Michael P. McCarthy
Encyclopedia
Michael P. "Mike" McCarthy (born March 21, 1953) is a professional football
executive and scout
. He was born in Oneida, New York
and raised in Rome, New York
. McCarthy began playing football at Rome (NY) Free Academy H.S. where he earned All-State football honours and was an all-star in lacrosse and wrestling. Currently, he is a Pro Football Player Personnel Consultant.
McCarthy's career highlights include; induction into the Rome Sports Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in sports (1992); induction into the Scouts Hall of Fame; and his 2008, induction into Southwestern College's Athletic Hall of Fame. Other highlights include being named the youngest General Manager ever to win a CFL championship when the Toronto Argonauts
captured the Grey Cup
in 1991; pulling off one of the largest trades in the history of professional football when he orchestrated a deal with the Edmonton Eskimos
, which saw 16 players switch teams.
He has given public football seminars, “Everything You Wanted To Know About Football But Were Afraid To Ask;” has been featured in various sports media, including stories by, Stephen Brunt of The Globe and Mail, a 2003 story by Perry Lefko of The Toronto Sun where Lefko wrote about McCarthy's plans to participate in the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona Spain, and Sports Illustrated's story about the Chicago Blitz's tryout with Illinois prison inmate Mike Sifford in 1982.
McCarthy is listed in the 1997 edition of Who’s Who in Canada and is co-editor of Cuts and Keeps, an annual registry of rookie and first-year pro football players. Mike is an Honourary Director for Sports For Kids Inc in North America.
in Winfield, Kansas
Mike was an all-star linebacker and led the Moundbuilders
in tackles in each of his four seasons with the team. He still holds three school records for most tackles in a game (32), in a season (180) and in a career (623). McCarthy was also the team's Defensive MVP and all-conference selection in both 1974 and 1975 and was a member of the track and field team where he participated in the hammer throw. He also qualified to attend the 1976 United States Olympic Trials after finishing second in the AAU Federation Wrestling Championships for the state of Kansas.
After graduating Southwestern College with a Bachelors Degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Mike had a free-agent tryout with the Dallas Cowboys
.
In the fall of 1976 he served as a volunteer coach at the University of Oklahoma
, and was named an Assistant Coach and later Head Junior Varsity Coach under Barry Switzer
in January 1977. During this time, the Oklahoma Sooners
made trips to the Fiesta Bowl
in 1976, the Orange Bowl in 1978 and 1979, and were Big Eight Champions from 1976 to 1978. In 1979, McCarthy obtained his Masters Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Oklahoma.
from 1979 to 1981. He worked for the Seattle Seahawks
during the spring of 1982, and spent three seasons with the San Diego Chargers
as a college and pro scout (2003 to 2006). McCarthy scouted players in all professional football leagues and college players across the United States and Canada. During his three seasons with the Chargers he travelled to over 150 universities, NFL, CFL and Arena games. The Chargers won the 2004 AFC Western Division championship.
(Ivy League) in 1981 and working for the Seahawks, McCarthy moved on to be the Director of Player Personnel for the Chicago Blitz
(1982–83), the Arizona Wranglers
(1983–84) and the Oakland Invaders
(1984–85) of the United States Football League
(USFL). From 1982 to 1984, Mike served under legendary Hall of Fame head coach, the late George Allen, going to the conference championship in 1983 and the USFL Championship game in 1984.
) career began in 1985 when he joined the Hamiton Tiger-Cats as Director of Player Personnel, and later taking on the additional role of Assistant General Manager in 1988. Although the majority of McCarthy's CFL career has been spent with the Tiger-Cats, he was also the Vice President and General Manager of the Toronto Argonauts
, (1989 to 1993), Football Operations and Player Personnel for the Ottawa Rough Riders
, (1994), President and CEO of the B.C. Lions, (1996), and a scout for the Montreal Alouettes
, (2008).
qualified for the post-season each year, playing in three Grey Cups (1985, 1986 and 1989), winning the 74th Grey Cup
Championship in 1986. McCarthy was instrumental in recruiting several top players such as Most Outstanding Player nominees for the Eastern Division, wide receivers Tony Champion
(1989), Earl Winfield
(1988) and quarterbacks Mike Kerrigan and Ken Hobart (1985).
In 1995, He returned to Hamilton as Player Personnel Consultant and played an instrumental role in signing quarterback Matt Dunigan
to the Tiger-Cats before moving on to become President and CEO of the B.C. Lions in 1996.
