By Jack Bedell,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Hammond, LA – On the heels of last week’s 25-0 shutout win over the Toronto Argonauts, I should probably be praising the Alouettes’ defence for their relentless performance.
But I just can’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate the quiet excellence of one of my all-time favourite players – Ben Cahoon.
In the first half of last week’s game, Cahoon surpassed two significant career milestones.
With a seven-yard catch in the second quarter, he became only the eighth player in CFL history to hit the 12,000-yards-receiving mark, a couple of catches later, he took seventh spot all-time on the receiving yards list from Derrell “Mookie” Mitchell.
After both plays, Cahoon got up calmly and casually tossed the ball back to the official – the same way he’s done his business 899 times now in his career.
I think that’s what I’ve enjoyed about Number 86 since the first time I saw him play.
One of a kind
Ben Cahoon is the truly unique blending of a lunch-pale athlete who goes about his work with dedication, commitment, and professionalism and a phenomenally-talented high-wire performer who offers up highlight-reel catches like five-yard outs.
I can’t remember a game when Cahoon didn’t have at least one grab where he changed direction in mid-air to snag a ball thrown behind him; or a clutch catch like the deep out he caught right on the sideline against the Argos last week to keep a crucial drive alive in the first half.
Heading into Week 7, Cahoon leads the league with 38 catches for 475 yards. And yet it’s amazing to me that his name isn’t one of the first off the lips of analysts when they’re discussing the top players at his position.
To put his current numbers in perspective, Cahoon, in his 12th year in the CFL, is on pace for his eighth-consecutive 1,000-yard season and for his third year over 100 receptions.
At that level of production, he’s in line to take over the sixth spot on the all-time receiving yards list, currently held by Don Narcisse at 12,366 yards, sometime in September. And it’s certainly not unreasonable to think he’s got enough left in the tank to climb all the way to the top of the list by the time he’s done.
In typical Cahoon fashion, he’d probably write all those career numbers off as the result of longevity. But even a cursory glance at his career will show otherwise. Averaging 1,000-plus yards per year over the course of a 12-year career is more than simple longevity.
It’s just plain, old excellence.
