2024 Edmonton Elks

[Sectionq]

At this point all we can hope for is that the delay in name a President is moreso tied to timing (ie. the top candidate's commitment to another organization forcing the team to delaying an announcement) than it is to indecisions or lack of candidates. Once we find out who it is, I suspect it will be clearer why it took this much time.

I hope that is the case. I think this team is at a critical time. Another losing season under their belts. Another year with no playoffs. They have some big decisions at some key positions, most notably QB. I know the offseason in the league hasn't started yet but IMO they have no time to waste. They have to take a legit step forward right away so the sooner they have the Pres and GM in place, the sooner they can do a deep, deep dive into the entire organization because I think there are some serious issues with the team and it doesn't come down to just all being Jones's fault. There was problems before Jones and they didn't seem to get better under his watch.

[bone]

I agree with you. Lelacheur when he agreed to come on, was never going to be there long term. He said he didn't want too be. He was just doing Edmonton a solid as they were such a disaster. I thought he would have been gone by now but I am guessing he stay on for the sale as I think he was involved in the BC sale. But I assumed the organization had been doing some looking for a Pres on their own before the sale. So there should have been some kind of list assembled. They worked on this sale for a LONG time and I would guess they knew who would be the winner probably a couple of months before it got announced so I assume there was lots of back and forth between lawyers paperwork wise and to finalize things as nothing legal ever goes fast. So I would assume Thompson knew he was the guy a while before he got announced. He would have known LeLacheur wasn't going to be the Pres long term. I assumed Thompson probably had an idea about the type of Pres he wanted. You don't make that much money being a fly by the seat of your pants guy. So I thought he would have been behind the scenes at least having the team reach out to candidates for him.

My assumption was they would have had a Pres in place before the season was over too allow the new Pres the chance to see how the team operates during a season. Give that person a chance to assess the intern GM, coaches, staff, etc when you are at your busiest. I have to think mid season is a lot busier than the offseason. Then the new Pres can make a more educated decision on who to keep and who to let go because that person watched them operate vs going off what they was told and what they heard.

The organization can limit the intern guys to a degree on making moves but the team still has to operate to some capacity. You can sign players like they have been. You can let players know they won't be back. You can make staffing changes. It doesn't make sense to me that the Pres isn't in place and that they are letting the intern guy make decisions when he might not be the guy in charge in a few months. What if he tells a player the team doesn't want him back, pisses that player off, then the new GM decides the opposite?

I know the Pres is a very important hire but IMO, there doesn't appear to be a lot of urgency. I hope behind the scenes, I am wrong.

At this point all we can hope for is that the delay in name a President is moreso tied to timing (ie. the top candidate's commitment to another organization forcing the team to delaying an announcement) than it is to indecisions or lack of candidates. Once we find out who it is, I suspect it will be clearer why it took this much time.

[Sectionq]

On the surface, it is all pretty disappointing. The president search should be near-done and Thompson and that guy should be rolling out the plan, not Lelacheur.

To think Simon has no constraints right now really suggests to me that he may be left in the job - or it’s a bit rudderless now. Neither would be a good look.

I agree with you. Lelacheur when he agreed to come on, was never going to be there long term. He said he didn't want too be. He was just doing Edmonton a solid as they were such a disaster. I thought he would have been gone by now but I am guessing he stay on for the sale as I think he was involved in the BC sale. But I assumed the organization had been doing some looking for a Pres on their own before the sale. So there should have been some kind of list assembled. They worked on this sale for a LONG time and I would guess they knew who would be the winner probably a couple of months before it got announced so I assume there was lots of back and forth between lawyers paperwork wise and to finalize things as nothing legal ever goes fast. So I would assume Thompson knew he was the guy a while before he got announced. He would have known LeLacheur wasn't going to be the Pres long term. I assumed Thompson probably had an idea about the type of Pres he wanted. You don't make that much money being a fly by the seat of your pants guy. So I thought he would have been behind the scenes at least having the team reach out to candidates for him.

My assumption was they would have had a Pres in place before the season was over too allow the new Pres the chance to see how the team operates during a season. Give that person a chance to assess the intern GM, coaches, staff, etc when you are at your busiest. I have to think mid season is a lot busier than the offseason. Then the new Pres can make a more educated decision on who to keep and who to let go because that person watched them operate vs going off what they was told and what they heard.

The organization can limit the intern guys to a degree on making moves but the team still has to operate to some capacity. You can sign players like they have been. You can let players know they won't be back. You can make staffing changes. It doesn't make sense to me that the Pres isn't in place and that they are letting the intern guy make decisions when he might not be the guy in charge in a few months. What if he tells a player the team doesn't want him back, pisses that player off, then the new GM decides the opposite?

I know the Pres is a very important hire but IMO, there doesn't appear to be a lot of urgency. I hope behind the scenes, I am wrong.

[BeaverSports]

On the surface, it is all pretty disappointing. The president search should be near-done and Thompson and that guy should be rolling out the plan, not Lelacheur.

