Thinking today about where Hamilton was around this time last year... sure the Bombers aren't 0-8. But the similarities are absolutely there. A lot of talent on the field, but a coach who had clearly lost the room.
The first domino to fall, was Jeff Reinebold being relieved of his duties as Defensive Co-Ordinator. The losing continued, and a month later, Kent Austin "stepped down" (although come on, no coach ever truly steps downs willingly).
Zach Collaros was Kent Austin's guy, and he seemed to stick with him through thick & thin. Masoli actually started the 2016 season due to an injury to Collaros, and won his first game, and showed some real flashes that be could play. When Collaros was good to go again, back to #2 for Masoli. That's life when you're the "unproven" guy. 2017 Collaros, clearly wasn't the same QB and it was showing.
Enter June Jones in late August 2017.... his first move, naming "unproven" Jerimiah Masoli his starting QB. Although Hamilton did not make the playoffs, they completely turned their team around, and finished a respectable 6-4 after the coaching and QB change. Some believed Hamilton to be the hottest team in the league as the season ended.
Now does the Bomber brass have the stones to make changes like Hamilton did? I think most would believe NO. But we are trending very much like Hamilton was early last season. The talent is there... but the belief has to be slipping.
O'Shea sticking with Nichols seems exactly like Austin sticking with Collaros. Something has to change, and if O'Shea wants to continue to tie his hitch to the Nichols carriage, I think he's in for a similar fate to Austin. He's proven time and time again over the last while that he's too stubborn to do the right thing, and when he does make mistakes, just arrogantly argues that he'd make the move again.
If this is going to be a similar story, where the team gets turned around midway through the season... it starts with a coach getting the axe. Only we're 5 weeks behind what Hamilton did last year. So... given that, skip ahead to the QB switch. This coaching staff has nothing to lose and everything to gain trying something new.
Thinking today about where Hamilton was around this time last year... sure the Bombers aren't 0-8. But the similarities are absolutely there. A lot of talent on the field, but a coach who had clearly lost the room.
The first domino to fall, was Jeff Reinebold being relieved of his duties as Defensive Co-Ordinator. The losing continued, and a month later, Kent Austin "stepped down" (although come on, no coach ever truly steps downs willingly).
Zach Collaros was Kent Austin's guy, and he seemed to stick with him through thick & thin. Masoli actually started the 2016 season due to an injury to Collaros, and won his first game, and showed some real flashes that be could play. When Collaros was good to go again, back to #2 for Masoli. That's life when you're the "unproven" guy. 2017 Collaros, clearly wasn't the same QB and it was showing.
Enter June Jones in late August 2017.... his first move, naming "unproven" Jerimiah Masoli his starting QB. Although Hamilton did not make the playoffs, they completely turned their team around, and finished a respectable 6-4 after the coaching and QB change. Some believed Hamilton to be the hottest team in the league as the season ended.
Now does the Bomber brass have the stones to make changes like Hamilton did? I think most would believe NO. But we are trending very much like Hamilton was early last season. The talent is there... but the belief has to be slipping.
O'Shea sticking with Nichols seems exactly like Austin sticking with Collaros. Something has to change, and if O'Shea wants to continue to tie his hitch to the Nichols carriage, I think he's in for a similar fate to Austin. He's proven time and time again over the last while that he's too stubborn to do the right thing, and when he does make mistakes, just arrogantly argues that he'd make the move again.
If this is going to be a similar story, where the team gets turned around midway through the season... it starts with a coach getting the axe. Only we're 5 weeks behind what Hamilton did last year. So... given that, skip ahead to the QB switch. This coaching staff has nothing to lose and everything to gain trying something new.