Meeting of legends at breakfast
Calvillo, Cahoon renew magical link for a day as money is raised for seniors
It was a magical combination for 13 seasons — Anthony Calvillo tossing the ball, Ben Cahoon, invariably, catching it for the Alouettes. They combined more than 1,000 times over the years, the symbiotic relationship between the two the driving force between much of the team’s success.
And, if one can let the mind and imagination wander for just a moment, it’s conceivable to think the two might eventually be reunited in Montreal. And wouldn’t that be the perfect epilogue for this scenario?
Calvillo, one year following his retirement, is in the midst of his first season as the Als’ receivers coach. Cahoon has been approached before by general manager Jim Popp about joining the coaching staff, but with four girls between the ages of 17 and 8 at home in Utah, the timing hasn’t been right. And it still isn’t — for now. But that doesn’t mean forever.
“I definitely think about coaching and, when I do, Montreal’s one of the places where I’d love to do it,” Cahoon said Sunday morning, one of many former players who attended the 11th annual Sports Celebrity Breakfast at the Cummings Jewish Centre.
“I don’t really have a master plan right now for the next few years of my life. But I do enjoy coaching. I’m passionate about it,” added Cahoon, who flew in from Las Vegas, where he was on a business trip, to attend the fundraising event.
He was joined by former Canadiens centre Peter Mahovlich, named the sports personality of the year. Well- known Montreal entrepreneur Mitch Garber, the chief executive officer of Caesars Interactive Entertainment and Caesars Acquisition Company, was the guest of honour.
Also in attendance — at least until he had to depart for a noonhour practice in Brossard, was Canadiens defenceman P. K. Subban; Guy Lafleur, Serge Savard and Yvan Cournoyer; former Expos reliever Don Stanhouse; Impact technical director Adam Braz; Als offensive- tackle Jeff Perrett and linebacker Kyries Hebert; Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre and a slew of media personalities.
Lafleur and Savard flew from Florida on Saturday night to honour Mahovlich, who spent 16 seasons in the NHL, including seven with Montreal. He still holds Canadiens’ records for points ( 117) and assists ( 82) in a season by a centre, but is arguably best remembered for his sensational short- handed goal against the Soviets in the second game of the 1972 Summit Series.
Mahovlich now scouts for the Florida Panthers.
Cahoon, 42, handles customer service and sales for a medical device company he represents, but in a perfect world he’d still be coaching at Brigham Young University, his alma mater. He was named wide receivers coach in 2011, a position he handled for two seasons until the school rehired its former offensive coordinator, Robert Anae, who decided he wanted to bring in his own offensive staff. Cahoon was released in January 2013. That’s how the coaching world operates. Nonetheless, it didn’t deter Cahoon.
“It was enlightening to see that it’s just a brutal profession. And there’s very little loyalty, very little stability. That has exposed me to the realities of the profession,” he said. “It’s just a matter of time before you’re moving your family, whether it’s two, three or four years. That’s what has prevented me from jumping back in. I know it’s seven months of real intense work. I try to justify it in my mind, that I could be a real good dad for the other five months. “It still doesn’t seem right.” While Calvillo himself is the father of two young girls, at least he calls Montreal home and won’t have to abandon his family during the season. Not only does Cahoon believe his former quarterback will be “phenomenal” in his new role, he admires the way he has gone about tackling the profession and seems prepared to pay his dues.
“I think he could have, had he put himself out there, he could have started in a little bit higher position if he wanted to step on toes,” said Cahoon, knowing many in Montreal naively believed Calvillo would be named offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach despite his lack of experience.
Both roles will be handled by Turk Schonert.
“He ( Calvillo’s) respectful of what the other coaches in the league have done. He doesn’t want to have anything handed to him. I respect that. It’ll be a good process,” Cahoon said. “There’s a learning curve. They own you. That’s why he’s not here, right now. He doesn’t have the ability to choose his own schedule.”
The sagacious Cahoon is loath to offer advice to Calvillo, saying he’ll learn soon enough that, once the game begins, the coach mostly is at the whim of players on the field. Coaches call plays, but their fate rests in the hands of their athletes, who must execute.
“It’s difficult to give up control. That’s the hardest thing as a player,” Cahoon explained. “You make mistakes, you make adjustments, you can figure it out. You practice harder or work on things. When you’re coaching those first few games, it drives you crazy that you’ve lost control.”
Funds raised from the breakfast — in excess of $ 200,000 this year — will benefit Montreal seniors in crisis. About 10,000 clients are served annually at the Cummings Centre, while more than 500 meals are delivered weekly. The breakfast, attended by close to 600, was sold out weeks in advance.