Pinball: The Making of a Canadian Hero

PINBALL

PINBALL THE MAKING OF A CANADIAN HERO

Perry Lefko

John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.

Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Perry Lefko All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic or mechanical without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any request for photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval systems of any part of this book shall be directed in writing to The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For an Access Copyright license, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free 1-800-893-5777. Care has been taken to trace ownership of copyright material contained in this book. The publisher will gladly receive any information that will enable them to rectify any reference or credit line in subsequent editions.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data Lefko, Perry Pinball : the making of a Canadian hero / Perry Lefko. ISBN-13: 978-0-470-83909-6 (pbk.) ISBN-10: 0-470-83690-3 (bound) ISBN-10: 0-470-83909-0 (pbk.) 1. Clemons, Michael, 1965- 2. Football player—Canada—Biography. I. Title. GV939.C53L43 2005

796.335’092

C2005-903408-4

Production Credits: Cover design: Ian Koo Interior text design: Adrian So Typesetting & Photo Insert: Mike Chan Front and back cover photos: Courtesy of Lorella Zanetti Printer: Tri-Graphic Printing Ltd. John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. 6045 Freemont Blvd. Mississauga, Ontario L5R 4J3 Printed in Canada 1 2 3 4 5 TRI 10 09 08 07 06

To my wife, Jane, and our two children, Ben and Shayna, all of whom helped me out with this project more than they’ll ever know.

Contents

Preface Chapter 1: The Dream Week Letters for Pinball Chapter 2: Growing Up in Florida Letters for Pinball Chapter 3: College and the NFL Letters for Pinball Chapter 4: The Making of Pinball Letters for Pinball Chapter 5: The Toronto Treasure Letters for Pinball Chapter 6: Coach Clemons Letters for Pinball Chapter 7: Presidential Appointment Letters for Pinball Chapter 8: Taking Ownership Letters for Pinball Chapter 9: Beyond the Grey Cup Chapter 10: Epilogue Acknowledgements Index

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Preface

It took seven years but finally I’ve been able to write a book about Michael (Pinball) Clemons. I first approached him in 1998 about helping him to write his autobiography because I had helped his teammate, Doug Flutie, write his autobiography the year before. Pinball had an interest in writing a book about his life and a publisher had been lined up. But in the end he did it himself. I was both happy and disappointed when the finished book, All Heart: My Story, came out, because Pinball really opened up, providing some fascinating insight into the various aspects of his life, and I wished I had been a part of the project. But it turned out his football life did not end with the book. It continued along a surprising path that led to him becoming head coach of the Toronto Argonauts, the only team he had ever played for in the Canadian Football League, while still active as a player midway into the 2000 season. It would prove to be one of the most stunning hirings in team history

Preface

because Pinball had never aspired to be a head coach, but out of duty and obligation he took the job when it was offered. He had struggles along the way, but he persevered, as he found coaching to be quite a challenge. He left after one and a half seasons to become president of the team, and something unusual happened in the 2002 season that spoke volumes about his popularity and his impact on the city of Toronto. He attended the special mass delivered by Pope John Paul II at a Toronto-area park in conjunction with World Youth Day. An estimated crowd of 800,000, of all different ages and walks of life, made the pilgrimage to see the spiritual leader, but Pinball’s presence produced a sidebar to the story. Some people in the gathering asked if they could take a picture with him, and he obliged. A group of nuns urged him to have faith in his team, which was struggling at the time, and his first-year coach. Only a few weeks later, the team replaced the coach with Pinball, who really didn’t want the job under those circumstances, and less than three years later he led the Argos to the annual championship in the Canadian Football League— the Grey Cup—and won it. This is the story of how it happened and of Michael Clemons’s life, in particular why people are drawn to him. I have had regular conversations with Pinball since I first began reporting on the Argos in 1995. In 1997 I wrote a feature story about him that detailed more about his endless activities away from the field than his feats on the field. He had a non-stop schedule, working with various charities, some in which he had direct involvement and others in which he participated on behalf of the team. He gave unfailingly of his time because of his belief that being a

