Hufnagel to be appointed Head Coach and GM of the Stamps - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

worth · 11-14-2007, 08:17 AM

Quote:

The Calgary Stampeders' next head coach will also be their next general manager.
John Hufnagel is expected to take a dual role when he assumes the club's reins after the Grey Cup is played on Nov. 25. Team brass views the former Stamps assistant coach as a once-in-a-decade type of asset and their willingness to give him full control supports their feelings.
A recurring problem for Calgary over the past three seasons has been the presence of too many authoritative voices, which undermined the possibility of having a single accountable figure and uniform message. That won't be an issue with Hufnagel.

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/...917d46&k=71250

HOOT · 11-14-2007, 09:17 AM

What a weird situation in the Stamps head office!

SportsJunky · 11-14-2007, 09:57 AM

Giving Hufnagel this much control seems dangerous with a guy like Hellard potentially interferring in the day to day stuff. I could see these guys butting heads if internal problems arose. Ted says he is going to step back and I hope he does for Hufnagel's and the team's sake.

Yeah_Baby · 11-14-2007, 10:54 AM

I find it really hard to believe that Hellard has any intention of actually stepping back.

JiriHrdina · 11-14-2007, 02:49 PM

Didn't Hellard go on Qr77 and deny this when the rumor came out?

So were you lieing to your fan base there Teddy?

Yeah_Baby · 11-14-2007, 02:59 PM

Hellard could just have been trying to save face. Guy kinda strikes me as a bit of a blow hard.

Saddledome · 11-14-2007, 03:10 PM

Hellard is definitely trying to save face!

worth · 11-14-2007, 03:10 PM

what do we really expect hellard to do the week leading up to a playoff game? say 'yes, we've signed a coach to a multi year deal regardless of the outcome of the upcoming playoff game.'? hellard was between a rock and a hard place. someone leaked the deal and he pretty much had to deny it. they will look pretty stupid when they do actually announce huff as head coach, but i'm sure they'll put a few weeks in between so it doesn't seem so bad.

Dion · 11-14-2007, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worth

what do we really expect hellard to do the week leading up to a playoff game? say 'yes, we've signed a coach to a multi year deal regardless of the outcome of the upcoming playoff game.'? hellard was between a rock and a hard place. someone leaked the deal and he pretty much had to deny it. they will look pretty stupid when they do actually announce huff as head coach, but i'm sure they'll put a few weeks in between so it doesn't seem so bad.

I was thinking the same thing also. Would not want to be in Hellards shoes.

At the same time, after listening to Higgins, I suspect he knows the axe is going to fall. Though Higgins did make a good point about how it affects the rest of the family too. I'm sure he wants the truth now rather than later so he can move on.

Clever_Iggy · 11-14-2007, 03:45 PM

Wow. Jim Barker gets pushed aside.

I liked Hufnagel back in the glory days. This team is dysfunctional though.

JiriHrdina · 11-14-2007, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worth

what do we really expect hellard to do the week leading up to a playoff game? say 'yes, we've signed a coach to a multi year deal regardless of the outcome of the upcoming playoff game.'? hellard was between a rock and a hard place. someone leaked the deal and he pretty much had to deny it. they will look pretty stupid when they do actually announce huff as head coach, but i'm sure they'll put a few weeks in between so it doesn't seem so bad.

Don't lie. Say you have no comment if it comes to it.

Or don't hire a new coach when your team has a playoff game to play.

Lots of options. Most of them better than how it was handled.

Bush.

Yeah_Baby · 11-14-2007, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Don't lie. Say you have no comment if it comes to it.

Or don't hire a new coach when your team has a playoff game to play.

Lots of options. Most of them better than how it was handled.

Bush.

no kidding it still floors me how the CFL prides itself in being a professional league and things like this, or even the Maas trade from a few years back sent it back to the stone age.

worth · 11-14-2007, 04:04 PM

Barker still retains his old roles, just under a new title. Having Huff as GM just implies that all the decisions end with him. Barker will still negotiate contracts.

