Paul McCallum nails record-tying six field goals wins game's top Canadian award

Vicki Hall, CanWest News Service
Published: Monday, November 20, 2006 

WINNIPEG — Perhaps it’s fitting Canadians stole the show Sunday in the 94th Grey Cup, the showcase of the Canadian Football League.

Pity the poor voters who had to select the top Canuck in a 25-14 victory for the B.C. Lions over the Montreal Alouettes.

So many homegrown players made massive contributions in the CFL classic hosted in the geographical centre of this frozen nation, but in the end the award went to Paul McCallum.

The B.C. Lions kicker tied a Grey Cup record with six field goals — a mark jointly held by Don Sweet of Montreal, Paul Osbaldiston of Hamilton and Sean Fleming of Edmonton. The Vancouver native was perfect on kicks from 34, 35, 24, 30, 21 and 47 yards. He also nailed a 51-yard punt out of bounds at the Montreal two-yard line.

“I just felt good today,” he said. “It’s a really good feeling. I just can’t describe it right now.”

The award serves as a fairy-tale ending for McCallum, 36, who had manure dumped outside his Regina house two years ago after missing an easy chip shot to lose the Western Final. Even with death threats against his family, McCallum chose to stay in the Queen City for another year until management asked him to take a 30 per cent pay cut.

He saw that request as a vote of non-confidence and promptly signed with the Lions.

“I think I proved I can still play,” he said after the final gun.

Montreal slotback Ben Cahoon also had a stellar outing with 11 catches for 137 yards — many of them in heavy traffic. In reality, the Canadian pass catcher was the only dangerous weapon at quarterback Anthony Calvillo’s disposal.

The top three receivers in the Grey Cup are all Canadian. Vancouver native Paris Jackson pitched in five catches for 65 yards for the Lions. Ryan Thelwell of London, Ont., also had a solid outing with five catches for 45 yards.

Middle linebacker Javier Glatt, a UBC product from Calgary, led all defenders with eight tackles for the Lions.

But McCallum accounted for 18 points two years after making headlines all over North America by having that agricultural fecal matter deposited near his home.

Regardless of the disrespect he faced in Saskatchewan, McCallum refused to dump over the city that let him go when he still had life in his kicking leg.

“You know what? It was just a chain of events that led me to coming here (to Vancouver),” he said. “I’m happy I’m here, and I’m happy I won a championship.

“But the fans were always good to me in Saskatchewan.”

That may be debatable, but his place in Grey Cup history isn’t.