Dear Riders, You Blew It

Last December it seemed so promising. The coach of the Grey Cup winners along with all but one of his staff moving here to build a winner seemed on paper to be a natural. Who knows, maybe it will work out, we thought.

But after a 53-7 thumping to a team whose coach who supposedly knows how to build a winner, people are asking where did this all go tragically wrong?

On paper it should have worked.

 However in Chris Jones’ desire to escape from under the thumb of Ed Hervey in Edmonton, it seems no one asked Jones what his philosophy was as a general manager, how he planned to build a consistent winner and how he planned to be a GM, head coach and defensive coordinator all at the same time.

From here, it seems Jones is unable to get a handle on any of these positions, never mind all of them.

If you have read this column in the past, you will have noted I have referred to this a never ending exhibition season. The Riders are making an average of 10 roster changes per week, which translates into a 25 percent change which really does nothing to build continuity.

If you don’t know who is lining up with you, then it’s hard to figure out how to play together. I remember two instances, in 1979 and 2000 when a new head coach put together a bunch of rookies and made the decision to play them together, let them take their lumps, and grow from there.

This time Jones is scanning the waiver wires for cast off players from other teams who might have played with Jones once upon a time and in theory have an idea of what kind of defense he plays, which judging from almost half a season consists of three people rushing the quarterback, everyone else dropping back and then chasing the receiver who makes the catch.

I’ve been taping Rider games since the beginning of the season and I was astounded to see the Riders actually looked better at the start of the season before Jones’ perpetual reconstruction project took hold.

If you are feeling paranoid, maybe if Jones is looking for an NFL job, he wants to show he can build a franchise from the bottom and handle the heat that goes with it. Of course the cheating and the fines, which come out of our pockets as owners is probably local color, but if there is a point to what Jones is doing, it seems no one but he is in the loop on that.

Which is his choice as it is ours not to go to games, buy merchandise or Rider lottery tickets. If the Riders are blowing coin on fines, why should I or anyone else subsidize their stupidity in exchange for the privilege of watching 53-7 dumpster fires?

I would think Labour Day would be the last sellout of the season and attendance will drop for the rest of the season, along with merchandize sales. If the Riders are somewhat lucky, they break even, but I see them losing money yet again.

Of course the timing is bad considering the Riders are moving into their new palace, and are trying to transition the old season ticket holders into new seats. The Riders are not demonstrating any progress and to take it on faith things will get better may work in a place like Lourdes, but when ans hafve to listen to beaking from Bomber fans, that is asking too much.

I could understand some of the moves the Riders made like lighten their salary cap obligations by cutting veterans like John Chick and Weston Dressler. However the Riders did nothing to improve their situation with the salary cap room with moves like signing Maurice Price who took a signing bonus and retired, and there are a number of players who chose to retire than get traded to Saskatchewan.

The preference for the new management group is for players who played for them before, which seems to make them think anyone who was here before them is suspect. However the guys they brought in have been less than advertised, although the Riders are not advertising much in town because where people are told to have faith, our faith has not been rewarded.

I want my football team back.

I have travelled from North Battleford and Prince Albert to Regina to see the Riders, spend money and cheer. I have a ridiculous collection of Rider jerseys filled with names no longer with the team.

I can overlook that because change is a part of football, but so is having a destination and either the Riders don’t have the horses capable of getting into the playoffs, or their coaching is not as good as advertised.

The Riders don’t seem to know what they are doing and they don’t want to answer questions about it because then it may become obvious to the people of this province, who own this team and have been supporting it long before Chris Jones even heard of football, that the Riders are making it up as they go along.

It is easy to second guess mistakes and I would prefer a football administration that took chances than one that was afraid to move. That being said, taking chances means there is a game plan and I cannot think the Riders have no game plan, other than taking a year to audition football players.

If that is the case, the Riders owe fans an apology for taking their money and giving them nothing in return.

Saturday night against Hamilton was a new low for the Riders. They face Edmonton next weekend and they are motivated to show up their old boss and right now I would expect the Riders defense to give up between 50-60 points and maybe score 10-14 points.

Chris Jones in his comments sounded like a combination of Jim Daley who always said the “boys played hard” and Jim Gotta “put our nose to the grindstone” after he led the Riders to a 56-0 loss to Winnipeg. I don’t think firing Jones now necessarily creates a situation that turns the tide around but I don’t think the Riders have the courage to step in and suggest Jones maybe show why he is taking on too much and perhaps look for a new way to do things.

It doesn’t get easier. It will get worse.

The problem I am having this Sunday morning is thinking the way is now cleared to have the Riders hit an even worse low. Penalties and blown assignments are signs of poor coaching and Jones has to ask himself if he is going to salvage his stay in Saskatchewan, where does need to concentrate his time and energy accordingly.

So Chris Jones, you have run my Rider franchise in the ground.

Now what are you going to do with it?