Chris Jones versus Michael O'Shea

[BigBlue]

Chris Jones versus Michael O'Shea

I have to admit that I'm more than a little bit jealous of Chris Jonesl and his Eskimos. It seemed at the beginning of the season that we were seeing two teams rising out of the ashes like two proverbial Phoenixes. Sadly now it appears there is only one.

Chris Jones appears to be somewhat of an angry bird, maybe not like Kent Austin, but he does seem to be getting the most out of his players. I don't like that kind of motivation where the players are playing in fear of the coaches anger, authority and power.

By contrast Michael O'Shea appears to be a pinball Clemons clone, at least to me. Last May I attended a pinball Clemens dinner as a fundraiser for the Calgary Colts junior football club. It's hard to sit still near the Pinball, he is such a force of motivation and inspiration to be your best, to do your best and be yourself. He makes it very acceptable and important to just be yourself, to live life appreciably and thankfully.

I'm guessing that pinball Clemens was Michael O'Shea's mentor and role model. But I am wondering how well he's doing that here in Winnipeg, that is coaching just the way Pinball did. There does appear to be a few significant differences which I'm only beginning to identify for myself.

For one it's the close tightlipped relationship with the media where not even an assistant coach can express himself. I don't particularly like the Winnipeg media except for Tait and Irving but their job is to stir up interest and get the fans excited. I'm not sure what O'Shea's thinking is but in this matter he doesn't seem to be looking for the best in these reporters and is not slipping out juicy tidbits to two or three of his favourite media guys or even to Sarah Orlesky.

Another seems to be governance by "the establishment". On this club the players once starting stay starting until injury; there is no tweaking or upgrading but rather just what your place in line until an injury let's you in. Certainly Will Ford never had a chance and Paris Cotton hasn't got a full half to strut his stuff in spite of very good performances earlier. This is especially illustrated when an outstanding player like Johnny Sears who plays with heart, soul and skill can't find his way into the line up. We need to coach in such a performanxe based style or we won't get our very best players on the field; in this there seems to me to be something quite wrong in the way things are being done.

Then there's that appearance of favouritism, maybe not cronyism, but familiarity that results in choosing one player over another because you like them or not rather than based on results. I don't know if these are good examples but witness Kuale over Kromah or Brohm over Marve or perhaps Bryant over JFG, or else instances where we are not utilizing a guy like Fitzgerald more. McManus might be right about Brohm, he certainly was about Willey. But whether it's the offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator or the head coach, I personally don't like the way they are deciding who gets onto the field on any given Sunday (so to speak).

I'm absolutely thankful for Michael Shea being here and with Kyle Walters and all the other supporting cast from president to janitor. We have definitely upgraded our Canadians and found great talent under rocks. Last year we had inadequate American talent and that has been upgraded as well. Further we had to scour out all the bad attitudes and losing thinking. It seems like if you are part of the old guard you've had to play like a maniac to keep your position on this club. So we have a new order and great hope and we'll see what the final third of the season will bring. Five and one the first third, one and five the second, and the jury is out for the third.

Chris Jones doesn't appear to be running things like our dear head coach and Edmonton can have him. In the long run angry bird doesn't work. I like what O'Shea is trying to do. I like he's trying to be like Clemons (if that's true). But he can't be Clemons. He has to be his own man, go to his own strengths and see things through his own set of eyes. As a rookie head coach he has a lot of latitude from me (as if that mattered anyway). Pinball was a great teacher and an amazing leader and I'm grateful that we are going to have a lot of that through this coach of ours. Michael O'Shea just has to find his own legs and it is going to take him a little while to sort all this out.

I don't want to stand here and criticize like some nagging wife. I just know it won't be long before we rise out of the ashes; we are already seeing glimpses of it.

Why Edmonton is rising and we are not I don't know ...but Grey Cup here we come (just not this year).

[Mike]

Rick Campbell is the coach for Ottawa.

[Tracker]

Rick Campbell is the coach for Ottawa.

Nuff said.

[SPuDS]

Smoooooooth

I think jones is a ******... I think his style of coaching works well when the wins are there but losses and they get tuned out. He does have a knack for defense and defense wins. truthfully tho, i cant explain why edmonton is doing so well.. It cant all be

on jones...

