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Monday, September 20, 2010

Why Doesn't Ken Miller Get Respect?


It is no secret that I am a fan of Riders coach Ken Miller. He is a good football coach, and he is a better man. He knows more about football than a lot of us put together. Ken Miller made what I believe to be a mistake Friday night. One that could have really set his football team back, but it didn't. Once again, the Riders came through. They won the football game over Calgary which is something a lot of people seem to have forgotten in wake of "The Punt". Miller's decision has been dissected every which way with some defending him and some condemning him. However, the worst treatment of Miller has come from TSN.
Being at Friday's game, I obviously didn't see what the esteemed panel had to say, but I did go back and watch. I didn't see "The Reporters" Sunday morning, but in reading Rod Pedersen's blog, it would seem as if they went a little overboard with Miller's decision.
Dave Hodge asked "At what point does Saskatchewan's coaching issue become a story?"
Dave Naylor claimed "There has to be legitimate reason for concern as to how decisions are being made on the sidelines."
Steve Simmons said "This is one of the most bone-headed things I've ever seen.
There was even a remark made about Miller's age which was certainly not called for. While I don't remember the fallout when Wally Buono tried the same move as Miller and failed a couple of years ago, I know the firestorm wasn't as fierce. Was this because it was Wally and who dares question Wally?

To answer Dave Hodge's question about when does Saskatchewan's coaching issue become a story. Well, how about the day Ken Miller was signed to replace Kent Austin.

No one outside of this province has given this man a chance and all this man has done is succeed. Every one said this football team would dry up and blow away after it was blown apart following the Grey Cup win in 2007. Miller took the team to a 12-6 record in 2008 and was rewarded for that with the national media saying the football team wouldn't do well in 2009 with some picking them for last, but low and behold, they finished first for the first time since 1976 and came within an agonizing play of winning the Grey Cup.

Once again this year, the Riders weren't given a chance at succeeding but they are 7-4 and are still nipping at Calgary's heels. Ken Miller is 29-17-1 since becoming the head coach of this team. I think that's a pretty damn good record. He gets the most out of his team, but many across the country don't notice that and some in this province don't either. The anti Ken Miller talk is sickening. Do you want Danny Barrett back? Lets go see if we can pry Marcel Bellefeuille away from Hamilton seeing you loved Marcel when he was here as offensive co-ordinator. Kent Austin isn't coming back so put away that pipedream. Would Bart Andrus maybe like a second shot in Canada? Seeing Matt Dominguez coaches high school ball, lets move him into a head-coaching role. Hell, lets put Jason Clermont, Chris Szarka or Stu Foord in there just because they are Jason Clermont, Chris Szarka or Stu Foord....OK, that's going a little overboard but still.

Ken Miller has had tremendous success as Riders head coach and unlike a lot of people, I still think this team is going to the Grey Cup and will make amends for what happened in Calgary last year. While they won't publicly admit, that veteran team wants to get back there and they can under Miller's guidance and leadership. That is perhaps the story that some should be researching instead of dumping dirt on the man every chance that they can.
Every coach makes a mistake and Miller made one on Friday. THEY STILL WON THOUGH!!
No one wants to talk about John Hufnagel not challenging on the Weston Dressler touchdown or taking a 10 yard penalty for challenging something he knew he couldn't. Where was TSN on that topic? If he had challenged on Dressler's TD (which wasn't), chances are a TD would have been scored, but you never know. Hufnagel's error was far more grievous than Miller's, but no one would dare raise an eyebrow at what John Hufnagel is doing. Perhaps that is the real story of Friday's game and its something that Hodge, Naylor and Simmons should look into instead of just spewing the crap that they did. Perhaps these three should come on next week and look at the state of the Lions and ask if the game has passed Wally by. That won't happen though because they respect Wally and wouldn't dare get on his case. Am I wrong?

Like I said while appearing on "The Sportscage" yesterday. Ken Miller has just taken all the criticism and he has shoved it right back up everyone's you know what. If and when he wins the Grey Cup this year, what will be said then? I'm guessing somehow he will continue to get disrespected and that is a shame because if there is anyone who doesn't deserve the constant negativism thrown towards him, it is someone as knowledgeable and as gracious as the Roughrider boss.

13 comments:

Sammy said...

This might be one of your best blog write ups that I have read to date.

Your dead on with this one.

Now here's hoping more people read it, especially in the media.

Anonymous said...

Wrong, It was 2007 when Kent Austin led us back to our first home playoff game in years.

Granted,Kenny started our 2008 season 6-0.

Here's hoping you get this before your story gets posted on Riderville.

Anonymous said...

i agree ,him and austin may be the two best coaches the riders have had in my lifetime and miller may be the better ! i dont think he made a mistake ,but feel it may have been the right call dispite how unpopular it was

Anonymous said...

I agree with you 100%. These attacks on our coach are childish. All I can say is that the TSN panel has lost my respect. It is OK to disagree with a call but attacking the way they did was not professional.

Anonymous said...

