In early 2006, CBC asked the question of what an encore to Danny Maciocia’s rookie season would look like. Having won the Grey Cup that year in a thriller over Montreal in his rookie season as then Head Coach of the Edmonton Eskimos, the future looked to be very bring for the rookie.
Five years later, it turned out to be exactly the opposite.
BC Lions tried, but failed to deny Edmonton their first win of the season.
Less then twenty-four after the Eskimos avoided tying the record for worst start in their history with a 28-25 nail biting win, tam CEO Rick LeLacheur decided that General Manager Danny Maciocia’s future with the Eskimos was at an end. For many, his removal from the team was long overdue.
In fact, dis-satisfaction with his performance would start soon after his Grey Cup victory in 2005. The Eskimos would snap their quarter-century mark for playoff appearances in his second year as head coach, as they finished last in the West for the first of five (and currently counting) seasons in a row. With rumors that he was to be axed after this infamous season, and with some fans offering to sharpen the blade, he was instead given more clout in the organization with a promotion. First to GM and coach, then in 2008 to full time GM, handing the coaching duties to incumbent Richie Hall. And the higher he rose in the ranks, the worse the team would perform, with fans increasingly calling for his head on a platter.
And it looks like frustration with the horrid start this year helped to put the wheels in motion for today’s event. President Rick LeLacheur stated after their blowout loss to Winnipeg that ”We have to be accountable. We’re 0-4 and our last game was a total embarrassment to the coaches, players and everybody Nobody in the organization is untouchable.”, effectively putting everyone on notice that they were playing (or coaching…or managing) for their jobs.
A notice that was overdue.
With the team looking lousy on the field, the team bearing down on their worst start in over four decades, and fans already furious, the organization had to show that they were at least trying to do something to improve the situation. Normally the head coach would be the sacrificial lamb, but the team being lousy long before Hall, and the victory tonight my have helped to keep him safe from the ace, at least for now. And most fan venom was aimed at the GM, not the coach or the players (well not much of it), as stated by LeLacheur during his press release, stating that, “It plays into it … unfortunately we all know Danny has been tagged in this community,” LeLacheur said. “I don’t totally understand it, I don’t know why. But it does affect the business.”.
Yes lower ticket sales because fans dont’ figure the guy in charge of hiring coaches and players knows what the heck he’s doing would be a strong business motivator.
"Surprised, disappointed......it should have been me."
However not everyone was happy to see Danny be let go. The players and staff, soon after their first victory of the year, were as defensive tackle Dario Romero put it, “[It’s] kind of a blindside.”. Many players on the current roster were brought on to the Eskimos by Danny Maciocia, while some, like quarterback Ricky Ray, were on the team when he was directly coaching the squad on the field. Some like the teams receiving coach Jason Tucker, felt that, “He hasn’t had a fair shake in this city since he’s been here. He won two Grey Cups and still people are on him.”. Others, like head coach Richie Hall, felt that, “… it should have been me, not him.”, which like many folks that are used to when changes are made in pro teams, was probably surprised that it wasn’t him that got the ax.
So with the search for a new General Manager being undertaken, this one time powerhouse of the CFL continues to try and avoid its most tumultuous period since the days when the game was still on black and white television. While Rick LeLacheurhas stated that there is going to be no hurry to find a new GM, it’s almost certain that if there ins’t a turnaround on the field, more folks will be given the boot. The question is will it make a difference? It all depends on how it’s handled. The current setup isn’t’ working, that’s for certain. Five years of declining performances are proof of that. If a house cleaning is performed methodically and with purpose, the team should be back on its feet within a few years. However, if they go through a “slash-and-burn” method, or even worse, just fire indiscriminately, not only will it do nothing more then keep them where they currently are, but he may just find himself joining Danny on the unemployment, after a long, glaring session of the fans ire in Edmonton. As quarterback Jason Mass effectively summed it up, “This is a crappy business, this is a great game.”
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The owner of the Sports Blog Network, Chris tells it exactly as he sees it, be it in the stands, in front of the tv, or on his semi-trusty laptop. And always with a can of trusty Dr. Pepper by his side, and spell-check working overtime. 
Long overdue man. Long overdue.
I can safely say that Hall is full of it. It shouldn’t have been him, he’s been stuck with the chum that Maciocia has been delivering this team for the last two seasons, and developing for the last five. Plus its’ rarely the head coach that is at fault even when they are canned. Maciocia should have stayed at offensive coordinator, maybe then we wouldn’t have lost our consecutive playoff streak then.
Happy days are here again!