Elks: Edmonton Eskimos 2018 v5

[iCanada]

To add to what @Drivesaitl is saying, I think Maas has shown a lot of personal growth over the last year.

I find it hard to criticize him making this move or the way he handled it. As a fan, i wish he did it sooner, but as an employee, you have to commend him sticking with his guy. I think that showing that confidence and backing your guy shows true leadership and character. I have to respect that, that's the kind of leader i want to work for. Massive growth from last season in the playoffs.

Part of the nose dive is on coaching, and he's owned that... but we were av team that fell short last season, and then in this season, a grey cup year, we only lost talent? That's on management. Our safeties and corners are atrocious; a lot of times our guys just get out battled because they're slower and not as large.

And Maas pulls the trigger on the coaching change with time to still make the playoffs... if this was lowe/mact they stick with him till mid season next year when we're 2-10 at this time.

If we can get some solid special teams schemes, and we can get some offensive confidence back, we can certainly compete. We have the horses for that.

We're out of rope, but if they can put up right now and right, i sure wouldn't want to line up against us in the playoffs. This is the perfect time for adversity to strike.

But... we're out of rope.

 

[joestevens29]

I can get behind this.
Assuming of course that Rhodes is completely out of the Football Ops decision making once the football guy is hired.

Just seems like that's what a normal person would do. Granted the Oilers aren't exactly doing well they do have a decent hierarchy with good intentions. Even with the Oilers having a veteran GM running duo positions there is a guy that is above him who is mostly hands off, but at least understands the hockey world.

 

[Drivesaitl]

To add to what @Drivesaitl is saying, I think Maas has shown a lot of personal growth over the last year.

I find it hard to criticize him making this move or the way he handled it. As a fan, i wish he did it sooner, but as an employee, you have to commend him sticking with his guy. I think that showing that confidence and backing your guy shows true leadership and character. I have to respect that, that's the kind of leader i want to work for. Massive growth from last season in the playoffs.

Part of the nose dive is on coaching, and he's owned that... but we were av team that fell short last season, and then in this season, a grey cup year, we only lost talent? That's on management. Our safeties and corners are atrocious; a lot of times our guys just get out battled because they're slower and not as large.

And Maas pulls the trigger on the coaching change with time to still make the playoffs... if this was lowe/mact they stick with him till mid season next year when we're 2-10 at this time.

If we can get some solid special teams schemes, and we can get some offensive confidence back, we can certainly compete. We have the horses for that.

We're out of rope, but if they can put up right now and right, i sure wouldn't want to line up against us in the playoffs. This is the perfect time for adversity to strike.

But... we're out of rope.

Where I disagree is that this is not the perfect time for adversity. we are out of rope. The Bombers had adversity at just the right time, midseason. We're in the fall now, and doing a dead cat bounce and without Walker and Williams and still feels like we're missing Zylstra among others. We don't have the horses either. We don't have any game breakers on D. Nobody good enough to switch momentum. Just look what Sayles, Fogg, Bighill, Lofler did for the Bombers. We don't have anybody like that.

The astounding stat with this team continues to be that we have had ZERO TD's from either special teams or D. I don't know if this has ever occurred in the history of the CFL where a team didn't get one TD from D or special teams.

 

[guymez]

To add to what @Drivesaitl is saying, I think Maas has shown a lot of personal growth over the last year.

I find it hard to criticize him making this move or the way he handled it. As a fan, i wish he did it sooner, but as an employee, you have to commend him sticking with his guy. I think that showing that confidence and backing your guy shows true leadership and character. I have to respect that, that's the kind of leader i want to work for. Massive growth from last season in the playoffs.

Part of the nose dive is on coaching, and he's owned that... but we were av team that fell short last season, and then in this season, a grey cup year, we only lost talent? That's on management. Our safeties and corners are atrocious; a lot of times our guys just get out battled because they're slower and not as large.

And Maas pulls the trigger on the coaching change with time to still make the playoffs... if this was lowe/mact they stick with him till mid season next year when we're 2-10 at this time.

