Is Eric Tillman poised to be the next GM of the Argos now that he's been fired?

[Argonauter]

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2012/11/0...esident-rhodes

Tillman had a year remaining on his contract.

And what follows might be the biggest reason of all for firing Tillman.

There was no mention of the idea that Tillman, who didn’t make a single road trip all year other than the one for the game in Toronto, had a desire to leave the Eskimos to take over as general manager of the Argos — one that may be shared by Argos owner David Braley.

Four separate sources, inside the Eskimos organization believe it has a good chance to happen.
“It’s very believable,” said perhaps the most prominent of them all.

“It’s conceivable that’s where he ends up,” said an executive level source.

The concept is so believable, your agent learned that retiring CEO and president Rick LeLacheur felt it was his duty to heads-up Rhodes and the board of directors a few weeks following the Ricky Ray trade that such word was out there.




http://www.thestar.com/sports/footba...m-eric-tillman


There has been speculation that Tillman could be returning to Toronto despite Argonauts GM Jim Barker still having one year remaining on his deal. Tillman’s name has also been mentioned as a potential GM of Ottawa’s expansion franchise.




That last part is wrong. Barker does not have one year left on his deal. Barker's deal is up this year. The only thing that doesn't make sense is why would the Argos hire him when they're committed to Ricky Ray and Tillman just traded him to us?

[Ron]

Tilman would ruin Toronto the way he ruined Edmonton ... and Ottawa.

[Argocister]

Okay..... I'm usually skeptical of journalists....... The Edmonton sun article makes it sound as if there is more behind the scenes than just Tillman..... The option of Tillman going to the Argos may be a jab at TO because of the Ray deal.
Plus, of all the papers to pick this up....the article was referenced in the Star .... Of all the Argo friendly papers. ( put sarcasm face here) .... I'm not in TO nor do I follow the papers there ( too much CIS and CFL sites to follow) but does the Toronto Sun take much credence in this? I'm not sure I do ..... But maybe my blue glasses won't let me

[paulwoods13]

IMO, there is no chance Tillman gets hired by the Argos a year after he gifted them a Hall of Fame QB. The whispers about conspiracy would get too strong.

[Nob]

I'm not discounting the theory that Tillman could end up in Toronto. Does anything really surprise us anymore as a CFL fan?

[OV Argo]

I'm not discounting the theory that Tillman could end up in Toronto. Does anything really surprise us anymore as a CFL fan?

Nope! - nothing would surprise me; least-wise, an over-rated, ego maniac clown like Tillspin getting re-hired / recycled in the good ole CFL; there are some really clueless @$$-hats in a number of key positions - GMs, HCs, OCs, DCs - in this league now IMO, making questionable moves or repeating same-sold/same-old procedures; and they get to hide behind mediocre or pi$$-poor football teams with excuses or else the sort of parity in the league, with no 2 or 3 real powerhouse teams to expose them - so a lot of close games between some of the mediocre teams. And good thing Tillspin handed Ray over to the Argos - hate to see what the record would have been like this year with a Jyles or some other Lemon at QB.

However, as Argo fans, we should probably hope the Bombers continue to go with the likes of Mack, Burke and Crowton and the Pussycats with Obie and Cortez. Just please don't let that legend in his own mind, idiot Tillspin anywhere near this Argo team ever again please; not sure what i would do if that happened - might seriously reconsider my decades old alleigance to the Argos.

[Gill The Thrill]

Tilman would ruin Toronto the way he ruined Edmonton ... and Ottawa.

You're right, with a final tally of 491 points against making the Argos the 6th best team in total defense only ahead of only Winnipeg and Hamilton, we're seeing the makings of a dynasty ala the Eskimos from 1978-82....c'mon man, the Argos still need a lot of work to be great. The offence is moving the ball well, but only against the Hamilton defense on a consistent. Both the offense and defense has been inconsistent this year and have not shown up for every game...9-9 would indicate that.

