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You are here: Home / Archives for Dennis Skulsky

The BC Lions Den Pawdcast – Episode 72

March 3, 2016 By Brian Wawryshyn

bcld_podcast-3000x3000After an extended break we are thrilled to be back talking BC Lions and CFL football on the Pawdcast. Brian and Mojo review the Lions off-season so far and then dive into CFL round table stuff with Andrew Bucholtz of Yahoo Sports and the 55 Yardline Blog.

Andrew gives his thoughts on the Lions, and a variety of CFL topics including the new drug testing policy recently announced by the Canadian Football League.

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Follow our guest:

Andrew Bucholtz, CFL writer for Yahoo Sports and the 55 Yard Line Blog.

Twitter: @AndrewBucholtz

This show was recorded on November 18th, 2015.

Filed Under: 2016, BCLionsDen.ca Pawdcast, Featured, Podcasts Tagged With: Andrew Bucholtz, BC Lions, BCLionsDen.ca, Brian Wawryshyn, CFL, Dennis Skulsky, Mojo Kemp, Podcast, Wally Buono

Changes at the Top: Dennis Skulsky Steps Aside as BC Lions President and CEO

February 29, 2016 By Brian Wawryshyn

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The BC Lions announced Monday that Dennis Skulsky would be stepping aside as club President and CEO and will be transitioning to the role of Vice Chairman. The move is an interesting one on many fronts, and Lowell Ullrich covers it well over at 3DownNation.com.

There is no denying that Skulsky guided the Lions through some important years after the passing of Bob Ackles. The club won a Grey Cup in 2011 in the newly renovated BC Place stadium but that’s also when things seemed to peak. The last few seasons have seen attendance decline, along with the product on the field and the Lions have a lot of work to do get back to levels they recently enjoyed, on and off the field.

As we noted above, Lowell has some interesting observations on the shuffle, so give it a read. You can also find an official announcement from the team here. In the meantime, here is a letter sent by Skulsky to Lions season ticket holders earlier today, where he outlines his reasons for the change.

I have some personal news to share with you today. I have just announced to staff here a few minutes ago that I will be retiring from my role as President and CEO of the BC Lions Football Club effective April 1, 2016.

I wanted you to hear from me because it’s been in the works for some time now. I informed our owner David Braley last fall during Grey Cup week of my desire to move into the next phase of my life. David asked me and ultimately convinced me to stay on as Vice-Chairman, representing the Lions on the CFL Board of Governors, in the business community and on some strategic projects.

My new role will see me commit at least 25% of my time to these duties, which for me is a perfect blend of my two greatest passions, family and BC Lions football.

To put context to this, the past couple of years have been challenging for me with some family health issues, the passing of my father, all of which is a reminder that life is very precious.

I feel truly blessed to have had the privilege, honor and opportunity to be a member of the BC Lions organization and to have this dream job of leading this team in a league I grew up cheering for and admiring. After some 43 years of continuous full time employment, the time is right for me to spend more time with my wife, family and grandchildren.

I’ve been inspired by the loyal fan base the BC Lions have. It’s been a real pleasure to meet and talk to many of you. The BC Lions are fortunate to have fans like you.

David Braley is entering his 20th season as the team owner and now will assume the interim role as President working closely with Wally Buono, George Chayka and our staff in preparing the Lions for the upcoming CFL season.

My sincere thanks go out David, Wally, George and the entire staff for their tremendous support. I believe we’re in for an exciting and successful upcoming season of Lions football.

Thank you again for the personal encouragement, support and you can rest assured, I will continue to bleed orange and do everything possible to help the team.

With my sincere gratitude and best regards,

Dennis Skulsky

President, CEO & Waterboy
BC Lions Football Club

Filed Under: BC Lions Den, Featured Tagged With: BC Lions, CFL, Dennis Skulsky, Lowell Ullrich

The BC Lions Den Pawdcast: Episode 71

November 20, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

BC Lions - buono_940x400

The BC Lions Den Pawdcast: Lowell Ullrich and Jason Smith – 3DownNation.com

The BC Lions season ended with a thud in Calgary and it’s time to look at the year that was, and where the BC Lions are headed in the future. We talk about the game, free agency, management and are joined by Lowell Ullrich of TSN 1040 to help us break it all down.

Jason Smith , President of the 103rd Grey Cup Festival joins the show from Winnipeg as that city gets prepared to welcome CFL fans from across the country next week.

