CFL Announces Coach of the Year Finalists
Published on February 16, 2004 under Canadian Football League (CFL) News Release
Toronto, Ontario â The Canadian Football League announced today the three finalists for the 2003 CFL Coach of the Year (Annis Stukus award). The finalists were selected by 27 members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC). The winner will be announced at the Coach of the Year lunch on February 26, 2004 in Edmonton.
Danny Barrett and the Saskatchewan Roughriders finished 2003 with their first winning record since 1994 (when they were also 11-7-0). Barrett assumed command of the club in January of 2000 and they have only improved since then; going 5-12-0 in his first year, 6-12-0 in 2001, 8-10-0 in 2002 and finally a best to date 11-7-0 in 2003. Buried in a three-way tie for 2nd in the West Division the Roughriders emerged the clear favourite heading into last year's playoffs. Under Barrett's guidance the âGreen Machine' handled their prairie rivals, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, with ease in the Division Semi-Final match, by a score of 37-21. "Canada's Team" then moved on to the Division Championship where they fell within a converted touchdown of defeating the eventual Grey Cup champion Edmonton Eskimos, 30-23. In 2003 Barrett reinforced his penchant for coaching professional football when he unleashed future all-star running back Kenton Keith. The move spurred on a team many thought would finish at the bottom of the West Division standings, again. Instead, the âRiders impressed with the 3rd highest points-for total in the League (535), their highest total in more than a decade (1991, 606 Pts-For).
Mike âPinball' Clemons epitomized the phrase "Courage Under Fire". Not for his team's 9-9-0 record, but for withstanding the adversity that stemmed from outside the tiny portables in Mississauga. He showed grace as he carefully balanced the outside forces with his team's efforts on the football field. By season's end the off-field drama had been rectified and the man known as âPinball' was able to put his full attention back on the Argonauts. The result; the double blue fell within one touchdown of heading to Regina for a November 16 date with destiny. The 30-26 East Division Championship loss to the Alouettes was the second year in a row that the Argos would force Montreal to be at its absolute best in order to advance.
Tom Higgins led his club to the top of a very competitive West Division. The Eskimos ended their regular season campaign with an outstanding 13-5-0 record, good enough for 2nd in the League (just behind Montreal, based on League tie-breaking procedures). The West was wild this past season, and the Division leader changed as many as five times before Edmonton secured the top spot, holding it from Week 13 through Week 19. Edmonton's offence tallied a League high 569 points and their defence allowed a Division low 414 points. The Green and Gold posed a mighty challenge for the opposition all season long, especially at home where they were defeated just once. Edmonton exacted their revenge on Montreal in the 2003 Grey Cup at Taylor Field when Higgins and his crew reached the CFL pinnacle. The Eskimos handed The City of Champions its first Grey Cup since 1993 with a stirring 34-22 victory.
About the Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL) operates in nine leading cities across Canada. Connecting the strength and heritage of the past with the momentum of today and the promise of the future, the CFL celebrates Canada's game with fans across the nation. CFL specialty weekends - Canada Day Bash, Labour Day Classic and Gridiron Thanksgiving - and the East and West Division championships lead the way to Canada's oldest professional League championship, the Grey Cup. The 92nd Grey Cup will be played in Ottawa, Ontario on November 21, 2004. For more information, visit www.cfl.ca.
Canadian Football League Stories from February 16, 2004
- Robert Brown is back - Montreal Alouettes
- Michael âPinballâ Clemons received coach of the year nomination - Toronto Argonauts
- CFL Announces Coach of the Year Finalists - CFL
- Connecting in the capital kick-off breakfast - Ottawa Renegades
- Barrett nominated for 'coach of the year' award - Saskatchewan Roughriders
- âCats ân âCops basketball team set to hit high school hardwood - Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- Trailblazers holding open auditions - Saskatchewan Roughriders
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