It's good that the Argos are in the playoffs and hosting a game, but they did not exactly bust the door down in the 2nd half of the season. They had a losing record which was thankfully made more respectable by winning their final 2 games....that's the good news....the bad news is that the Argos have not won 3 games in a row all season....hope that changes on November 11.

[Gill The Thrill]

a lot of close games between some of the mediocre teams. And good thing Tillspin handed Ray over to the Argos - hate to see what the record would have been like this year with a Jyles or some other Lemon at QB
.

The Argos would have been 4-14, maybe not that bad, but not better than there 6-12 record last season and the Ticats with this exact team would have have been 8-10. The Argos defense would have been on the field for massive amounts of time and would have ended up the worst defense because they would have just been physically exhausted by the end of every game without Ray to mount some drives especially in the 2nd half of the season...the defense did play well early in the year from weeks 1-7 when the offense sputtered even under Ray, but since then, the D has taken steps back and the offense has shown signs of life over really the last 2 weeks with Ray back and in the previous 3 games before his injury. The Bombers might have actually taken 2nd place in the East without Ray playing in Toronto. Remember the Argos barely beat the Bombers on July 18 when Ray put together a late drive.

Just as much as the Argos are on the cusp of being potentially really good, they're also on the cusp of dropping down just as they did from 2010 to 2011 with some wrong moves, so in essence they are treading water...the only real motor on the team which makes things more optimistic is Ricky Ray. He's much more stable at QB than the last guy we had when the Argos were 9-9. Milanovich is a better judge in talent imo than Barker (see Cory Boyd move) so I'm more confident there, not totally sold on Chris Jones system but he has won and it is at least a system, although sometimes a soft system which does not blitz enough imo....then again, Stubler's system was similar in that it was a 'bend don't break' system which gave up many yards but no big plays in the red zone and got many turnovers. It's a defense which is only as strong as its personell. (What system really isn't based on player abilities)

[AngeloV]

It wouldn't surprise me to see ET end up in Hamilton once O'B retires.

[Midnight Blue]

As I just wrote on the "other" GM thread, I have no problem with Jim Barker. He has brought in some good players, he brought in Scott Milanovich, and we are hosting a playoff game. Hell, even the back-ups looked amazing, in the recent win over the 'Cats. (Ok, maybe not amazing, but pretty darn good.)

[Argocister]

As I just wrote on the "other" GM thread, I have no problem with Jim Barker. He has brought in some good players, he brought in Scott Milanovich, and we are hosting a playoff game. Hell, even the back-ups looked amazing, in the recent win over the 'Cats.

I'm with you on this one ...... Keep Barker. Not interested in a change at this point.

[argotom]

It wouldn't surprise me to see ET end up in Hamilton once O'B retires.

That appears to be a good possibility, either way ET is heading back to Southern Ontario.

[ArgoRavi]

It wouldn't surprise me to see ET end up in Hamilton once O'B retires.

That is what I believe is more likely to happen. As I said on another Tillman thread, it is interesting that there are four sources within the Edmonton organization claiming that Tillman is Toronto-bound. They wouldn't happen to have great motivation this week for saying that, would they? As I have also said, Tillman to Toronto makes no sense when you consider that he has never worked with Milanovich or Chris Jones before and declared that Ricky Ray's best days are behind him. The last thing that the Argos need is a Tillman overhaul as the team is on the right path as is.

[Midnight Blue]

Maybe Tillman will accept an Assistant GM role, under Barker. You know, re-training ... a chance to learn from the Master. Tillman could contribute too, by teaching Barker how to hide 47 Quarterbacks, on the negotiation list.

Cheers !

[Invader]

There is zero chance Tillman will be back in Toronto. Even if the Argos wanted him, the optics of him coming here after trading away the Esks franchise player to the Argos, are just too contentious. ET isn't that good that the Argos would risk sullying their reputation with any hint of impropriety.

