Don’t kid yourself, Kent Austin’s job is safe

The natives are not only restless, they’re looking for change. If you are a fan of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, you’re obviously not happy with how the start of this season has gone so far.

The Ticats are 0-3 out of the gate — something they haven’t done since 2014, the same year they were 1-6 going into their first Labour Day game at Tim Hortons Field.

A team’s record doesn’t tell the whole story, but Hamilton has not played especially well in any of their games this season.

They’ve lost each of their three games by double digits (32-15 vs. Toronto, 37-20 vs. Saskatchewan, 41-26 vs. B.C.) 17 points, 17 points and 15 points, respectively.

To make matters worse, the Cats have a difficult road ahead over the next few weeks with games against undefeated Edmonton, powerhouse Calgary, the Eskimos again, before hosting Winnipeg and Ottawa in advance of their Labour Day clash against Toronto.

On this past Saturday night’s 5th Quarter on AM900 CHML, following Hamilton’s loss to the Lions, emotions were noticeably raw. Rabid Ticats fans were calling for head coach Kent Austin’s head to roll. Don’t worry folks, it’s a metaphor, not real life Game of Thrones.

But I can’t see the Tiger-Cats dethroning Austin at this point in time. Owner Bob Young and team president Scott Mitchell clearly understand that the club is going through a rough patch and they also realize that Austin has guided the Cats to a playoff spot in every year of his tenure in Hamilton.

0-3 to start a season isn’t the end of the world. I think every CFL fan can agree with that. The more alarming statistic is the one win the Ticats have secured in their last 10 games dating back to last season, and that victory was in overtime.

Keep playing the way they are and time may soon run out on the Ticats’ playoff hopes. And that will be the first major strike against Austin’s reign in Steeltown.