Music: {allcanada} Eskimos fire Maciocia

Saturday, July 31, 2010

{allcanada} Eskimos fire Maciocia

EDMONTON -- Danny Maciocia paid the price for Edmonton's poor start to the CFL season on Saturday, as the Eskimos relieved him of his duties as general manager and director of football operations.

Maciocia was given the news just a day after the Eskimos picked up their first victory of the season with a 28-25 win over the B.C. Lions.

"Going forward we just didn't see him in our longer-view plans so we proceeded with this action today," Eskimos president Rick LeLacheur said.

The team's coaching staff, including head coach Richie Hall, remained in place.

Maciocia, 43, was first hired by the Eskimos in 2002 as an offensive co-ordinator. He later spent four seasons as head coach before taking on GM and director of football operation duties in 2008.

LeLacheur said the team will begin a search for a new general manager immediately.

"I'm going to find the best football person that we possibly can," LeLacheur said. "If that's next week or next month or after the season, I don't know the time frame. There is no time frame as far as I'm concerned right now."

The Eskimos opened the season with a 25-10 loss to the Lions. They followed that with a 33-23 loss to Montreal, a 24-20 loss to Saskatchewan and then a 47-21 drubbing in Winnipeg last week.

After the loss to the Blue Bombers, the Eskimos were read the riot act by LeLacheur, who questioned his team's toughness and promised changes without a reversal of fortune against the Lions.

Edmonton showed some life in the win over B.C., and avoided matching the worst start in team history, an 0-5 run in 1965.

But it wasn't enough to save Maciocia's job.

Maciocia helped guide the Eskimos to Grey Cup wins in 2003 and 2005, but had recently become a target for fans upset at the team's performance.

"It plays into it ... unfortunately we all know Danny has been tagged in this community," LeLacheur said. "I don't totally understand it, I don't know why. But it does affect the business."

When asked to explain further, LeLacheur said: "They blame him for everything, like maybe for the storm last night."

A thunderstorm forced a temporary halt to Friday night's game.

Maciocia wasn't available for comment. Head coach Richie Hall said perhaps the GM shouldn't have been the one to lose his job.

"It should have been me, not him. I'm responsible for the football team," said a subdued Hall.

Quarterback Ricky Ray was also feeling the sting of personal responsibility as players practised at Commonwealth Stadium.

"Danny didn't drop the passes or throw interceptions or miss blocks," Ray said. "That was us out there ... as a result of our bad play, he's taken the fall.

"He's taken a lot of criticism ... if (fans) only knew how much heart and soul he's put into this."

Hall said everyone on the team has to take responsibility going forward.

"We're all assembled here to win football games and that's our main goal when all is said and done," Hall said. "When we don't win football games, there are consequences.

"Our job next week, regardless of what did or didn't transpire today is to go out there and give us the best opportunity to beat Toronto."

The somewhat merciless nature of fans hungry for a winner was also on the mind of quarterback Jason Maas, who considers Maciocia a close friend.

"This is a crappy business, this is a great game," he said.

Maas said while the pressure can be relentless, that's also one of the reasons why the Eskimos love playing in Edmonton.

"This city expects a winner every year and when you're not doing that, they grow a great disdain for you and that's been very obvious playing here," Maas said.

When asked whether he thought the fans' resentment against Maciocia was unfair, Maas said people pay their money to see a winning team and have a right to their opinions.

"Is it fair? No, life's not fair though either," he said. "You have just got to deal with it and move on."