Follow our guests::

Lowell Ullrich: @FifthQtr :: 2015 Grey Cup Festival: @GreyCupFestival

This show was recorded on November 18th, 2015.

Never miss a show! Subscribe to the BC Lions Den Pawdcast on iTunes.

Filed Under: BC Lions Den, Featured, Podcasts Tagged With: Andrew Harris, BC Lions, BC Lions Den, Brian Wawryshyn, Calgary Stampeders, CFL, CFL Play-offs, David Braley, Dennis Skulsky, Emmanuel Arceneaux, Mojo Kemp, Podcast, Travis Lulay

Simply Not Good Enough

September 14, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

Let’s get something clear right off the top; I’m a BC Lions fan. Before being a blogger or podcaster, I’m a fan of this team to my core.

Which is why it pains me to write this piece here on 3DownNation.com. I don’t want to rip my team, even though there are many times in my 8 years of blogging about the team that I’ve felt like doing so. Usually after a loss I wait until the next day to write to let a cooler head prevail, but this one burned.

In the end, I pay my money just like you do, and after what I sat through Sunday afternoon at BC Place, it’s time to vent. It was embarrassing for the fans, it was embarrassing for the organization, and if you aren’t embarrassed and pissed off, then there is something wrong. In the almost 40 years I’ve followed this team I have never left a game feeling so frustrated.

The Lions held the ball for just 18:15. No, that’s not one of my famous Twitter typos…18:15. The offence was unimaginative, couldn’t execute the original game plan, and were unable to execute any adjustments that were made. More than that, it was lifeless, with guys moping their way off the field and moping around on the sidelines.

Andrew Harris had 4 carries for 3 yards. He left the building without showering or speaking with reporters.

How can you blame Harris for blowing off steam? In a game where you start your backup QB, starting his first CFL game, you completely abandon your biggest (and at many times this season only) offensive weapon? It hasn’t just been this game either, the run blocking has been horrible for at least 3 games. They aren’t being nearly physical enough on the line, or they simply aren’t capable of doing it.

On one play in the 3rd quarter Harris released out of the backfield and was wide open 15 yards downfield with no one around him and John Beck didn’t even look at him.

Emmanuel Arceneaux who got into it on Twitter with Jovon Johnson of the Redblacks earlier in the week, had another ball thrown his way intercepted simply because he didn’t put up a fight for the ball. You’re familiar with walking the walk, right?

The offence of George Cortez was putrid. Granted there were times when the players on the field were responsible, but by and large this offence has fans thinking life with Jacques Chapdelaine, heck even Khari Jones wasn’t so bad after all.

Jeff Tedford was brought here with the reputation of being an offensive football innovator. If that’s the case it’s time that he display some of that, whether that means he takes over the offence or not. But Cortez doesn’t have the attention of the players, and last year in Saskatchewan his offence was horrible after Darian Durant went down, even though he had two great running backs at his disposal.

Defensively you can’t be too hard on the Lions who didn’t allow a Redblacks touchdown in until the 3rd quarter. But being on the field for 41:45 of the game was simply too much and Burris picked them apart in the fourth quarter. However, the penchant for giving up first downs on 2nd and long continued and when Mic’hael Brooks left the game the seas parted in the Lions defensive line.

Change is Needed

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Wally Buono is facing the biggest issues this club has had during his tenure. Have he and his scouting staff done a good enough job scouting players? The Lions used to regularly find diamonds in the rough, but the pickings have been slim the last few seasons. They haven’t built up the Canadian depth on the offensive line, they draft players they never see, and they can’t seem to find dominant defensive linemen despite other teams doing so on a regular basis.

Buono has earned the right to ride this out and certainly can’t be a happy man after what he saw Sunday. In the past he hasn’t been afraid to make a bold move to shake up his locker room and you have to wonder if he’s reached that point now. Whether he makes a change in the coaching staff or cuts a veteran, something needs to be done to send a message to the players and the fan base, that the current results aren’t nearly good enough.

With the Lions dressing the youngest team in the league, many playing the CFL game for the first time, no one was expecting them to dominate. But they did expect there would be progress, growth and at the very least a team that played hard. That has hardly been the case so far, and with two games coming up in Alberta, the Lions season could be on life support in two weeks.

As I wrote a couple weeks ago, it may be time for David Braley to sell the BC Lions. The Lions will tell you that Braley gives them what they need, which sounds fine, but we need an owner that will give them more than they need. At this stage in his life Mr. Braley isn’t likely to invest a large sum of money in something he doesn’t plan to own much longer. His investment in marketing has been poor based on the numbers.

