Report: Cats fire Cortez

[bluto]

One season into his tenure, after arriving with much ado, the Hamilton Tigercats fire George Cortez.

This per Drew Edwards' (of the Scratching Post) Twitter.

I'm shocked by the timing of this. What sort of mess is going on down the QEW??

[294life]

Bellefeuille will enjoy this news.

[bluto]

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=411431


The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have fired head coach and director of football operations George Cortez.
"After a thorough evaluation of our organization and our goals moving forward, we have determined that a change in direction is needed," said President Scott Mitchell. "We want to thank Coach Cortez for his contributions to the Tiger-Cats and wish him well in his future endeavours. We will immediately begin the search for our new General Manager and Head Coach."
Hamilton also announced Bob O'Billovich has been offered a position within the organization as consultant to the president and football operations staff.
Tiger-Cats QB Henry Burris, who spent time with Cortez in Calgary before both were in Hamilton last year, expressed shock at the move.
"Are you kidding me? Wow," Burris told TSN.
Cortez spent two seasons in the NFL as quarterbacks coach with the Buffalo Bills before returning to the CFL last year with the Ticats.
The team missed the playoffs this season after finishing last in the Eastern Division with a 6-12 record.

That's got to be one HUGE contract they had to buy out (for the only team other than us that losses money...)... seems like a strange move for a coach after one year who had a record breaking offence... even though they were only 6-12.

LOL at Hank's reaction! :p

[294life]

They must already know who their replacements will be. I wouldn't be surprised if Higgins or Clements didn't surface there.

[1argoholic]

Nice mess in Steeltown.

[bluto]

They must already know who their replacements will be. I wouldn't be surprised if Higgins or Clements didn't surface there.

no clue here... they didn't have the sort of coaching structure that we're used to seeing with obvious 2nd-in-commands (ie: OC, DC, Ast.HC)...

so they have no HC, OC, DC and Obie may be near the end so maybe a GM too...

i dunno... LaPolice?

[294life]

Chris Jones perhaps. Better watch out. He knows Burris quite well.

Perry Lefko suggesting Kent Austin might be a name on the list but I doubt he'd want to leave Cornell.

[AngeloV]

no clue here... they didn't have the sort of coaching structure that we're used to seeing with obvious 2nd-in-commands (ie: OC, DC, Ast.HC)...

so they have no HC, OC, DC and Obie may be near the end so maybe a GM too...

i dunno... LaPolice?

Obie will not be GM. He has been offered a consultant role.

[ArgoRavi]

I was hopeful that we wouldn't lose much, if any, of our coaching staff given that it didn't look like there would be any head coaching changes this off-season. After this surprising move, I really hope that we don't lose someone like Jones to the Ticats but what can you do if that happens?

[argonaut11xx]

as a CFL fan.....

This is about a STUPID a move as possible...the ONLY team in the east that scared me next season was hamilton...awesome offence, and a young defence, that may only need some time.

as an Argo's fan....

GREAT move....this hamilton team had 2 out of 3, offence, special teams, and NO defence ..yet..., Hamilton was the team to challenge us next year, now with MTL regressing faster than an old mans penis when viagra wears off (sorry 1Argoholic),... Winnipeg too cheap to do whats right,... Hamilton does about the dumbest thing they could ever do...

If we dont represent the East next year, ...it will be "An act of God"....and finally Leo will be vindicated.....

[294life]

as a CFL fan.....

This is about a STUPID a move as possible...the ONLY team in the east that scared me next season was hamilton...awesome offence, and a young defence, that may only need some time.

as an Argo's fan....

GREAT move....this hamilton team had 2 out of 3, offence, special teams, and NO defence ..yet..., Hamilton was the team to challenge us next year, now with MTL regressing faster than an old mans penis when viagra wears off (sorry 1Argoholic),... Winnipeg too cheap to do whats right,... Hamilton does about the dumbest thing they could ever do...

If we dont represent the East next year, ...it will be "An act of God"....and finally Leo will be vindicated.....

Better stock up on broomball shoes for regina then. ;)

[1argoholic]

Nice but no need for viagra here. hahah. I'm a very young 50 plus I act 15.

