It's good that Wally Buono is retiring from coaching with a championship. Way to go!
Here's some various thoughts and comments about him throughout his years with the CFL.
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Buono was born in Italy and still involves with the Italian-Canadian community. Some sources indicate that "Wally" was not his original name. I wonder if that is actually his nickname or he adopted that name after immigrating to Canada. In any case, nobody calls him his official first name - Pasquale.
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Who remembers his years as a Montreal Alouettes player? He played Linebacker and Punter. I don't know if he was ever selected as an all-star, but he did win two Grey Cups in 1974 and 1977. So that gives him a total of 7 Grey Cup rings.
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His 254 wins makes him 1st in the CFL and 3rd in Pro football as there are three NFL coaches who have more wins:
NFL Coach - Wins
1. Don Shula - 347
2. George Halas - 324
3. Tom Landry - 270
4. Curly Lambeau - 229
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Repeating a post I made earlier, I remember his first game as a head coach on July 13, 1990 at BC Place against the Lions who were coached by the man who Buono replaced, Lary Kurahich. Buono had far less grey hair, and was several pounds lighter. As far as the game itself, it was a see-saw game with the Lions trailing by a converted touchdown. Deep completed passes to Larry Willis and Ray Alexander allowed the Lions to tie up the game. The game went to OT and the game ended up as a tie. Kurahich's career in the CFL ended a few months later when he was fired and never coached another CFL game, whereas Buono led the Stampeders to first in the west for the first time in 19 years since 1971 when they last won the GC. But his first WDF game wasn't successful as Edmonton totally dominated with a 43-23 win. But he got revenge against Edmonton a year later when Calgary finished second, but managed to win the 1991 WDF in Edmonton highlighted with a long bomb from Barrett to Peewee Smith in the late stages. In that memorable 1991 GC game while the Argonauts won, Calgary produced much more offense with 28 first downs compared to Toronto’s 7, 406 tota yards for Calgary to 174 for Toronto, and 34-377 yards for Barrett vs. 12-142 yards for Dunigan.
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Early next year, we will find out if WB will win a fourth Annis Stukus Coach of the Year Trophy. In any case, he won't win more than Don Matthews who has won 5. In previous conversations as to who was the best Lions coach, it always goes down to a debate between Buono and Matthews. Now that Buono has won a second GC for the Lions, there's likely less debate now as most will choose Buono now. This picture was taken before the 1995 GC and I wonder which team Lions fans were rooting for. Since Buono and Calgary was always a huge rival while Matthews was a former Lion, I suppose most fans didn't mind if the Cup went to America.
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Ah.......another picture of the trophy that I love to post.
The player is Rocco Romano and I stated before that was one of the worst trades the Lions made. Romano turned out to be long-term Stampeder whereas Barrett was totally ineffective as a Lion in his two years. Although the Lions came short this time in 1999, DA and the Lions got revenge a year later I've posted that picture several times before. While Buono's Stampeders were very difficult to beat, it appeared that there were relapses more than a few times come playoff time, such as the aforementioned 1990 WDF and also the 1993 WDF to the Eskimos in which Edmonton clearly performed better. While everyone remembers the close 1994 WDF and that was anybody's game, there's no doubt that the underrated 2000 WDF was a big time relapse with 2000 MOP Dickenson. The Lions never trailed and took a huge lead and there was no denying that the Lions were clearly the better team in their 37-23 win.
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This picture was taken in January 2003 when Bob Ackles hired Buono while Damon Allen looks on.
Allen would be traded away shortly after this picture was taken. It's well known that Buono really develops great quarterbacks. One is left to wonder how well Buono would have gotten along with veteran QB Allen as he never coached him.
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Personally, his lowest moment so far in his lifetime would certainly be in late 2004 after losing the GC when he required triple cardiac bypass surgery. Buono was able to hide his health condition during the important playoff run other than refusing a Gatorade soak after the 2004 WDF. This is a very sentimental article about him condition.
http://rchfoundation.com/patient-storie ... os-story-2
Two months earlier, Buono started noticing chest discomfort during his regular running and weight lifting sessions. He consulted his internist, and after an angiogram, it was revealed that several arteries supplying blood and oxygen to his heart were severely narrowed. The main artery was more than 60% blocked. “I was told that I had a ‘widow’s artery’, because when it gets plugged, you don’t get a second chance – you die, “ said Buono.
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Notwithstanding Jim Young's temporary 1-game coach during the transition time in 1990, it looks like there are three others who served as coach and GM at the same time:
Joe Galat in 1989, but only after he fired Larry Donovan after the team started 0-4. Galat was gone after that season as well.
Bob O'Billovich when he was given the full reigns mid-1990 after Kuharich and Kapp were fired, and he was there until after the terrible 1992 season.
Adam Rita in two stints, first in 1997 to mid-98 before giving the coaching duties to Greg Mohns, and in mid-2002 after firing Steve Buratto.
That said, since Buono will still be GM, there's always that possibility that Buono will take over as coach again if the new coach is fired. Also, as full-time GM let's see if he can retain the best players and make good trades.
祝加拿大加式足球聯賽不列颠哥伦比亚卑詩雄獅隊今年贏格雷杯冠軍。此外祝溫哥華加人隊贏總統獎座·卡雲斯·甘保杯·史丹利盃。還每年祝溫哥華白頭浪隊贏美國足球大联盟杯。不要忘記每年祝溫哥華巨人贏西部冰球聯盟冠軍。
改建後的卑詩體育館於二十十一年九月三十日重新對外開放，首場體育活動為同日舉行的加拿大足球聯賽賽事，由主場的卑詩雄獅隊以三十三比二十四擊敗愛民頓愛斯基摩人隊。
祝你龍年行大運。
恭喜西雅图海鹰直到第四十八屆超級盃最終四十三比八大勝曾拿下兩次超級盃冠軍的丹佛野馬拿下隊史第一個超級盃冠軍。
