Tabbies to sign Austin as HC

[bluto]

As per Drew Edwards at the Scratching Post:

Kent Austin is coming to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The former Saskatchewan Roughrider coach is returning to the CFL after a five-year absence to become head coach and general manager of the Ticats. Austin, who had a ten-year career as a CFL quarterback and coached the Riders to the 2007 Grey Cup, resigned from his position as head coach of Cornell University this morning and is expected to be introduced at a news conference in Hamilton later today.
The move comes less than a week after the team fired head coach George Cortez and announced that general manager Bob O'Billovich would likely move into a consulting role with the club. Cortez went 6-12 in his first season at the helm and the team missed the playoffs.
The Ticats reportedly pursued Austin at this time last year after firing coach Marcel Bellefeuille but the 49-year-old elected to stay at Cornell. He has an 11-19 record in three years with the Big Red.

http://scratchingpost.thespec.com/

Nobody can deny that his one season as a Head Coach in the CFL was a roaring success (Grey Cup, making Joseph an MOP)... but for me, i was never impressed by him and attributed the 07 Riders title run more to their personnel than their HC. Flutie knows that he was an utter bust as an OC here...

Can Austin give Hamilton its first above .500 team since 2001? Will they give him more than a year to prove himself (especially if the going gets rough)? Is there enough off-season left to bring in a cast of good complementary coaches and coordinators for Kent, re-sign free agents, pursue other team's FAs and to do proper scouting?

To me, those are the questions.

[Midnight Blue]

As per Drew Edwards at the Scratching Post:


http://scratchingpost.thespec.com/

Nobody can deny that his one season as a Head Coach in the CFL was a roaring success (Grey Cup, making Joseph an MOP)... but for me, i was never impressed by him and attributed the 07 Riders title run more to their personnel than their HC. Flutie knows that he was an utter bust as an OC here...

Can Austin give Hamilton its first above .500 team since 2001? Will they give him more than a year to prove himself (especially if the going gets rough)? Is there enough off-season left to bring in a cast of good complementary coaches and coordinators for Kent, re-sign free agents, pursue other team's FAs and to do proper scouting?

To me, those are the questions.

"Can Austin give Hamilton its first above .500 team since 2001?"

Yes. Eventually.


"Will they give him more than a year to prove himself (especially if the going gets rough)?"

Absolutely.


"Is there enough off-season left to bring in a cast of good complementary coaches and coordinators for Kent, re-sign free agents, pursue other team's FAs and to do proper scouting?"

Maybe.



I like and want a strong Ti-Cat team. Great for Football in Southern Ontario.

Great for keeping the Argos' skills sharp.


The only cross-overs I really want to see, are giant snowballs catapulted from Kenora, Ontario ice-rinks in July (surface slush-removal sediment), into the center of Winnipeg. Will make them (both) feel right at home.

[zontar]

Pro-Austin fans in SSK would argue what made Austin out of the ordinary is he got the most out of his players and gave them confidence in both him and the direction of the team - something Cortez could not say (this year anyway)

[ArgoRavi]

Austin as a GM is rolling the dice a little but we will see if that gamble pays off soon enough. He will need some help in the form of an assistant GM and/or player personnel director although Joe Womack, if he is retained, should be able to help.

[tc23]

Meet the New Boss !

http://watch.tsn.ca/#clip828429

[argolio]

Will they give him more than a year to prove himself (especially if the going gets rough)?

I think Austin easily gets 2013 (with no home stadium to play in) and 2014 (debut of the new stadium) even if things get rough. Not to mention they'll still be paying Cortez.

[1argoholic]

Way too much on his plate and not sure he'll get it done. Hopefully he fails.

[paulwoods13]

Hopefully he fails.

I hope he succeeds in making the Ticats a competitive force at the top of the division. The best thing that could happen in 2013, to build on what happened this year, is for both southern Ont teams to be strong at the same time. As long as one is up and one is down (or both are down, as has happened too often in the past two decades), the CFL is not top of mind among many sports fans around here. But if and when both get good at the same time, interest will rise among casual fans -- something that is needed to solidify the CFL's long-term success in this region.

[ArgoGabe22]

Head coach, GM and VP in football operations. Dream job right there.

[AngeloV]

I hope he succeeds in making the Ticats a competitive force at the top of the division. The best thing that could happen in 2013, to build on what happened this year, is for both southern Ont teams to be strong at the same time. As long as one is up and one is down (or both are down, as has happened too often in the past two decades), the CFL is not top of mind among many sports fans around here. But if and when both get good at the same time, interest will rise among casual fans -- something that is needed to solidify the CFL's long-term success in this region.

