Because It's a Slow Morning: Chad Johnson Scores 1st CFL TD

Okay, yeah, we know...why would anyone care about a former NFL big mouth banished to the Canadian Football League.

Well, because it's the artist formerly known as "Ochocinco".

Chad Johnson, ex-Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots WR and purveyor of wacky and crazy touchdown dances, got to revisit his past glory Friday night.

Johnson, now playing for the Montreal Alouettes after sitting out of football last season, caught his 1st Canadian TD pass when his Alouettes played the Winnipeg Blue-Bombers.

The 46-yard catch was Johnson's only catch of the day and the Blue-Bombers ended up winning the game 34-33.

Here's your video and celebration. For Chad, yes, it was pretty tame...

Troy Smith Having Trouble Adjusting To The CFL,So Is Chad Johnson. Alouettes Pounded By Stamps 29-8

Troy Smith won the Heisman Trophy in 2006 at Ohio State but couldn't win a job in the NFL.

Smith is playing in the Canadian Football League as the starting quarterback of the Montreal Alouettes and he had a rough beginning to the 2014 season.

Against the Calgary Stampeders Saturday afternoon at McMahon Stadium Smith completed just 18 of 41 passes for 154 yards, no touchdowns and one interception as the Alouettes were pounded 29-8 by the Stamps.

"I don't feel good at all." Smith said. There's a whole different feel when you leave the field after a week's work of preparation and nothing works."

Bo Levi Mitchell, who as quarterback at Eastern Washington led the Eagles to the 2010 FCS national championship, out shined Smith in this CFL quarterback match-up.  Mitchell final numbers were completing 16 of 25 passed for 313 yards and two touchdowns.

A large chunk of Mitchell's passing yardage came from this 102 yard touchdown pass to Maurice Price in the first quarter.

Click here to see the "Bo to Mo" 102 yard touchdown pass.

Chad Johnson didn't impress either in his first CFL regular season game.  Ocho Cinco caught just two balls for 20 yards, that's it.

"I've got a long way to go man." Johnson told the Calgary Herald. "With this being my first time experiencing a real live game with the bullets flying, the level of competition is really not that far off from the NFL and the speed of the game is equivalent."

A tough day in the Canadian Rockies for the Als especially for Montreal's Marc-Olivier Brouillette who had his world rocked by the Stamps Nik Lewis blocking down field.

Click here to see, it's worth the watch

Ocho-Cinco Now Quatre-Vingt-Cinq- Makes Als Debut

((HT: TSN/ESPN))

It was the debut where a certain receiver said it was like losing his virginity all over again...

And, for Chad Johnson, it was all about getting his timing down with the Montreal Alouettes QB Troy Smith. Since it's the beginning of the CFL exhibition season, the HQ is going to give the man a little slack.

He was rusty, and the Als were rusty as a group. They were taking on the newest franchise, the Ottawa Redblacks, in an exhibition game- and, to be honest, the HQ can't remember when the Als thought the pre-season actually meant something in terms of wins and losses.

Ottawa won... good for them...



Click here for a post-game 1-on-1 interview with Chad Johnson

Calvillo Retires After 20 Years

((HT: Sportsnet))

The most prolific passer in the history of the world retired today...

Montreal Alouettes QB Anthony Calvillo went from Las Vegas to Hamilton to Montreal and passed for almost 80,000 yards before his second concussion in a year led to him sitting out most of the 2013 season and, eventually, this day in Canadian football...

He won three Grey Cup titles with the Als and presents one of the largest questions in the history of the league...

What now for Montreal...???

And THAT is a huge question for them and the league as they move forward...

Bobcat and Brunt discuss his legacy... which is a big one...
He's a couple of credits short for his degree at Utah State, so he's going to pursue that. Afterwards, he'll take an internship with the Alouettes and look into coaching the team in some capacity...

OSG CFL: Fantastic Finish In Montreal

((HT: CFL on TSN))

It's been a long year for the Alouettes...

