By Jack Bedell
MontrealAlouettes.com
When the Montreal Alouettes meet Friday evening to receive their Grey Cup Championship rings, the team can officially begin the process of putting the 2010 season to rest and embarking on a fresh journey in 2011.
As Coach Trestman is quick to remind us, this year’s squad will feature new personnel and coaches and will face a completely fresh set of challenges as they head into the new season. Lingering on past accomplishments does nothing to increase this year’s arc towards success. A quick look through the highlights of the team’s off-season activities really reinforces Coach Trestman’s point.
No matter how slow and drawn-out the off-season has seemed while we’ve waited for the 2011 season to kick off, the organization has been hard at work reshaping, reloading, and reconditioning the franchise for a new campaign.
Here’s a look back at some of the team’s off-season news and moves that set the trajectory for this season’s championship run:
December 2010
On the heels of a second consecutive Grey Cup Championship, the Alouettes’ off-season began with a pair of announcements that spanned the range of human emotion with the great news of Anthony Calvillo’s successful thyroid surgery and the sad news of Tony Proudfoot’s passing.
January 2011
The new year got off to a fast start with a flurry of personnel moves that set the mold for the Als’ 2011 roster. Over the course of the month, core veterans Chip Cox, Danny Desriveaux, John Bowman, S. J. Green, Anwar Stewart, Jerald Brown, and Calvillo all extended their stays with the club ensuring continuity and a base of experienced talent unrivalled in the CFL.
January also brought in some serious change with the retirements of key contributor Skip Seagraves, team icon Ben Cahoon, and all-star Paul Lambert, the free-agent addition of receiver Prechae Rodriguez, and the promotion of Tim Tibesar to Defensive Coordinator.
February 2011
Big free agency news came with the signings of all-star DB Dwight Anderson and former-NFL receiver Jerry Porter. Both of these veteran additions stacked talent on talent in two of the team’s deepest roster areas.
The departure of Avon Cobourne to Hamilton via free agency also headlined February’s transactions, creating opportunities for running backs Brandon Whitaker, who re-signed with the Als mid-month, and Yvenson Bernard, who joined the team from Winnipeg.
March 2011
Just when it looked like the off-season might settle down heading into spring, the Als released news of Adrian McPherson re-upping with the team, in addition to the signings of RBs Ahman Green and DeAndra’ Cobb and LB Kitwana Jones.
The club also announced the retirement of fan-favourite Matt Proulx precipitated in large by the injury he sustained in last season’s East Final.
April 2011
For the first time, the Als held an off-season mini-camp in Orlando, Florida, in mid-April in accordance with new CFL policies regarding organized team activities in the spring. By all accounts, it was an excellent opportunity for the team’s skill-position players to get a feel for new schemes on both sides off the ball.
May 2011
2011 CFL Canadian Draft picks Anthony Barrette and Renaldo Sagesse signed right after the draft signaling both are ready to jump right into the competition at camp this June.
As the old adage states, “There can be no progress without change.” And the Alouettes’ off-season has seen more than its share of both over the past six months.
With training camp set to start in less than a week, it’s a safe bet even more news will come down the pike as the roster begins to take shape and the competition lines are drawn toward the end of June.