Couldn't have said it better myself, Paul. It would be awesome to have every game the Argos and Cats play against each other be meaningful...and not just in a rivalry sense.

I think Austin will do a good job. He was made a scapegoat here in 2006, and turned around the Riders in 2007...even though I'm sure Tillman thinks it was all his doing.

[1argoholic]

It has become a very sad time when you have to hope for your once hated rivals to do well. I hope he does well enough but fails in achieving the ultimate goal of a Grey Cup championship is how I should have worded my above statement.

[Ron]

Even this year if the Cats had a good defense they'd have a had a real shot at having the parade. So Austin does come in with good personnel on offense to light it up again.

Also agree with Paul. This area needs the Cats and Argos to be strong. This area needs a decade of good Cats and Argos teams beating each other to death to go to the Grey Cup. That's the one advantage the Cal/EDM rivalry had over us in the 90's to mid 00's.

[ArgoRavi]

Couldn't have said it better myself, Paul. It would be awesome to have every game the Argos and Cats play against each other be meaningful...and not just in a rivalry sense.

I think Austin will do a good job. He was made a scapegoat here in 2006, and turned around the Riders in 2007...even though I'm sure Tillman thinks it was all his doing.

Austin really got the Riders over the top in '07 with the team that Roy Shivers built. I have always believed that he got the short end of the stick in Toronto but that's what happens when you have a co-owner (David Cynamon) who is a little too involved IMO.

[argonaut11xx]

Austin really got the Riders over the top in '07 with the team that Roy Shivers built. I have always believed that he got the short end of the stick in Toronto but that's what happens when you have a co-owner (David Cynamon) who is a little too involved IMO.

Hey Ravi...bang on with the Shiver comment, and Cynamon sticking his nose in...

However...those Damon Allen/Kent Austin offense's were OFFENSIVE, and painful to watch...about the only good game that Offense had was the 2004 Grey Cup in Ottawa

[paulwoods13]

It has become a very sad time when you have to hope for your once hated rivals to do well. I hope he does well enough but fails in achieving the
ultimate goal of a Grey Cup championship is how I should have worded my above statement.

On that we can all (presumably) agree.

[paulwoods13]

Hey Ravi...bang on with the Shiver comment, and Cynamon sticking his nose in...

However...those Damon Allen/Kent Austin offense's were OFFENSIVE, and painful to watch...about the only good game that Offense had was the 2004 Grey Cup in Ottawa

The 2005 team racked up 5,000 yards passing and scored 486 points, fourth-most in the league and 100 more than the defence surrendered. It wasn't balanced enough for some of our tastes, but to describe it as painful to watch seems a tad over the top.

[argonaut11xx]

Hey Paul,

while i do agree that a strong Ti-Cat team battling the Argo's would be better for the region, league, and both fan bases, ...in 2004 was at the dome, there was a obvious Argo fan wearing a Ti-Cat Jersey..the name on the back was "Ti-cats Suck", and the number "1-17"....so sometimes its cool when hey are lousy. haha

but back to your point...the Champions that are remembered always had that arch rival...Ali had Frazier...the Eskies dynasty pretty much had Montreal....Steelers v Cowboys in the 70's.......to make it to ALL Time Greatness, you need an ALL Time Rival, not a 1-17 laughing stock

[294life]

Hey Paul,

while i do agree that a strong Ti-Cat team battling the Argo's would be better for the region, league, and both fan bases, ...in 2004 was at the dome, there was a obvious Argo fan wearing a Ti-Cat Jersey..the name on the back was "Ti-cats Suck", and the number "1-17"....so sometimes its cool when hey are lousy. haha

but back to your point...the Champions that are remembered always had that arch rival...Ali had Frazier...the Eskies dynasty pretty much had Montreal....Steelers v Cowboys in the 70's.......to make it to ALL Time Greatness, you need an ALL Time Rival, not a 1-17 laughing stock

I'd love to see a ticat-argo east final. I'm amazed there hasn't been one since 1986 in a 4 team division.

[argonaut11xx]

I kinda look at the Eskies v Mtl as the Frazier v Ali of the CFL.....MTL pounds Edmonton..(Frazier knocked out Ali)...the EDM wins the Next 2...(just like Ali did)..

(sorry but Dave Marlers Ti-Cats were forgetable cannon fodder for the 3rd win, JC Watts almost pulled out a miracle in 81, and if not for the rain in 82...who knows.)

sometimes when i try to make a point, it gets all stuck in my brain...hehe

[jerrym]

I'd love to see a ticat-argo east final. I'm amazed there hasn't been one since 1986 in a 4 team division.

That's my dream too. It would be great for both franchises.