MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Kerry Joseph is living proof that change is a harsh reality in professional sports.

In 2007, Joseph was on top of the world. After being named the CFL's outstanding player, he capped his season by leading the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a Grey Cup championship.

But shortly afterwards, Joseph was dealt to the Toronto Argonauts. On Sunday, he cleaned out his locker after missing the CFL playoffs for the second straight year, fully aware that change was inevitable within a club that posted a CFL-worst 3-15 record after going a dismal 4-14 in 2008.

"It (change) happens regardless," Joseph said a day after Toronto ended its woeful season with a lopsided 42-17 home loss to Montreal. "You win the championship and change happens.

"When you have a bad season, you know change is going to happen. We know that as a group we played our last game together and there's going to be some changes and you just have to be prepared for it … and control what you can control."

Not surprisingly, there's no shortage of question marks in Toronto, starting with: What direction does this team take?

Does it fire first-year head coach Bart Andrus and hire a replacement? If so, Toronto would have to pay three head coaches in 2010 as Rich Stubler, who was fired midway through the 2008 season, remains on the books for another year.

Or does the club replace general manager Adam Rita and player-personnel director Greg Mohns? Trouble is, a new GM would want to hire his own head coach. And if the club dispatches Rita and Mohns, it would face a scenario of having to pay two GMs, two player-personnel directors and three head coaches moving forward to 2010.

The sad truth is that the struggling franchise is in a holding pattern while co-owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski decide what they're going to do with the team.

Cynamon and Sokolowski are kicking around the idea of whether to sell the Argos. The two reportedly have some interest in buying the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes.

There's also been talk this season that B.C. Lions owner David Braley would either sell that club and buy the Argos, or simply own both franchises. It was revealed earlier this season that Braley helped Cynamon and Sokolowski financially when they rescued the Argos from bankruptcy in 2003.

Another suggestion has been that Cynamon and Sokolowski would keep the club and bring in other investors.

Argos president Bob Nicholson says no changes are expected until after the Grey Cup. Before decisions are made on front-office or personnel moves, the club must have a clear idea of what direction ownership is going to take. That domino must fall first before the others follow suit.

And it has to happen sooner rather than later. The longer the ownership issue remains uncertain, the less time that's available for viable change to take place.

There's plenty to fix on the field.

The Argos were plagued by an anemic offence that routinely struggled to muster any sort of consistency and often left the club's stout defence on the field way too long. Some football pundits suggest an upgrade is needed at quarterback following inconsistent play from Joseph, backup Cody Pickett and youngster Stephen Reaves. Others say the club desperately needs more big-play receivers to give the passer more viable down-field options.

Toronto's struggles at quarterback and receiver have raised questions about the club's talent level and the future of Rita and Mohns, both of whom remain under contract through next season.

Then there's Andrus. The former Tennessee Titans assistant came to Canada lacking in CFL experience but with a reputation of being an offensive guru. He immediately assumed the offensive co-ordinator's job but continually raised eyebrows with questionable play calls while getting into public spats with receiver Arland Bruce III and cornerback Byron Parker that resulted in both players being dealt.

The departure of Bruce proved to be a huge blow to Toronto as the veteran slotback helped rejuvenate a young Hamilton squad that finished second in the East Division and will host its first playoff game since 2001.

Defensive end Jonathon Brown felt Bruce's departure was the beginning of the end for Toronto.

"When Arland got traded I think we started sliding," Brown said. "Our offence got a little skittish because Arland is a big-play threat, but we could never recover from that.

"In this league you need to have a perennial all-star in that receiver position. We have some guys that will be that but I think the initial shock really hurt us. But Bart is our head coach, he's our leader and that's the direction he wanted to take us in and the guys backed it up 100 per cent."

Andrus, who has one year plus an option remaining on his CFL deal, said he would understand if the Argos decided to make a coaching change.

"That's totally within the realm of possibility," he said. "That's not something I control, it's not something I'm up at night thinking about.

"We're doing this, really working very hard at it and will continue to work hard at it until somebody says we don't."

Andrus reiterated that if he returns next year, he will hire an offensive co-ordinator. Andrus surprised many Sunday by saying he intended on hiring a co-ordinator this season but didn't due to budgetary reasons.

The biggest off-season personnel questions facing the Argos are what to do at quarterback and receiver? The latter would appear to be an easier spot to fix because it's a position dominated by Americans, and the longstanding belief is there are a lot of import receivers available on the market.

The same can't be said of CFL-ready quarterbacks. Joseph, 36, completed 55 per cent of his passes this season and threw more interceptions (16) than touchdowns (10). But neither Pickett nor Reaves grabbed the starter's job with their play this season, leaving it a wide open affair.

Trouble is, there doesn't appear to be a budding star on the horizon. Joseph, for one, believes he still has plenty of football left in him.

"People talk about my age but that's just a number," he said. "I still feel the same (as he did in '07), I still have the energy, I still have the love to go out and compete each and every game."

Brown and running back Jamal Robertson, Toronto's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2001, both head into the off-season full of uncertainty. They are scheduled to become free agents in February, but both are over 30 - Brown turns 34 on Nov. 28 while Robertson turns 33 in January - which could be a factor for a team looking to rebuild.

Both want to return in 2010. For Brown, the Argos have become a huge part of his football life. After bouncing between eight teams and three different leagues from 1998 to '04, Toronto has become home for the former University of Tennessee star.

"This is the only team I've known and a lot of guys don't get that," he said. "But this is the first time I've been free.

"Toronto is definitely my first choice but we'll have to let the cards play out."