The same face painted fans are plastered on posters on repeat, season ticket prices keep going up for less perks and a subpar product on the field. Sunday’s crowd of 19,833 (not a chance that many were there) is a clear sign that off the field, the Lions have a huge task staring them in the face. It’s something they should have seen happening 4 years ago.

All of the work that Bob Ackles did to bring back fans has been eroded. Many of those fans that came back were long time Lions fans and since then, the team has done little to engage millennials. They refuse to or are unwilling to fight for tailgating, something that young fans would be interested in, even though they have lots around the stadium if they chose to put in the work to secure them for such a purpose. But it’s too much hassle, and they would rather take the easy way out and promote their street party as the place to be.

Under Dennis Skulsky the Lions fan base is dwindling, the numbers don’t lie and many fans feel alienated from the team. Other team’s host fan forums with their season ticket holders. A no-holds barred, tell us what you’re thinking event. The Lions don’t seem to feel the need to give their ticket holders the same courtesy (except ones that don’t renew) and I’ve sent e-mails that don’t even get the courtesy of a reply.

And so this is where we find ourselves. A once perennially competitive CFL franchise that is struggling on and off the field. Every team rebuilds and I’ll be here to ride this one out and all Lions fans should be too. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about this team, not only now but in the future unless some important changes are made.

You and the Lions should be too.

Filed Under: BC Lions Den, Featured Tagged With: Andrew Harris, BC Lions, BC Lions Den, CFL, David Braley, Dennis Skulsky, Emmanuel Arceneaux, George Cortez, Jeff Tedford, Ottawa, Redblacks, Wally Buono

Why Skulsky’s Guarantee is Brilliant

August 21, 2014 By Brian Wawryshyn

riderville_740x300

Social media erupted Thursday following a guarantee from BC Lions President Dennis Skulsky that the Lions would win Sunday against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Most of the uproar came from Rider Nation who took great offence to Skulsky’s declaration, but really they’re being a bit hypocritical.

The Riders recently bought some billboard space near BC Place Stadium proclaiming that “Green is the new Orange”. It’s not the first time the Riders have felt the need to invade other teams’ markets; they’ve been buying billboards in opposing prairie cities for years. They don’t need to do it, they sell more merchandise than all other teams combined and their fanbase is dedicated and loyal. Yes there are many Saskatchewan ex-pats who now reside in beautiful British Columbia who still bleed green. None of them needed to be reminded that the Riders are coming to town by a billboard.

The Riders are holding a “Riderville” party at the Commodore Ballroom prior to Sunday’s game and if they had used the billboard to advertise that instead of taking a perceived shot at the fan base here, perhaps the Lions would not have felt compelled to jump into the fire.

But they did, and good on them for doing it. This is their market, their stadium, their fan base and Skulsky stood up for his club and this province.

“Bulletin board material” screamed Rider Nation. How dare they be so cocky against the mighty Riders! Even former Lion Ricky Foley got riled up on twitter…thanks for drumming up the hype Ricky! If this serves as bulletin board material for the Riders, than make no mistake the billboard serves the same purpose for the Lions and it should be one intense game, not that it wouldn’t have been anyway in a big West division clash.

Meanwhile talk radio and social media have been flooded by talk of the guarantee. The Lions are the biggest story in town because of it and that doesn’t happen very often in hockey crazed Vancouver.

Skulsky is really in a no lose position here. He doesn’t care about putting himself on the line if it means getting more butts in the seats. With the biggest crowd of the season expected Sunday, many will be casual fans who come out for the bigger games of the season. And many more who weren’t considering the game Sunday as an option, now may do so.

This was a marketing move, plain and simple. The Riders felt a need to be cocky with their billboard, the Lions responded with a guaranteed win, and they’re putting their money where their mouth is. Who knows, those “thousands” of Rider fans may even get a free game out of it…maybe a few of them will decide that ORANGE is the new GREEN.

Well played Mr. Skulsky, well played, and for the record, I’m not expecting my free ticket. ROAR YOU LIONS ROAR!

Filed Under: CFL/League, Den Talk, Featured, News, Social Media Tagged With: BC Lions, BCLionsDen.ca, Brian Wawryshyn, CFL, Dennis Skulsky, Saskatchewan Roughriders

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