By Richard Obrand,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Montreal – Whatever you’re doing at this very moment, stop doing it and think about this…
Think about where you were 12 months ago, and try and remember what exactly you were doing. If you’re a fan of the Alouettes, you were most likely bitter at the very thought of the 19 weeks you were just forced to endure.
Things sure looked bright at the beginning of the season, but injuries and misfortune led to an 8-10-0 record in 2007 and a winter of questions for the Alouettes and their fans.
Much like this season, the outcome of last year for the Alouettes was a shock to many.
An offensive juggernaut for the past decade putting up its lowest point total since its return to the CFL in 1996 and its worst record since the mid-80s… things looked bleak.
But the off-season brought new hope to the Als and their fans. After all, most of the pieces were in place – there were just a couple of elements missing, and the fix began when Robert Wetenhall, Jim Popp, and Larry Smith came up with the name of their future head coach: Marc Trestman.
An offensive-minded, cerebral coach who had spent much of his life as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in the NFL, Trestman and his new coaching staff were just what the doctor ordered.
Now stop thinking, and look where your Alouettes are now.
With just five days remaining until the 96th Grey Cup between the Als and Stampeders, all the work put in by Popp, Trestman and his staff, and the players will face the ultimate challenge.
Calgary has the statistical edge, beating the Alouettes in both meetings this season.
In their first encounter in early July, Stampeder quarterback Henry Burris completed passes to eight different receivers, throwing for 302 yards and a touchdown in a 23-19 victory at Percival Molson Stadium
The second matchup between the two came in September, with Burris throwing five touchdowns to five different receivers en route to a 41-30 win at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium.
The Alouettes, however, have been outstanding in their own right this season, scoring 30 points or more so many times it’s a wonder anyone could even keep track. In fact, Montreal set a new team record with 610 points scored and Calvillo was good for an Alouette-best 43 TD passes.
But even with that, Montreal will enjoy one other advantage in the 96th Grey Cup… home field.
Not since 2002 has a team played in front of its home town for the championship, and ironically enough it was the visiting Alouettes who triumphed over the Eskimos at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.
This time Montreal will look to do what no team has accomplished since the BC Lions in 1994 – win the Grey Cup on home soil.
Whatever happens, 60,000-plus screaming Alouettes fans certainly won’t hurt the cause.
The Alouettes will host the Calgary Stampeders in the 96th Grey Cup at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium this Sunday, Nov. 23 at 6 p.m. (RDS HD, TSN HD, CKAC SPORTS, CJAD).