To think Simon has no constraints right now really suggests to me that he may be left in the job - or it’s a bit rudderless now. Neither would be a good look.

[Sectionq]

If the whole Pres thing is going to take at least a month, then a GM has to be found, I am curious to know how the team handles now until when ever a Gm is named. Just let Geroy do whatever he wants? I listened to his interview and he says he's acting like it's his job.

I guess no contract is guaranteed but at the same time, do you want him signing guys or making calls on guys not to try to sign him if he isn't the guy? I wouldn't.

[BeaverSports]

i could...but I cant. if its a TSN guy it'll all be for TSN not the league. the league is already a play thing for TSN - what they want they get and those the oppose suffer dearly. *cough cough* Mic gate.

The mic thing needed some tweaks, for sure, but I think it was a good thing for the viewers. I know it is going to seem like I'm pumping Graham's tires, though I have never met the man, but before rising to the executive suites at TSN, he started out as a lowly football reporter in Edmonton of all places. He's either a football guy or enough of a professional that he found a way to survive around the league and the game for many years. Either could be an asset to the league or team's front office.

[Esks4ever]

Or you could argue having the guy that was calling the shots at TSN with an eye to what was best for the network now calling the shots for what is best for the league may be improvement.

i could...but I cant. if its a TSN guy it'll all be for TSN not the league. the league is already a play thing for TSN - what they want they get and those the oppose suffer dearly. *cough cough* Mic gate.

[bone]

oh ****ing great a TSN guy as commish. They've already turned the CFL to **** while not having a commander of the league....

Or you could argue having the guy that was calling the shots at TSN with an eye to what was best for the network now calling the shots for what is best for the league may be improvement.

[Esks4ever]

Glad to see you still have a sense of humour. My guess is he re-signs for somewhere around Dru Brown money after he realizes his best chance to start will be with Edmonton.

Also wondering now if the TSN guy might not be the next Commissioner rather than joining the Elks. Even more curious is who is going to be the football guy that knows what they are doing.

oh ****ing great a TSN guy as commish. They've already turned the CFL to **** while not having a commander of the league....

[bombervu]

Surely you jest. The CFL pundits don't think he's good enough to be a starting QB up here so I highly doubt it.

Glad to see you still have a sense of humour. My guess is he re-signs for somewhere around Dru Brown money after he realizes his best chance to start will be with Edmonton.

Also wondering now if the TSN guy might not be the next Commissioner rather than joining the Elks. Even more curious is who is going to be the football guy that knows what they are doing.

[Esks4ever]

Re-signing Rankin is a no-brainer, but it could’ve likely waited until after Grey Cup.

I’m just fascinated about what chain of command is right now. Let’s say the next decision isn’t as easy. If MBT comes asking for an extension, say, does Simon have the green light to make a football decision or are those parsed with oversight from Thompson and/or Lelacheur? If I’m media, I’m asking that question.

Edmonton Media won't ask good questions like that.

[turftoe27]

Here’s a list of prospective free agents: https://3downnation.com/2024/10/27/t...ee-agent-list/

Who do you bring back and not?

For me, offensively, I’d like Leake back and Ivey is a must too. Mayala and Jones impressed. I’d be OK with Ford at the right price.Szott was a nice add for the big packages. The others I’m not sure on. Lewis is great, but costs a lot of money.

Defensively, it’s hard not to bring Morgan back, and I thought Oakman was a great add. Moncrief struck me as a decent leader too. Bratton should be back and I feel like Hutter is a good special teamer. Purifoy may come down to money for me.

Thanks for that list. Good to see Julien will be back.

[BeaverSports]

Here’s a list of prospective free agents: https://3downnation.com/2024/10/27/t...ee-agent-list/

Who do you bring back and not?

For me, offensively, I’d like Leake back and Ivey is a must too. Mayala and Jones impressed. I’d be OK with Ford at the right price.Szott was a nice add for the big packages. The others I’m not sure on. Lewis is great, but costs a lot of money.

Defensively, it’s hard not to bring Morgan back, and I thought Oakman was a great add. Moncrief struck me as a decent leader too. Bratton should be back and I feel like Hutter is a good special teamer. Purifoy may come down to money for me.

[BeaverSports]

But he won't even be a gadget guy here. This is the league to build a resume and he declined on being a gadget guy here.

Fair. I just wonder if he goes into free agency, finds out the grass isn’t greener anywhere else with starting offers and it becomes more lucrative to be a gadget there than here.

[turftoe27]

This is the product of a player being a jerk and a team jerking him around and so we all speculate until the cows come home. At the end of the day, Tre Ford will be in the CFL next year, probably with an Eastern team, and he'll have to fight his way to a QB position because that's clearly what he wants. Best of luck to him.

I've had this horrible thought that he might want to be Blue Bomber and join his brother. Collaros has to be in his mid 30's now, and there is not much at backup QB there.