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professional athlete meant more than just playing a game—it meant giving something back to the fans and the community. He also had family duties as a husband and father. “Every athlete shouldn’t have to go out and go to all kinds of schools and participate, because that’s not necessarily their cup of tea,” he told me. “But in some way, we all are a part of the community and should get involved. That’s what community is—coming together.” It was not uncommon to hear stories of how Pinball touched a person’s life, without fanfare or publicity, with a simple phone call or an appearance. “You don’t see that a lot in athletes,” his longtime teammate Paul Masotti told me during the interviews I did for the 1997 article. “In the public they portray themselves a certain way, but he’s exactly the way he is. He’s almost like the modern-day hero because he is like that and there’s not a lot people that are like him. He’s just the pillar of the team. If he was this type of person playing in the NBA or something like that, he’d be making $30 million a year like a Michael Jordan.” I had the occasion one time to witness Pinball’s goodwill when I attended the Christmas party he took part in annually at Horizons for Youth, a Toronto shelter he became actively involved with in 1997. He brought food and presents and generally made Christmas a joyous time for the disadvantaged youth. I brought along my two children, Ben and Shayna, who were both under the age of 10 at the time, to let them experience Pinball’s generous deeds and, in turn, he incorporated them into the festivities and made them feel good. Through interviews I did with him, family members, friends, colleagues, and teammates, I have put together what I believe is a composite biography. I have also included

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submissions from people who wanted to share a personal story about their experiences with him. As well, I have included his beliefs about Canada and the role it has played in his life as an American. All three of his daughters—Rachel, Raven, and Rylie—were born in Canada, and it is his desire that one day he and his wife, Diane, who like him was born in the U.S., will become Canadian citizens. “The concept of citizenship has taken me so long to fulfill because I already consider myself Canadian not American,” he told me. “I’m not American in mindset anymore; I’ve not been for a long, long time. That formal part will probably be an emotional situation once it gets here, but I’ve already made the conversion in my heart a long time ago. It really is just a formality. That’s why other things have constantly sort of superseded it because I already consider myself Canadian. I have no plans of moving back to the U.S. The United States is great. I certainly don’t look at the United States as evil, as some do. I am extremely proud of my roots and my heritage there and so I don’t ever want to mistake that. I’m just more Canadian than I am American now and I certainly celebrate that.” It is for that reason that this book has been titled Pinball: The Making of a Canadian Hero.

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1 The Dream Week

The Grey Cup is the year-end championship of the Canadian Football League and it is as much a national and cultural event as it is a sporting event. The game shifts annually to one of the cities in the nine-team league, while all across the country Canadians tune in to watch the East and West Division champions play for three hours. Yet there is more to the game than who wins and who loses; it is about the heroes of the game— the individuals who through fate, luck, circumstance, opportunity, or divinity are placed in that moment, in that time. When the Toronto Argonauts came to the Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa to play the British Columbia Lions in the 2004 Grey Cup, it was as much about one individual in that moment—in that time—as it was about two teams battling for a trophy. Michael Clemons had long since come to understand that even though he had been born and raised in the United States,

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Canada had become his home and this game—this event—represented everything good about the people and the country. Since his arrival in Canada in 1989 from his birthplace in Florida, Michael Clemons had discovered a country willing to accept him without prejudice and a football league unconcerned about his size. At 5 feet 5½ inches and 170 pounds, he lacked the prototypical build preferred by the National Football League, in which he had played for one season, but the Canadian Football League embraced the little man. And he found the wider, expansive field like a canvas to express his unique talent, running hither and yon, often defying explanation and, at times, the simple laws of physics and science that suggest when a bigger object collides with a smaller one, through sheer mass the mightier one should prevail. He bounced off players like a pinball, a comparison made by Bob O’Billovich, his first Canadian Football League coach, who did not realize at the time that this nickname would be famous. Wherever Michael Clemons went, everyone called him Pinball, and the more Michael Clemons played, the more his reputation grew, making him a giant of a man as much for what he did off the field as for what he did on it. He would become known for his remarkable leadership qualities, as well as his generosity in community service. He gave of himself willingly, reaching out to the people, who in turn gravitated to him. He became a hero—their hero—even if he couldn’t possibly comprehend that notion. In his view, he was merely doing what he had always been doing—trying to make someone’s day just a little bit brighter through deeds and words. That was something he learned, while growing up, from his mother, a single parent who became his hero.

