it comes out that he has been talking to Bill Stewart re the Mountaineers job. No deal signed but Charlie has a job if he needs it.
    -the talks with Stewart get leaked out along with Charlie's hiring which turned out to be wrong. Bad reporting.
  • Scott Mitchell gives us chapter and verse re Charlie's position to maintain the team's legal standing re the exisiting contract. Why was he so willing to ignore the same contract when it came to letting the new G-M decide if he should be kept on?
    So...this now leaves us with a coach who still may jump ship because the deal with Stewart gets him back to familiar territory and staff.
    I think Mitchell should offer Charlie a way out and forget about the legal posturing to make it tougher for Charlie. Heck..he's been screwed over already because of the threat of likely losing his job by the new G-M.
    My take?
    Bite the bullet.This has become too awkward a situation for both sides. Let Charlie go. Find another Head Coach.

Powerful post allezmew.

I think you post also highlights the difference of philosophy between Mitchell and Desjardins. One wanted instant gratification the other was building for the long term.

Mitchell is continuing to promise immediate results, that is his right but anyone who understands football knows this almost never happens. Building a football team takes 2 to 4 years of discipline, hard work and continued philosophy. Saskatchewan's situation is different as there was huge depth of talent there already more of an underachiever then a rebuilding project.

The other thing that I find interesting is that for an organisation promising immediate improvement, off season moves, signings and action has been slowwwww...I understand Taafe's reasoning.

Baldy's idea that this story was
leaked to the press is interesting.

If Charlie had told Scott right away
that he had an offer and wanted out

we would have screamed
for his head on a platter

We did that last Thursday
when the rumours started.

We were fed information bit by bit
as we have waited see if he's going.

This gave us time to get past our emotions
and helped us towards a logical conclusion.

which may be

if Charlie's heart isn't in Hamilton
the team may be better off without him.

Its a bloody conspiracy!?

DAVE RITCHIE ASAP will solve all this BS This whole situation smells worse then a Coke Oven Byproducts plant PEWWWWWWWW :thdn: :thdn: :lol:

too old

Old Man Ritchie who’s Bomber Team where Laughable.
No Thanks.

Ticats have OB as their old wiseman, that's covered.

If it was my team. I would bring either

Blake Nill: Master's degree, players coach and no push over

or

Kevin Strasser: Brilliant young coach with CFL experience

I certainly wasn't implying that Charlie Taaffe set this thing up himself, what I was saying was that the story came out and then was denied by all. That was the setup. Then comes the sting where Charlie leaves and Bill Stewart gets what he wants and to heck with anyone else.
I don't blame Taaffe for looking around as long as it was for the right reasons and as long as last season with the Ticats wasn't just an interim position until something better came along.
Perhaps I am too cynical at this point. I was a great admirer and supporter of Charlie Taffee last season, even up to the end. I thought that his skills did not shine through as they should have and wanted to blame others for that. However as the saga continues I tend now to doubt Taaffe's sincerity.
The worst thing to come out of this is that it probably was almost a wasted season for the Ticats. The best thing was that there were some players who shone through all of the muck.

Hey your talking about OB and his buddy you want to put some cash on this! Ritchie did a good job in BC as D coordinator why not??? he lives in Pittsburgh PA Bob and his Bud wait and see Folks its a bloody conspiracy :lol:

Timing is important balancing present and future needs is important. Balance is what has been missing more then anything in Hamilton.

Richie is a good coach but he is too old in this situation. You can't have two guys close to 70 years old rebuilding a football team !

The next coach has to be able to sell the Ticats to players, FA's and prospects. No one is going to want to tie their career to a couple geriatrics. This is pro ball.

OB can hire Richie if he wants but it is another bandaid solution. Recycling in the CFL dosen't stop with Cohon's green initatives LOL!

Very Simple It another Short Term Patch Job.
I rather we Bring in someone who wants to be here 3 to 5 years not 1 or 2.

When one looks at the timelines of the decision by the Ticats to retain Charlie Taaffe and the timelines of the West Virginia University coaching change, one is led to conclude that new Ticat general manager did his coaching review due diligence quickly and Charlie Taaffe intended to commit to coach the Ticats for the 2008 season and did not have a "master plan" to leave the Ticats at that time. Here are the timelines gathered from numerous sources:

Dec 5/07- Bob O'Billovich is named the new Ticat GM

Dec 13/07- Ticats announce that Taaffe would continue on as head coach of the team

Dec 16/07- WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez tells his players that he is taking the head coaching job at Michigan and tenders letter of resignation to be effective Jan 3/08 but states that he would not appear as head coach of WVU at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan 2/08

Dec 17/07- Rodriguez is introduced at the new head coach of the Michigan Wolverines

Dec 18/07- Rodriguez informs UWV that his resignation would be effective at midnight that night. The WVU quarterbacks coach, Bill Stewart, becomes the interim head coach at WVU.

Jan 2/08- WVU beats Oklahoma 48 to 28 in the Fiesta Bowl

Jan 3/08- Bill Stewart is named head coach of WVU and receives a five year contract at a base salary of $800,000.00 per year.

Jan 10/08- Reports were published in some West Virginia newspapers, including the Charleston Daily Mail, that Charlie Taaffe was the new offensive co-ordinator at WVU.

Based on these timelines, Charlie Taaffe could not have known that Bill Stewart would become the head coach at West Virginia University when Taaffe agreed stay on as head coach of the Ticats. Furthermore, Stewart did not have any authority to hire assistant coaches until he became the head coach on Jan 3/08. Therefore, this opportunity has only arisen for Taaffe within the past week or so.

Now Taaffe is at a crossroads. He can either stay on as the head of the Ticats at a reported annual salary of approximately $300,000.00 or he can negotiate a mutual release from his contract with the Ticats and accept the position of offensive co-ordinator with the number six ranked NCAA football program in the United States at a comparable salary with an opportunity to work closer to home and a chance to advance to an NCAA head coaching position if he is successful at WVU. Whatever path he chooses, it needs to happen soon.

Nice Summary of the facts.

Teacher gives you an A+.

I agree 100% Bring on Dave. And Dave always liked
Danny Mac. So there will be Obie, Dave, and Danny
plus the rest.

I LOVE IT!!! :thup: :thup: