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).

Khari and Miller are old friends and business partners. Job is his for the taking. 

 

Im sure Westwood will appear as a kicking consultant too. 

was khari with the riders when willy came into the league, 

Khari and Miller are old friends and business partners. Job is his for the taking. 

 

Im sure Westwood will appear as a kicking consultant too. 

Both of those are the wrong decisions imo

See, I'm not gonna pretend to say " person x" is the wrong hire cuz i have no idea what they are going on about in their meetings.. As much as at times, I like to think i'm an expert on everything, the reality is... I'm not. I'm a fan, i really don't know what's going on behind the scenes and quite frankly, i don't think it's any of my business.

 

If Khari is the guy, then so be it... It must mean whatever he said in his meeting with O'shea, cuz regardless, it's gonna be O'shea picking the OC, people can talk of Khari being friends with Miller and all this, It's irrelevant... It really is and I think people who say that... they are pushing an agenda of sorts, pretending the old boys club exists when it really doesn't...

 

The reality in the CFL, everybody knows everybody... Miller knowing Khari? Who cares, cuz he also knows LAPO, Maas, Brady,Cortez and a bunch of other people. 

 

If Khari is the guy, you know what? Good, let's see what he can do before throwing him under the bus before he even gets a chance. 

 

Conspiracy theories are great and all but, really 90 percent of them are just pure BS...

 

Miller isn't the guy picking the OC, O'shea is. 

O'Shea is not dumb and he knows that he's running out of chances.  So I expect that he's going to try and hire like his career depends on it.

Yup. Regardless of who the OC is, Whether it's Lapo,Brady,Maas,Cortez(doubt it due to retiring and all), Whoever really... Gotta give them a chance.

 

See what they can do, might surprise some people. 

Yup. Regardless of who the OC is, Whether it's Lapo,Brady,Maas,Cortez(doubt it due to retiring and all), Whoever really... Gotta give them a chance.

 

See what they can do, might surprise some people. 

 

 

We did that with Barresi... then Crowton... then Bellefuile...

 

Why would we need to give OCs time... should Redblacks have given Mike Gibson one more season? 

 

If the offence doesn't click within the first season, its not going to...

Good god man, It's the friggin off-season. We haven't even hired an OC yet... Can you maybe just maybe wait until they name the OC until you start all of the doom and gloom stuff. Cuz right now, what's the point really... 

History does repeat itself.....the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour.

 

Yup. Regardless of who the OC is, Whether it's Lapo,Brady,Maas,Cortez(doubt it due to retiring and all), Whoever really... Gotta give them a chance.

 

See what they can do, might surprise some people. 

 

 

We did that with Barresi... then Crowton... then Bellefuile...

 

Why would we need to give OCs time... should Redblacks have given Mike Gibson one more season? 

 

If the offence doesn't click within the first season, its not going to...

 

So what would make Khari unsuitable? He's pretty much the stereotypical pick for a guy to get an OC position.... ex quarterback in the league, been on several offensive staffs the last few years and always has a job so he's not being shunned because he's a poor coach.... Seems like exactly the kind of guy who goes on to become an offensive coordinator. He got bumped out of the position in BC because of Cortez coming available so when you lose your position to a guy with that kind of track record is it really a black mark? His time as OC in Hamilton he had Bellefool as head coach and Kevin Glenn as quarterback, pretty much the recipe for mediocrity at best. 

 

If Khari Jones was anyone other than a former Bomber people would be more excited about hiring him, but having a past connection to the Bombers brings up too much talk of old boys clubs which are seen in a negative light around here. 

Good god man, It's the friggin off-season. We haven't even hired an OC yet... Can you maybe just maybe wait until they name the OC until you start all of the doom and gloom stuff. Cuz right now, what's the point really...

You have to understand.

It's training camp right now for the second-guessers and place-pickers.

There really aren't any right picks for OC according to a few, not because there aren't any, it's just that any choice the Blue will make won't be good enough or will have been pre-chosen or "leftovers".

And that's why you don't see them making their own choices.

You've heard the term bait-and-switch?

This is wait-and-b*itch.

Or in Khari's case, this is a pre-b*itcher's dream come true - former Bomber....knows the big boss.

Gotta be two "faux pas" right there.

 

 

Yup. Regardless of who the OC is, Whether it's Lapo,Brady,Maas,Cortez(doubt it due to retiring and all), Whoever really... Gotta give them a chance.

 

See what they can do, might surprise some people. 

 

 

We did that with Barresi... then Crowton... then Bellefuile...

 

Why would we need to give OCs time... should Redblacks have given Mike Gibson one more season? 

 

If the offence doesn't click within the first season, its not going to...

