Institutional knowledge of CFL always too valuable to pass up
Recycling was a way of life in the Canadian Football League long before residents of cities like Calgary and Regina started filling blue carts with glass jars and scrap paper.
For in the CFL, coaches Greg Marshall, in Edmonton, Craig Dickenson, in Winnipeg, and George Cortez in Saskatchewan, are like Whack-a-Moles. Regardless if they’re fired or simply don’t have their contracts extended, they’ll always pop up eventually on one CFL coaching staff or another.
Why? Critics may call it an old boys’ club, and sure, relationships come into most hiring decisions. (Same holds true for any business.)
But in truth, institutional knowledge of the Canadian game is just too vital to pass up.
Coaching success in the NFL or NCAA does not necessarily translate to life with three downs, on a longer and wider filed with 12 players and something called a rouge.
For proof, look no further than the ongoing drama in Montreal where an offence with Anthony Calvillo, Brandon Whitaker, S.J. Green and Jamel Richardson can’t seem to produce with any consistency under new coach Dan Hawkins.
Sure, the Alouettes slapped 24 points on the board in the first quarter Saturday in Calgary. And sure, Calvillo went a respectable 18-of-30 for 243 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions. But the Als collected a measly three points after the Stampeders made some adjustments.
The players, of course, are keeping their comments in between the lines of political correctness. At least sort of. “The coaches feel like what we’re doing is working,” tailback Brandon Whitaker told Postmedia News after the Als ultimately fell 38-27 to drop to 1-3 on the season. “If that’s what they want to go with, that’s what we’re going to go with. For it to work in the first quarter and not to work anymore, honestly, I don’t know.”
The history book shows Marc Trestman more than successfully made the adjustment to the Canadian game, with two Grey Cup championships despite no CFL experience prior to his tenure (2008-12).
But keep in mind: Trestman had the experienced Scott Milanovich (now head coach in Toronto) as his offensive co-ordinator. This time around, Hawkins is teamed up with offensive co-ordinator Mike Miller, who also has zero CFL experience.
So why did the Als choose to hand the ball off to Jerome Messam on third-andone Saturday instead of the tried-and-true quarterback sneak? Why are the Als unable to handle the halftime defensive adjustments of the opposition?
Hawkins and his staff need to come up with answers in time for Thursday’s home date with the Edmonton Eskimos. Otherwise, the bye week will no doubt turn into the goodbye week for at least one sacrificial lamb.
Stamps’ voice to miss game
Plenty of Calgary Stampeders played hurt in Saturday’s victory over Montreal, but perhaps none more than the radio play-by-play voice of the team.
During the middle of the game, Mark Stephen’s vision began to cloud over. The action on the field was very clear one moment, and not so the next.
Once his broadcast was through, Stephen went to the Rockyview Hospital where he was diagnosed with a partial retina tear.
For only the second time in 18 years, Stephen will miss a Stampeder game (his only other absence came on Sept. 10, 2010 for his son’s wedding).
Dave Rowe will pinch hit in Winnipeg while Stephen recovers at home.
Stephen vows to be back at the microphone for the Aug. 8 home game against Saskatchewan.
There will be no asterisk
As for Rene Paredes, the Calgary kicker will not have an asterisk by his name should he break the record of 30 consecutive field goals in the regular season this Friday in Winnipeg.
Paredes, of course, had what would have been the tying attempt blocked Saturday with time winding down against the Montreal Alouettes. Initially, TSN thought that meant the streak was over, but the rule book is pretty clear on the matter.
The rules say: “If a kicker should attempt a kick from scrimmage and the ball fails to cross the line of scrimmage, this will not count as a punt but will be considered the same as a lateral pass behind the line of scrimmage ... If recovered by the defending side, the kicker will be charged with a fumble lost and the yards lost from the line of scrimmage to the point of recovery will be charged as a Team Loss.”
Debate the wisdom of said rule all you want, but the streak is still intact under regulations that have been in place since the 1970s.
Should be interesting to see how Paredes fares Friday night with the glare of the nation upon him as he walks on the field with his kicking tee.
If history is any indicator, the cool-headed Montrealer will do just fine.