12/21/24
December 14, 2009
Argonauts fire head coach Bart Andrus after 3-15 season: A month after completing their worst season in 16 years, the Toronto Argonauts fired head coach Bart Andrus. The Argos had a 3-15 W-L record and missed the Canadian Football League playoffs for the second successive year. He was hired last January as the team's 40th head coach after serving as an assistant coach with the NFL's Tennessee Titans.
posted by tommytrump to football at 11:55 AM - 9 comments
So, when does Adam Rita start packing up his shit?
posted by wfrazerjr at 12:24 PM on December 14, 2009
sorry, walt, but Mike Kelly is next in line ....
After 4 or 5 losses this guy (sorry Chucky) had the local radio station prohibit fans from calling in to the call in show - e-mails only, and he chose which to answer.
posted by cixelsyd at 01:35 PM on December 14, 2009
Football in Canada? Is this a professional or university league?
posted by irunfromclones at 02:47 PM on December 14, 2009
Just too many bullet points against him:
- Was trumpeted as an offensive specialist, but wasn't able to generate any consistent offence.
- Picked a fight with his star receiver that he just couldn't win.
- Seemed to be completely unprepared for the differences in the CFL game.
Really, the only argument against firing him is the rock-bottom one: the fact that this will make it, what, three head coaches in three years for the Argos?
His fate was pretty much sealed when he opted to NOT let Justin Medlock kick a 50-yard attempt for the tie as time expired in that elimination game against Edmonton.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 03:08 PM on December 14, 2009
Football in Canada? Is this a professional or university league?
The Toronto Argonauts are the oldest professional football team in North America.
The Canadian Football League: longer, wider, faster, and our balls are bigger.
Stay classy, irunfromclones.
Really, the only argument against firing him is the rock-bottom one: the fact that this will make it, what, three head coaches in three years for the Argos?
Four. Michael (Pinball) Clemons, Rich Stubler, Don Matthews, Bart Andrus.
posted by tommybiden at 03:47 PM on December 14, 2009
Oh man, how did I forget about Don Matthews? He totally blocked my view of the field.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 04:33 PM on December 14, 2009
One of his biggest beefs, which I think may be one of the items on the table for discussion about the CBA, is that his contact time (max. 4 hrs. per day, if I'm not mistaken) with the players is too short to implement the kind of offensive systems he wanted to employ. That was the final straw for me. I mean nobody liked this guy right outta the gates this season ... but then when the excuses like this one started to roll out, I knew he'd be gone for sure.
After they have turned over so many coaches in the recent (yes, four) years, I did think that they "might" have given him a second chance. But there was just no way they could do that with this guy. Stubler got ousted way too fast. The Don was not, nor has ever been, a Messiah (although, I did hold him in very high regard as a coach until his last stint with Edmonton). Andrus, well, he's now firmly entrenched in the same class as Kay Stephenson. So who next? Whoever it is will have to be someone that can stand the heat for the two or so years (min.) it's gonna take them to get back in contention.
And while I have the floor ... if I may be so bold ... my message to the Argos is simply this: THINK CANADIAN! It is the ONLY way to have enduring success in this league (Marc Trestman excluded).
posted by Spitztengle at 07:13 PM on December 14, 2009
Perry Lefko has a list of possible candidates in the wake of this firing.
posted by Spitztengle at 07:21 PM on December 14, 2009
What's surprising about being fired after winning 1/6th of your games? If anything, I'm more surprised he lasted a whole season.