Wally's world includes Rider Nation
Retiring B.C. Lions coaching legend set for his Saskatchewan sendoff Saturday
REGINA — Wally Buono is reviled more than revered at Mosaic Stadium.
That’s because the Saskatchewan Roughriders stadium is also home to some of the loudest and most vocal critics of the B.C. Lions’ head coach and vice-president of football operations.
“It’s a home away from home and let’s just say that in a very nice way,” Buono said with a chuckle from his Vancouver office.
“I think Henry (Burris, a former CFL quarterback who played part of his career for the Riders) and I are the only ones who (the fans) know our names. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s respect or longevity, or even both.”
The Riders play host to the Lions on Saturday, when Buono may make his final appearance at Mosaic Stadium, depending on how playoff positioning works out.
He is retiring after the 2018 season, ending a distinguished 46-year CFL career.
Over that span, he has been a player, assistant coach, head coach, general manager, VP of football operations and team president. His career has featured stints with the Lions, Montreal Alouettes, Montreal Concordes and Calgary Stampeders.
The 68-year-old Buono still has memories of some unforgettable incidents that took place at old Mosaic Stadium.
Buono recalled a near-brawl in 2007 that involved B.C. offensive lineman Rob Murphy and Saskatchewan defensive tackle Scott Schultz as the centrepieces.
A year later, some fans in the east side of the stadium threw beer cans at the Lions after reportedly being taunted by the B.C. players. Buono moved his players and coaches to the centre of the field to avoid the beer showers and flying cans.
“It was a safety issue and I didn’t want the players to do something that they may regret,” Buono said. “I can’t control the fans and I don’t worry about them. I do worry about my team. If somebody does something — whether it’s induced or not — you’re always going to be held accountable.”
Another aspect of Buono that raises the ire of Rider Nation is his habit of walking on the field to argue or converse with officials.
“If that’s what gets them upset, then they’ll see me on the field a lot on Saturday,” Buono said with another chuckle.
“I’m allowed to go on the field and I’m off the field before the ball is snapped,” Buono added. “I go there because we’re allowed to communicate and I don’t want to be screaming at the officials. I usually do it during a break or a timeout.”
Mosaic Stadium was called Taylor Field when Buono took his first steps on the turf as a rookie linebacker and punter on July 3, 1973. The Alouettes beat the Riders 24-10 in the pre-season game. He played until 1982, when he retired as a player to become an assistant coach with the now-defunct Concordes.
Buono has coached or played in 14 Grey Cup games, winning seven. With a 282163-3 record, he has won more games than any coach in CFL history. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
“He has been a very successful coach for so long,” said Chris Jones, the Riders’ head coach and general manager. “Numerous times, his teams have started off slowly and then got better as the year goes on. One of the qualities of a good coach is they can get things turned around, make some changes, add a guy here or there to help them win. Hats off to him because he’s an outstanding coach.”
Buono has been part of the Lions throughout Travis Lulay’s 10 seasons with B.C. Buono has served as the quarterback’s head coach for six of those seasons.
“He’s really committed to winning and he’s not into pomp and circumstance,” Lulay said. “He wants tough, hard-nosed football players who do what they are asked to and then do it really hard. They care about winning and are mentally and physically tough. That’s just the era he comes from and that has definitely rubbed off on our team.”
Lulay said there has been talk of winning the 2018 Grey Cup for Buono in his final season at the helm of the Lions.
“Those of us who have been around Wally for a long time recognize that it would be special to be able to do that,” Lulay said. “I don’t think it’s making guys play harder necessarily. It would be the best ending that anyone could hope for.
"I always joke that, ‘Wally, we did this for you in 2011 and that was supposed to be your sendoff.’ We did it once, maybe we can do it again.”
Buono retired after the Lions won the 2011 Grey Cup to concentrate on his duties as general manager and vice-president of football operations. In 2016, he returned to the sideline as the Lions’ head coach.
He also indicated that he was going to retire after the 2017 season, in which the Lions missed the playoffs with a 7-11 record. He changed his mind only after Ed Hervey was hired as general manager, leaving Buono to focus on coaching instead of the personnel and financial aspects of the game.
Buono is serious about retirement and spending more time with his family. He and his wife Sande have four children (Amy, Dayna, Christie and Michael) and six grandchildren (Jonah, Lucas, Jack, Lucy, Maya and Anna).
“I missed a lot (with my family), but I don’t have any regrets,” Buono said. “This is the life we choose and we knew the costs of what it would take to be successful. We also know the rewards and benefits and you always have to understand that.”
What he’ll do in retirement remains to be determined.
“I don’t know and I will gladly try to find out,” Buono said. “My whole life has been based on God presenting things to me, opening doors for me and putting things in front of me. I’ve always been a believer that when He closes one door, which He’s doing, there will be other doors opening. It might be just staying at home and being a grandfather. Now what’s wrong with that?”
He wants tough, hard-nosed football players who do what they are asked to and then do it really hard.” Lions QB Travis Lulay