It’s something Wally Buono had never done before in his career.
Over the years the B.C. Lions general manager and vice-president of football operations has made many difficult decisions about whether or not to keep a player. On Thursday, with the organization still sizzling after being scorched 50-17 by Montreal in the Eastern Semi-Final, Buono fired head coach Mike Benevides.
It’s never easy to tell someone they no longer have a job. In this case, Buono was firing a friend, his hand-picked successor, his own protégé.
“Any time you take a dream or a livelihood away from an individual it’s extremely hard,” said Buono. “Mike and I have grown to be good friends.
“I know how much Mike cares. I know how much he sacrificed for the organization.”
Benevides first joined Buono’s staff as a defensive assistant coach in Calgary in 2000 and followed him to Vancouver in 2003. He became the Lions’ head coach after Buono retired following B.C.’s 2011 Grey Cup victory. In June Benevides was given a contract extension through to 2016.
In three years Benevides had a 33-21 regular season record. His Achilles heel was failing to win a playoff game. His grave was dug when the Lions were bulldozed by the Alouettes on Sunday.
That humiliating loss was a microcosm of the Lions’ season. Assignments were missed. Players took needless penalties at bad times. Quarterback Kevin Glenn looked overwhelmed and unprepared.
“The things that have plagued us all year long, the things we knew were a detriment during the regular season, they again surfaced their ugly head,” said Buono.
“It’s a tight game and we make critical penalties that kill us. It’s a tight game and we can’t covert on second down. That just brought back all the frustration and the disappointment of the regular season.”
Buono’s decision to fire Benevides has as much to do with the future as what happened in the past.
With two games remaining the Lions blew the chance for a home playoff game with a pathetic 37-3 loss to Edmonton. B.C. staggered into the crossover game after losing five of their final seven matches.
Doing nothing wasn’t an option for Buono, owner David Braley and president Dennis Skulsky. The organization needed to make a bold statement to convince the public 2015 was going to be a better year.
“When you look at our record . . . it was very mediocre,” said Buono. “When you look at our performance in the playoffs it was humiliating.”
You can argue the Lions’ dismal season wasn’t all Benevides fault.
Quarterback Travis Lulay played just one game due to a shoulder injury. There are questions if he will ever be the same player that was named league MVP in 2011. That forced the Lions to rely on Glenn who never seemed in sync with the offence.
Injuries also claimed all-star running back Andrew Harris and clutch receiver Courtney Taylor. The offensive line was in flux early due to injuries, adding to Glenn’s inconsistency.
Buono shouldered some of the blame.
“My job is to surround Mike with the kind of players that help you win championships,” he said.
“There were a lot of guys who had great performances. When it was all said and done there was a lot of guys, that I believe, weren’t at the level we thought they would be.”
Buono retired as the coach with the most CFL victories. His five Grey Cup wins as a head coach is also a CFL record. Following him was never going to be easy.
Buono admitted Benevides was forced to live in his shadow.
“I would be a liar and a fool to say no,” he said. “Unfortunately, that’s not my fault.
“The toughest road to follow, is to follow the road of someone who had a lot of success. The expectations that are placed on some individuals sometimes are unfair.”
Buono denied suggestions he meddled in Benevides’ handling of the team or coaching staff.
“If being too involved means I care too much, if being too involved means I want to help the coaches and players succeed too much, then I am going to say I am at fault,” he said.
“Did I purposely try to say away? Yes. Did I purposely try to allow the coaches and the player to do it their way? Yes. Did I always agree with what happened? No.”
Buono said there is no time line to hire a new coach.
Names like Dave Dickenson, the former quarterback and current Calgary Stampeder offensive co-ordinator, and Paul LaPolice, the former Winnipeg Blue Bomber coach, have already been mentioned.
One person who doesn’t want the job is Buono.
“When I got out of coaching, for me it was over,” he said.
“To me the decision to relieve Mike of his responsibilities was (because) I need to re-establish a tradition, an expectation. The only way to do that is start fresh. I don’t believe I would be fresh.”
Benevides took over a team that had finished 11-7 when it won the Grey Cup in 2011. In his first season as coach B.C. finished first in the West with a 13-5 record but was upset by Calgary in the West final.
Last year, the Lions were third in the West with an 11-7 record, then gave up a nine-point, fourth-quarter lead to lose the West semifinal to Saskatchewan.
The Lions were a team spiraling in the wrong direction. Something needed to be done.
Firing Benevides was Buono’s answer.
“You become a head coach, until you are in those shoes, you don’t understand the pressure and the expectations on you,” said Buono.
“Unfortunately when things don’t go well, that’s usually the first place that things have to occur. Is it is always fair? No.”
