Revised Winter Thoughts
Thought that I was all done with Esk Football for several months, and that I could rest easy smiling inside during the winter, with a little flame of hope for a repeat Grey Cup/even dynasty burning quietly in my old cold gnarly heart.
Not anymore. Chris Jones leaving for Regina has me pretty concerned, peeved, and quashed my rare optimism.
Regina!!! Are you kidding us!!! Of all places. AND - ONE WEEK AFTER THE GREY CUP WIN!!!
It is very rare for a coach to leave their team after winning a Grey Cup. In fact, in 70 years only six others have done that:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/cfl-55...QDBHNlYwNzYw--
AND - only one of those six has gone to another CFL team (Don Mathews after Baltimore folded, so not at all comparable). SO, what CJ has done is unprecedented in the CFL.
These years, I do appreciate it must be very difficult for any team to maintain top level consistency year after year. Free agency, the draw of the NFL, salary caps, self-interest, injury and other factors mesh to rapidly unravel any winning team; to say nothing of poaching staff who are under contract.
The Esks WERE on their way to becoming an even greater team than the 2015 version. But now, not so much. Not at all I feel. Everything with the EE totally “up in the air” for 2016.
Nearly impossible for a new EE coach to live up to the accomplishments of the old one. Anything less than Divisional first place and a Grey Cup win will be considered an underachievement. Also –I think the EE players are now, through victory in battle, solidly bonded with CJ whom they respected and probably (from what I saw how he chewed out players) feared. Considering that, it will be very difficult for any new coach to crack into that core group and get inside the players’ heads.
I have no good wishes for CJ’s future. I do understand the career move, because that is how our world works now. But … maybe he could have shown some class and waited another year or until his contract was up. Also can’t imagine coach and general manager in Regina is his dream job either (shudder).
Another reason to dislike Regina for their ongoing unethical choices (obviously if Jones left one week after Grey Cup, negotiations had been ongoing for some time) and overall poor form.
(Oh yes, btw - folks, next year a good chance Regina will have a far better insight into our team than they did this year).
Consider also that our defense was number one, and that in addition to head coach CJ was our defensive coordinator
So, now, instead of relief and looking forward to next year – there is discontent and uncertainty.
EE prognosis for next year? Not as great, regardless of who the next coach is.
Not anymore. Chris Jones leaving for Regina has me pretty concerned, peeved, and quashed my rare optimism.
Regina!!! Are you kidding us!!! Of all places. AND - ONE WEEK AFTER THE GREY CUP WIN!!!
It is very rare for a coach to leave their team after winning a Grey Cup. In fact, in 70 years only six others have done that:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/cfl-55...QDBHNlYwNzYw--
AND - only one of those six has gone to another CFL team (Don Mathews after Baltimore folded, so not at all comparable). SO, what CJ has done is unprecedented in the CFL.
These years, I do appreciate it must be very difficult for any team to maintain top level consistency year after year. Free agency, the draw of the NFL, salary caps, self-interest, injury and other factors mesh to rapidly unravel any winning team; to say nothing of poaching staff who are under contract.
The Esks WERE on their way to becoming an even greater team than the 2015 version. But now, not so much. Not at all I feel. Everything with the EE totally “up in the air” for 2016.
Nearly impossible for a new EE coach to live up to the accomplishments of the old one. Anything less than Divisional first place and a Grey Cup win will be considered an underachievement. Also –I think the EE players are now, through victory in battle, solidly bonded with CJ whom they respected and probably (from what I saw how he chewed out players) feared. Considering that, it will be very difficult for any new coach to crack into that core group and get inside the players’ heads.
I have no good wishes for CJ’s future. I do understand the career move, because that is how our world works now. But … maybe he could have shown some class and waited another year or until his contract was up. Also can’t imagine coach and general manager in Regina is his dream job either (shudder).
Another reason to dislike Regina for their ongoing unethical choices (obviously if Jones left one week after Grey Cup, negotiations had been ongoing for some time) and overall poor form.
(Oh yes, btw - folks, next year a good chance Regina will have a far better insight into our team than they did this year).
Consider also that our defense was number one, and that in addition to head coach CJ was our defensive coordinator
So, now, instead of relief and looking forward to next year – there is discontent and uncertainty.
EE prognosis for next year? Not as great, regardless of who the next coach is.
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