Drew Willy looked very good in his starts under Cortez in Saskatchewan. I'd love to have him over a coach that's already failed twice here....

 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/Blue-Bombers-considering-ex-Lion-for-offensive-co-ordinator-spot-360196641.html

 

The crazy season in the CFL — the annual shuffling of coaching jobs that begins after the Grey Cup — has spit out an intriguing name for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The B.C. Lions, in addition to announcing Wednesday Wally Buono would return to the sidelines and act as GM after Jeff Tedford resigned amid rumours he was heading back to the NCAA, also indicated veteran offensive co-ordinator George Cortez would not return in 2016.

 

It’s worth noting Cortez, even before the announcement, was already on the Bombers’ candidate wish list for their vacant offensive co-ordinator position.

So, too, is Bombers Hall of Famer Khari Jones, who spent last season as the Lions’ receivers coach. The Bombers would need permission from the Lions to speak with Jones, but are free to chat with Cortez now.

The Bombers have already begun the interview process for their offensive boss position and there are a number of candidates said to be on the list, including former head coach-turned-TSN analyst Paul LaPolice, Marcus Brady of the Toronto Argonauts, Jarious Jackson of the Edmonton Eskimos, Saskatchewan Roughriders interim head coach Bob Dyce and offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine. Jason Maas, the Ottawa Redblacks offensive guru, has long been on Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea’s wish list but he could be a candidate for the Eskimos if their current head coach, Chris Jones, bolts to the Riders for a GM/head coach gig.

He’s also not going to make a lateral move unless it involves a promotion, such as an assistant head coach title.

All those candidates are likely watching to see what unfolds in Regina, but in Cortez, the Bombers have a candidate they can talk to now.

There is also a connection: Cortez was the Riders offensive co-ordinator in 2013-14, working one year with Drew Willy before the quarterback landed in Winnipeg.

And Willy’s possible endorsement — or a thumbs down — will play a significant role in who ends up in the job.

Cortez has 19 years experience in the CFL, beginning with the Montreal Concordes in 1984.

He has also worked for the Ottawa Rough Riders, Calgary Stampeders and Buffalo Bills before becoming the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ head coach in 2012.

 

He was fired by the Ticats after one season, having posted a 6-12 record, but has been a part of five Grey Cup championship teams, four with the Stamps (1992, 1998, 2001 and 2008) and one with the Riders (2013).

I'm just excited that we have a real list and that we have access to it.

We actually get to see who they're thinking about.

I just hope they don't show it to the man who will be running it. Wouldn't want his thought process to interfere with the process of selecting who he will be conversing with...daily.

That's a face-palmer (slapper?) alright.

 

Top rated by who Mark? Certainly not his last two employers. I think there are better candidates out there and they won't cost us a shot at Harris.

 

Good point. If Cortez is as good as some here are suggesting, then how come BC and Sask let him go?

 

The same reason guys like Don Matthews got fired. Coaches are hired to be fired. Nature of the beast regardless of winning.

 

Funny how people throw Sask in there too considering he was the OC of their staff when they won the Grey Cup in 2013, and the offence was one of the top in the league in 2014 until Durant got hurt in the Banjo Bowl. He was a scapegoat when things went in the toilet with Sunseri.

 

 

Top rated by who Mark? Certainly not his last two employers. I think there are better candidates out there and they won't cost us a shot at Harris.

 

Good point. If Cortez is as good as some here are suggesting, then how come BC and Sask let him go?

 

The same reason guys like Don Matthews got fired. Coaches are hired to be fired. Nature of the beast regardless of winning.

 

Funny how people throw Sask in there too considering he was the OC of their staff when they won the Grey Cup in 2013, and the offence was one of the top in the league in 2014 until Durant got hurt in the Banjo Bowl. He was a scapegoat when things went in the toilet with Sunseri.

 

 

Ya, not even Gordon Ramsay could make chicken salad from chicken crap ...

Top rated by who Mark? Certainly not his last two employers. I think there are better candidates out there and they won't cost us a shot at Harris.

 

ok, I got temporarily excited about cortez .... should say.... highly rated...

 

which I think is accurate.

 

But I still don't think running back gets picked over a coach whoever the coach ends up being.

 

I don't want Chaps either. He is Marcel v2.0 imo. His offences only have a chance if there is an all star calibre OL.

Agreed. Chapdelaine has way too many similarities to Marcel IMO.

 

 

I dont think most of the good offense we saw out of the riders while marcel was there had any thing to do with him. I think it was danny barret. Post db i think marcel has been the worst oc in pro football. Id take almost any current OC over him.

 Doesnt mean that just any one should be the goal though. PLop is way down on that list too. We all want a top notch guy, like maas. But we are only gonna get a guy like that if we offer a slight promotion, like asst head coach and a ton of money.

You also need to consider who would make the best HC. There is a chance that Osh doesn't see LDC if things go south next year.

I don't want Hall, he's far too soft, Cortez was the same, that leaves Chappy or Plap.

You also need to consider who would make the best HC. There is a chance that Osh doesn't see LDC if things go south next year.

I don't want Hall, he's far too soft, Cortez was the same, that leaves Chappy or Plap.

NO! I can not stress this enough. Don't hire a coordinator expecting them to be the next head coach. How the **** has that worked out for this team the last times they've done it? Daley, Burke, disastrous. Hire the best OC for the team right now and if OShea gets fired midseason then just ride out the year cause the year is already ****** anyway and do a full search for a new head coach in the offseason. 

