Calvillo passing Allen for the passing touchdown record is only one of many career highlights.
MONTREAL – The thing about Anthony Calvillo’s record-setting touchdown against the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night at Molson Stadium was the simplicity of how he did it.
The Argos, fearing that the Montreal Alouettes’ legendary quarterback would stretch the field, did their best to blanket the areas to which he could throw.
It worked on four plays on the first series as Calvillo took what was given to him and avoided the temptation to be greedy, something he may have done earlier in his career. He managed to move the chains once, but was stymied trying to do it twice.
So on the next series, he just pecked away, bit by bit, until he decided to air it out, throwing a difficult pass that was going to fall short of its target, except that his receiver, Brandon London, did his best to snatch the ball, only inches from hitting the turf, for a successful 19-yard completion.
So, on the next play, eight yards from the end zone, Calvillo stood calmly in the pocket, pump-faked and then threw a ball deep that Eric Deslauriers.
The young French Canadian receiver, who probably grew up watching Calvillo while playing in Quebec, made the reception inches before stepping on to the back line and crashing into a Styrofoam advertising sign.
Eight plays, 73 yards, punctuated by a record-setting touchdown pass.
History made – or so it seemed.
The Argos disputed the call and the play was reviewed by the Canadian Football League officials, who looked at various replays of the game and upheld the call.
Can you imagine the uproar if the CFL replay officials actually ruined history?
It would go into the record books that at 10:11 of the first quarter on July 15, 2011, Calvillo became the CFL’s all-time touchdown passing leader, registering number 395, to eclipse the mark previously held by Damon Allen.
The game ended 40-17 in the Als favour and Calvillo completed 29 of 43 passes for 307 yards, with two touchdown passes and one interception.
Asked after the game about his record achievement, he humbly said: "It’s been an amazing career to be honest with you. The fact that we won today is like icing on the cake."
He did it in front an appreciative crowd, family that were flown in from California, and his former star receiver, Ben Cahoon, who was honoured at halftime for his brilliant career.
Cahoon is now coaching receivers at his alma mater Brigham Young University in Utah.
"It is a special feeling," Calvillo said. "I want to say thank you to all the fans, merci beaucoup."
The Cahoooooon cheer, sadly lacking from Molson Stadium, was heard with such passion and force during the halftime ceremony, you could probably hear it well outside the stadium where he used to catch passes unlike any other.
They played a highlight reel of some of his greatest moments, stretching out, sacrificing his body, giving everything he had, with Coldplay’s song Clocks providing an emotional music backdrop.
As he exited the field, Katy Perry was singing Firework, and to borrow a line from that song, when he played he was indeed a firework.
And on the other end of it was Calvillo, threading passes into tiny openings where only Cahoon could catch it. The Cahoon highlight reel probably lasted three minutes or so even though it could have been a lot longer – but there was a second half to be played.
And now imagine what the highlight reel will be for Calvillo, the other half of the CC Connection?
It could probably be made into a movie.