I have thought about that since he was hired, and I can answer that question. When Eric Tillman hired Ken Miller over Richie Hall he said something, and I'm paraphrasing, "In a world that values sizzle over substance Ken Miller is not that guy". When you look at high profile "Rock Star" coaches like Don Mathews, Wally Buono, Kent Austin etc., he doesn't fit that mold at all.

Ken Miller also doesn't have that know pedigree people gravitate to. For example he didn't take a turn through the NFL like John Hufnagel. You wisely stated Hufnagel made coaching mistakes in that game too. Wally Buono a few years before had tried the exact same move. Yet nobody grills them.

Here is what I said on Sports Cage, and Rod backed me up on this. Rider Nation has run more good people out of town than I care to count. I was 9 when I began following this team. Joe Farragelli came here from that Eskimos 5 time Grey Cup Staff, and he didn't last. How ever Mathews and Murphy his colleagues both won in BC and Winnipeg respectively. The list goes on and on. We had, Ray Jauch, Dan Rambo and Jim Popp in this organization, and they left.

When the next Head Coach hiring decision comes around due to the nature of the environment I do not believe we'll be able to get the premium coaching talent. Why would Dave Dickenson, Scott Melanovich, or Chris Jones want to come here. If we wanted and NFL/CFL guy why would Tom Clements want to come here. John Hufnagel could have come here in 1996. Instead he wouldn't so we got Jim Daley. A scenario like that will happen again believe me.

Obama

Anonymous said...

Mitch,

Last time I checked I was NOT the head coach of the Roughriders and neither are 500,000 people who are debating Coach Miller's call.

Personally I don't agree with the call but I can see why he did it.

But I will say this, if you don't have enough confidence in your field goal kicker to kick a 35 yard field goal with the game on the line and the wind at his back, then really he shouldn't (the kicker) be there.

I really like Ken Miller. I think he's a great coach. He has my respect. there was no one I felt worse for then Coach Miller. When the Riders beat the stamps and TSN had the shot of Ken throwing his arm and saying "YEEEAHHHH" it brought chills and an almost tear in my eye. We never see that kind of emotion from the Coach.

We all disagreed with some calls that Kent Austin made as well.


Russ from Saskatoon

Tarcy said...

There's stating your opinion, then there's bashing someone for a decision they made.

I also think Ken made a mistake, but I'm not going to say he's a terrible coach or say it was "bone-headed" (look in the mirror, Simmons -most of what you say could be classed as that).

I would have went for the field goal. But we WON. Now let's move on and concentrate on Hamilton this week, and getting ever closer to the Stumps.

Mike Stackhouse said...

Good write up Mitch, but I honestly feel this team has won quite a few games based on the superior talent and athleticism of the players on the football field. When other teams catch up, the Riders are slow to adjust. Having said that, I was very happy after watching the Calgary game. Agree or not with Miller's decision to punt, the fact remains is that there was a lot of 'coaching' done in that game. Last year, I chalked up the poor 3rd quarters to being outcoached (adjustments at half-time). I chalk up getting blown out in the Banjo Bowl to coaching (no adjustments). I look at Darian Durant and I see a QB that should be a clear cut #2 in the league to Calvillo. I see a receiving corps better than any, and a RB tandem that's every bit or better than Reynolds/Cornish. For some reason, they don't always play that way. Kudos, however, to Miller and staff for exposing the safeties on Friday night. I won't criticize the punt decision on Friday. Bluntly, Johnson didn't execute. Had he executed, Miller would be hailed a genius today. I would like to think there are about a dozen calls over the course of the game that we, as fans, don't even notice are made that also have a major impact on the outcome and he was, likely, right on most of those on Friday.

Blane said...

I agree this is the best blog i've read in a long time. Miller made a bad call but, the team was able to rally and bail out the coach which is what's expected from a team.

As far as the TSN panel goes i'm sick and tired of them grilling my team. I am a firm believer that the game has passed Wally by but no one will ever question him as stated above.

I am looking forward to seeing the Riders get back to the Cup this year and win it.

D Wild said...

Well said. I am glad to see some people sticking up for a class act who is far more successful than people seem to think he is.

Anonymous said...

I don't disagree with what you are saying, but what happens if Calgary wins that game. He deserves to be criticized for making a bone-head mistake. Yes we won, but it was despite his brtual decision.

Doug M said...

I totally disagree that Miller made the wrong call. Sure we Congi can hit a FG from 35 yards 80% of the time, but in a pressure situation, a lot of things happen. I remember last year on a point after in a tough game with the lions, having one of their defenders leapfrog the centre and stuff the kick.

We could have kicked the FG and it it was blocked, or bad snap, and kicked wide,the fickle Rider fans would have jumped on the fact we should have punted a sure single.

Ken made a decision and it wasnt out of left field.

I think he is a great coach and last year we beat Calgary 3 times and should have won the fourth, if not for a roughing the QB that was a farce.

He has won more games since heading up the Riders than most other coaches. Ken has my vote and I think he would have Eagle Keys too.

Anonymous said...

I agree with everything you said except you wanted a FG I wanted a punt.

Tex