By Jack Bedell,
MontrealAlouettes.com
In the middle of a very long CFL off-season, the last week in January always manages to bring a little football sunshine into my wintery life. Each year at this time, the football universe convenes in my back yard, and it’s an experience I wouldn’t miss for anything.
This week, I’ve had the chance to attend practices at the Under Armour Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. And what a blast it’s been watching some of the finest young football players in North America going full force after each other!
The really amazing thing about Senior Bowl week, however, is that the football actually takes a backseat in Mobile.
The main attraction of Senior Bowl week for me is all the star-watching you get to do. If you could imagine a professional football Disney World, the Senior Bowl would come pretty close to matching it. Coaches and GMs from every CFL, NFL, and indoor football league fill the stands at practice and walk around the hotel lobby looking for conversations all week.
Being a CFL fan way down here in south Louisiana, it’s truly a rare treat to rub shoulders with so many CFL dignitaries. And I definitely soaked it up.
At Wednesday’s practices, I got the chance to speak with Ticats boss Marcel Bellefeuille, Stampeders defensive coordinator Chris Jones, Cover One, Inc.’s founder Omar Abdul-Rahim, and a host of other coaches and front office guys from around the league. They were all as gracious and genuine as could be, and it was a real pleasure getting the chance to talk some football with each of them.
The highlight of my week came just as I was going into the Wednesday morning practice, though. Heading into the stands I ran right into a couple of Alouettes coaches, Andy Bischoff and Marcus Brady, talking shop and I couldn’t resist busting in.
Since I rarely have the chance to catch up with any of the team’s personnel when I’m in Montreal for games, it was quite a treat to run into those guys in Mobile.
It was definitely great to hear how the week was going for Coach Bischoff and Coach Brady. Both were enjoying the opportunity networking with coaches from other professional leagues, and they even enjoyed the chance to interact with staff from the other CFL clubs in attendance. As Bischoff put it, “It’s good to see those guys here. It’s a different environment. We’re not preparing to play one another, so it can be a little more social.”
I also had the privilege of spending some more time with Marc Trestman in the stands during practice. Coach Trestman was as gracious and attentive as always, and it was nice to hear how he was doing personally and professionally after another long season in Montreal. The pride he has in the team and the men he leads is inspiring. And his genuine concern for you when he’s spending time with you is a master class in how to treat people.
Senior Bowl week is always a welcome respite from a long off-season, and this year’s visit was no exception. I certainly came away from Mobile with enough football memories to tide me over until the 2011 CFL calendar gets underway with free agency on February 16.
