Montreal Alouettes' Matthieu Proulx, left, and Anwar Stewart, right, tackle Calgary Stampeders' Titus Ryan earlier this season. Stewart, who lost to John Chick on Thursday for defensive player of the year, says the Als missed a golden opportunity to set a new mark for fewest points allowed.
Photograph by: Herald Archive, Reuters, Calgary Herald
Photograph by: Herald Archive, Reuters, Calgary Herald
The aim, explains the Sultan of Sack, Anwar Stewart, is to leave footprints in the sands of time, not merely across the front of some unfortunate quarterback's jersey.
"You want to leave a legacy,'' he lectured during Thursday's media luncheon at the Telus Convention Centre . "You want people to remember you. What your team did. You want to be in that record book. When you're finished with this game, or the game is finished with you, you want to be a part of something that lasts.
"We had the chance to set a defensive scoring record this year. And we blew it. In 20 years, we could've been sitting around having a beer and boasting to our buddies, 'Know what? I played on the CFL defence that gave up the least amount of points . . . ever! Yes, that was us.' How cool would that be?
"We had the chance to set a defensive scoring record this year. And we blew it. In 20 years, we could've been sitting around having a beer and boasting to our buddies, 'Know what? I played on the CFL defence that gave up the least amount of points . . . ever! Yes, that was us.' How cool would that be?
"And we blew it.
"That ached me, man. Inside.
"You get the chance to make history, you grab it. With both hands.''
On Grey Cup Sunday, history is there for the taking. All the Montreal Alouettes need do is put a clamp around the throats of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and squeeze, and in doing so remove the stigma of their label as the team that can't win the big one.
On Grey Cup Sunday, history is there for the taking. All the Montreal Alouettes need do is put a clamp around the throats of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and squeeze, and in doing so remove the stigma of their label as the team that can't win the big one.
While a majority of the pregame rhetoric has centred on the brilliantly-hued sunset of quarterback Anthony Calvillo, his battalion of gifted receivers and that potent Alouette attack, the steely spine of Montreal's stellar season is unquestionably its defence. Even the Saskatchewan D, given rush end Stevie Baggs' penchant for chatter and the rotating, mix-n-match style they deploy, has generated more type this week its counterpart.
Yet no one in this league plays bigger, better, brassier D than the 2009 Als.
Yet no one in this league plays bigger, better, brassier D than the 2009 Als.
Or has, for quite some time.
"If 12 of us were in a fight,'' promised linebacker Diamond Ferri, "we'd leave the ring with 12 KOs. We are a scrappy bunch. From experience, I've learned that receivers don't enjoy gettin' hit. Sunday, we're going hunting.
"All season we've pushed ourselves to get better, week after week after week. We keep getting out that lasso and throwing it onto a higher branch, and then a higher one, and pull ourselves up.
"Think about it. In 2007, Saskatchewan was the best team with the best record. And won the Grey Cup. Last year, Calgary was the best team with the best record. And won the Grey Cup.
"This year, that team is us.'' Defence translates into championships. For the mountain of Henry Burris hoopla a year ago at the Big O, the ability of Mike Labinjo and the Stampeder D to shackle Calvillo and flick the Off switch on his laser light show is what ultimately brought back the title.
"Think about it. In 2007, Saskatchewan was the best team with the best record. And won the Grey Cup. Last year, Calgary was the best team with the best record. And won the Grey Cup.
"This year, that team is us.'' Defence translates into championships. For the mountain of Henry Burris hoopla a year ago at the Big O, the ability of Mike Labinjo and the Stampeder D to shackle Calvillo and flick the Off switch on his laser light show is what ultimately brought back the title.
"Maybe, being in Montreal, we don't get a lot of pub, a lot of love,'' said Stewart, beaten for the CFL's Top Defensive Player by the Roughriders' John Chick on Thursday night at the awards gala at the Telus Convention Centre. "That's fine.''
How rock-ribbed was this group?Well, the Alouettes' D grudgingly gave up 324 points, or 18 per game, this season. No other defence came within 100.
Fewest first downs? They ranked first. Fewest total yards surrendered? First. Lowest percentage passes completed against? Fewest touchdowns rushing? Fewest touchdowns passing? First. First. First.
Half the Eastern all-stars on the
defensive side of the ball were Als. John Bowman tied for the most sacks, at 12. Bowman and linebacker Chip Cox forced more fumbles, five each, than anyone else.
"We didn't lead in all those categories, didn't have the best record at 15-3, by accident,'' says safety Matthieu Proulx. "We have the best offence. The best defence. And pretty good special teams.
"We can play man-to-man or an aggressive zone. Stop the run. That one game Martell Mallett ran for 213 yards on us. I don't think anybody else broke 100. Look, we have tremendous, tremendous respect for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. But we have a great deal of confidence in our abilities.''
"We can play man-to-man or an aggressive zone. Stop the run. That one game Martell Mallett ran for 213 yards on us. I don't think anybody else broke 100. Look, we have tremendous, tremendous respect for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. But we have a great deal of confidence in our abilities.''
If that does come to pass, it'll be down to that unparalleled defence harassing Rider QB Darian Durant, sticking to his set of Canadian pass-catchers like lint to a lollipop, beating that Saskatchewan O-line in the pits and smothering feature back Wes Cates.
It'll come down, as virtually all championships do, to the wall of resistance.
"This,'' says defensive coordinator Tim Burke, formerly a part of the Stampeder staff, "is the most focused group I've ever been involved with. And I've been in the coaching business 32 years.
"This,'' says defensive coordinator Tim Burke, formerly a part of the Stampeder staff, "is the most focused group I've ever been involved with. And I've been in the coaching business 32 years.
"Firstly, we have talent. But probably the most important facet is character. It's in the nature of these players to believe their coaches, to play for the person next to them, to buy into the system.''
Beyond the audacious record and the ability at each and every position, this edition of the Alouettes has that inexplicable aura of destiny about them. The way the Stampeders did a year ago, the Riders in 2007 and oh-so-many champions before them. That It's-Their-Time feeling.
"Yes,'' hedged Burke, "there is that feeling. It's like Marc (Trestman) always says: It doesn't matter who we play, where we play or when we play, we believe that if we play to our capabilities--and that's not disrespecting anyone --then we will win. You have to think that way.
"Maybe we don't believe in fate. But we do believe in destiny. And, this is very important, we also understand we have to do our part in making that destiny happen.''
For those long-serving Als in search of redemption, and that peerless defence, Sunday simply cannot come soon enough.
"For the older guys, myself, A.C., Bryan (Chiu), Scott (Flory), this is unfinished business,'' agreed the Sultan of Sack Anwar Stewart. "A great opportunity.'' He paused. "ANOTHER great opportunity.''
To be a part of that legacy he spoke of. To be remembered long after finishing with the game, or the game finishing with you.
To leave footprints in the sands of time.
gjohnson@theherald.canwest.com
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