Edmonton Eskimos fire GM, search on for replacement

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Eskimos’ first win of the CFL season wasn’t enough to save Danny Maciocia’s job. On Saturday, a day after the Eskimos ended a four-game losing streak to open the 2010 season, Maciocia was fired as the team’s general manager and director of football operations.

In announcing the decision, team president and CEO Rich LeLacheur said he didn’t see Maciocia fitting into the long-term future of the franchise.

“It’s my job to look after the future of the organization and it became aware in my mind that by the end of this year it would not be in the organization’s best interests to offer Danny a new contract,” LeLacheur told a hastily called news conference Saturday afternoon. “As I solidified that in my mind, it became clear this was the best thing (to do). We just didn’t see him in our organization’s long-term plans.”

LeLacheur said he made the decision last week but held back on telling Maciocia or anyone until Saturday, less than 24 hours after the Eskimos (1-4) defeated the B.C. Lions 28-25 for their first victory of the season.

“The coaches and players have been through a lot this week and I just felt it was best for the coaches and players to concentrate on (Friday) night’s game.”

He said the board of directors accepted his decision at their regular meeting on Wednesday.

Although LeLacheur had strongly suggested early in the week that changes were coming if the team didn’t start winning, Maciocia was still surprised by the timing.

“No. I didn’t see it coming, not right now,” he said. “It wouldn’t have surprised me if they had not renewed my contract at the end of the year. Just because, you know, we all know what I’ve been through here.”

Asked if he was given a reason for the dismissal, Maciocia said: “No reference was made regarding my work. He (LeLacheur) just thinks I’m a tough sell in the city.”

LeLacheur said Maciocia understood the decision, the reasons for it and has accepted it.

“He was a pro,” LeLacheur said.

No replacement has been named and one isn’t anticipated in the immediate future.

“We will begin a North American search for a top-notch football general manager, but there’s no time frame on when we will fill the job.”

He said no one will be named acting GM because the team is in good shape in terms of player personnel though this season.

Maciocia joined the Eskimos in 2002 as offensive co-ordinator. In his first two years in that position, the team lost the Grey Cup game in 2002 and won the CFL championship in 2003. He was head coach from 2005 though 2008, winning the Grey Cup in his first season and positing an overall regular-season record of 33-38-1. He took over as GM and director of football operations in 2008.

His firing came less than a week after LeLacheur delivered a warning following a 47-21 Eskimos loss in Winnipeg in Week 4. LeLacheur said the team’s performance was unacceptable and that no one in the organization is untouchable.

No coaches were fired in the shakeup, but LeLacheur said the employment of the coaches will be decided week by week.

Head coach Richie Hall said he and the players have to accept responsibility for the firing.

“We’re all a part of the problem and we all can be part of the solution, but it starts with taking responsibility for yourself,” he said. “As I told the players, I haven’t done a good enough job. When you look at where we’ve been the first five games, it’s not what we’re capable of doing.

“An 0-4 start should make everybody nervous about their job as far as stability. The bottom line is . . . we’re all assembled here to win football games. If we don’t win games, there’s consequences and everybody has to look at themselves.”

Maciocia had been the target of most of the criticism from fans and media over the team’s lack of success in recent years. They missed the playoffs in 2006 and 2007, lost the division final in 2008 and the division semifinal in 2009. When they struggled out of the gate this season, there were renewed calls for the dismissal of Maciocia or LeLacheur or both.

LeLacheur said that reaction from the fans played a role in the decision.

“It plays into it; I wouldn’t say anything else,” said LeLacheur. “I don’t understand it, but we all know Danny’s been tagged in this community; I don’t know why. He’s won two Grey Cups in eight years, a lot better than a lot of CFL coaches. They blame him for everything, like maybe for the (thunder) storm (Friday) night.

Hall said everyone in the organization knew the fans were not happy and if the team continues to struggle, chances are their criticism will shift to him now that Maciocia is gone.

“I don’t even think about it,” Hall said of that possibility. “They should focus on me anyway. Not being arrogant, but I’m the head coach.

“We know they’re not happy . . . we understand the expectations in this city. We also understand the expectations we have within ourselves. All of sudden we win one game, we’re OK? No, we’re not OK. We’re still 1-4, in last place.”

Edmonton Journal

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