What's next for Barker, Buono?

During and after the 2011 Grey Cup, David Braley's two teams became stories, one to define a squad that did all the right things and one that did just the opposite.

And even now, the futures of the B.C. Lions and Toronto Argonauts continue to be an evolving story.

The Lions will celebrate their Grey Cup win on Wednesday, but what of general manager/head coach Wally Buono? The winningest head coach in Canadian Football League history chose not to discuss his future last week and even after his team's win over Winnipeg, amid suggestions he may be parting with coaching to concentrate on managerial duties or possibly retiring.

Perhaps Buono did not want the focus to be on him, but rather on the team and its goal to finish off a season that started off 0-5 and looked hopeless. No matter how impressive the turnaround had been, Buono said it wouldn't matter one iota if the team lost the Cup because it would be the final game he would remember. With that positive memory safely stored, it is time for Buono to formally let the Lions fans and players know what he intends to do. He will have the opportunity on Wednesday to announce it to all, but that doesn't seem to be within Buono's makeup. He would probably like the day to be about the team and the celebration and make his personal announcement the next day or soon afterward in a formal media gathering.

What happens if and when Buono gives up the head coaching job will be interesting. He could hire from within because he knows his assistants and the transition would be less disruptive than going outside the organization for a replacement. Buono became a winner by paying attention to detail. Surely, he has all of these details mapped out. But if he gave his permission to allow the Saskatchewan Roughriders to interview defensive co-ordinator, Mike Benevides, for their vacant head coaching position, what does that say? It could mean a whole bunch of things. Buono did so in 2009, allowing Benevides to interview for the Argos' head coaching job. Benevides chose to decline the offer for personal reasons. It was thought then that Benevides was told by Buono to explore other opportunities but to be aware of his comfortable situation in B.C. and the likelihood he might be the heir apparent to the coaching throne. Benevides has been working around Buono long enough to know his thought process and respect his judgment and counsel.

And on the subject of the Argos, Montreal offensive co-ordinator Scott Milanovich has reportedly verbally agreed to become the team's new head coach, succeeding Jim Barker, who presumably will reduce his portfolio to GM. Milanovich turned down an offer to coach the Argos two years ago because of term and salary. So now that the offer would be for a longer term and more money, Milanovich has agreed to leave the Als, an organization with a recent history of winning for a flyer on a team with a long history of losing.

The fact the information would leak out not long after the confetti had settled on the B.C. Place Stadium turf following the Lions' Grey Cup win surely had to be a disturbing thing for Braley. If he whoops it up following a Lions' win, it's considered inappropriate because of his allegiance to the Argos. So imagine his reaction when he's congratulating his team on a Grey Cup win and he gets wind of what's happening in Argoland? This is not a Braley move, even if he knew and gave his blessing to the hiring. Remember when Tom Wright was being wooed as the CFL's commissioner and how he was held up in his hotel room until the contract was signed? Braley, the acting commissioner, held ground on what should have been the coronation of Wright to insist no announcement would be made until everything had been done from a written contractual standpoint. If it had to be delayed a day and done with less ceremony, which would be the case, Braley would not budge. He wouldn't even indicate if Wright was in town.

The Argos quickly dashed the Milanovich speculation, saying no deal was done and no announcement planned. So if it happens, this will surely be more anticlimactic than anything and likely a source of irritation and embarrassment for Braley and all he wants to do to put the Argos on course for next year and beyond.

How interesting that in B.C., Wally Buono's future has been kept under wraps, while in Toronto word of a proposed coaching change has already been leaked.

Perry Lefko keeps you connected to all the news in the CFL on Sportsnet.ca.