One of the all-time great QB's in the CFL has called it a day. Montreal Alouettes legend Anthony Calvillo retires after 20 seasons, three Grey Cups (including eight appearances in the final) and numerous passing records among them are a record 79,816 passing yards
(agonizingly close to 80 000. Man, one game against Winnipeg could have gotten him there!). The most of any pro QB in any league in history clocking in 455 TD's along the way. The say you're as good as the company you keep and only Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Warren Moon and Peyton Manning have managed at least 400 touchdowns. He also, passed for 2470 yards in the Grey Cup.
While at the helm, the Als were always a contender; an organization with excellent pedigree and class. He and GM Jim Popp have been able to keep the Alouettes relevant (no easy task with our unpredictable fan base) in Montreal helping to usher in a new golden age for football in the province. I don't think it's much of a coincidence that the country's most dominant football program is in Quebec with the Laval Rouge et Or along with the arrival of the Universite de Montreal Carabins both having displaced the traditional programs from McGill (Redmen), Concordia (Stingers) and Bishop's (Gaiters).
Beyond football, the California-born Calvillo has been a fixture and great ambassador for the sports in this city.
The CFL, Montreal and Canada as a whole have been blessed and made richer these past 20 years.
Salut, Anthony et merci.
***
Richard Sherman.
Wow that's some faux outrage out there.
I wasn't all that offended by his comments following Seattle's win over San Francisco in the NFC championship game. What do people expect when you pull a thoroughly jacked-up guy in front of a camera seconds after winning a game to catapulted your team into the Super Bowl? He just finished playing out of his mind and you expect him to be all composed?
Get real.
I've been in situations where once a whistle goes my blood and adrenalin is so fricken high best you keep away.
It's even more ridiculous our reactions whenever the occasional outburst happen. "Oh, that was not appropriate." Such comments remind me of the media and how they indignantly react to bruising hockey plays or Don Cherry. It always reminds me of the fickle client who shouts "I'm never shopping here again!" over the smallest of problems.
Sports is not all pretty folks. Sports is vicious and Sherman is probably the most vicious cornerback in the league in terms of excellence. Guy just stopped the 49ers and was pumped.
Let it go. In fact, I found it entertaining. Sure, perhaps his attack on Crabtree lacked a touch of class (Crabtree is not a mediocre receiver) but let the Seahawks organization deal with that.
Man, if the weather is bad in New York I can totally see the Seahawks defense make Manning their bitch. Those fast outside routs, 12 play drives that eat the clock, and pocket QBing will be all but almost impossible for Denver. Seattle is gonna blitz and Manning will have not second but milliseconds to get rid of the ball.
The Broncos, good as they are (and really, that's gotta be one of the smoothest offenses ever), better hope the weather is okay. They couldn't pull away from San Diego and New England neither of which have Seattle's powerful defense.
***
Back to the Als.
I fear we may be in store for some lean years unless Popp can magically (as he has in the past) find a star QB to replace Calvillo. As we see in the NFL, it's no easy task to find one; especially for a league like the CFL.
His departure made me wonder about the day when Tom Brady and/or Bill Belichick leave the New England Patriots.
Boy, will that hit fans in New England/Boston in the face hard. They've been accused of not appreciating what they have at the moment but rest assured, when Brady leaves they'll immediately remember the good old days.
Guys like Brady and Calvillo and what they mean to their franchises simply don't come around all that often.
While at the helm, the Als were always a contender; an organization with excellent pedigree and class. He and GM Jim Popp have been able to keep the Alouettes relevant (no easy task with our unpredictable fan base) in Montreal helping to usher in a new golden age for football in the province. I don't think it's much of a coincidence that the country's most dominant football program is in Quebec with the Laval Rouge et Or along with the arrival of the Universite de Montreal Carabins both having displaced the traditional programs from McGill (Redmen), Concordia (Stingers) and Bishop's (Gaiters).
Beyond football, the California-born Calvillo has been a fixture and great ambassador for the sports in this city.
The CFL, Montreal and Canada as a whole have been blessed and made richer these past 20 years.
Salut, Anthony et merci.
***
Richard Sherman.
Wow that's some faux outrage out there.
I wasn't all that offended by his comments following Seattle's win over San Francisco in the NFC championship game. What do people expect when you pull a thoroughly jacked-up guy in front of a camera seconds after winning a game to catapulted your team into the Super Bowl? He just finished playing out of his mind and you expect him to be all composed?
Get real.
I've been in situations where once a whistle goes my blood and adrenalin is so fricken high best you keep away.
It's even more ridiculous our reactions whenever the occasional outburst happen. "Oh, that was not appropriate." Such comments remind me of the media and how they indignantly react to bruising hockey plays or Don Cherry. It always reminds me of the fickle client who shouts "I'm never shopping here again!" over the smallest of problems.
Sports is not all pretty folks. Sports is vicious and Sherman is probably the most vicious cornerback in the league in terms of excellence. Guy just stopped the 49ers and was pumped.
Let it go. In fact, I found it entertaining. Sure, perhaps his attack on Crabtree lacked a touch of class (Crabtree is not a mediocre receiver) but let the Seahawks organization deal with that.
Man, if the weather is bad in New York I can totally see the Seahawks defense make Manning their bitch. Those fast outside routs, 12 play drives that eat the clock, and pocket QBing will be all but almost impossible for Denver. Seattle is gonna blitz and Manning will have not second but milliseconds to get rid of the ball.
The Broncos, good as they are (and really, that's gotta be one of the smoothest offenses ever), better hope the weather is okay. They couldn't pull away from San Diego and New England neither of which have Seattle's powerful defense.
***
Back to the Als.
I fear we may be in store for some lean years unless Popp can magically (as he has in the past) find a star QB to replace Calvillo. As we see in the NFL, it's no easy task to find one; especially for a league like the CFL.
His departure made me wonder about the day when Tom Brady and/or Bill Belichick leave the New England Patriots.
Boy, will that hit fans in New England/Boston in the face hard. They've been accused of not appreciating what they have at the moment but rest assured, when Brady leaves they'll immediately remember the good old days.
Guys like Brady and Calvillo and what they mean to their franchises simply don't come around all that often.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Mysterious and anonymous comments as well as those laced with cyanide and ad hominen attacks will be deleted. Thank you for your attention, chumps.