The Replacements

Smiles no more: both George Cortez (left) and Bob O'Billovich (left) were relieved of their duties yesterday.

Now that George Cortez and Bob O'Billovich have been relieved of their duties, it's time to look at some people that might be the next head coach and/or general manager of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

For coaches, we have the usual suspects/leftovers from last year's coaching search in Kent Austin and Greg Marshall, and new candidates such as Toronto defensive coordinator Chris Jones and deposed Blue Bomber head coach Paul LaPolice.

As for general manager, Austin could become the GM/head coach and, of course, Eric Tillman. Duane Forde's name has been thrown out there as well.

I'm going eschew making a prediction as to who I think it will be. I am never right about these things (Last year, I called Cortez a "dark-horse candidate"), so I only set myself up to look foolish. That said, I think the team would bring in Kent Austin if he is willing to leave Big Red (Cornell University) to come back to the CFL.

If Austin passes, I'd stay in-house and name Joe Womack the new general manager. Womack is being courted by Ottawa to run their football operations and I think he would be a tremendous choice for the Ti-Cats. I would also give serious consideration to bringing Duane Forde in. That guy is going to run a team someday and the team that gets him will be getting a guy as knowledgeable about the CFL, especially when it comes to Canadian players, as anyone. Even if he is not offered the GM role, I would recommend highly that the team find a way to bring Forde in for some job.

So if Austin decides he doesn't want the dual role or says he doesn't want to solely be the head coach, I'd make Marshall my head coach and bring in LaPolice as the offensive coordinator. I'd then hire Orlondo Steinauer away from the Argos to be the defensive coordinator, while retaining Jim Daley as special teams coordinator (no need to make a change there). Marshall was given a raw deal in Saskatchewan and LaPolice could do some pretty good things with the offensive talent this team has. I have mentioned Steinauer as a possible defensive coordinator before and I still think he's as good a candidate as anyone else out there.

Remember, these aren't predictions, this is just what I would do. I think the team will go hard after Austin, so if there is any prediction anywhere, that is the one. But if Austin were to pass, my decision would be to go with the Womack-Marshall tandem.

George Cortez Named Head Coach

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have announced that George Cortez is the team's new Head Coach.

Cortez comes to Hamilton with nearly two decades of CFL coaching experience, but he spent the last two years in the NFL as the Quarterback Coach for the Buffalo Bills.

Cortez's last CFL stop was as Offensive Coordinator with the Calgary Stampeders from 2007-2009. During his time there, he won a Grey Cup with the recently acquired Henry Burris. Cortez has also won three other Grey Cups, all with Calgary.

Luring Cortez is a pretty big get for the Tiger-Cats. He wasn't expected to leave the NFL, and was thought to only come back to the CFL as a Head Coach if he thought he could win. He must feel as if the Tiger-Cats have the players to win immediately. That should make fans pretty happy.

With Cortez on board, his first order of business will be to fill out his coaching staff, which has vacancies at both Offensive and Defensive Coordinator. Both Corey Chamblin and Khari Jones left to take jobs with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, so replacing them will be job number one.

The Tiger-Cats have scheduled an introductory press conference on Tuesday for both Cortez and new starting Quarterback Henry Burris.

The Cortez Assumption

The calendar has turned to 2012 and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are still the lone CFL franchise without a Head Coach. The main reason most people believe the Cats have not hired anyone is because they are wishing to interview and/or hire current Buffalo Bills Quarterback Coach George Cortez, which they could not do before the NFL season ended.

Cortez would probably make a very good Head Coach. He has experience – both in the CFL and elsewhere – and success – where he was on the staff of four Grey-Cup-championship squads in Calgary – on his résumé. He is the type of coach the team could sell as an upgrade over Marcel Bellefeuille.

The one assumption is that Cortez will be available because Bills Head Coach Chan Gailey could be fired. The Bills started the season 5-2, but ended the season a disappointing 6-10 and in last place in the AFC East. The belief is that late-season swoon will cost Gailey his job.

But there are a couple of problems with that mode of thinking. First, there has been no talk of Gailey losing his job. None. It seems to be CFL writers and fans that think the Bills' failures will get Gailey fired. It has not been a topic that has come up amongst NFL writers or insiders. None of the lists of coaches on the hot seat that I have seen have included Gailey. Not one.

Secondly, NFL coaches generally get three years to turn a losing team around. Gailey just finished his second season in Buffalo, which means he will probably get at least one more season to try to get the Bills to the playoffs for the first time since the 1999 season.

Finally, Bills Owner Ralph Wilson is a pretty patient man. He doesn't fire coaches willy-nilly. The Bills have had five coaches since Marv Levy handed in the headset in 1997, but only one coach lasted less than three seasons (Mike Mularky) and he left of his own accord following his second season. (This list doesn't included Perry Fewell, who took over on an interim basis after Dick Juron was fired mid-season in 2009.)