Quote:

Hufnagel to handle both roles

As reported in Wednesday's Herald, John Hufnagel will be named head coach and GM when the team officially hires him. The plan is to have one voice for football matters and Hufnagel will be that voice.
Jim Barker's title will change (vp football ops?) but his responsibilities basically will remain the same — handling salary cap, finding players, contracts, etc.
Still no word on what the future holds for Tom Higgins, although the team is possibly finding something for him within the team.
MP

http://communities.canada.com/calgar...r/default.aspx

Don't get me wrong, I agree, how it was handled by Hellard was horrible. It shouldn't have happened in the first place, but I think there are a lot of other things going on here. We only see 10% of the story.

Thunderball · 11-14-2007, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Don't lie. Say you have no comment if it comes to it.

Or don't hire a new coach when your team has a playoff game to play.

Lots of options. Most of them better than how it was handled.

Bush.

Exactly... any respectable owner/manager in that position says this:

"I don't comment on rumors. Tom Higgins is our coach."

I echo, Bush League.

STAMPEDRED · 11-14-2007, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

Wow. Jim Barker gets pushed aside.

I liked Hufnagel back in the glory days. This team is dysfunctional though.

Oh man, I hope they can do more than push him aside but out the door too. One can only hope that he wouldn't let the door hit em on the way out, but...

Good Riddance IMO! He's done nothing with this team in 4 years of involvement except toot his own horn of how he's won this, won that. At least if Huf gets the job there will/should be less of praising himself and more of righting the ship.

Its pretty sad to look back at how our team was considered the Flag-Ship team of the CFL for most of the 90's and now we flaunt our dirty laundry out for all to see just when you think that this new ownership group will be the best thing for this club.

Hufnagel will hopefully bring some stability back upstairs and on the field that existed when Buono was here. That is, of course, if the rumour is true.

On Ted Hellard, step down or remove yourself from the spot light some way, some how. You are not a football mind. If you want a President to be front and center than have a football mind in Dave Sapunjis be the guy... but either way be quiet about it. The less people hear/see of all this posturing that Hellard does (or the next president) then one less huge distraction for the team to deal with next year.

calculoso · 11-14-2007, 06:52 PM

Not to jump to Hellard's defense, but from what I remember him saying, he can still save face.

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...3&postcount=28

"Has Hufnagel been approached about a contract?"

"No, he has not"

At that point, it may have been true. There may have been discussions, but nothing to the contract stage yet.

The only person/people making the Stamps look bush league here is the person leaking the info to the press. If they keep it quiet until it happens (or at least until after the Stamps/Riders game) then this all goes over much better.

Nothing like shooting your employer in the foot!

Flames in 07 · 11-14-2007, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

no kidding it still floors me how the CFL prides itself in being a professional league and things like this, or even the Maas trade from a few years back sent it back to the stone age.

I missed that press conference. The CFL has struggled with credibility and professionalism since I've known was football was.

It's largest problem is that it attracts unsophisticated owners. The more I see of the league the more I learn its a bit of a banana republic.

I like the move, but I'm not sure it could be handled worse.

droopydrew19 · 11-15-2007, 01:17 PM

My CFL insiders claim there has been lines drawn in the organization for some time.
I am told Higgins and Barker basically do not get along.

Apparently Higgins was close to getting the axe earlier in the season and would have gave way to Creehan (a Barker guy) With Higgins winning that battle you knew something would have to change in the off season.

I think ownership just wanted to wash their hands of both factions.

So much for the "ONE" philospy they preached all preseason. It is hard for a team to pull together on the field when the coaching staff and even ownership group have fractured relationships.

Hopefully Huff will bring a fresh start and get everyone pulling together.

HOOT · 11-15-2007, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

no kidding it still floors me how the CFL prides itself in being a professional league and things like this, or even the Maas trade from a few years back sent it back to the stone age.

Not really a CFL fan....what happened with Maas?

Yeah_Baby · 11-15-2007, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOOT

Not really a CFL fan....what happened with Maas?

basicly at one point in the season the Ticats and Esks made a fairly sizible trade and somehow it got leaked that after the season they had agreeded to move Maas for Danny Mac. And so everyone was like wtf, and that was the year that Maas came off the bench in the semi and west finals and then they went on to win the Grey Cup.