MILES KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES TO BE GREAT
Eskimos coach’s induction into Canadian shrine testimony to his football acumen
For Barron Miles, it’s been Hall of Fame or bust since the beginning of what became a 12-year career as a CFL defensive back.
And last week, while the Edmonton Eskimos club he works for as both defensive backs coach and player development coach was enjoying a bye in the schedule, Miles’ own bust was unveiled in Hamilton as he was officially inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame on Friday.
“It was a surreal feeling,” said Miles, who was named to the Hall of Fame back in March. “To know it and then actually seeing it happen and it’s come true and your name’s being called and your bust has been made, it’s a great feeling and I wish everybody could enjoy it.”
He wasn’t alone, of course. But besides his fellow 2018 HOF class members — Frank Cosentino, Paul Brule, Scott Flory, Tom Hugo, Hank Ilesic and Brent Johnson — there was someone else with him at the podium.
“My brother was diagnosed with cancer, so he was in hospital the whole month of August and, right now, we’re just waiting for bone-marrow transplants,” Miles said of his brother, Tony. “I knew he wanted to be there because he told me as soon as I got announced, I called him.
“He’s at most of the places that I have anything to do with football, so I knew he’d have been front row.”
Tony had to settle for the next best thing, Face-Timing his brother’s phone, which was placed strategically on the podium during Barron’s speech.
“He played football,” Barron said. “He was a big guy, lifted weights, played linebacker. He took all my food. I was small. He was a very good player, good
When they talk about DBs, I want my name to be mentioned every single time, so if that gave me the edge to get into the Hall of Fame, then so be it.
athlete, but he lived his dream through me.”
On Friday, they got to live the Hall of Fame portion of that dream together, despite the distance that physically separated them.
“It was live and he got to see it,” Barron said. “It was a special moment for me.
“He listened to the whole speech. I told him he couldn’t talk, he just had to listen, and he wanted to say something so he called me back. I was like, ‘You can’t do that.’”
Ironically, it’s the same message Barron would have ignored if someone tried telling him the same after arriving on the CFL scene in 1998, where he would go on to become a six-time league all-star playing for the Montreal Alouettes and B.C. Lions.
“When I came up, I said I was going to be the best player I possibly could be,” said the fivefoot-nine, 182-pound Nebraska product, who was drafted in the sixth round (199th overall) by the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers in 1995.
“When they talk about DBs, I want my name to be mentioned every single time, so if that gave me the edge to get into the Hall of Fame, then so be it.
“But that was my mentality coming up, I was going to make my mark no matter what.”
A couple of marks, in fact, having finished second all-time with 66 career interceptions (tied with Eskimos legend Larry Highbaugh) and first all-time with 13 blocked kicks.
“You try to do what you can to stay on the field, stay productive,” Miles said. “Like I tell the guys now, make sure you’re doing enough in the off-season and talking in those meetings to make sure your name’s not coming up because you did your job. “Every year, I played for that.” While Hall of Fame busts can be notoriously hit or miss, Miles will gladly keep his.
“I’m going to be happy with it, I’m not going to complain about it,” he said. “It was good, they did good with the goatee.
“My fellow DBs, they gave me a hard time, saying: ‘Coach, that don’t really look like you.’”
One thing ’s for sure, Miles would like nothing more than for his players to get a chance to compare Hall of Fame busts with his one day.
In and out: WR Duke Williams, the league’s receiving yards and receiving touchdowns leader, did not practice on Monday due to travel issues while returning from the bye week … RB Jordan Robinson has been moved to the Eskimos practice roster, which also saw the addition of LS Tanner Doll and WR Miles Shuler.