In 1997, McCarthy returned to the Tiger-Cats, and would remain with the organization for the next 11 seasons under varying Football Operations capacities, the latter part of his tenure in 2006-2007 as the Senior Advisor of Football Operations, responsible for day-to-day scouting activities and advising then Ticats General Manager Marcel Desjardins on player personnel matters.
McCarthy's extensive career with Hamilton has seen the Tiger-Cats make the playoffs on nine occasions, reaching the Grey Cup five times and winning it all in 1986 and most recently, the 87th Grey Cup
, in 1999.
While with the Argonauts McCarthy earned several distinctions. In 1990 the club set a new CFL single season scoring record with 689 points. He was instrumental in key player acquisitions such as trading 7 player to B.C. to bring Matt Dunigan
to Toronto in 1990; in 1991 he acquired top ranked Notre Dame
star Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, awarding him the largest contract in CFL history. The Argos would go on to capture the 79th Grey Cup
championship, earning McCarthy the honour of being the youngest General Manager ever to win a CFL championship with his prized acquisition , Ismail, earning the Grey Cup MVP award. In 1993 he brought Tracy Ham
to Toronto when he orchestrated one of the largest trades in the history of professional football with the Edmonton Eskimos
, which saw 16 players switch teams, 8 from each side. That trade ended up being a deal that the Eskimos won handily as Tracy Ham was the only remaining player in the deal that lasted the entire season, and one of the very few who even made it past the Argonauts' training camp. The disaster of the trade was also exacerbated by Ham struggling to adapt to the Run & Shoot offense. The team went on to a 3-15 record with McCarthy getting fired midway into the season.
While in Toronto, McCarthy was also the league's alternate governor and was on numerous league committees.
and became Consultant, Football Operations and Player Personnel for the Rough Riders and also served as a Player Personnel Consultant for the AFL’s (Arena Football League) Tampa Bay Storm
that season.
, the Lions signed all-star quarterback Damon Allen
to be their new starting quarterback. He would go on to play with the Lions for the next seven seasons. After undergoing an ownership change at the conclusion of the season, McCarthy was no longer retained by the Lions.
. That season, the Alouettes qualified for the 96th Grey Cup
which they hosted, only to lose to the Calgary Stampeders.
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
executive and scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
. He was born in Oneida, New York
Oneida, New York
Oneida is a city in Madison County located west of Oneida Castle and east of Canastota, New York, United States. The population was 10,987 at the 2000 census. The city, like both Oneida County and the nearby silver and china maker, takes its name from the Oneida tribe...
and raised in Rome, New York
Rome, New York
Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located in north-central or "upstate" New York. The population was 44,797 at the 2010 census. It is in New York's 24th congressional district. In 1758, British forces began construction of Fort Stanwix at this strategic location, but...
. McCarthy began playing football at Rome (NY) Free Academy H.S. where he earned All-State football honours and was an all-star in lacrosse and wrestling. Currently, he is a Pro Football Player Personnel Consultant.
McCarthy's career highlights include; induction into the Rome Sports Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in sports (1992); induction into the Scouts Hall of Fame; and his 2008, induction into Southwestern College's Athletic Hall of Fame. Other highlights include being named the youngest General Manager ever to win a CFL championship when the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
captured the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
in 1991; pulling off one of the largest trades in the history of professional football when he orchestrated a deal with the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
, which saw 16 players switch teams.
He has given public football seminars, “Everything You Wanted To Know About Football But Were Afraid To Ask;” has been featured in various sports media, including stories by, Stephen Brunt of The Globe and Mail, a 2003 story by Perry Lefko of The Toronto Sun where Lefko wrote about McCarthy's plans to participate in the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona Spain, and Sports Illustrated's story about the Chicago Blitz's tryout with Illinois prison inmate Mike Sifford in 1982.
McCarthy is listed in the 1997 edition of Who’s Who in Canada and is co-editor of Cuts and Keeps, an annual registry of rookie and first-year pro football players. Mike is an Honourary Director for Sports For Kids Inc in North America.
College career
At Southwestern CollegeSouthwestern College (Kansas)
Southwestern College is a four-year private college affiliated with the United Methodist Church located in Winfield, Kansas, United States. It was founded in 1885 and graduated its first class in 1889. In addition to its campus programs, it offers online programs.-Academics:The main campus is a...
in Winfield, Kansas
Winfield, Kansas
Winfield is a city situated along the Walnut River in the west-central part of Cowley County, located in South Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,301...
