I have noticed a trend with our GM Obie since he has been hired. He seems to lie a lot. It may be at the time he says these things that he believes it to be true but to be honest, I am starting to not trust Obie when he says anything.
Here are 3 examples:
In August, he comes out in support of Charlie Taffe, stating that his job is secure until the end of the season where they will reeavaluate the situation. Result: Less than 1 month later, Taffe is fired.
In October, he comes out and says that Marcel will be the interim coach, not the full time head coach and that after the season they will bring in candidates to interview. Result: Less than 1 month later, MB is named head coach and the interim title is removed.
In November, he comes out and says that Casey will battle out with Quinton Porter in training camp for the starting job. Result: 2 months later Obie is trying to trade him, make him take a paycut or possibly release him.
I don't have a problem with any of these moves. I have a problem when we as a fan base get told one thing and then the opposite happens.
Should we believe that Obie has offered Lumsden a contract 3 times during the last season but Jesse is choosing to wait until free agency?
If we could make a deal sending Casey somewhere or he has taken a paycut, I am okay with that but it doesn't need to be announced that somethings in the works until it actually happens.
Sports fans get lied to all the time but the Obie show is starting to tick me off.
I can't say that I agree with you. Obie deals with agents,other GMs, players and the fans.Why would he publically announce his strategies? Until there are announcements of finalized deals,relax and try to enjoy the games of misdirection that Obie and the other general managers play.
Pat Lynch(the old guy in section 7)
I agree with you. I like a person who does what they say. When they don't do as they say, I believe that person is not trustworthy and forthright................
I dont think he is liar so much as things change really fast and sometimes what he says he wants to do isnt the same as what he gets approval to do. Its like that with all gms and they have to use media sometimes and throw things out there for whatever reasons. I dont think he is any more of a liar than anyone else running sports teams. They gotta be like politicians at times. I find it funny though that obie could have to approach printers with a pay cut, lol. If pay cuts are based on performance then at least printers can use injuries as his excuse.
I don't want Obie to lie to us. I don't think he has. I do trust him to do his job. I don't want him to reveal his strategies to the public. That would be dumb.
Since all GMs in every sport play games of misdirection as Pat says, I'm not at all surprised that Obie does it too. I'd expect no less.
I suppose if every such comment he makes is taken as a "lie" when something else subsequently occurs for whatever reason, then he should perhaps never say anything at all. Then we could criticize him for that instead.
There the Truth and then there is the TRUTH..
Really when it comes to football it just Shades of grey there no black and white
When you a GM you have to be Poker player.
And really if he is lying it must be for a reason.
(Remember Roger Clemens calls it mis-remembering)
"A" if he is trying to move a player if he comes right out and says it other teams have him over a barrell.
If he tells our interm HC he has the job for next year Marcel could demand a kings ransom.
So long as the mis-remembers do not hurt anyone who cares.
When somebody asks you how are you do you say "fine" or "great" even if you are having a below average day?
It just may be the opposite....Obie may be too honest. When asked a question he responds honestly as to what he is thinking or what is going on - responding to something before things are finalized
so he is in a no win situation - speak the truth and things change and be labelled a "liar" or not say anything until things are done and be labelled - not media/fan "friendly" and allow rumours and speculation run through the team
No win situation for sure. If he answers "no comment" to every question, that says volumes, just like saying "I don't know". And in any of the situations above, I think the unstated phrase could be that is basically inherent at all times in someone in a management position is "I believe at this time that Charlie Taafe will stay to the end of the season..." etc. No different than most workplaces really. Tough one.
I can see where you're coming from but I just think that in the real world, you can't always put all your cards on the table face-up. I might take issue with Obie on a few things he's done but this wouldn't be one of them.
There is no way Obie has lied to us, IMO. I say that he tells us the truth as he sees it at each interview.
The world of football has ever changing conditions, some of which occur on a daily basis. This means that something he says today can be inappropriate for tomorrow.
This doesn't indicate that we have been lied to; it simply means that something new has come up and everything has to change.
With the exception of the Moreno trade, I think Obie has done a great job and will continue to do so.
