12-05-2019, 08:17 AM
Two off-seasons ago, the Alouettes were told by then head coach Marc Trestman that he would be leaving to take a job with the Chicago Bears. Rick Aguilera Jersey . Trestman had led the team to Grey Cup championships in 2009 and 2010 so it is not a stretch to think that ownership in Montreal was looking for the next Marc Trestman when they got the news. The search for a new head coach began immediately, and there were some big names on the list of potential candidates. However, whenever there is a coaching change with an organization, time is of the essence because there are only so many jobs each off-season, and coaches have to take the opportunities while they can, or lose them, and be out of work. Montreal settled on Dan Hawkins and everyone knows how that worked out. The plan was for Hawkins to run Trestmans offence, and Anthony Calvillo would be asked to coach the coach. For a variety of reasons, that didnt work, and Hawkins tried to implement his own system, which also failed, and he was let go early in the season. Against some tough odds, general manager Jim Popp was asked to step in and try and pull things back together. Popp would have to put in a new system, change the terminology, find some assistants that could help, get an inexperienced Troy Smith up to speed, and find a way to make the playoffs. It was a goal that seemed almost impossible, but the Als got there, and in fact were one controversial play away from advancing to the Eastern Final. Fast forward to this past off-season. Now ownership is trying to decide if Popp should continue to coach the team and have the dual role or if they should go back to the proven model of hiring two separate people as their GM and head coach, which has been the formula that got them to five Grey Cups in the last 10 years. Also while this is happening, the organization is trying to fill other vacated holes in the staff. Remember Trestman took a lot of his assistants with him to Chicago. Scott Milanovich had moved on to Toronto earlier, and Marcus Brady had gone with him. In fact, it has been estimated that there are over 60 front office staff, coaches, and players currently working in the CFL that went though Montreal; a compliment to the organization, but over the last two years, an issue that is catching up to them. So this past off-season, ownership is contemplating whether Jim Popp should continue coaching, while they are compiling a list of possible candidates, and time was again slipping away. When Tom Higgins was finally announced, which was a decision by ownership, not by GM Jim Popp, a reporter asked if Higgins reminded ownership of Marc Trestman, and Bob Wetenhalls son Andrew answered in the affirmative, which suggests that ownership was taking their time because they were looking for the next Trestman. Now Higgins assembles his staff and hires Rick Worman to be his offensive coordinator to work with a young Ryan Dinwiddie whom has shown great potential, but is inexperienced as a coordinator. Worman again changes the terminology, and the offence, but depending on which story you believe, butts heads with staff and some players, and doesnt work out. So prior to the team kicking off the regular season, Dinwiddie, who again many think will be a great coordinator some day, is forced to leave the spotters booth, head to the sideline and, once again rework the offence. So the Als head into the regular season with an inexperienced Troy Smith who has been asked to learn three different offences in a span of about 10 months. Not surprisingly, the team starts the season 1-4 and struggles putting any points on the board. Interestingly enough, it is Smith that takes all the heat for the teams problems, with many people, including his head coach Tom Higgins, saying he just isnt playing well enough to give the team a chance to win. It is interesting because in last weeks loss to Toronto, Smith was pulled and Alex Brink went 9-for-23 for 60 yards and an interception, which would indicate that, while jury still may be out on Smith, he certainly isnt the real problem. On Monday, Montreal announced that former Stampeder Jeff Garcia was being brought in to help kick-start the offence, and joins Don Matthews and Turk Schonert, as consultants. Garcia should help Troy Smith in a huge way, however the new coaches also means that there will be yet again a new offensive system for the Heisman Trophy winner, and both Tanner Marsh and Alex Brink to learn. The fact that so much is being done to help Tom Higgins shouldnt surprise anyone; remember Higgins was hired by ownership so clearly they want to give Higgins as much help as possible before even contemplating another mid-season head coaching change. So it will be the fourth offensive system in 10 months, new terminology, and back to basics for three quarterbacks whose heads must be spinning. The good news for Montreal fans is that the East is up for grabs and a couple of wins can get you on top of the division in a hurry. However, the struggles that the Als are facing have less to do with an inexperienced quarterback and more to do with ownership trying to hire the next Trestman. Marc Trestman is a great coach; a quarterback expert that was an excellent communicator and humble enough to understand that you are always learning. However, there is only one Marc Trestman and trying to find the next one has put this team in catch-up mode for going on two years now. Fernando Tatis Jersey . -- The taxing preseason, which included two games in China, is finally over. Marcus Stroman Jersey . -- A.J. Burnett was happy to escape from New York. