CFL honours Argonauts’ Milanovich
Coach took facilities fire in stride
REGINA — There were some bumps on the road to being named the CFL’s coach of the year for Scott Milanovich.
Milanovich led the Toronto Argonauts to a 35-22 victory over the Calgary Stampeders in the 2012 Grey Cup game at the Rogers Centre. The first-year head coach overcame some off-field challenges that may have sidetracked the championship aspirations of most teams.
On Dec. 1, 2011, Milanovich was introduced as the Argonauts’ 42nd head coach. Just 23 days later, a fire destroyed the team’s Mississauga training facility. All of the team’s meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, video departments and player meeting rooms were razed in the Christmas Eve blaze. The Argos were able to practise on the adjacent field, but were left without a home for their football operations.
“There were times that we would go to work and not know where we would meet with the players,’’ Jim Barker, Toronto’s general manager, said after Thursday’s coach of the year luncheon in Regina. “We would meet in the bar at the University of Toronto. We had no facility and it wasn’t replaced, but you never heard one word about it from a player or a coach. That’s a credit to Scott. He never talked about all of the hardships that this team went through to get to where they are. That’s what made him great.’’
Milanovich felt the biggest challenge in dealing with a lack of permanent training facilities was the time that was lost travelling. As part of the collective bargaining agreement, CFL teams are allowed to meet for 4½ hours a day. That time also includes practices.
“There were benefits to it because we were a very good road team,’’ said Milanovich, whose Argos were 5-4 on the road and 4-5 at Rogers Centre. “That was because we were constantly moving and it wasn’t a big deal for us to have meetings on the road. I was just trying to find a silver lining in what happened.’’
The Football Reporters of Canada recognized what Milanovich overcame while leading the Argonauts to the win over the Stampeders, because he received 34 of the 45 first-place votes. John Hufnagel, Calgary’s head coach and general manager, and Mike Benevides, head coach of the B.C. Lions, were the other finalists for the coachof-the-year award.
“(Milanovich) brought that locker-room together,’’ Barker said. “He was a player and a quarterback and that translates very well. (Milanovich) was tough but fair and the players responded to him. He always had a plan. We didn’t know how long it would take, but we knew that we would get it done.’’
Milanovich was humbled by the coach-of-the-year award, which has been presented annually since 1961.
“I don’t think any coach goes into the season thinking, ‘I would like to be the coach of the year,’ ’’ said Milanovich, 40. “They want to win Grey Cups. This is a feather in the cap for our organization, our coaching staff and our players. I didn’t do this by myself and to assume that would be disrespectful.’’
Milanovich mentioned how much his family supported him through the good and bad times while the Argos posted a 9-9 regular-season record. Milanovich also talked about how special it was to share the Grey Cup win with his father, Gary.
“It was so nice to be able to share a hug with him after the Grey Cup,’’ Milanovich said. “We’ve come a long way from Butler (Pa.) High School.’’
Milanovich is the first Argonauts head coach to win the Annis Stukus Trophy since Barker in 2010 and the first to win a Grey Cup since 2004. Milanovich and Adam Rita (1991) are the only firstyear Argos head coaches to win the Grey Cup since 1952.
Milanovich also guided the Argonauts to the Grey Cup victory in their hometown. He was presented with the Annis Stukus Trophy in Regina, which is playing host to the 2013 Grey Cup game on Nov. 24.
“We’re going to work on winning that first game,’’ Milanovich said when asked about repeating as Grey Cup champions. “We really don’t look that far ahead. You have to focus on what is happening that day.’’