If we can get some solid special teams schemes, and we can get some offensive confidence back, we can certainly compete. We have the horses for that.

We're out of rope, but if they can put up right now and right, i sure wouldn't want to line up against us in the playoffs. This is the perfect time for adversity to strike.

But... we're out of rope.

Maas is a man without a plan...he is constantly correcting himself in interviews and based on his inability to adjust in games there is little evidence to suggest that he is growing.


Its been 3 years...where is the growth?

 

[guymez]

Just seems like that's what a normal person would do. Granted the Oilers aren't exactly doing well they do have a decent hierarchy with good intentions. Even with the Oilers having a veteran GM running duo positions there is a guy that is above him who is mostly hands off, but at least understands the hockey world.

One of my issues with Rhodes is that if he was truly a secure individual he would have never fired Hervey.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Maas is a man without a plan...he is constantly correcting himself in interviews and based on his inability to adjust in games there is little evidence to suggest that he is growing.


Its been 3 years...where is the growth?

I felt it...

Oh wait that was a migraine. Never mind.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

To add to what @Drivesaitl is saying, I think Maas has shown a lot of personal growth over the last year.

I find it hard to criticize him making this move or the way he handled it. As a fan, i wish he did it sooner, but as an employee, you have to commend him sticking with his guy. I think that showing that confidence and backing your guy shows true leadership and character. I have to respect that, that's the kind of leader i want to work for. Massive growth from last season in the playoffs.

Part of the nose dive is on coaching, and he's owned that... but we were av team that fell short last season, and then in this season, a grey cup year, we only lost talent? That's on management. Our safeties and corners are atrocious; a lot of times our guys just get out battled because they're slower and not as large.

And Maas pulls the trigger on the coaching change with time to still make the playoffs... if this was lowe/mact they stick with him till mid season next year when we're 2-10 at this time.

If we can get some solid special teams schemes, and we can get some offensive confidence back, we can certainly compete. We have the horses for that.

We're out of rope, but if they can put up right now and right, i sure wouldn't want to line up against us in the playoffs. This is the perfect time for adversity to strike.

But... we're out of rope.

Yes, but this is incredibly low hanging fruit. "We're slightly more proactive in firing idiots than the Oilers"...big whoop.

The real time to make this change was July or August. If this organization was actually concerned about saving the season, it would be Maas himself being fired this week. Promote Benevides to head coach and perhaps kick start things in the final month. This offense cannot possibly get any worse than it is with Maas running it, so there is absolutely nothing to lose.

 

[iCanada]

Where I disagree is that this is not the perfect time for adversity. we are out of rope. The Bombers had adversity at just the right time, midseason. We're in the fall now, and doing a dead cat bounce and without Walker and Williams and still feels like we're missing Zylstra among others. We don't have the horses either. We don't have any game breakers on D. Nobody good enough to switch momentum. Just look what Sayles, Fogg, Bighill, Lofler did for the Bombers. We don't have anybody like that.

The astounding stat with this team continues to be that we have had ZERO TD's from either special teams or D. I don't know if this has ever occurred in the history of the CFL where a team didn't get one TD from D or special teams.

I guess where I'm going with that; we control our own destiny with games vs BC and Winnepeg. We win those two games, and win one of the SK/OTT games, suddenly we're surging just at the right time.

Would put us in the same streal momentum wise that SK is in right now. But we have to beat BC and winterpeg. Do or die time.

 

[Stoneman89]

My issue is the team needs to stop having nights like they just had and embarrassing themselves fully. It's one thing to lose tough games, tight games, it's another to lay an egg, especially coming off a significant win.

They didn't just come off a significant win though. They came off a putrid performance in Ottawa one week earlier. The beat goes on.

 

[Stoneman89]

Thanks for your positive contribution, Liquor.

 

[Stoneman89]

After what happened at the end of last year and his defence of it afterwards, his inability and unwillingness to own it, he simply never should have gotten the chance to start the year.

So now they’ve wasted another year of Reilly in a year they are hosting the grey cup and now they are likely losing him after they let Franklin go....well it really doesn’t get much worse...

It’s like Lowe and Mact are in charge.

