Bold moves are nothing new to Mike Benevides, who hired Rich Stubler two seasons ago amid suggestions it would result in a loss of work for the head coach eventually, and who fired Stubler this week (PNG)
You got to hand it to Mike Benevides. The man sure knows how to get people talking at a Christmas party.
The one that will be hosted by the B.C. Lions at the Fairmont tonight wasn’t originially going to include a bar discussion on the firing of defensive coordinator Rich Stubler Saturday, but one post on Twitter over the weekend suggesting that Stubler was on his way to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers was enough for the Lions to admit he was done.
Stubler got the word from Benevides Thursday, and with Mike O’Shea taking over in Winnipeg it took no time to digest the possibility of the two ex-Argonauts reuniting. Stubler was signing Christmas cards for the Lions at the start of the week. It would not be a surprise to see his autograph on the cards of two teams.
The questions now being asked of Benevides is what the Lions have in mind for a year in which they will play host to the Grey Cup game after what now can only be described as a major overhaul.
You would also perhaps want to know if Wally Buono pushed Benevides into considering a move involving Stubler, but you’ll need a supersized vat of egg nog as truth serum before that ever becomes a topic for general discussion.
There were personality issues associated with the exit of Jacques Chapdelaine but in no way could the same could be said about the jovial Stubler, who has seen just about everything in five decades of coaching.
Stubler’s defensive approach was one of bend-but-don’t-break, which meant the Lions were more focused on not having a deep pass completed. But when the 2013 season on the line there was more bending than normal. B.C. only allowed under 29 points once in its final six games, and there were more than a few observers at the West Division semifinal who wondered why the Lions couldn’t adjust down the stretch when Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant began running into the teeth of their defence.
Several defensive veterans were upset after the loss, tacitly blaming Stubler, almost as upset as some with the Lions were after it was suggested here the next morning it might lead to changes in the coaching staff.
Benevides talked Saturday about a lack of results, denying naturally that the semifinal led directly to Stubler’s demise, and when you don’t get to the Grey Cup game with a team that went 24-12 the last two seasons there have to be some changes for sure.
But to some degree, the Lions are counting on the last game of the 2014 season to sell itself, because with the amount of change that will come for a team that will be introducing new offensive and defensive systems, a quick start would be difficult to forecast.
Much easier to forecast, however, is the fact every single remaining assistant coach will be very, very nice to the man in charge tonight.
