Ticats fire general manager Desjardins
The Canadian Press
11/5/2007 9:53:12 AM
HAMILTON - The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have fired general manager Marcel Desjardins after just one year at the helm.
The move was announced in a three-paragraph news release Monday morning.
Desjardins completed his first full season as Ticats GM on Saturday with a 21-19 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos. Despite the win, Hamilton finished the 2007 campaign in the CFL basement with a 3-15 record, which was worse than last year's 4-14 mark.
Desjardins was named Hamilton GM on Aug. 29, 2006. Prior to that, the native of Burlington, Ont., spent five seasons as assistant general manager of the Montreal Alouettes. He also spent five years at the CFL's head office in Toronto.
Desjardins had received heat in Hamilton for the Ticats' regression and also for making some questionable deals.
On Jan. 31, he sent offensive lineman Wayne Smith and receiver D.J. Flick to Saskatchewan for quarterback Rocky Butler and a 2007 second-round draft pick. The deal came after Flick refused to take a substantial paycut. The Ticats ended up letting go of Butler, who is now with Toronto, while both Flick and Smith made the Roughriders roster.
In fact, Flick has prospered in Regina, catching 10 touchdown passes this season.
On June 27, Desjardins dealt defensive back Tad Kornegay to Saskatchewan for receivers Thryron Anderson and Jason French. Anderson isn't with the Ticats while French has enjoyed a roller-coaster season with his new club.
Then, on Aug. 19, Desjardins sent running back Corey Holmes and rookie receiver Chris Getzlaf to Saskatchewan for running back Jason Armstead. The acquisition of Holmes was met with glee in Regina, where he was the West Division's outstanding player finalist and the league's top special-teams player before being dealt to Hamilton. The hope was Armstead would become a deep threat for the Ticats, something that didn't materialize.
Desjardins also did sign free-agent quarterback Casey Printers to a four-year deal reportedly worth $1.8 million. But while the Ticats did win two games with Printers in tow, he figured in neither due to injuries.
The departure of Desjardins also does create questions about the long-term future of head coach Charlie Taaffe, a Desjardins hiring who still has two years on his deal with the Ticats.
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