Rick Zamperin
2/2/2013
Over and out for Obie.
50 years after his CFL career began, Bob O'Billovich has officially announced his retirement.
Click below to listen to Ticats president Scott Mitchell and Obie.
The 72-year-old O'Billovich became the Tiger-Cats general manager in 2007 and quickly rebuilt Hamilton into a playoff contender.
The Ticats made the playoffs in three of his five seasons with the club, including a trip to the East Division Final in 2011.
The Butte, Montana native leaves Steeltown with a regular season record of 35-and-55, while going 1-and-3 in the playoffs.
Obie played quarterback and defensive back for the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1963 to 1967.
After his playing career ended, O'Billovich jumped into the coaching ranks, but it wasn't on the gridiron, it was with the Carleton University men's basketball team.
He guided the Ravens from 1971 to '73 before being named the head coach at the University of Ottawa.
O'Billovich returned to football in 1974 as a guest coach with the Rough Riders and soon became an assistant coach.
Obie's status in the CFL grew immensely after moving to Toronto in 1982 to become the head coach of the Argonauts.
Toronto made the Grey Cup final in his first season on the sidelines, but lost to the powerhouse Edmonton Eskimos.
A year later, Obie's Boatmen won their first Grey Cup championship in 31 years when they beat the Lions 18-17 at B.C. Place.
He also steered Toronto to the 1987 title game, only to lose to Edmonton.
O'Billovich was named the CFL's coach of the year three times while with Toronto, in 1982, '83 and '87.
Obie held numerous front office roles from 1990 to 2012 with B.C., Toronto and Hamilton.
As director of player personnel with the Lions from 2003 to '07, B.C. played in two Grey Cups, losing to Toronto in 2004 and beating Montreal in 2006.
O'Billovich's list of accomplishments include a CFL East All-Star nod in 1965.
He is the all-time winningest coach in Argos history, with a record of 89-79-and-3 over 11 seasons.
Obie was also named the University of Montana's Athlete of the Decade from 1960-70.
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