Mike was an all-star linebacker and led the Moundbuilders
Southwestern College Moundbuilders
Southwestern College athletic teams are known as the Moundbuilders . They participate in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.Men's Sports* Basketball...
in tackles in each of his four seasons with the team. He still holds three school records for most tackles in a game (32), in a season (180) and in a career (623). McCarthy was also the team's Defensive MVP and all-conference selection in both 1974 and 1975 and was a member of the track and field team where he participated in the hammer throw. He also qualified to attend the 1976 United States Olympic Trials after finishing second in the AAU Federation Wrestling Championships for the state of Kansas.
After graduating Southwestern College with a Bachelors Degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Mike had a free-agent tryout with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.
In the fall of 1976 he served as a volunteer coach at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, and was named an Assistant Coach and later Head Junior Varsity Coach under Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
in January 1977. During this time, the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
made trips to the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
in 1976, the Orange Bowl in 1978 and 1979, and were Big Eight Champions from 1976 to 1978. In 1979, McCarthy obtained his Masters Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Oklahoma.
NFL
McCarthy's extensive professional football career began as a college scout for the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
from 1979 to 1981. He worked for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
during the spring of 1982, and spent three seasons with the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as a college and pro scout (2003 to 2006). McCarthy scouted players in all professional football leagues and college players across the United States and Canada. During his three seasons with the Chargers he travelled to over 150 universities, NFL, CFL and Arena games. The Chargers won the 2004 AFC Western Division championship.
USFL
After coaching at Brown UniversityBrown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
(Ivy League) in 1981 and working for the Seahawks, McCarthy moved on to be the Director of Player Personnel for the Chicago Blitz
Chicago Blitz
The Chicago Blitz were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They played at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.- Team history :...
(1982–83), the Arizona Wranglers
Arizona Wranglers
The Arizona Wranglers were a professional American Football team in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They played at Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix.-Founding:...
(1983–84) and the Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders was a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League from 1983 through 1985.-In reaction to the Raiders relocating to Los Angeles:...
(1984–85) of the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
(USFL). From 1982 to 1984, Mike served under legendary Hall of Fame head coach, the late George Allen, going to the conference championship in 1983 and the USFL Championship game in 1984.
CFL
McCarthy's CFL (Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
) career began in 1985 when he joined the Hamiton Tiger-Cats as Director of Player Personnel, and later taking on the additional role of Assistant General Manager in 1988. Although the majority of McCarthy's CFL career has been spent with the Tiger-Cats, he was also the Vice President and General Manager of the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
, (1989 to 1993), Football Operations and Player Personnel for the Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
, (1994), President and CEO of the B.C. Lions, (1996), and a scout for the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
, (2008).
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1985-1989, 1995, 1997-2007)
During his first five seasons with Hamilton, the Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
qualified for the post-season each year, playing in three Grey Cups (1985, 1986 and 1989), winning the 74th Grey Cup
74th Grey Cup
The 74th Grey Cup was the 1986 Canadian Football League championship game that was played at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Edmonton Eskimos...
Championship in 1986. McCarthy was instrumental in recruiting several top players such as Most Outstanding Player nominees for the Eastern Division, wide receivers Tony Champion
Tony Champion
Tony Champion is a former American football and Canadian Football League player.- Early sports career :...
(1989), Earl Winfield
Earl Winfield
Earl Winfield is a former Canadian Football League receiver for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats who, in an 11 year career from 1987-1997, caught 573 passes for 10,119 yards and 75 touchdowns....
(1988) and quarterbacks Mike Kerrigan and Ken Hobart (1985).
In 1995, He returned to Hamilton as Player Personnel Consultant and played an instrumental role in signing quarterback Matt Dunigan
Matt Dunigan
Matt Dunigan is a former quarterback, coach, and executive in the Canadian Football League who is currently a CFL sportscaster for Canadian sports television channel TSN...
to the Tiger-Cats before moving on to become President and CEO of the B.C. Lions in 1996.
In 1997, McCarthy returned to the Tiger-Cats, and would remain with the organization for the next 11 seasons under varying Football Operations capacities, the latter part of his tenure in 2006-2007 as the Senior Advisor of Football Operations, responsible for day-to-day scouting activities and advising then Ticats General Manager Marcel Desjardins on player personnel matters.
McCarthy's extensive career with Hamilton has seen the Tiger-Cats make the playoffs on nine occasions, reaching the Grey Cup five times and winning it all in 1986 and most recently, the 87th Grey Cup
87th Grey Cup
The 87th Grey Cup was held in 1999 in Vancouver. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats won the game 32-21 over the Calgary Stampeders in a rematch of the previous year's 86th Grey Cup.-Game summary:...