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/1030l-ro...-mets.html .Y. - Sven Andrighetto scored once and set up two more as the Hamilton Bulldogs hung on to defeat the host Adirondack Flames 5-3 on Tuesday in American Hockey League action. CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Adam Wainwright won 19 games last season and finished second in the NL Cy Young voting. So far, his encore is even better. Wainwright became the National Leagues first eight-game winner by dominating Cincinnati again, and the St. Louis Cardinals pulled away to a 4-0 victory Sunday night that completed another successful series against their division rival. The Cardinals are 6-3 against the Reds this season. Theyve won 10 of their last 11 series together. Overall, St. Louis has won nine of its last 11 games and moved within 1 1-2 games of first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central. Wainwright (8-2) beat Johnny Cueto and the Reds on opening day in Cincinnati, allowing only three hits during seven innings of a 1-0 victory. On Sunday, the right-hander gave up five hits in eight innings and matched his career high with 12 strikeouts. "Thats the epitome of pitching, in my opinion," manager Mike Matheny said. "The people watching today maybe on the national (television) game, I hope they had an appreciation for what this guy does and how he does it." Wainwright set the tone by striking out five of the first six batters on a total of 24 pitches. He got Brandon Phillips on three pitches that clocked 73, 91 and 93 mph. The one disappointment for Wainwright last season was his rough showing against the Reds -- 1-3 in four starts with a 7.77 ERA. Hes fixed that problem. "Last year I was a one-side-of-the-plate pitcher and they just crushed me," Wainwright said. "This year, Im pitching a lot differently. Im using both sides of the plate." Tony Cruz and Kolten Wong each had a pair of singles and drove in a run off Mike Leake (2-4). Wong also stole a pair of bases. The game drew 42,273 fans, the Reds third sellout crowd of the season. All three sellouts have come against the Cardinals. Leake went six innings and continued his streak of solid pitching. The right-hander hasnt allowed more than two runs in any of his last five starts, giving up a total of eight earned runs. With Wainwright on his game again, it was two runs too much. Mike Piazza Jersey. Wainwright lowered his ERA to 1.67. In his last two starts, he has given up only six hits and no runs in 17 innings. "Ive never felt like this," the 31-year-old pitcher said. "Thats part of of the evolution of me. I expected to get better as I got older, and a little wiser. "Now that Im over 30 years old, I dont think theres any reason for me to start to decline. I think I should still try to get better and expect to get better." Cruz led off the third inning with a single and advanced on Wainwrights sacrifice bunt. Wong singled up the middle with two outs for a run. Matt Adams singled, Allen Craig walked and Cruz singled home a run with two outs in the sixth. The Cardinals added a pair of runs in the seventh with the help of two errors by the Reds, who lead the majors in fielding percentage. Wainwright pitched out of Cincinnatis best threat in the fifth, when the Reds got runners to second and third with two outs. He got Billy Hamilton on a called third strike to end the inning. Hamilton struck out four times against Wainwright on opening day and three more times Sunday, leaving him 0 for 7 with seven strikeouts and a walk off the right-hander. NOTES: The Cardinals return home for an afternoon game against the Yankees on Monday, with Michael Wacha (3-3) facing Chase Whitley (0-1). The Reds fly to Los Angeles for an evening game against the Dodgers, sending Cueto (4-3) against Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-2). ... Wong extended his hitting streak to seven games. ... C Yadier Molina got a day of rest. ... OF Peter Bourjos was better, but still out of the lineup a day after he got a stomach virus. ... RHP Mat Latos made his first rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Sunday, allowing three hits and two runs in four innings. The Reds want him to make at least two more starts in the minors. ... RF Jay Bruce went 1 for 12 with seven strikeouts during the series, which marked his return from torn knee cartilage. 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