Dave Campbell
ESKS.com
The Eskimos were once known as the flagship franchise of the CFL. Winning seasons, home playoff games, and Grey Cups were the norm in Edmonton. A franchise isn’t obviously going to win championships every single season. A franchise may have the odd season where home playoffs games or any playoff games don’t happen; every team will go through that reality. For the Edmonton Eskimos in recent years, that reality has happened once too often.
Since the Grey Cup win in 2005, the Esks have produced just two winning seasons. They’ve missed the playoffs three times and finished second once. That’s right, just one home playoff game in the last eight seasons. They have one third place finish and twice they had to crossover into the Eastern Division. The Eskimos have made an Eastern and Western Final and were not close in those games.
Danny Maciocia couldn’t get the job done during his time as General Manager. Eric Tillman had good results late in the 2010 season and for most of the 2011 season. It all fell apart in 2012 starting with the Ricky Ray trade which began a number of curious and costly moves.
Tillman was fired back on November 3rd and it only took just over five weeks for Eskimo President and CEO Len Rhodes to find a successor. The football team is now in the hands of Ed Hervey who receives a big promotion from his previous role as head scout. Hervey says it’s time to change the fortunes of the franchise.
“I believe in our culture here, I believe in Edmonton, and I believe our fans want something to believe in, and that’s what we’re here today for,” Hervey said. “Is to give them (the fans) some hope, that we’re going to turn things around, we’re going to change things. We’re no longer going to be perceived as a sideshow.”
Hervey arrived in Edmonton back in 1999. He’s one of the best wide receivers the Eskimos have produced in the modern era. He made three Grey Cup appearances and won twice in 2003 and 2005. After the 2006 season he retired and quickly accepted the role as the Eskimos’ West Coast Scout. He then was named the team’s Head Scout a short time later.
Hervey lives in Edmonton year round, a very important factor for Len Rhodes. He has been, directly or not, grooming for this very position. He’s a bright football mind and, at the age of 39, he brings a lot of youthful enthusiasm and fresh ideas to the table.
Hervey cares deeply for the Eskimos; he’s sat back silent out of respect for the people above him even though he felt the organization was heading in the wrong direction. He admits that the last few years have been very tough.
“I would equate it somewhat to being unpredictable over the last few seasons,” Hervey explained. “I want to create an environment, with Coach Reed’s help, to stabilize it. It’s very simple; I’m not going to reinvent the wheel. We’re just going to do things that we’re accustomed to doing here in Edmonton, the right way. It’s very simple. I don’t have an elaborate plan. We’re just going to do things right and communicate. We’re going to go out and scout the best players, we’re going to recommend them, Coach Reed will see them, his staff will coach them, and the guys will hit the field and perform.”
Another important aspect is Kavis Reed will return as the team’s head coach. Hervey made that point very clear and he’ll see to it that Reed keeps his focus on coaching the players on the field and not concern himself with any off-field drama.
Hervey has quite the workload to take care of. Tillman left a lot of free agents for him to sign which includes Most Outstanding Defensive Player J.C. Sherritt. The team won’t address their salary cap situation specifically, but Hervey says he’ll try to give himself more cap flexibility.
Most importantly is restoring the good name of the Edmonton Eskimos. The last two seasons, and more the 2012 season, have been extremely trying thanks to constant off-field distractions and the Eskimo reputation has been dragged through the mud. Ed Hervey will put the team ahead of his own interests. It’s a team that will be steering in one direction as one unit. No favouritism, no hidden agendas, no manipulation, no using the media as pawns against the organization. Hervey is now the caretaker of the franchise and his priority is to give the fans a winner.
“We’re going to get bigger on the field and more athletic,” Hervey said. “That is our goal. That is a shared philosophy between Kavis Reed and I. We’re not going to be a team that gets pushed around late in games and late in the season.”
The proof will be in the pudding, however the hiring of Ed Hervey brought some much needed good news for the Eskimo franchise and a much needed burst of hope for Eskimos fans.