[BigBlue]

Sorry ... brain fart. Chris Jones is the Edmonton head coach I see on the sidelines with scowl on jis face all the time

[Rich]

This handsome fella is Chris Jones

 

[17to85]

Chris Jones versus Michael O'Shea

I have to admit that I'm more than a little bit jealous of Chris Jonesl and his Eskimos. It seemed at the beginning of the season that we were seeing two teams rising out of the ashes like two proverbial Phoenixes. Sadly now it appears there is only one.

Chris Jones appears to be somewhat of an angry bird, maybe not like Kent Austin, but he does seem to be getting the most out of his players. I don't like that kind of motivation where the players are playing in fear of the coaches anger, authority and power.

By contrast Michael O'Shea appears to be a pinball Clemons clone, at least to me. Last May I attended a pinball Clemens dinner as a fundraiser for the Calgary Colts junior football club. It's hard to sit still near the Pinball, he is such a force of motivation and inspiration to be your best, to do your best and be yourself. He makes it very acceptable and important to just be yourself, to live life appreciably and thankfully.

I'm guessing that pinball Clemens was Michael O'Shea's mentor and role model. But I am wondering how well he's doing that here in Winnipeg, that is coaching just the way Pinball did. There does appear to be a few significant differences which I'm only beginning to identify for myself.

For one it's the close tightlipped relationship with the media where not even an assistant coach can express himself. I don't particularly like the Winnipeg media except for Tait and Irving but their job is to stir up interest and get the fans excited. I'm not sure what O'Shea's thinking is but in this matter he doesn't seem to be looking for the best in these reporters and is not slipping out juicy tidbits to two or three of his favourite media guys or even to Sarah Orlesky.

Another seems to be governance by "the establishment". On this club the players once starting stay starting until injury; there is no tweaking or upgrading but rather just what your place in line until an injury let's you in. Certainly Will Ford never had a chance and Paris Cotton hasn't got a full half to strut his stuff in spite of very good performances earlier. This is especially illustrated when an outstanding player like Johnny Sears who plays with heart, soul and skill can't find his way into the line up. We need to coach in such a performanxe based style or we won't get our very best players on the field; in this there seems to me to be something quite wrong in the way things are being done.

Then there's that appearance of favouritism, maybe not cronyism, but familiarity that results in choosing one player over another because you like them or not rather than based on results. I don't know if these are good examples but witness Kuale over Kromah or Brohm over Marve or perhaps Bryant over JFG, or else instances where we are not utilizing a guy like Fitzgerald more. McManus might be right about Brohm, he certainly was about Willey. But whether it's the offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator or the head coach, I personally don't like the way they are deciding who gets onto the field on any given Sunday (so to speak).

I'm absolutely thankful for Michael Shea being here and with Kyle Walters and all the other supporting cast from president to janitor. We have definitely upgraded our Canadians and found great talent under rocks. Last year we had inadequate American talent and that has been upgraded as well. Further we had to scour out all the bad attitudes and losing thinking. It seems like if you are part of the old guard you've had to play like a maniac to keep your position on this club. So we have a new order and great hope and we'll see what the final third of the season will bring. Five and one the first third, one and five the second, and the jury is out for the third.

Chris Jones doesn't appear to be running things like our dear head coach and Edmonton can have him. In the long run angry bird doesn't work. I like what O'Shea is trying to do. I like he's trying to be like Clemons (if that's true). But he can't be Clemons. He has to be his own man, go to his own strengths and see things through his own set of eyes. As a rookie head coach he has a lot of latitude from me (as if that mattered anyway). Pinball was a great teacher and an amazing leader and I'm grateful that we are going to have a lot of that through this coach of ours. Michael O'Shea just has to find his own legs and it is going to take him a little while to sort all this out.

I don't want to stand here and criticize like some nagging wife. I just know it won't be long before we rise out of the ashes; we are already seeing glimpses of it.

Why Edmonton is rising and we are not I don't know ...but Grey Cup here we come (just not this year).

The bolded I don't think I can agree with. Most of the players making an impact for this team are guys that were here before except for the guys that were already in the league like Willy and Moore who Walters did bring in. But here's the big reason we are in a bit of a skid right now... we've run into some injuries and the depth is not there to get through them because we do not have the same quality of American rookies that we had in the past. Say what you will about Joe Mack but based on one year, he was way better at finding American players. 

[Fatty Liver]

In all honesty I think Edmonton has a one year head start on the Bombers in rebuilding.  They went through similar growing pains with Reilly last year that the Bombers are just working through now with Willy.

