Apologies to the faithful followers of The Twelve, the insanity of our Hockey Nation gave me an unusual workload for the HockeyNation blogsite this week, the Bertuzzi incident and the trading deadline making havoc with my blog entries. But, as things have settled down, we can get back to some of the happenings in the CFL.
It’s a pretty impressive Class of 2004 for the Canadian Football Hall of Fame this year, the last weekend of September welcoming five players who had a major impact on our game.
Leading the pack this year is Lui Pasaglia, the most popular Lion will be recognized for his 25 years of service to a team and league he is joined at the hip with. Pasaglia who set a record for points at 3,991. His final season in 2000 saw him continue to be a dependable kicker with a 90.9% success rate, kicking 40 of 44 field goals in his final year at the age of 46. Lui holds many CFL records but by far the fondest memory all CFL fans will have of him, came in the 1994 Grey Cup Game at BC Place. His last second field goal, from 38 yards out gave the Lions a 26-23 victory over the Baltimore Stallions, the first Grey Cup game played against and All American team. The victory would be even sweeter as the Stallions went on to win the Grey Cup the following year. Still involved with the Lions to this day, Lui remains probably the one player most identified with Canadian Football in BC. A truly worthy candidate for the Hall of Fame.
Joining Big Lui will be Larry Highbaugh the exciting defensive back of the Edmonton Eskimos, who over the years ruined the day of many CFL quarterbacks. Originally a Lion he came into his own when he donned the Green and Gold, collecting a team record 66 interception in his 13 year career. He was identified as the key DB of the Edmonton dynasty years, providing Eskie fans with many years of entertaining football.
Ben Zambiasi goes into the Hall, and if there is any justice in this world he’ll be recognized for his hard nosed service as a Ti-cat linebacker, with a nod of recognition for his days as an Argo. Ben will always be remembered for his days as a feared member of an always aggressive Hamilton defence. The list is long of CFL QB’s that found that a hit by Big Ben would change a game rather quickly.
Nine years of the glory days of the Montreal Alouettes are what Dan Yochum will be best remembered for. A solid part of the front line of a Montreal offence that at times would chew up the CFL competition. Joining the Als in 1971 he saw some of the greatest talent in the CFL line up on the field with him, Youchum was a guy that didn’t look out of place at all.
The final Hall of Famer this year is a guy that gave his heart (and got another one) for the CFL. Cal Murphy will be saluted as a member of the Builders category and there is no more appropriate term for a man with his CFL credentials. Winner of 10 Grey Cup rings as a coach or GM, Murphy has been a fixture in the CFL. Joining the coaching ranks of the CFL in 1974 as an assistant in BC, becoming head coach in 75. He moved on to Montreal as an assistant to Marv Levy in 1977 picking up his first Grey Cup Ring. Edmonton beckoned in 1978 where with Hugh Campbell, Murphy picked up another five rings. In 1983 Paul Robson hired him on to coach the Big Blue in Winnipeg, and there he stayed for fourteen years. A term where he served as coach, and GM, sometimes both at the same time. His time in Winnipeg was part of a renaissance of football in Manitoba, his teams going to five Grey Cups, winning three. His teams for the most part were always in the thick of the playoffs during his time there. A couple of heart attacks sidelined him temporarily, in July of 1992 he was given a heart transplant and was back on the job at the end of the year. Murphy finished his career as coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1977-99. Today from his home in Regina he continues to be involved in football, as a scout for the Indianapolis Colts. Cal Murphy, goes into the hall as one of the great icons of Canadian Football.
The Class of 2004, it’s a strong testimony to the quality of the CFL’s past
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