THE CANADIAN PRESS
EDMONTON — If fate again leaves Sunday’s Grey Cup on the leg of Damon Duval, the bayou-born Chattanooga sidewinder will draw on years of clutch kicks, especially one that literally became a work of art.
"That was, whoo, a crazy game," said the Montreal Alouettes kicker when asked to recount the 44-yard field goal he kicked for Auburn University in 2001 to beat the No. 1 ranked Florida Gators.
There were more than 85,000 delirious fans in the stands that Alabama day, faces painted Auburn orange and blue. The wind was up and the rain was falling. The Tigers were 21-point underdogs but had hung in to tie the game at 20 when Duval, a wide-eyed 21-year-old, trotted on with 10 seconds left.
The crowd roared to a fever pitch as Duval began his pre-kick ritual: three steps back, two to the left, deep breath, eyes forward. "Just hit a solid ball," he told himself.
Snap, hold, kick. The ball veered right, curled back, and sailed right down Broadway. The crowd erupted and teammates mobbed Duval.
"The Auburn Tigers have absolutely shocked the football world!" shouted the TV announcer. "I do believe in miracles!"
Fans took down the goalposts. Pieces were cut into six-inch bits and sold off for charity. The moment was re-created in a painting and prints. The original hangs in Duval’s study.
"It was definitely a great feeling," said Duval, the lanky six-foot, 30-year-old. "Those experiences from university do carry over. You get used to the crowds and the noise.
"Kicking is 90 per cent mental. It’s all muscle memory."
Duval credits sports psychologist Alan Behrman. As an Auburn freshman, Duval and other kickers would accompany Behrman to a large hall surrounded by TVs. They’d sit on the floor and close their eyes. Behrman would crank the TVs up to simulate the crowd roar.
"OK!" said Behrman. "First quarter, 33-yard-field goal, right hash." The kickers would visualize the snap, hold, kick and follow-through.
That was invaluable, said Duval, when surrounded by 85,000 fans at Auburn or 100,000 plus in Tennessee.
"You’ve got guys on the other side of the line yelling at you, telling you things about your family and your mom. You’ve got to be able just to blank it out."
Duval is a child of the South, born in Morgan City, La., in bayou country where shrimp is king. His dad followed the oil business and the family moved to Harrison Tenn., near Chattanooga, for Duval’s school age years.
After Auburn, he signed with Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL in 2003 and got cut. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons and got cut again.
Montreal signed him on Valentine’s Day in 2005 and nine months later Duval kicked a 28-yard field goal with no time remaining to send the Grey Cup game into overtime. The Eskimos eventually won 38-35.
Duval has been money in Montreal, winning some level of CFL all-star award every year.
This season, a hamstring tear to his kicking leg limited his effectiveness. He made just 72.3 per cent of his kicks but was still third best overall in points with 156.
Montreal head coach Marc Trestman said the team rallied around Duval during a mid-season slump, but said the solution had to come from within.
"What Damon had to do was get up on the practice tee every day and just keep swinging the club," said Trestman. "Damon’s been through it, played under the pressure. He’s been very significant in our success."
In last year’s Grey Cup, Duval etched his name in CFL lore when he booted the game-winning score.
With time expired and the Als down 27-25 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Duval lined up for a 43-yard field goal. He shanked it wide right.
He wasn’t worried though, because as he kicked it he got distracted by the ref throwing the flag.
"My eyes were looking at the ref while I was kicking the ball, hence (that’s) right where the ball went to. Not a lot of people know that.
"But I knew right away we were moving up (to the 33-yard line to mark off the penalty).
"I was probably the only person (in the stadium) that knew — me and the ref. Saskatchewan was going crazy. Our sideline was getting disappointed. I just moved my tape up and said, ‘Hey, let’s go win this thing."’
The teams lined up again. The ritual resumed.
Three steps back. Two to the left. Deep breath. Snap, hold, kick. Boom.
Right down Broadway.