 

On another note, I hope O'Shea comes back after this week with a vision of what he needs to do to further the progress that has already been made this season.  Time for him to take charge and stop letting his coordinators make the decisions that lead to the same errors and weaknesses being exposed week after week.  This means play calling as well as personnel decisions on all 3 teams.  I think so far O'Shea has leaned heavily on his coordinators to make decisions for him but sooner or later he has to realize that this is his team and he has to take charge.

[SmokinBlue]

He couldn't even find starters let a lone depth, his record speaks for itself. Crap.

[mfranc]

Jones is a boob. O'Shea will be a successful coach for a lot longer then the emotional Jones.

[M.O.A.B.]

This handsome fella is Chris Jones

 

 

Is that Joey Elliott

[NotoriousBIG]

O'Shea inherited a lame roster and had no options as co-ordinators. 

 

Now that the team/front office is perceived as "legit," he should have some options to replace Etch. 

 

Still not sold on Walters. I know its only been a year but our depth is appalling and our Oline is laughable. Watching BC blow up our pocket with 4 guys play after play was painful. 

[mfranc]

O'Shea inherited a lame roster and had no options as co-ordinators. 

 

Now that the team/front office is perceived as "legit," he should have some options to replace Etch. 

 

Still not sold on Walters. I know its only been a year but our depth is appalling and our Oline is laughable. Watching BC blow up our pocket with 4 guys play after play was painful.

The Bombers are so banged up I'm not sure what Walters could do. He's actually done a pretty quick rebuild with his smartest move being O'Shea.

[BlueGoldBozo]

O'Shea inherited a lame roster and had no options as co-ordinators. 

 

Now that the team/front office is perceived as "legit," he should have some options to replace Etch. 

 

Still not sold on Walters. I know its only been a year but our depth is appalling and our Oline is laughable. Watching BC blow up our pocket with 4 guys play after play was painful. 

 

Our oline is a mess due to years of rediculous drafts in the IMWT era.

[Mike]

O'Shea inherited a lame roster and had no options as co-ordinators. 

 

Now that the team/front office is perceived as "legit," he should have some options to replace Etch. 

 

Still not sold on Walters. I know its only been a year but our depth is appalling and our Oline is laughable. Watching BC blow up our pocket with 4 guys play after play was painful. 

 

I really don't think our depth is appalling at all. My problem with it is that it is lackluster in spots where there's just no excuse.

 

To be relying on guys like Kuale and Romby is atrocious.

[NotoriousBIG]

 

O'Shea inherited a lame roster and had no options as co-ordinators. 

 

Now that the team/front office is perceived as "legit," he should have some options to replace Etch. 

 

Still not sold on Walters. I know its only been a year but our depth is appalling and our Oline is laughable. Watching BC blow up our pocket with 4 guys play after play was painful. 

 

I really don't think our depth is appalling at all. My problem with it is that it is lackluster in spots where there's just no excuse.

 

To be relying on guys like Kuale and Romby is atrocious.

 

 

Considering O'Shea had a prior connection with them, it seems like they were his "grasping at straws" choices. 

 

Which lays the blame on Walters. He needs to do better this off season at providing options. 

[trueBlue83]

are we talking about a Chilli cook off??   have you guys seen the latest CFL.ca poll!?  wtf?  are they planning a head coach chilli cooking contest or something!?   I've never seen a dumber poll.... haha

[17to85]

 

O'Shea inherited a lame roster and had no options as co-ordinators. 

 

Now that the team/front office is perceived as "legit," he should have some options to replace Etch. 

 

Still not sold on Walters. I know its only been a year but our depth is appalling and our Oline is laughable. Watching BC blow up our pocket with 4 guys play after play was painful.

The Bombers are so banged up I'm not sure what Walters could do. He's actually done a pretty quick rebuild with his smartest move being O'Shea.

 

He could have brought in just 1 receiver who could sit on the practise roster and play when needed rather than Romby Bryant. He could have brought in some better defensive line depth... he could have found a better linebacker than Kuale. Look Joe Mack made mistakes, most notably with his coaching hires, but the man did know how to bring in american rookies. Hell last year we had Wallace Miles on the PR as a receiver who could come in for injuries, look at what's he's managing in Ottawa this year, looking like a decent receiver at least. Walters made move to get some veterans in which helped initially and hired a good head coach, but in terms of the rookie import depth, not sold at all and he needs to be better at it. I am willing to give them a pass in year one because they are transitioning to a whole new scouting staff, but next year I don't want to see them having to resort of guys on their last legs like Bryant or space fillers like Kelly. 