A lot of injuries- including a neck injury to legendary QB Anthony Calvillo that has kept him out and given the likes of Josh Neiswander and Arkansas Tech's Tanner Marsh- with Troy Smith waiting in the wings...

The Als were 2-5 heading into a game against the BC Lions and it took this kind of ending to get a win at home...


The only thing missing was this intro...

Coach Hawk Gone After 5 Games In Montreal

It ain't Division I, brother...

According to Arash Madani at Sportsnet, the Dan Hawkins era is over after only five games into the 2013 CFL season...

Hawkins ties a record for a rookie #CFL head coach getting fired so quick. Tom Dimitroff also lasted 5 games in 1978 (1-3-1) w/ the #Ticats.

Owner Bob Wetenhall asked GM Jim Popp to step in- for the fourth time in his Montreal career as interim coach.

"Jim is the person most responsible for the success we have had over all these years," Wetenhall said in a statement. "I feel confident that he is the best person to coach our team at this time and I am very appreciative of him being willing to make this additional contribution to our franchise.

"He has the respect of our players as well as mine."

Here's Week 5's headache for the Als as they played Edmonton
((HT: CFL on TSN))


All was rosy when he was hired...
Evidence below...
((HT: Montreal Alouettes))


But now, expect the offensive coaching staff to be reorganized since the offense under hall of famer Anthony Calvillo has been very un-Calvillo-like...

FOSG John Lu of TSN caught up with Popp:

Popp on Hawkins' vision for team: "I recommended (to Hawkins) early on, don't change too much. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Guessing he tried to fix it...

Dan Hawkins Is The New Head Chef In Montreal

((HT: FoxSports))

The Montreal Alouettes have named Dan Hawkins their new head coach- replacing Marc Trestman, who is now coach for the Chicago Bears. All Trestman did was take the Als to back-to-back Grey Cup titles in 2009 and '10 and was named the CFL's coach of the year in '09.

Hawkins last coaching gig was at Colorado where he flamed out gloriously- going 19-39 after going 53-11 at Boise...

The Als announced it this way on their website:

Le propriétaire des Alouettes de Montréal Bob Wetenhall ainsi que le directeur général Jim Popp ont annoncé mardi que Dan Hawkins est devenu le 20e entraîneur-chef de l’histoire de la concession.

Or, in English from the team their own selves...

“During our selection process we have had extensive interviews with many fine candidates with an emphasis on candidates from Quebec, the rest of Canada and both the professional and college coaching ranks in the US,” continued the Alouettes owner (Bob Wetenhall).

"At the end of this process, it became clear to us that Dan was the best candidate at this time in the Alouettes history. We are looking ahead to his continuing the tradition of the Alouettes' success. Dan very well understands my three goals for the franchise, to institutionalize the Alouettes in Montreal, to make meaningful contributions to the community we serve and to win football games."

Here's our reminder for Hawkins about the C-NFL...


You have been warned...
So, meet Coach Hawk...
((HT: MontrealAlouettes))

Chicago Bears hire Marc Trestman as next head coach

Trestman in Grey Cup form. (Photo coachmarctrestman.com)

CHICAGO - The Bears have found Lovie Smith's successor.

Early Wednesday morning, in a team press release, Chicago announced they have hired Marc Trestman as the 14th coach in team history. Trestman has spent the last eight years out of the NFL, and won back-to-back Grey Cups with the CFL's Montreal Alouettes in 2011 and 2012.

“The skill set that Marc has, being an offensive mind, and then his great relationships that he's had with quarterbacks historically in the NFL and the work he's done with them makes him a good fit for the job,” Alouettes general manager Jim Popp told the Chicago Tribune.

Funny thing is, when GM Phil Emery hired his new coach yesterday, he did it on Trestman's 57th birthday. That's pretty cool.

Trestman is known around the League as a quarterback guru, and was probably brought in to "fix" Jay Cutler. Trestman worked with the beleaguered Bears QB in 2006, preparing him for the NFL draft combine.

Trestman was San Francisco's offensive coordinator from 1995-1996, and worked with a QB many people should know - Hall of Famer Steve Young.