The above points do not preclude Cortez from becoming the next Head Coach of the Tiger-Cats, but history suggests that it will not be due to Gailey's firing. Fans holding out hope that Cortez will be a free man, thus able to come to Hamilton, should temper those expectations. If Cortez is to become the Tiger-Cats next Head Coach it will be because he wants to, not because his boss in Buffalo was shown the door.

Dickenson Withdraws; Time to Hire Burke

Looks like the Ti-Cats are down to one coaching candidate, as word is that Dave Dickenson has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Ti-Cats Head Coaching vacancy.

The news that Dickenson will return to Calgary should not come as a surprise. He is a West Division guy, and he is probably the guy that will take over for John Hufnagel when he decides to hang up the headset.

With Dickenson out of the running, that leaves Winnipeg Defensive Coordinator Tim Burke as the lone candidate left. If the Tabbies do not sign Burke either tomorrow (which is highly unlikely since it is Christmas Eve) or early next week, it could lend credence to the idea that they are after Buffalo Bills Quarterbacks Coach George Cortez.

It's been no secret that Burke has always been the preferred candidate of yours truly, so hopefully the Ti-Cats can get his name on a contract sooner rather than later. Unlike some, I'm not too worried that the Cats have yet to select their Head Coach, but the team does need to pick someone soon or this could get farcical.

Forget Cortez; it is time to get Burke and get on with other business. Burke is an excellent choice; everywhere he has gone he has experienced success. It's time for the Ti-Cats to make a decision, and Dave Dickenson's decision made Hamilton's that much easier.

So Obie, Caretaker, if you are reading this: it's time to hire Tim Burke.

Chamblin Off to Saskatchewan

The Tiger-Cats are now in the market for a new Defensive Coordinator as Cory Chamblin will be named the next Head Coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders later today.

Chamblin was Saskatchewan General Manager Brendan Taman's first choice last season, but he was overruled by his superiors. This season, with the decision being all Taman's, he grabbed the man he wanted all along.

This also takes another name off the Tiger-Cats coaching list, which is growing shorter by the day. Kent Austin decided to stay at Cornell, Mike Benevides took the BC job, Jacques Chapdelaine is expected to become Head Coach at Bishop's and now Chamblin is off to Regina. That's a majority of the names that were mentioned just after Hamilton fired Marcel Bellefeuille.

From the outside looking in, it seems like this is a two-horse race between Dave Dickenson and Tim Burke. Two other names still around are George Cortez and Mike O'Shea. Drew Edwards thinks that Cortex is likely to stay in the NFL, and bringing in O'Shea is a long shot at best.

So unless the Ti-Cats go completely off the board, it looks like it's down to Dickenson and Burke. One of their first jobs will be to find Chamblin's replacement. Let the speculation begin as to who that could be.

Cats to Interview Tim Burke

The Tiger-Cats coaching search continues, and a new contender has entered the ring:

Tim Burke

Burke has been my number-one choice to replace Marcel Bellefeuille since the day Bellefeuille was fired.

Burke has all the qualities a team looks for when hiring a Head Coach, with the exception of previous Head Coaching experience. And while that is a knock against him, he does come equipped with almost 35 years of experience in the CFL and NCAA, which is impressive in its own right.

But if his CFL record is what really matters, and that is where Burke outshines his competitors.

Burke has been the Defensive Coordinator for the past four East Division champions, three with Montreal and one with Winnipeg. Burke's Defenses in Montreal and Winnipeg were among the best in the league during his time in both places, and wherever he goes (or if he stays in Winnipeg) will see a vast improvement on the defensive side of the ball. Simply put, the man gets results, and those results usually find teams playing on the final Sunday in November. Success follows Burke wherever he goes and that is not a coincidence.

Burke might not be the big name some are looking for, but he would be an excellent choice as the next Head Coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Bellefeuille Extended

First it was the General Manager and now it's the Head Coach. Just days after the Ti-Cats signed GM Bob O'Billovich to a contract extension, the team has announced that they have signed Head Coach Marcel Bellefeuille to one as well.

Just like the Obie signing, I can't praise this enough. I'll admit that I was initially skeptical about Bellefeuille's credentials when he was named Head Coach in 2008, but I have since gotten on board.

The 2009 season helped establish Bellefeuille as one of the best coaches in the CFL. He was nominated for Coach of the Year (an award I believe he should have won) and helped lead the Tiger-Cats back to the playoffs.

I don't want to go overboard here. I felt the same way about former Head Coach Greg Marshall after he did the same thing in 2004 (except he won Coach of the Year), and it wasn't too long before he was fired.

I think the one key difference is O'Billovich. It seems that he and Bellefeuille trust each other completely, and it is that relationship that I think has the Cats poised for success in 2010 and beyond.

