Tiger-Cats are a surprising mess
Hamilton, the football team, and Hamilton, the musical, have something in common — sad endings.
The mega-hit Broadway version celebrates more successful plays than the Hamilton TigerCats, who are the CFL’s worst team at this early juncture of the season.
Under Kent Austin, the TigerCats have had slow starts before. But nothing like this.
“This” is an 0-3 record ... an industrial-league-calibre offensive line ... and an alleged defence that doesn’t exactly evoke images of Angelo Mosca, John Barrow, Garney Henley, Ben Zambiasi, et al.
This is what has happened early in Year 5 under head coach and vice-president of football operations Kent Austin.
Injuries have not helped matters. Neither have the departures of two top-flight co-ordinators — Tommy Condell (offence) and Orlondo Steinhauer (defence).
But regardless of the adverse circumstances, it is still absolutely stunning to see an Austin-coached team in such a state, given his extraordinary qualities.
There are even more surprises. On Saturday, following a 41-26 loss to the B.C. Lions, Austin took exception to a comment made by former Saskatchewan Roughriders teammate and current TSN analyst Glen Suitor.
In a recent interview with Vancouver radio station TSN 1040, Suitor candidly assessed the state of the Zach Collaros-quarterbacked Tiger-Cats offence.
“They miss Tommy Condell, who was sort of the right-hand man for Kent Austin,” said Suitor, whose comments I discovered on the always-informative 3DownNation.com. “Tommy was a buffer between the two (Austin and Collaros). He was like the quarterback coach, co-offensive co-ordinator that would calm everyone down when Kent would get excited.
“And Kent gets excited ... he’ll say it like he sees it and sometimes that can be quite abrasive. Some players take that in a good way and some players don’t and I think Tommy Condell was a good go-between.”
Suitor went on to discuss the Austin-Collaros dynamic.
“What a contrast when I talk to (Toronto Argonauts head coach) Marc Trestman and how he treats Ricky Ray and how their relationship is right now,” Suitor continued. “He knows they are intertwined, the head coach and quarterback, and he gives them the keys to the car. I think there’s some tension between Collaros and Austin.”
Not according to Austin. “There’s absolutely zero tension,” Austin said, incredulously, in response to a question by
Drew Edwards of the Hamilton Spectator and 3DownNation. “Don’t even give my answer to Zach and ask him point-blank. There’s no tension between me and Zach. We’ve never had tension.
“That’s absolutely ridiculous and completely made up by Glen and he ought to be ashamed of himself.”
Keep in mind that Suitor, who is scrupulously fair, has not lasted 20-plus years with TSN — earning Gemini Award laurels along the way — by fabricating or exaggerating stories. He is not prone to outlandish claims or reporting that is ultimately discredited. Take that into consideration before screaming “fake news!”
The problems facing the Tiger-Cats are unquestionably real. Owner Bob Young is paying Austin a handsome wage with the expectation that he will reprise the phenomenal success he enjoyed as Saskatchewan’s Grey Cup-winning head coach in 2007.
Hamilton did reach the Grey Cup game in each of Austin’s first two years at the helm — 2013 and 2014 — and could have advanced to the league final again in 2015 if not for a season-ending knee injury to Collaros.
Nothing has been quite the same since. Dating back to last year, Hamilton has won only four of its past 17 games.
But there’s “no tension.” No progress, either.