[gilthethrill]

Maybe Tillman will accept an Assistant GM role, under Barker. You know, re-training ... a chance to learn from the Master. Tillman could contribute too, by teaching Barker how to hide 47 Quarterbacks, on the negotiation list.

Cheers !

The Argos have an Assistant GM in Chris Jones. I don't See ET in Hamilton either....those fans would eat him and who ever hired him alive. I think Barker stays put.

[Gill The Thrill]

There is zero chance Tillman will be back in Toronto. Even if the Argos wanted him, the optics of him coming here after trading away the Esks franchise player to the Argos, are just too contentious. ET isn't that good that the Argos would risk sullying their reputation with any hint of impropriety.

I hate to say this, but the Argos have long had the reputation in Western Canada as being the "welfare team" of the CFL that is continually helped or augmented by moves initiated from the league office. It may not be totally true, but it is a perception. Remember in the mid 90's, the Argos were coming off a 4-14 season in 1995, then voila, Doug Flutie comes in through a possible league initiated move to help the Argos and Stamps former owner Larry Ryckman from having to pay his personal services contract to Doug...Voila #2...enter Don Matthews as head coach after Baltimore had transferred to Montreal along with his backup RB, Robert Drummond, a back capable of starting on any team....other moves were made on D and the lines which suddenly turned the 4-14 Argos in '95 to back to back 15-3 seasons in '96 and '97. Once Flutie left, the team still was decent in '98 but started floundering again by 2000....so this reputation is what the Argos have to be fighting for the last 20 years...The organization needs to be consistent through having a capable upper management that can foster local ties and develop football at the grassroots in the GTA while FINDING and DEVELOPING the BEST CANADIANS to play on their team...they are slowly achieving this to their credit, and perhaps even Barker, as relunctant as I am to giving him credit is partly responsible for this, so in that respect I can understand the sentiment that fans have as far as not "upsetting the apple cart" that the team has developed with him. Barker did smartly remove himself from the Head coaches gig and hired a guy with decent standards of professional accountability in Milanovich, so maybe a change is not the best thing right now.

I still think this team could do much better in player personell and in the bringing in of quality players...too many projects of guys who've had trouble elsewhere were initially brought in by Barker, but I notice there is not as much of that this season. Let's not start about the Canadian draft, but the Argos have some good Canadians and it's a credit to Barker that he was seen taking in the Guelph/Queen's OUA Semi-Final game yesterday.

[Midnight Blue]

I'd sign Jim Baker to a five year contract (assuming he doesn't have one already). He has an anger, a pissed-off-idness about him, which confirms the fire in his soul. So did Cleo Lemon, by the way. Which is why I always rooted for him. It is called passion. But not just your regular passion -- it is a pissed-off passion. Anger is a very motivating emotion. It activates potential that is not normally there. Unless you get really pissed off, you cannot normally access it.

I think I will now throw a devastating block on my balcony concrete retaining wall.


Ka 'Pla !

[Midnight Blue]

The Argos have an Assistant GM in Chris Jones. I don't See ET in Hamilton either....those fans would eat him and who ever hired him alive. I think Barker stays put.

I was only joking about Tillman as Assistant GM. Sometimes my humour is only apparent to myself (and 1argoholic).

Cheers !

[Midnight Blue]

I'd sign Jim Baker to a five year contract (assuming he doesn't have one already). He has an anger, a pissed-off-idness about him, which confirms the fire in his soul. So did Cleo Lemon, by the way. Which is why I always rooted for him. It is called passion. But not just your regular passion -- it is a pissed-off passion. Anger is a very motivating emotion. It activates potential that is not normally there. Unless you get really pissed off, you cannot normally access it.

I think I will now throw a devastating block on my balcony concrete retaining wall.


Ka 'Pla !

Damn, that felt good ! Left shoulder-arm, mid level. If my balcony wall had balls, it would now have two pancakes!


Ka 'Pla !


Can you tell I'm ready for the playoffs ?