This doesn't sound like a very positive comment to me. Realistic and depressing? Yes.

 

[Stoneman89]

Theres nothing wrong with the actual presser and kudos for Maas doing it. Showing more responsibility than anybody else in the org and going in front and answering questions. The reality is he was promoted to head coach which was going to be outside of his established experience. He was over promoted. Its not his fault he was given the position. Who would say "No, I'm not ready" What we needed with Maas as a head coach is understudies that had much more experience and could give other direction. Benefides has that experience but he's limited, and he's seemed quite content to just sit back and have a position and not make any waves.

Maas also is not way off in suggesting that special teams, and what occurs there has impacted the club. Football is very much a momentum type of sport and frankly the score could be 0-0 at halftime without special teams screwing up monumentally repeatedly. Its like the field is tilted. Both teams had the same offensive production and yet Bombers had huge field position advantage all day.

This was a composed Jason Maas thoughtfully answering questions. Can't fault him at all in this presser. Maas also spoke well to the results based business, that McDiarmid was sacrificed, wasn't pointing fingers, just that at this stage something has to happen. Included himself, as he often does, in criticism. I thought he was once again owning up actually. Theres been some growth in Maas over the last calendar year but the type of stuff you wished happened somewhere else before the incumbency here. Maas might make a decent coach somewhere else on the rebound. The one thing you can never take away is how much he cares. The org might not stress the importance of winning. I don't get that impression from Maas.

Say what? Everyone including the most casual observers have known this for ages as a problem with this team. For him to finally acknowledge it now when it may cost us a playoff spot should not be applauded so heartily. That horse left the barn a long time ago, and Jason just closed the door.

 

[Stoneman89]

Hiring Rhodes isn't a bad idea if he at least decides to hire a football guy to run operations and he sticks to the business side of things.

No one should've thought given Sunderland ultimate power with no guidance from about was going to be a good idea.

I don't doubt that Maas and Sunderland could be good football guys in this league, but they needed some sort of mentor.

Agree with the thought on Rhodes. Stick the non-football ops and try to do a better job there. But he's also responsible for hiring the right people to run the football ops, and that is where he has fallen badly. I think they thought Benefeces was going to be the calming mentor and soothing voice to help Maas transition, but simply hasn't happened. And Maas has let his ego get in the way by thinking he could handle both the HC and OC duties.

 

[Stoneman89]

Our defence is now the least worst part of this team.

Let that sink in for a moment.

 

[joestevens29]

Agree with the thought on Rhodes. Stick the non-football ops and try to do a better job there. But he's also responsible for hiring the right people to run the football ops, and that is where he has fallen badly. I think they thought Benefeces was going to be the calming mentor and soothing voice to help Maas transition, but simply hasn't happened. And Maas has let his ego get in the way by thinking he could handle both the HC and OC duties.

Would you and others be okay keeping what we have, but actually bringing a football mind to over see everything?

I don't know if that's the right answer, but I hate to actually see Rhodes try bring in another GM. At least another mind to help out.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Say what? Everyone including the most casual observers have known this for ages as a problem with this team. For him to finally acknowledge it now when it may cost us a playoff spot should not be applauded so heartily. That horse left the barn a long time ago, and Jason just closed the door.

I'm not applauding it so heartily. I was specifically speaking of the presser and specifically stating that I don't find anything in the presser odd. I actually stated the firing should have occurred prior. McDiarmid should never have been back this season. So how do we disagree?

 

[Valhallis]

Our defence is now the least worst part of this team.

Let that sink in for a moment.

 

[Stoneman89]

Would you and others be okay keeping what we have, but actually bringing a football mind to over see everything?

I don't know if that's the right answer, but I hate to actually see Rhodes try bring in another GM. At least another mind to help out.

I think that's what is needed. I don't trust his football choices. And as Guymez stated, Rhodes has to keep his fingers out of any football ops. Stick to bringing in such amazing acts as Vanilla Ice and having hotdog promotions.