''The CFL is just a place where he's gotten to show that he's a dynamic leader,'' Young said in an interview on the ''Waddle & Silvy Show'' on WMVP-AM on Tuesday. ''He's a dynamic straight-shooter. He's a soft-spoken guy, but the Bears with their defensive history...this is going to be a great hire.[He'll hire a] great defensive coordinator. Keep that tradition up and watch the flowering of a great offense. Look what's happening in San Francisco. That's what the Bears could be. And I think that's what Marc Trestman can bring them.''

The Bears will officially announce the hire Wednesday afternoon.

Emery brought in a reported 13 candidates to interview for the head coaching position, including Trestman, Indianapolis OC Bruce Arians (who was the other finalist), and Seattle OC Darrell Bevell. The Bears were definitely looking for an offensive-minded coach.

I knew Trestman when he worked as offensive coordinator for Chuck Amato at North Carolina State University from 2005-2006. The team won the Meineke Car Care Bowl in 2005, defeating a good South Florida team 14-0.

Good luck, Marc.
His name won't immediately translate to the Bears fan base, so in the interim, here's proof of his successes in the last few years up north...
((HT: GoAlsGodotcom/TSN))

One CNFL Semi Decided By Overtime...

((HT: RDS/CFL/youtube))

The HQ always feels that we have to refer to the league to the north by the title in the headline since one of the young'uns in house says that's the moniker of the league...

So, there it is... the CNFL...

Which it is, really... it's just one letter more than normal..

Montreal Alouettes QB Anthony Calvillo has set the record for most everything for a QB in this hemisphere and we'll admit that we really dig the guy. Read up on his story and you'll see why...

The game to decide who would move on in the Eastern Conference needed extra time...

Here's the last play of the game...


The two teams set the all-time scoring record and the Ti-Cats knock off the two-time defending champs. Calvillo threw for more than 500 yards, and now we all wonder if Calvillo goes out as a semi-final loser or if he comes back for another year...

Als fans, obviously, want the latter...

More when we know more...

Calvillo Sets All-Time Yard Passing Record

Regardless of classification...

The Montreal Alouettes' QB Anthony Calvillo is pro football's new all-time leader in passing yards. Calvillo passed Damon Allen at the top of the all-time passing list with a TD pass to Jamel Richardson in the third quarter against the Toronto Argonauts.

All the appropriate pomp and circumstance happened between the third and fourth quarters in the home game against the Toronto Argonauts at Percival Molson Stadium.

Calvillo needed 258 yards to eclipse Allen's career total of 72,381.

It marks the third record Calvillo has broken this season, and his 18th overall in the CFL. He earlier passed Allen on the all-time touchdowns and completions list.

And, yes, the HQ is actually going to show you this...
The Schwam's salute to Calvillo before the fact...
((HT: ESPN/youtube))

Calvillo Sets Canadian Passing Record For TDs

Anthony Calvillo set the new record for passing TD's in the CFL last night knocking Damon Allen to Number Two on that list...

"You play for a long time for a great team and these things are going to happen," Calvillo said. "I'm going to enjoy the moment."

The answer to the trivia question is: Eric Deslauriers in the back of the end zone 10:11 into the first quarter for his 395th TD pass, one more than Damon Allen threw in 23 seasons. Calvillo is in his 18th year...

Here's the catch... it survived a review...
((HT: CFL on TSN/youtube))


AC isn't, or correction, shouldn't be done with his record-setting this season...
Allen's marks for completions (5,158) and career passing yards (72,381) are still out there for the taking. Calvillo needed 4,220 to catch Allen going into the season and already has 1,038 in the first three games this season.

He added TD pass 396 later in the game- a 40-17 win over Toronto...

To give you an idea, Brett Favre has the NFL record at 69,329 yards passing. Calvillo should pass that yardage next week.
Favre has 497 TD passes in his career.
Calvillo should overtake Dan Marino's second place of 420 this season.
Favre also has 6,083 completions in a career.
Calvillo will finish comfortably in second place there as well...