Buono’s Boys Heading For Bytown
Calgary was trailing Edmonton 14-0 when the second quarter began. They had ball on the Eskimo 38 yard line and were desperate to keep their drive alive. Instead of calling the usual quarterback sneak, Medicine Hat’s favourite sonin-law Dave Dickenson called on Bo Levi Mitchell to pass. He did, a 16 yard completion to Gas City native, Dan Federkeil. Two plays later Mitchell found Marquay McDaniel in the end-zone and the home team went on to win 32-28 and advance to the Grey Cup. After the game when I called him the new Jerry Rice, he laughed and held up two fingers to indicate that was the second pass he’s caught in his career. It was a one yarder from Bo, June 25, 2016 in a losing cause to B.C.
On June 20th, I predicted the Calgary Stampeders would finish first. After finishing the previous season with a 15-2-1 mark, Coach of the Year Dave Dickenson, looking forward to the 2017 campaign said, “We need someone to step up at the left tackle position. Other than that, we look pretty solid.”
Good management provided him with depth at every position except quarterback. But then the injury bug struck. About to face the Eskimos in the Labour Day Classic, Calgary had ten starters on the injured list, including three offensive linemen and two receivers, plus defenders Cordarro Law, Deron Mayo and future hall-of-famer Charleston Hughes.
On Friday, the 13th of October they were 13-1-1, clearly the best team in the league. They accomplished that despite those injuries and a few more in between. They still finished on top with a record of 13-4-1 but lost their last three games. Some said the games were meaningless because they had already clinched first place and a bye into the final. I was deeply shaken at how bad their offence looked. It is a truism in sports that you can’t just throw a switch and all of sudden be back to normal. Still, theirs was the smallest losing streak in the league. What Stampeder team would show up lfor the Final? The thoroughbred that went 13-1-1 or the swayback that lost three in a row.
Last Sunday, the defence was superb as usual, the special teams merely great. The difference was the return to form of Bo Levi Mitchell, playing with a full deck of receivers, running backs and linemen. It took the first quarter to shake off the rust but then something clicked and they got their old speed and timing back.
“Bo is a smart quarterback as well as an athletic quarterback,” observed Dickenson. “He’s not necessarily getting away from the rush but he knows where the blitzes are coming and he gets rid of the ball quickly. We also run the ball which takes some of the heat off the pass rush. We’re a balanced offence. (Jerome Messam and Roy Finch rushed for 152 yards against Edmonton). We’re not going to sit back an throw fifty times. Bo may not have the numbers other quarterbacks have because his attempts aren’t as many but that’s just the way it goes.” In the Western Final Mike Reilly completed 23 of 38 passes for 348 yards. Mitchell was good on 20-32 for 228. Neither was intercepted.
“Winning is hard. We’ve been spoiled here in Calgary but we know you can’t take anything for granted.”
He learned that from the masters. Wally Buono is the all-time leader in Calgary coaching wins with 153 plus three Grey Cups. Next came his offensive coordinator John Hufnagel with 102 wins and 2 Cups. Hufnagel prepared Dickenson to succeed him. Buono’s boys have done well. A key to their success is exceptionally thorough preparation.
They are also shrewd judges of personnel and great at handling players. That depth can be a problem because everyone wants to play. Each game players sit out who would start on any other team. Egos could be hurt, hard feelings ensue. Yet, the Stampeder dressing room is a happy place. They all seem to get along.
Stability has been the word of the day at McMahon Stadium since Ted Hellard, the late John Forzani and Stan Schwartz rescued the team from madcap Micheal Feterik in 2005.
Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 45 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com