 

[Stoneman89]

One interesting thing is how the Esks Org went full on Ottawa, Hiring Maas, and Sunderland and then with Sunderland bringing some of his past players here. Could never quite understand that. Ottawa, although they had GC success did so because they happen to be in the East where any team having a good year is practically a shoe in for a GC appearance. Really all you have to be in the east to reach the GC is be competent. Any given year in the east only 1,2 teams are competent.

Hiring Maas and Sunderland is curious, as both were in the Ottawa org. But having a bunch of ex Ottawa players here as a result should be no surprise based on that.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Hiring Maas and Sunderland is curious, as both were in the Ottawa org. But having a bunch of ex Ottawa players here as a result should be no surprise based on that.

I think the curiousity is that either Sunderland or Maas, or both, thought these players were worth bringing in. Sure not making a difference.

As an aside we're apparently paying handsomely for Bazzie as well. That was our big get of the offseason. Winnipeg gets a destroyer like Bighill, we get Bazzie, oh well...

 

[Stoneman89]

I'm not applauding it so heartily. I was specifically speaking of the presser and specifically stating that I don't find anything in the presser odd. I actually stated the firing should have occurred prior. McDiarmid should never have been back this season. So how do we disagree?

Sounded to me like you were giving him a bit too much credit for stating the flipping obvious, and the obvious being a few years old.

 

[joestevens29]

Hiring Maas and Sunderland is curious, as both were in the Ottawa org. But having a bunch of ex Ottawa players here as a result should be no surprise based on that.

Maybe it was a bit early for them, but both were talked about as future good football minds.

Maas always wanted to coach in some capacity in Edmonton as well, didn't know if he'd get that chance without Danny.

 

[rboomercat90]

I guess where I'm going with that; we control our own destiny with games vs BC and Winnepeg. We win those two games, and win one of the SK/OTT games, suddenly we're surging just at the right time.

Would put us in the same streal momentum wise that SK is in right now. But we have to beat BC and winterpeg. Do or die time.

How are we going to win those games? The team is broken, that’s why we’re having this conversation.

IMO, it’s too late for this season. These moves should have been made earlier. What makes it even more difficult to fire Maas is that he’s also the offensive coordinator. You’d need to find two guys instead of one if you fired him. Even if you promote Benevedes, you need to hire a defensive coordinator too because he doesn’t look capable of doing two jobs either.

It was lunacy letting a young head coach take on the OC job as well. I don’t have much confidence that the team fires Maas at the end of the season. When it wasn’t done last year the team signalled he was their choice long term come hell or high water. They better at least hire an offensive coordinator. If Maas doesn’t like it they need to let him know he isn’t the guy running the organization.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Sounded to me like you were giving him a bit too much credit for stating the flipping obvious, and the obvious being a few years old.

ME giving Jason Maas too much credit!? heh, no. Not even a silver lining to be found now. Its the equivalent of the Whitestar line captain giving a good speech as it happens.. we're still going down, its just describing the ice cold water and towering iceberg.

does that narrative fit better?

 

[Drivesaitl]

How are we going to win those games? The team is broken, that’s why we’re having this conversation.

IMO, it’s too late for this season. These moves should have been made earlier. What makes it even more difficult to fire Maas is that he’s also the offensive coordinator. You’d need to find two guys instead of one if you fired him. Even if you promote Benevedes, you need to hire a defensive coordinator too because he doesn’t look capable of doing two jobs either.

It was lunacy letting a young head coach take on the OC job as well. I don’t have much confidence that the team fires Maas at the end of the season. When it wasn’t done last year the team signalled he was their choice long term come he’ll or high water. They better at least hire an offensive coordinator. If Maas doesn’t like it they need to let him know he isn’t the guy running the organization.

I can't see any way we beat the Riders, and its going to be hard again to beat the Bombers. But a Lulayless BC Lions team isn't all that difficult. Jennings every 2nd weekend does completely nothing. if we get him on the right weekend..

I dunno. By my reckoning we lose 3/4 which given the crazy unexpectable CFL means we close out around 2/4 because some team manages to be somehow worse than us.

So .500 finish at best and most likely a sub .5oo finish is my call. Which is what I figured in February.