Wally Buono era ends with a whimper
Everything that could go wrong does go wrong as Lions humiliated 48-8 in Hamilton
HAMILTON It wasn’t supposed to end this way for the winningest coach in CFL history and Wally Buono will be remembered for reasons other than Sunday’s debacle in Steeltown.
But it’s hard getting around the final score in this one. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats now advance to the Eastern final next weekend, the B.C. Lions head home, defeated and dispirited, and Buono heads into retirement.
Here’s what we learned from his last game, a 48-8 loss to the Ticats in Sunday’s crossover game, the worst playoff loss in franchise history.
GONE WITH THE WIND
In the Lions’ penultimate regular season game in Saskatchewan, Buono won the toss, gave the home team the wind in the first quarter, and watched the Riders take control of the game over the first 15 minutes. He later blamed himself for his team’s poor start.
On Sunday, the Lions again won the toss and Buono opted to take the wind in the first quarter.
Here’s what happened next. On the Ticats’ first possession, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli converted three straight second and long situations, leaving the ball on the Lions’ one.
On third down, backup quarterback Dane Evans was stopped by the Lions’ Ivan McLennan short of the goalline but fumbled the ball into the end zone where it was recovered by offensive lineman Kelvin Palmer for a touchdown.
And the Lions’ nightmare had begun.
By halftime, the Ticats held a 28-0 lead, largely because Masoli was having one of the greatest performances in CFL playoff history and the Lions were crumbling like a soda cracker. Masoli, who was 9 of 9 for 174 yards and two touchdowns midway through the second quarter, finished the half 13 of 15 for 245 yards and three TDs.
The Lions, you ask? Quarterback Travis Lulay fumbled on his first play from scrimmage, had the Leos most promising drive short-circuited by a time-count violation and produced just 101 yards of total offence.
All told the Ticats had 305 yards in total offence in the first half and held the ball for nearly twice as long as the Lions.
That, at least, was the big stuff but the details were just as gruesome for the Leos. With the score 14-0 and the Ticats moving into the wind, running back Alex Green ripped of a 26-yard run which was called back for holding. Facing a first and 20, Green went for 22 yards on the next play. The drive ended with a Ticats touchdown.
The Lions also failed to convert a second and half a yard at midfield. Two plays later, Masoli hit Luke Tasker for a 25-yard touchdown.
“It’s like every other loss,” Buono said. “Losses are difficult to deal with. People don’t leave sports because of the wins. It’s the losses. They are lasting and they are brutal.
“The one thing I did think as I was walking off the field is I won’t have this feeling again. It’s not a feeling you take up tomorrow morning and think, I hope I get this again.”
“Today doesn’t define the man,” said Lulay. “It would have been fun. It would have been a good story. But everything that Wally’s earned he’s deserving of it all. it’s just an unfortunate end to an incredible career. There’s no other way to say it. It’s been an incredible career.”
FROM BAD TO WORSE
The second half unfolded with the dreary predictability of a Greek tragedy. The defence actually stepped up over the final 30 minutes — or the Tiger-Cats were bored stiff — but Lulay served up a room-service pick six to Frankie Williams. That marked the end of his day and, in all likelihood, the end of his career with the Lions. His final numbers were 8 of 17 for 103 yards, one interception and one fumble. The Ticats produced 21 points off Lions’ turnovers.
Jonathon Jennings picked up for Lulay late in the third quarter and the Lions comedy of errors continued. With the aid of a couple of pass interference calls, Jennings drove the Leos to the Ticats’ one where centre Andrew Pierson snapped the ball over Tyrell Sutton’s head, resulting in a 92-yard fumble return by Simoni Lawrence and a 44-0 Ticats’ lead.
Jennings later hit Bryan Burnham for a meaningless touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
“It’s one thing to lose but to lose like this and couple it with Wally’s last game, it hurts,” said linebacker Solomon Elimimian. “For the guys who’ve been around we know what he’s meant to us. I know what he’s meant to my career. The one thing we wanted to give him tonight we couldn’t.”
Buono was asked about his emotional state after his last game. “All year long I’ve stayed with the immediate and I think that’s enabled me to stay focused,” he answered. “I’m not a person who looks too far ahead or behind.
“But when the kicker (Ty Long) went down (with an injury in the fourth quarter) I thought, ‘My goodness. What else can happen.’ ”
GOODBYE WALLY
The game marked the end of Buono’s 15 years with the Lions but this contest will have more far-reaching consequences for the franchise.
In his first year on the job, general manager Ed Hervey has been aggressive in addressing the Lions’ personnel needs and it’s hard to imagine a universe where Lulay and Jennings return as the team’s quarterbacks. Hervey will almost certainly be making a play for Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly who, like Lulay and Jennings, becomes a free agent this off-season.
The Lions also need upgrades at receiver, running back, the return game and along the offensive and defensive lines. Other than that, hey, no problem. Solomon Elimimian, who’s been a fixture at middle linebacker for the last eight years, will be under review this off-season.
And that’s just on the field. In one of the more poignant moments of his final week on the job, Buono said he hoped owner David Braley would sell the Lions to a local owner. “It’s time to make a change, period,” Buono said. “It’s time. We can’t do anymore.”
Hervey also has to replace Buono as a head coach. Defensive co-ordinator Mark Washington will be considered but Hervey, who wants to establish a new culture and identity, might look outside the organization.