 

You also need to consider who would make the best HC. There is a chance that Osh doesn't see LDC if things go south next year.

I don't want Hall, he's far too soft, Cortez was the same, that leaves Chappy or Plap.

NO! I can not stress this enough. Don't hire a coordinator expecting them to be the next head coach. How the **** has that worked out for this team the last times they've done it? Daley, Burke, disastrous. Hire the best OC for the team right now and if OShea gets fired midseason then just ride out the year cause the year is already ****** anyway and do a full search for a new head coach in the offseason. 

 

Didn't say it was the right thing to do Dave but, money will always be the driving force with the BOD and if they can save a few bucks on severance, they will.

Cortez is the best for the job. But it won't end well as our receivers are slow and underwhelming. We're also completely hooped if (or when, considering the protection) Willy goes down, as our back up QB's are as ghastly as our O-line.

 

Georgie is just gonna love #TheWaltersEffect. 

If Maas was on OShea's wish list, why didn't we just hire him last year... brutal.

Cortez informed Buono of his intention of retiring, the Lions didn't let him go. Sounds more and more like Lapo will become the bombers new OC, I'm surprised Brady's name isn't being talked about more.

You also need to consider who would make the best HC. There is a chance that Osh doesn't see LDC if things go south next year.

I don't want Hall, he's far too soft, Cortez was the same, that leaves Chappy or Plap.

NO! I can not stress this enough. Don't hire a coordinator expecting them to be the next head coach. How the **** has that worked out for this team the last times they've done it? Daley, Burke, disastrous. Hire the best OC for the team right now and if OShea gets fired midseason then just ride out the year cause the year is already ****** anyway and do a full search for a new head coach in the offseason.

Didn't say it was the right thing to do Dave but, money will always be the driving force with the BOD and if they can save a few bucks on severance, they will.

If we wish to escape this hell, we must do it as Bruce Wayne did. Without the rope.

the game has passed him by, and there's an argument to be made that the same thing has happened to Cortez.

What is that argument? Asking in good faith -- I'd really like to see Cortez in blue but all I'm going on is the numbers and the couple times I watched his Jennings O late last season. Very curious what you see / hear.

Is it an X's and O's thing? Is it an interpersonal thing? Something else?

 

the game has passed him by, and there's an argument to be made that the same thing has happened to Cortez.

What is that argument? Asking in good faith -- I'd really like to see Cortez in blue but all I'm going on is the numbers and the couple times I watched his Jennings O late last season. Very curious what you see / hear.

Is it an X's and O's thing? Is it an interpersonal thing? Something else?

 

Mike likes to shun the old guard and hop on the bandwagon of the up and commers?

 

 

You also need to consider who would make the best HC. There is a chance that Osh doesn't see LDC if things go south next year.

I don't want Hall, he's far too soft, Cortez was the same, that leaves Chappy or Plap.

NO! I can not stress this enough. Don't hire a coordinator expecting them to be the next head coach. How the **** has that worked out for this team the last times they've done it? Daley, Burke, disastrous. Hire the best OC for the team right now and if OShea gets fired midseason then just ride out the year cause the year is already ****** anyway and do a full search for a new head coach in the offseason. 

 

Didn't say it was the right thing to do Dave but, money will always be the driving force with the BOD and if they can save a few bucks on severance, they will.

 

bullshit. I guarantee that thought hasn't even entered their heads because they aren't entertaining the idea that they would all fail. Isn't O'Shea going into the last year of his contract anyway? So if they fired him there's only the pay out until the end of the season anyway. This is just some nonsense fans cook up because they think they're being smart. They aren't. 

Kerwin Bell is available now after not being retained by Jacksonville University. Was pretty successful down there.

Is Kerwin Bell an option for the Bombers OC?

Kerwin Bell....Jesus Christ, wouldn't that be something.....

That's actually an idea I would really get behind. He did a lot of the OC work in 2000 did he not? 

Kerwin Bell....Jesus Christ, wouldn't that be something.....

I'd switch to the west side just so he could hear me boo him at every game.

How much more air time would this video get?  

 

Gee what about Deiter?

Gee what about Deiter?

He would but... You can only go to the zoo so many times.

You also need to consider who would make the best HC. There is a chance that Osh doesn't see LDC if things go south next year.

I don't want Hall, he's far too soft, Cortez was the same, that leaves Chappy or Plap.

NO! I can not stress this enough. Don't hire a coordinator expecting them to be the next head coach. How the **** has that worked out for this team the last times they've done it? Daley, Burke, disastrous. Hire the best OC for the team right now and if OShea gets fired midseason then just ride out the year cause the year is already ****** anyway and do a full search for a new head coach in the offseason.

 

Didn't say it was the right thing to do Dave but, money will always be the driving force with the BOD and if they can save a few bucks on severance, they will.

bullshit. I guarantee that thought hasn't even entered their heads because they aren't entertaining the idea that they would all fail. Isn't O'Shea going into the last year of his contract anyway? So if they fired him there's only the pay out until the end of the season anyway. This is just some nonsense fans cook up because they think they're being smart. They aren't.

It's not bs, who is going to sign on as an OC/AHC for just one year? This affects more than O'Shea, your talking about potential cleaning house of everyone if O'Shea is fired, an interim HC installed, and then a new HC search next year, who will want to pick his staff.

No LaPo please. Won't somebody please think of the children?