Never let the facts get in the way of a good smear.
Obie wasnt the only one involved in the firing decision and went on the record saying he doesnt support mid-season coaching changes. Obie agonized over the decision and to say he knew he was going to fire Taaffe all along before the end of the season is baseless nonsense.
2.The day he named MB as interim he also highly praised him and said he would be on the "short list" for anyone interviwed-pretty much tipping his hand at which direction he was leaning.
Actually in Nov. 08 he said Printers returning was only a "possibility" but would have to battle Porter to be the starter and his salary would have to be restructured if he was to be backup-...
The person who posted this obviously does not follow sport business too closely.
Tell me..... what sports GM TELLS THE TRUTH??????
Every GM says the coach is safe. They have to show confidence in them to the public. What are they gonna say?? "Well, I have no trust in the guy so he'll most likely be gone by season's end. But until then I expect him to go out there and win some games for us."
Every GM expects his current players to be around next year. Again, what will he say..."Well, all of our stars this year really sucked, so I don't expect them to be around. By the way if any team is hearing this, you're not allowed to talk to him until we release him from his contract, so don't try to swindle us in any deals."
And I remember Obie saying that Marcel was interim coach for time being and toward the end of the season, his status as head coach will be decided.
Who in the world of sport doesn't lie?? Seriously...
Who in the world of sport doesn't "lie" or pretend to "lie"? Of course, what, when you ask administration of a sports team at the beginning of the year "do you see your team competitive this year?" I think 100 percent of admin people for sports teams would say this publicly, and they should, even if they pretty know darn well they are rebuilding and their team will probably stink! It isn't will you make the playoffs, it's are you going to be competitive. Words are words, and yes they can hurt and not hurt and be positive, not positive, but at the end of it all it's action on the field, ice etc. that counts. And you say competitive because you still need to sell tickets and that. It's all lies in some circumstances and we as fans really expect the lies to be quite honest.
It's called hope, just like with terminally ill patients, you never, ever want to take away hope even if hope means you have a 1 percent chance to make it alive for the next few weeks.
Pardon me but I actually do follow sports business closely, thank you very much.
Like I said in my original post, at the time he was probably telling the truth.
I'll put it to you this way, you make a couple mistakes at work, cost the company some money. Your boss comes to you and says, your job is safe until your review. Less than a month later, 3 months before your review, the boss says you are fired. You have been lied to.
I understand it wasn't Obie's 100% decision to fire his coach BUT he does have the last word on all football matters. I just don't get why you would come out and say that he is okay for now, then say good bye to him a short time later.
I understand that lies happen all the time in business.
I am just asking the question and I'm delighted to see and review all of the responses. I don't believe that Obie is a bold faced liar and is trying to trick us fans or other GMs in the league. I firmly believe that he is telling the truth at the time.
I think that I am a man of my word and I hope that Obie is too. But when you come out publicly and say that your coach is safe, then you should think that his job is safe.
The rest about Bellefeulle and Printers were just other instances where I have seen this. I don't follow every single team in the world and point out lies or misconceptions of every little thing BUT I have seen this with the Ticats and it kind of bugs me a little bit.
Do you like to be lied too? I know I don't.
Business is business. It's not a nice man's game. I realize that I am too nice in this kind of game. You have to be ruthless. I have no problems with that.
I am actually happy about Printers cuz I didn't think he deserved to come to camp. We have other QBs who have played better than him.
I was actually a little po'd when MB was named head coach because I was expecting a full search for our new head man. At the end of the season I became a fan of MB and think the right choice was being made.
For people who don't follow the team like we do on the forum, and they hear what Obie says, when pointed out to them, they probably would think that Obie told a fib or too.
Look, I like Obie and like the vision he has for this team now and in the future. I just hope that the rush decisions (Taffe firing / MB becoming full time head coach) they made work out for the best for the Ticats.
Sorry dude, no offense intended... guess I misinterpreted your original post.
I guess I just expect GMs to lie (or 'play it safe' as I call it) and make changes as need be. So IMHO, it really shouldn't be much of a surprise when one doesn't fulfill his promise.
