By Jack Bedell,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Hammond, LA – One of the worst traits I have as an Alouettes fan is my inability to really appreciate the present. During the season, losses keep me chewing over the previous week, and wins make me rush ahead to the next opponent.
Even during Grey Cup week last November, I had a hard time enjoying festivities because I was worried about Game Day, and have been stuck on how that turned out since then.
The off-season’s no different for me.
Constant parsing over the roster, free agent moves, the upcoming draft, and next year’s schedule keeps me from really enjoying how good things really are in Alouettes-land.
So, here’s five minutes of staying in the now and smiling:
– This off-season could not be going better in terms of keeping the Als’ East Division Champion roster together. The veteran core of the team – Anthony Calvillo, Ben Cahoon, Bryan Chiu, Scott Flory, Davis Sanchez, and Anwar Stewart – has re-upped for more campaigns;
– Potential free agents I thought might leave for greener pastures like Jamel Richardson, Mike Imoh, Brian Bratton, Mark Estelle and Walter Spencer have also returned to the fold;
– The team’s also added some serious talent to the roster by bringing back Jerome Haywood and adding Stanford Samuels and Cam Hall, not to mention intriguing prospects Erik Galas, Keith Godding, and Jon Abbate.
Having had the opportunity to meet Coach Trestman and a few members of his staff down here at the Senior Bowl, I’m stoked that the key components of the Als’ staff will be returning for 2009 and beyond. One of the joys of the 2008 season was watching how the coaching staff instilled discipline and a genuine sense of brotherhood in the players last year, and it’s a real relief to know that the momentum won’t be lost heading into the future.
Then there’s the off-field good news that the 5000-seat expansion of Percival Molson Stadium has been approved and is already moving along at a good pace. Adding more fans to the best home-field advantage in the CFL is a no-lose proposition, and it can’t happen soon enough in my book. (Getting ahead of myself again, though!)
A decade from now, I know I’ll look back on this Alouettes team, these players, coaches, and front-office leaders, and realize how truly special the group is. My goal for the next few weeks, however, is to spend a little time each day appreciating all that now.
At least until the team’s on the clock for the CFL Canadian Draft, that is…
