What will the fans in Montreal do, now that they can't chant Ben Cahooooooooon?
The stadium announcer and the fans who attend Montreal Alouettes’ football games at Molson Stadium will be going through withdrawal this year.
Now that Ben Cahoon has announced he’s retiring, which had been speculated for some time and became official on Wednesday, no longer will the stadium announcer be able to say, "Ben Cahooooooooon."
That’s what he did every time there was a play involving Cahoon – and there were many – and allowed the capacity crowd at Molson Stadium, to collectively stretch out his name in unison.
Little Ben, a compact receiver who pound for pound may have been the toughest player in the CFL, is moving on with his life.
Although his career will surely be rekindled when he becomes a first-ballot Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee, following the minimum three-year wait, Cahoon will be remembered for some of the most stunning highlight-reel catches in CFL history.
Cahoon was one of those unique non-imports, who spent a period of his life in Canada, but was largely an American.
He was born in Ogden, Utah in 1972, but his family moved to Alberta not long afterward, where he lived for a few years, making him eligible for non-import status.
CFL personnel live for these types of finds.
By virtue of such arcane CFL rules, Cahoon was eligible for the draft and was chosen by the Als, who employed him initially at wideout.
That’s a position often assigned to a Canadian player because teams require a minimum of seven non-import starters.
But following a shift to slotback, he began a career that in many ways resembled small, tough receivers who ran excellent routes and became go-to guys for their quarterbacks: Tommy Scott for Warren Moon, Darren Flutie for Danny McManus and Cahoon for Anthony Calvillo.
You can include Terry Vaughn in that category, although he caught passes from a variety of quarterbacks during his four years in Calgary and the next six years in Edmonton, finishing his career with the most receptions in CFL history – until Cahoon erased that mark last year.
None of these receivers were particularly fast, but they excelled at reading coverages and found openings exposed in the defence. It became almost telepathic the inherent communication between these pass-and-catch tandems.
And all of these receivers were humble despite their greatness, focusing on their crafts and paying scant attention to the glory. They valued team success more than individual accomplishment.
In a career that began in 1998 and ended after the 2010 season, Cahoon reached the coveted 1,000-yard plateau nine times, including eight consecutive times between 2002-2009.
Overall, he totaled a record 1,017 receptions, 13,301 yards and 65 touchdown catches becoming the Als’ all-time leader in touchdown receptions by a receiver.
He also had a cumulative Grey Cup record 47 catches for 666 yards and was voted the Outstanding Canadian in the 2003 and 2009 Cups.
Cahoon was also voted the league’s Most Outstanding Player in 2002 and 2003.
He kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime in a win over Toronto in 2007 and three times was a CFL All-Star and 10 times an East Division All-Star.
In summation, he was multi-talented, versatile and fearless.
And he leaves as one of the classiest players to ever grace a CFL field.
What is surprising is that Cahoon knew a year ago that 2010 would be his final season.
He indicated he could have "eked" out another season, but is comfortable with his decision.
"It’s been a great ride, but it’s the time for it to end," Cahoon said during his retirement announcement.
He will be missed – especially by the fans in Montreal.
He has applied to become a receivers coach at his alma mater, Brigham Young and the Als will have a special day for him sometime this season – one final team for the fans to say his name and stretch out the second syllable.
THE FLYIN HAWAIIN MYSTERY
If you’re wondering why Toronto Argo returner/receiver Chad Owens, who was voted the CFL’s Special Teams Player of the Year last year, hasn’t signed up with the New York Jets, there could be several factors in play.
Firstly, it’s believed he hasn’t received much, if anything, in terms of a signing bonus, which usually indicates how serious is about a player.
Secondly, the Argos may be dangling a contract offer to him which would extend his current deal that ends after the current season and provide him with an increased salary.
The Argos simply can’t afford to lose Owens this season because of all he did last year in the return game and catching passes.
So if you’re the Argos and Owens comes back and repeats his season of a year ago, without a contract extension or increased salary, it could create a bidding war come free agency in 2012.
It would make perfect sense if the Argos are making a financial pre-emptive strike to maintain the Flyin’ Hawaiian, who might be figuring the grass is indeed greener in Toronto than with the Gang Green in New York.
STADIUM STUFF
The clock is coming close to an end on the whole Hamilton stadium issue and there is clearly no idea what will happen.
There’s a shortfall of some $38.6 million in the current collective amount offered by the Province and the City.
Now the bean counters are trying to crunch numbers by trimming some needless costs while a deadline of February 1 looms for the proposal to go forward to the 2015 Pan Am Games Committee.
What is interesting is how the public profiles of Ticats’ owner Bob Young and new mayor Bob Bratina, who has been far more conciliatory than his predecessor, have taken a beating.
Meanwhile, the stadium saga that played out for several years in Winnipeg is now a thing of the past.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Football organization has announced the first steel piles have been driven into the ground for construction of a new stadium that is set to open in 2012 on the campus of the University of Manitoba.
The stadium issue was front and centre for several years, beginning with David Asper’s dream that was first revealed publicly in 2007.
Indications in subsequent years were that the facility would have an overrun of $45 million more than originally projected.
Asper’s company Creswin Properties was given $4 million from the $6.6 million it sunk into the project.
QUOTES AND NOTES
In an interview a few days ago with the Team 1040 in Vancouver, Lions’ 40-year-old veteran kicker Paul McCallum said he has been asked by general manager/head coach Wally Buono to step aside, in favour of 25-year-old heir apparent Sean White.
McCallum made 46 of 52 field goals last year and was the team’s nominee for most outstanding player and most outstanding Canadian.
It will be interesting to see what happens.
McCallum could easily kick for another team, so it’s possible a trade may happen at some point or he will be waived…Wonder when Saskatchewan head coach Greg Marshall will officially announce his staff? Most of it is already known…Argo defensive tackle Adriano Belli still isn’t certain if he’ll return for another season or retire.
