Monday, September 04, 2006

70,596 and counting!

Rewrite those record books, but use a pencil for now, there’s a new passing leader in professional football and Damon Allen plans on tacking on some mileage to the mark before he’s done.

Early into the third quarter of play, Damon Allen eclipsed Warren Moons professional football passing record on Monday, as he tossed a hitch pass to Arlan Bruce III, who scampered 29 yards putting Allen past the previous record of 70,553 yards.

When they finally pried the ball away from Bruce, they took time for a brief ceremony to honour the dean of the CFL and pro football’s passing leader. In front of a rather respectful Ti Cat home crowd (one of the signs of the apocalypse we suspect) Allen received his accolades and a football for his accomplishment.

Allen set his record on one of those days of Canadian football when the viewership is the highest, the Labour Day weekend is traditionally one of the big weekends of Canadian football, so it seems quite appropriate that Allen should take his bows against that ancient foe of the Argos the Tiger Cats.

They trotted out his old college coach Steve Mariucci and the Commissioner said a few words on behalf of the league as it acknowledged a remarkable achievement. Allen has played his entire professional career above the 49th parallel, an amazing talent who has outlasted all of his peers of the day and still shows he has the chops to a new class of brash young field generals coming up behind him.

He’s been one of a kind, by sheer longevity he’s led his teams to Grey Cups, set records along the way and has shown leadership and maturity to teams that at times seemed in desperate need of it.

He’s made the league a much better brand of entertainment and continues to make his mark and seems to be ready to make it a little longer. They say all records are made to be broken. But it’s going to take someone truly amazing to take the title from Allen once he’s finished padding those magical numbers.

Some of the press of this record setting day.

Hamilton Spectator-Amazing Allen gives fans something to cheer
Toronto Star-Exchange rate needed when comparing QB's
San Jose Mercury News-Other Allen makes mark
Sportsnet.ca-Born in San Diego, Made in Canada
Globe and Mail-Ageless Allen eclipses Moon
Canoe.ca-Allen over the Moon
CBC Sports-Allens surpases Moons record

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