Courtesy TSN.ca:

After two stints over eight seasons at the helm, Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons stepped down as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts on Tuesday.

Clemons will stay with the organization in the capacity of Chief Executive Officer.

As the season wound down, there was speculation he might relinquish his coaching duties. However, the popular Clemons responded to the rumours by saying he would sit down with his family following the season.

After a brilliant playing career with the Argonauts, Clemons became head coach of the team in 2000 as owner Sherwood Schwarz attempted to regain the fan’s trust during a turbulent time. Following the 2001 campaign, he was elevated to team president and Gary Etcheverry was named head coach.

However midway through the 2002 season, Etcheverry was fired and Clemons returned to the sidelines, propelling the team into the playoffs for the first time in three years. In 2004, he guided the Argonauts to their first Grey Cup victory in seven years.

Last season, Clemons became the second winningest coach in Argo history behind only Bob O’Billovich. This past season, he guided the Argonauts to a first-place finish in the East Division with an 11-7 record before bowing out to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the East Final.

Earlier this month, Argonauts president Keith Pelley resigned to take the same position for the CTV-Rogers consortium that will broadcast the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.