This off-season has produced nothing but great news for the Tabbies. I understand after last year expectations are running high, but I think with the way the team is currently assembled, from ownership on down to the ball boys, allows for our collective faith to be justified.

RELATED: In Obie We Trust

Buono Signs Extension

Head Coach Wally Buono will be staying with the BC Lions for a little longer. Buono signed a contract extension that will keep him BC until 2013.

Buono has led the Lions to the playoffs every year he's been their Head Coach, and the team won the Grey Cup in 2006. Buono is also sits atop the list of wins by a coach, with 235.

It was Buono's unorthodox decision in the 2004 Grey Cup that brought Casey Printers to Hamilton. Printers had just won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award that weekend, yet he was inexplicably benched in favour of Dave Dickenson for the championship game. Printers grew frustrated, went down to the NFL, failed there, came to Hamilton, and we all know how that story ended. Printers is now back in BC, and the Lions are once again a playoff contender.

Buono is clearly a great coach, but he has made some odd decisions. But he has had enormous success, so you can't question him that much. No one has won more games than Buono as a Head Coach, and that speaks volumes.

Now if we could just get some revenge for last season's East Division Semi-Final loss, that would be great.

Coach of the Year

Today, the CFL announced that Montreal Alouettes Head Coach Marc Trestmann has won the 2009 CFL Coach of the Year Award. Ken Miller of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Marcel Bellefeuille of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were the other two finalists.

Ugh. The CFL got this one wrong. I don't want to take anything away from what Trestmann accomplished this season with the Als. They went 17-3 and won the Grey Cup, but they were also the favourites to do so, and for that reason Trestmann should not have won.

It may seem biased, but c'mon! This award should have gone to Bellefeuille. No one but the most delusional Ti-Cat fan out there would have thought that Cats would have gone 6-12, let alone 9-9. The Cats were once again expected to finish in the cellar of the CFL's East Division. They exceeded expectations far above what anyone reasonably thought.

I won't say that Bellefeuille was robbed, because Trestmann is a deserving winner. I just feel like Bellefeuille would have been a more deserving one.

CFL Coaching Carousel

It's been a tough off-season for two of the Tiger-Cats' main competitors in the East Division. Both the Toronto Argonauts, who fired Bart Andrus on December 14, 2009, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who fired Mike Kelly on December 17, 2009, will have new Head Coaches when the 2010 CFL Season begins.

Andrus seemed in over his head and unable to adapt his NFL coaching style to the Canadian game. His clash with Arland Bruce led to the Argos sending Bruce to Hamilton (thanks for that, coach!) in July for basically a sack of beans and a thank-you. Bruce helped the Cats reach the playoffs for the first time since 2004, and Andrus was fired after the season. Guess Bruce won that one, eh, coach?

Kelly was, for lack of a better term, a complete buffoon. He embarrassed himself and the team with his multiple off-field problems, which came to a head days before his firing when he was arrested for assault. Kelly clashed with the media, clashed with his players and was generally disliked by the vast majority of Bomber fans. He swore during press conferences, he banished team leader Barrin Simpson, and he was uncouth enough to verbally battle with Otis Floyd following the Ti-Cats' season-ending win in Winnipeg. Basically, Kelly made a complete fool of himself every time he spoke.

Neither firing should come as much of a surprise. Each team took its time in naming a successor. Paul LaPolice was hired by the Blue Bombers on February 5, 2010, and Jim Barker was hired by the Argonauts on February 9, 2010. How each of these hirings pans out for their respective clubs remains to be seen.

Since both teams missed the playoffs in 2009, the determiner of whether the change in Head Coach was successful will be whether either team will challenge the Cats and Als for playoff spots in 2010. I see both teams struggling to make the post-season in 2010. Aside from Head Coach, each team has turmoil at the most key position in football: Quarterback. The Argos need to decide which direction they want to go in with Cody Pickett and Kerry Joseph. The Blue Bombers need to decide if they plan to retain the services of Michael Bishop, who provided a spark for the Bombers when he arrived, but whose mistakes in the end cost them a chance to host the East Division Semi-Final when he stunk the joint out against the Tiger-Cats (thanks, Mike!) on the final day of the 2009 CFL Regular Season.

If I was forced to choose one of the two teams to make the playoffs in 2010, I'd put my money on the Argonauts. Since free agency began they have been very active, and they also acquired the best player to change teams so far this off-season when they traded for Jeremaine Copeland. That gives them a slight advantage over the Bombers as of now. That said, I still expect the Cats and Als to remain the top two teams in the CFL's East Division. The Boatmen might sneak in as the #3 seed in the East, but I still expect that a crossover team from the West Division will play either the Ti-Cats or Alouettes in the East Division Semi-Final in 2010.