It's time for Danny Barrett to go; time for the Saskatchewan Roughriders' head coach to say. "It's been great. It's been wonderful but I'm leaving."
Why should Barrett kiss off the job he has held for seven years? Because the people who run the 'Riders aren't sure they want him back. If they did, they wouldn't have allowed Barrett to enter the 2006 Canadian Football League season with only one year remaining on his contract.
No organization in sports lets its head coach operate on a one-year deal unless it wants the option of firing him at the first sign of trouble. Barrett wanted a show of commitment; he didn't get it. Now it's his turn to respond.
Yesterday, as the 'Riders reflected on their season and their season-ending loss in the West Division final, Barrett met with the media and said his chances of returning were 50-50.
"I'm a free agent. I'm open for anything and everything," Barrett said. "I'm not going to pigeon hole myself. Obviously you want to stay at the highest level that you can. I'm not going to even rule out being a general manager."
Barrett's benefactor, general manager Roy Shivers, was fired earlier this season and replaced by Eric Tillman. While Tillman has expressed his respect and regard for Barrett, the truth is this is now Tillman's team. He can re-hire Barrett or he can hire someone else, say, former Saskatchewan quarterback Kent Austin, who was let go as the Toronto Argonauts' offensive coordinator.
Tillman will meet with Barrett sometime during the next few days to discuss what's next, and while no one knows exactly what will transpire, here's what should happen:
Barrett should tell Tillman, "Listen, I've been here a long time. The team did some good things but never got to host a home playoff game. It's time for me to move on. I take the high road; you take the high road and we part amicably. No finger pointing, no cussing."
And by leaving that way, Barrett puts himself on the market in a manner that won't scare off prospective employers. Plus, by stating his open-mindedness, Barrett has made it clear he'd be willing to look at anything from head coach to offensive coordinator to assistant GM. Not a bad message to send with changes coming in Hamilton and likely Montreal.
"I feel good about my future," Barrett said Tuesday. "I'm alive. I'm breathing. I've got a beautiful family."
He has all of that and a chance to walk away with his head held high. He should take it.
