On Monday night, the Orlando Predators announced that they were parting ways with Head Coach Pat O'Hara. Multiple sources have confirmed to ArenaFan that O'Hara has accepted a job with the New Orleans VooDoo that should be announced in the coming week.

 

Billie O'Hara, the wife of the former Preds' boss posted on her Facebook wall on Monday night, "It's amazing that you wake up and are the head coach of one team and before you fall asleep you're the head coach of another... Oh well it was fun while it lasted. So Goodbye Orlando and hello New Orleans!"

 

O'Hara posted later in the week on her Facebook wall, "To all those that have reached out to me and my family, Thank you so very much! Yes it has been a whirlwind the past 24 hours but we are hanging in there. Pat will be coaching in the AFL next season and we are looking forward to the changes. I guess I will need a lot more purple in my wardrobe :-) "

 

Kimberly O'Hara, the sister of Pat posted on the coach's Facebook wall, "When you were 17, mom said to me, "The truth about Patrick is that he eventually always surrounds himself with ethical, gifted, and honest human beings." And that truth, dear Brother, has set you free. Thank God."

 

O'Hara led Orlando to an 11-7 record in 2011, and he had a 19-15 record in his two seasons. He guided the Predators to the American Conference Championship Game against the Tampa Bay Storm in 2010. The Preds were bounced from the first round of the playoffs last Friday night, 63-48 by the Jacksonville Sharks.

 

O'Hara would inherit a VooDoo team that had a rather unsuccessful 3-15 season, a year after going 3-13 as the Bossier-Shreveport BattleWings. Head Coach Derek Stingley was replaced in the final month of the season by the team's General Manager, Jon Norris, who coached the BattleWings a season ago.

 

The search for a new head coach is on in Orlando, and there are a number of names that have already been dangled. The team posted a poll on its Facebook page on Tuesday asking the fans who they thought should be the next head coach of the team, posting the names Brett Munsey (a former Orlando assistant and head coach of the Philadelphia Soul), Doug Plank (former head coach of the Georgia Force), Tim Marcum (former head coach of the Tampa Bay Storm), and Matt Sauk (assistant coach with the Utah Blaze).

 

Adam Markowitz is an accountant living in Orlando. Adam is an old school AFLer, having followed the AFL since 1991. He attended or covered well over 200 games, including 17 ArenaBowls. Adam worked for the Arena Football League for two years as a columnist and historian before retiring in 2017 when the 50-yard indoor war left the Sunshine State. Adam still muses about the AFL on ArenaFan from time to time, and you can follow him on Twitter @adammarkowitzea.