In the recent weeks since Tuscon won it's eighth championship as well as division rival San Antonio advancing to the CFL Bowl, the Tennessee Militia have reevaluated the direction the team is heading.

The team decided that it was moving partially in the right direction. GM Marcus Page was replaced with Damon Whalen, a relative young man in the game at 45.

Mike Sanderson: Damon, over the last two years Marcus Page turned this team around from a 1-15 record two years ago to an 8-8 record this year. Why did the organization make this move?

Damon Whalen: The owner brought me in and I asked him what you are asking me, after you've fired one GM with success why should I believe that you aren't going to fire me in a year or two. What he told me was that he felt that he needed to find a coach-GM relationship that really works and moves the organization forward. Over the last three seasons this team has had three different head coaches and for one reason or another it hasn't worked out. During the interview process the owner talked with us as well as having a roundtable discussion with Coach Hoch.

MS: So should I take that as confidence from ownership in the coach?

DW: Yes. He will be here, and hopefully I'll be here for a long time.

MS: I want to bring up different players and different issues confronting the team and let me know what you think. Emmanuel Cole?

DW: He is the franchise. You build teams around quarterbacks and I feel that we are lucky in our situation that we have our franchise quarterback in place.

MS: Shawn Strain?

DW: He played great for this team last year and we are going to work with him to make sure that he is a big part of our plans going forward.

MS: Attendance issues?

DW: Ownership as well as the business side of the organization are looking into that for solutions that will lead to the strongest future for the team.

MS: San Antonio Stingers?

DW: When ever the schedule comes out each season there are games you circle. Last year for this team that was the Durham game. You look at games that you can view as measuring sticks to see how far the team has grown. San Antonio is the team that everyone will be looking to beat in the Eastern Conference.

MS: Thank you for talking with us.