[paulwoods13]

They must already know who their replacements will be. I wouldn't be surprised if Higgins or Clements didn't surface there.

I don't believe there is any chance Clements will ever return to the CFL.

People are talking up Chris Jones but I think there is a much bigger risk of O'Shea going. I don't think Jones would see the situation in Hamilton as a good fit. But Osh could get interested, for sure.

[argonaut11xx]

I think there is a much bigger risk of O'Shea going.

Seriously?..Mike o'Shea is a fan fav...but as a coach he actually REGRESSED this season, yea he will be good someday...but losing him wouldnt hurt, im sure he commands a decent salary for a 3rd rate coach.

Maybe in 2-3 yrs we might wish he was an Argo coach...but he is overated, and probably over payed these past few seasons

[argonaut11xx]

BTW....

Tom Clements returning to the CFL, in any capacity would be AMAZING.....

[294life]

Randy Chevrier believes it will be Jones.

[ArgoRavi]

BTW....

Tom Clements returning to the CFL, in any capacity would be AMAZING.....

I agree with Paul that Clements isn't returning anytime soon. He has been in the NFL for a long time now and been away from the CFL for 25 years. The Argos made inquiries to him a few years ago and he wasn't interested in returning to the CFL then and I can't see any reason that he would now.

[zontar]

It looks bad but that's because the other shoes havnt dropped yet. Cats have to rebuild football ops and when you hire a new GM that almost always gurantees a coaching change.
The fact that Young is going to that much expense to buy out Cortez suggests the new hire(s) are high end brands and not same old-same old retreads.
In that respect the Austin rumour makes sense.

[bluto]

It looks bad but that's because the other shoes havnt dropped yet. Cats have to rebuild football ops and when you hire a new GM that almost always gurantees a coaching change.
The fact that Young is going to that much expense to buy out Cortez suggests the new hire(s) are high end brands and not same old-same old retreads.
In that respect the Austin rumour makes sense.

not disagreeing with you to bait you, zontar... i just can't see this as anything but another implosion of the Cats behind the scenes.

if the plan was to bring in some premium football ops guys and coaches, why wasn't this move made after GC? because it took the extra couple of weeks to decide? no... it's the timing of this move paired with Obie stepping aside (sorta, but not totally... have fun with that power struggle behind the scenes) that makes this a panic move destined to bring about a second consecutive offseason of turmoil when it looked like of all of the other teams in the East, that Hamilton would be the one to step forward once the defence and coaching positions got fleshed out...

now, you'll have a new GM who will need a new coach (as you say)... but they will both arrive after all of the premium CFL coordinators and position coaches are already spoken for... and this all happens during a time when your head of football personnel ought to be re-signing key free agents and scouting replacements and upgrades both in the CFL and CIS as well as from down south... so again Hamilton is behind the 8 ball. considering how a couple of new position coaches and a couple new players on defence would have made the Tabbies surefire contenders this has to be a major disappointment to be back at the drawing board... again...

...and don't even start on what effect this will have on your star QB...

maybe the reports about Kent Austin are right... maybe that will assuage Hank's feelings, but it doesn't make up for lost time in FA, coach hiring and scouting...

[294life]

I'd be really surprised to see Kent back in the cfl. Hamilton has become a coach and QB graveyard.

[ArgoRavi]

I'd be really surprised to see Kent back in the cfl. Hamilton has become a coach and QB graveyard.

Furthermore, Austin has a good gig at Cornell which sees his daughters get free tuition there. He has shown little inclination to return to the CFL in the past few years and I doubt that the Hamilton situation will be appealing enough for him to make the move.

[ArgoRavi]

I stand corrected as Dave Naylor is reporting on TSN that Austin will likely be Hamilton's man: http://watch.tsn.ca/cfl-news-and-highlights/clip827309#clip827309

He would be an interesting choice in that he has been a head coach for one year in this league (a very successful one) but has no GM experience. I would say that the Ticats would be rolling the dice somewhat on Austin as a GM.

[294life]

Well as I said, I'm surprised. When the ticats travel to regina for their regular season game there will surely be some love for the 1989/2007 miracle man.