, in 1999.
Toronto Argonauts
McCarthy's stint with the Toronto Argonauts began in November 1989 as General Manager. Within a few months he added the title of Vice President Football Operations, assuming the duties of the club president.While with the Argonauts McCarthy earned several distinctions. In 1990 the club set a new CFL single season scoring record with 689 points. He was instrumental in key player acquisitions such as trading 7 player to B.C. to bring Matt Dunigan
Matt Dunigan
Matt Dunigan is a former quarterback, coach, and executive in the Canadian Football League who is currently a CFL sportscaster for Canadian sports television channel TSN...
to Toronto in 1990; in 1991 he acquired top ranked Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
star Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, awarding him the largest contract in CFL history. The Argos would go on to capture the 79th Grey Cup
79th Grey Cup
The 79th Grey Cup was the 1991 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Argonauts defeated the Stampeders 36-21 in an entertaining game....
championship, earning McCarthy the honour of being the youngest General Manager ever to win a CFL championship with his prized acquisition , Ismail, earning the Grey Cup MVP award. In 1993 he brought Tracy Ham
Tracy Ham
Tracy Ham is a retired Canadian Football League quarterback for the Edmonton Eskimos, Toronto Argonauts, Baltimore Stallions, and the Montreal Alouettes. He was known for his abilities as a dual threat quarterback...
to Toronto when he orchestrated one of the largest trades in the history of professional football with the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
, which saw 16 players switch teams, 8 from each side. That trade ended up being a deal that the Eskimos won handily as Tracy Ham was the only remaining player in the deal that lasted the entire season, and one of the very few who even made it past the Argonauts' training camp. The disaster of the trade was also exacerbated by Ham struggling to adapt to the Run & Shoot offense. The team went on to a 3-15 record with McCarthy getting fired midway into the season.
While in Toronto, McCarthy was also the league's alternate governor and was on numerous league committees.
Ottawa Rough Riders
In 1994 McCarthy moved to OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and became Consultant, Football Operations and Player Personnel for the Rough Riders and also served as a Player Personnel Consultant for the AFL’s (Arena Football League) Tampa Bay Storm
Tampa Bay Storm
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
that season.
British Columbia Lions
In 1996, McCarthy became the President and Chief Executive Officer for the B.C. Lions. After an 0-4 start to the season under quarterback Andre WareAndre Ware
Andre Ware is a sports analyst and commentator and a former American football player. He was the 1989 Heisman Trophy winner as a quarterback for the University of Houston, becoming the first African-American quarterback to win the award. In the 1990 NFL Draft, Ware was the first round selection ...
, the Lions signed all-star quarterback Damon Allen
Damon Allen
Damon Allen is a former professional quarterback in the Canadian Football League, most recently with the Toronto Argonauts. He is currently second in all-time professional football passing yards and second in all-time CFL passing yards after he was surpassed for first place by the Montréal...
to be their new starting quarterback. He would go on to play with the Lions for the next seven seasons. After undergoing an ownership change at the conclusion of the season, McCarthy was no longer retained by the Lions.
Montreal Alouettes
In 2008, McCarthy served as a scout for the Montreal AlouettesMontreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
. That season, the Alouettes qualified for the 96th Grey Cup
96th Grey Cup
The 96th Grey Cup was held in Montreal, Quebec at Olympic Stadium on November 23, 2008. The Eastern Division Champion Montreal Alouettes hosted the Western Division Champion Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders won the game 22-14, with quarterback Henry Burris winning the MVP award...
which they hosted, only to lose to the Calgary Stampeders.
Interviews and news
- The New York Times, (September 16, 1991) PRO FOOTBALL; Concussion for Ismail Brings a Controversy
- The New York Times, (April 5, 1993) FOOTBALL; Fast, Yes, but Not Able To Outrun Controversy
- WOW Football, (April 21, 2004) Chargers Interested In Canadian LB
- CBC Sports, (February 3, 2005) Lumsden not invited to NFL combine
- NFLCanada.com, (March 2, 2005) Canadians Nick Kaczur and O.J. Atogwe hold their own against top prospects for this year's NFL draft
- Macleans.ca, (May 17, 2007) College football draftees not guaranteed career as pro athlete
- Canada.com, (October 5, 2008) Former CFL GM still wheeling and dealing
- Southwestern College, (November 11, 2008) Six to Enter Athletic Hall of Fame
- Argonauts.ca, (September 21, 2011) Anatomy of 'The Deal
- SportsNet.ca (September 22, 2011) Ismail highlights '91 Argos