 

So what would make Khari unsuitable? .... blah blah blah

 

 

 

 

Good god man, It's the friggin off-season. We haven't even hired an OC yet... Can you maybe just maybe wait until they name the OC until you start all of the doom and gloom stuff. Cuz right now, what's the point really...

You have to understand.

It's training camp right now for the second-guessers and place-pickers...  blah blah blah

 

 

Off-season.... a place where 17to85 loses his mind over a post that had nothing to do with Khari Jones and where Goalie and Mr Dee over-react to negative posts - which include all posts that aren't written by them, ha

 

All we need is GCn11 to pile on now.

Well. The negative posts don't really bother me. I guess I just don't see the point in being negative at this time. It's one thing to criticize the team but when you do it all the time... it gets old and makes you wonder if some people truly are bomber fans or if they are just here to constantly complain about everything

Did someone call for me?

 

I don't pile on do I? LOL.

 

Seriously though, I am about as neutral as one can get on this regime. My mind changes daily on whether we should fire them or not.

This is a big pressure hire for O'Shea. There are a few good candidates out there that will be a vast improvement to MB. I wouldn't be super stoked with a Khari hire but I'd be willing to give him a chance. I thought he did a pretty decent job with BC in 2014 considering he had no QBs to work with.

O'Shea is not dumb and he knows that he's running out of chances.  So I expect that he's going to try and hire like his career depends on it.

 

O'Shea is not dumb and he knows that he's running out of chances.  So I expect that he's going to try and hire like his career depends on it.

 

Actually I hope he's not making decisions with this mindset as he'd be more apt to make a mistake. 

 

 

O'Shea is not dumb and he knows that he's running out of chances.  So I expect that he's going to try and hire like his career depends on it.

 

Actually I hope he's not making decisions with this mindset as he'd be more apt to make a mistake. 

 

I would rather a coach make every major decision this way, because ultimately, he career does count on them.

 

Madani was right about huff being offered the Sask job. Why people think they can have those conversations and make those offers and think it won't get leaked is ludicrous. Then insult people by then denying it is worse. Huff told too many people and I know one of the people he told.

The story from Craig Reynolds (a fairly reliable source) is he asked Huff if he was interested... Huff said no... end of conversation... there was never an "offer"...

 

That still is tampering. But this is the CFL so it's pretty much a joke. 

 

 

Madani was right about huff being offered the Sask job. Why people think they can have those conversations and make those offers and think it won't get leaked is ludicrous. Then insult people by then denying it is worse. Huff told too many people and I know one of the people he told.

The story from Craig Reynolds (a fairly reliable source) is he asked Huff if he was interested... Huff said no... end of conversation... there was never an "offer"...

 

That still is tampering. But this is the CFL so it's pretty much a joke. 

 

 

 

Apparently it's not considered tampering in the CFL:

 

 

The 'Riders offered me their own explanation on Wednesday.

“('Riders president Craig Reynolds) followed CFL protocol with all our GM candidates,” said a 'Riders spokesperson. "He approached candidates directly to see if they were interested in the position. If a candidate expressed interest, Craig then contacted the concerned organization to ask for permission. In the case of (Hufnagel), Craig asked and John said he wasn’t interested. So the process ended there. We didn’t ask for permission to speak to him and we never made him an offer.”

 

http://www.tsn.ca/roughriders-never-made-offer-to-hufnagel-1.403336

I imagine teams have done their homework already on potential candidates and have an idea of who they want and how they rank them on their wish list.

As a fan I would like to see K.Jones or J.Jackson or possibly M.Brady here next year as our OC. They all seem to be on the cusp of being very good OC's.

If only the Riders for some weird reason ended up with Bellefeuille that would be awesome.

The Riders with Reinbold as GM, Jim Daley as Head Coach, Marcel as OC and Etch as DC would be a dream.

The Riders with Reinbold as GM, Jim Daley as Head Coach, Marcel as OC and Etch as DC would be a dream.

Mack as GM

Cortez has won FIVE Cups as an OC, I don't care about his recent failure or perceived failure. The BC offence looked pretty darn good with him in charge and he was a champ as recently as two years ago. Is he interested is the only issue IMO. He's no spring chicken. I remember hearing that Harris didn't like his offence, well sorry but if he wants to not sign here because of it so be it. How many Cups have Lapo's teams WON again?

You should.

The CFL is a constantly evolving league. Would you want Wally Buono as a head coach these days? I sure wouldn't. Why? Because the game has passed him by, and there's an argument to be made that the same thing has happened to Cortez.

Cortez wouldn't be my first choice. Like I said ... if Willy likes him enough, fine. But I'm wary of hiring him.

Whoa I'd take Buono over MOS any day of the week not even close.