[Mike]

I think it's fair to at least acknowledge that he brought in SOME awesome rookies.

 

But not enough of them. I mean, let's be honest ... Grigsby is going to win the MOR award. Bruce Johnson has been awesome. Mo Leggett is fantastic too.

 

But we need more. Especially at routine spots like receiver or rush end.

[mfranc]

I think it's fair to at least acknowledge that he brought in SOME awesome rookies.

 

But not enough of them. I mean, let's be honest ... Grigsby is going to win the MOR award. Bruce Johnson has been awesome. Mo Leggett is fantastic too.

 

But we need more. Especially at routine spots like receiver or rush end.

It takes time to build up a scouting department. Walters seemed to do okay in the draft as well.

[voodoochylde]

B

 

 

I think it's fair to at least acknowledge that he brought in SOME awesome rookies.
 
But not enough of them. I mean, let's be honest ... Grigsby is going to win the MOR award. Bruce Johnson has been awesome. Mo Leggett is fantastic too.
 
But we need more. Especially at routine spots like receiver or rush end.

It takes time to build up a scouting department. Walters seemed to do okay in the draft as well.

 

 

But I think the fair question is, how much depth do you expect to build in one offseason? 

 

Realisticaly, every GM is going to go through bodies until they get the right guys .. if you look across the league, the teams that are successful have established rosters.  We are middle of year one of a massive roster overhaul.  We aren't going to have great depth overnight.  It's going to take time to build a solid base .. then after that .. begin upgrading talent at the back end of the roster.

 

Again, anyone who thinks this is going to happen in one or two seasons is sorely deluding themselves .. and when you factor in the sheer number of injuries we've had this season, I think it's reasonable to say we are getting a LOT out of the bodies we have in camp right now.

[sweep the leg]

I think it's fair to at least acknowledge that he brought in SOME awesome rookies.

 

But not enough of them. I mean, let's be honest ... Grigsby is going to win the MOR award. Bruce Johnson has been awesome. Mo Leggett is fantastic too.

 

But we need more. Especially at routine spots like receiver or rush end.

I'd throw Stoudemire in that mix too. He went to camp with the Riders, but he'd never played a CFL game before. That's 4 good rookies. How many are expected for one season?

[17to85]

 

I think it's fair to at least acknowledge that he brought in SOME awesome rookies.

 

But not enough of them. I mean, let's be honest ... Grigsby is going to win the MOR award. Bruce Johnson has been awesome. Mo Leggett is fantastic too.

 

But we need more. Especially at routine spots like receiver or rush end.

I'd throw Stoudemire in that mix too. He went to camp with the Riders, but he'd never played a CFL game before. That's 4 good rookies. How many are expected for one season?

 

How about finding some at more positions than just defensive back? I'd be hesitant to include a player taken from another teams PR anyway but still, he's another DB. 

[mfranc]

I think it's fair to at least acknowledge that he brought in SOME awesome rookies.

 

But not enough of them. I mean, let's be honest ... Grigsby is going to win the MOR award. Bruce Johnson has been awesome. Mo Leggett is fantastic too.

 

But we need more. Especially at routine spots like receiver or rush end.

I'd throw Stoudemire in that mix too. He went to camp with the Riders, but he'd never played a CFL game before. That's 4 good rookies. How many are expected for one season?

Stoudemire was scouted and recruited by the Riders but was a shrewd move nonetheless.

[pigseye]

 

 

I think it's fair to at least acknowledge that he brought in SOME awesome rookies.

 

But not enough of them. I mean, let's be honest ... Grigsby is going to win the MOR award. Bruce Johnson has been awesome. Mo Leggett is fantastic too.

 

But we need more. Especially at routine spots like receiver or rush end.

I'd throw Stoudemire in that mix too. He went to camp with the Riders, but he'd never played a CFL game before. That's 4 good rookies. How many are expected for one season?

 

How about finding some at more positions than just defensive back? I'd be hesitant to include a player taken from another teams PR anyway but still, he's another DB. 

 

 

Very good point 17 makes, I questioned why we had 26 DB's on the training camp roster and only half that for the other D positions. Walters and the scouts were told who to bring in wasn't their choice imo.