Determined to win Sunday’s Grey Cup game, naturally, are all the dudes who’ll be participating in it, but I’m inclined to suggest there’s a certain member of the Calgary Stampeders who is even hungrier and more obsessed about emerging victorious.
This would be Chris Jones, the Stamps’ defensive co-ordinator.
Jones, you see, was bitter and irate that the Montreal Alouettes refused to hire him as their head coach before this season. He was livid that they rejected his application and instead selected Marc Trestman, an NFL coaching castoff who had virtually no CFL experience.
Jones had spent seven seasons as a Montreal assistant coach – five as the Als’ defensive co-ordinator – and, understandably, he felt he deserved a shot.
Not that he ever went public with his fury. The University of Tennessee graduate is sharp enough to know how the political game is played in the CFL, and he realizes public criticisms usually get aspiring head coaches nowhere in the little league.
So he bit his tongue, and likely will continue to do so in Montreal this week while the Stamps and Als prepare to meet for CFL supremacy.
Jones certainly has let his friends know his feelings, however, and several tell us his anti-Montreal sentiments haven’t exactly dissipated.
“Chris wants revenge Sunday, no question about that,” a source close to Jones told me. “You won’t be off-base if you said he’s still bitter and wants to shove it down (the Als’) damn throats.”
Could happen, too.
Quietly under Jones, the Stamps’ defence progressed from one of the CFL’s worst units last season to the very best. No CFL team yielded fewer points and fewer touchdowns this season than Calgary.
“Chris is a great football coach and he deserves more credit than he seems to get,” said B.C. head coach Wally Buono, whose Lions were held to no TDs (six field goals) by the Stamps’ defence in last Sunday’s Western final. “You could score a lot on Calgary in the past, but not this year.”
Jones’ first-hand knowledge of the Als’ offence gives the Stamps a notable edge. As he said in July, before Calgary upset Montreal in the Als’ only meaningful loss at home this season, “I know the things (Montreal quarterback) Anthony Calvillo doesn’t feel comfortable seeing and we’ll certainly try to exploit some of those if we can.”
The Als lost that game 23-19, and I’m sensing a similar outcome this Sunday. I’ll elaborate here later this week.
