CALGARY 鈥� When Wally Buono steps onto the field at McMahon Stadium on Sunday, he鈥檒l soak in every moment in front of family, friends and fans.
Buono will become the 50th member of the Calgary Stampeders Wall of Fame during a halftime ceremony of their game against the visiting B.C. Lions.
鈥淚t is strange, but it鈥檚 good,鈥� said Buono, who holds the Calgary franchise records for games coached (234), victories (153), playoff victories (12) and championships (three).
鈥淥bviously, this is a tremendous honour 鈥� for myself and my family. To be back at McMahon where it all started, I鈥檓 very grateful for that.鈥�
Buono won the Annis Stukus Trophy as CFL coach of the year four times and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
The now 74-year-old guided the Stamps to six CFL championship games after being appointed as coach by then general manager Normie Kwong in 1990, winning three Grey Cups in the process.
鈥淣ormie gave us an opportunity to be the head coach and (in 1992) the director of football operations and the GM, and that鈥檚 where things started,鈥� Buono said. 鈥淚t was a great run for us.鈥�
Following 13 seasons with the Stamps, Buono joined the Lions in 2003 and became the franchise leader in wins with 162 in addition to becoming the winningest coach in CFL history on Sept. 19, 2009, when he passed Don Matthews鈥� previous mark of 231.
鈥淚 think standing at midfield and being recognized in front of the fans, it鈥檚 obviously something you鈥檒l enjoy and you鈥檒l totally respect that,鈥� Buono said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 take a job saying, 'we鈥檒l I鈥檓 here to put my name up on the wall.'
鈥淲e鈥檙e not here to play games, we鈥檙e here to win games. I always preached that philosophy to the players wherever I was. Professional athletes are not paid to play. They鈥檙e paid to win and if you can鈥檛 help me win then you can鈥檛 be here. It鈥檚 a very simple philosophy.鈥�
Calgary coach Dave Dickenson, who played quarterback under Buono for both the Stamps and Lions, said he鈥檚 happy to see Buono get the honour he rightly deserves.
鈥淚 only played for one CFL head coach, Wally Buono (for) 11 years,鈥� said Dickenson, who considers Buono one of his mentors. 鈥淗e did so many great things here in Calgary and he did start his career here and really 鈥� to me 鈥� had some of his best years. The Stampeders and Wally Buono should be known together and we鈥檙e happy to get him up on the wall.鈥�
Micah Awe, who started his career as a linebacker with the Lions in 2017, said he owes a debt of gratitude to Buono for helping him become the player he is now with the Stampeders.
鈥淚 feel super honoured to have been coached by him, I truly, truly mean that,鈥� Awe said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I understood the magnitude of it when I was a rookie, but now I do seven years later. He gave me an opportunity and I had to take the bull by the horns, because he wasn鈥檛 going to let me be average.
鈥淚 had him his last two years as a coach. It鈥檚 a blessing, and to be able to say that to my grandkids one day, it鈥檚 going to be awesome. He鈥檚 given me a lot of opportunities on and off the field."
Calgary quarterback Jake Maier also had kind words for Buono, who retired following the 2018 season.
鈥淗e鈥檚 on the Mount Rushmore on CFL coaches and influencers of our league,鈥� Maier said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 made a huge impact on a lot of people in this organization. You can make a real strong case that he鈥檚 the reason why our organization is so relevant today with how successful he was.鈥�
Although B.C. coach Rick Campbell never had the chance to work with Buono, he鈥檚 gotten to know the CFL coaching legend over the past few years.
鈥淲e live about 15 minutes apart from each other and we鈥檝e had dinner a few times,鈥� Campbell said. 鈥淯ltimate respect for guys like Wally that can win that many games for that long. It鈥檚 very unique. It鈥檚 really hard to do, so definitely we all look up to him.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2024.
Laurence Heinen, The Canadian Press