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As he evolved as a player and a personality, he became the face of not only a team—North America’s oldest professional sports franchise—but of a league. Through times of crisis and chaos, he became the voice of reason and pragmatism, preaching patience and understanding. If it didn’t make sense, he had a way of simplifying it so that somehow it seemed reasonable. Never had this become more apparent than in August 2000, when he was asked to become head coach of the Argos during one of the most turbulent moments in the club’s history. He was still a player at the time and hadn’t given any thought to coaching, let alone retiring, but out of commitment and loyalty he took the job, unconcerned about the fear of failure. He had long since proven that success was possible—regardless of the obstacle—if you believe. He went through trying times in his evolution as a coach, in dealing with both individuals and situations, but none more so than in 2003 when the team’s future seemed uncertain due to financial peril at the ownership level. All along, he managed to smile and tell his players and his coaches and anyone associated with the team to hang in there and believe that somehow it would all work out in the end. It was a message he would preach to the fans, too, the ones who believed in the team in good times and bad and whose trust he held deeply in his heart. And now here he was as head coach, in a position few people could have possibly predicted, one game away from winning the CFL championship. It was the most important game of the season. He had won the Cup three times before as a player, but this was different. It was not about him, but about 50 players who had grown together as a family. Of

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course, Clemons loved his own family more than anything else in the world, but this other family had a special place in his life. In his opinion, they were the ones who had won the games that took the team to this moment. He was merely the coach. But no one could deny his role in the process. He was their emotional, intellectual, and spiritual leader. He couldn’t play the game for them, but he could do everything possible to put them in the best position to win so they could celebrate the Canadian dream. And the days leading up to and including the game would be a dream week. A sequence of events would unfold; some planned, others spontaneous. Through it all, he maintained clarity of focus and purpose, both about the game at hand and the bigger picture that is life. His life. ***** On Monday, November 15, a day after the Argos returned home following a stunning upset victory against the heavily favoured Montreal Alouettes to qualify for the Grey Cup, Clemons talked to the media at the team’s practice facility on the Mississauga campus of the University of Toronto. I wanted to know what it would be like for him to become the first black head coach in the 84-year history of the Cup. Clemons preferred to focus the attention on his team. “Does it matter to me (being the first black head coach)?” Clemons responded to my question. “It matters to me that the guys are in the Cup. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing to be the first guy.” He noted that most of his staff were not Afro American and only about half of the players were. “More than anything, it’s the players that get the job done. We coaches just try to stay out of the way.”

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Clemons’s hiring made him only the second black head coach in Argos history. Willie Wood became the first when hired in 1980, but lasted only a season and a half, winning only six of 26 games before the team fired him. Clemons and Danny Barrett of the Saskatchewan Roughriders collectively made history in 2002 by becoming the first two black head coaches to meet in a Canadian Football League playoff game. Through a quirk in the CFL playoff rules, Saskatchewan, which plays in the West Division, crossed over to the East Division, in which Toronto plays, in the first round of the playoffs. The Roughriders’ loss to the Lions in the 2004 West Division final prevented what would have become the first time that black head coaches opposed one another in a Grey Cup game or in a major professional football championship game. The fact that there had been two black head coaches in the CFL, which had only nine teams, indicated a positive advancement in the promotion of visible minorities. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People had been openly lobbying to force the National Football League to interview blacks for head-coaching positions, believing the NFL lagged behind the progressive times. “What I don’t want to do is marginalize progress,” Clemons continued in general about the advancement of black head coaches and specifically his role with the Argos. “But I can truly say I’m not the reason we’re here. I happen to be head coach but this is a team effort. I think that you could very easily say that there have been many situations in which Afro Americans and other minorities have been the major reason why a team has been in a championship game. In this situation I’m not the major reason.”

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In effect what he was saying was that as the coach he can only do so much—that it is the players who win or lose games—although there could be no denying that from a motivational and strategic point of view Clemons had a significant influence on the overall mindset and attitude of his players and, to an even greater extent, his team. And any coach, regardless of colour, is going to have to make some key decisions, either going into a game or in the actual flow of it, that can have a bearing on the outcome—as this particular Grey Cup would attest. Beyond just the issue of breaking the colour barrier, I wanted to know what he had to say about the controversial remarks directed at him by his B.C. counterpart, Wally Buono, a couple of weeks before. After Clemons sat out several starters in the last game of the regular season to allow them to physically heal for the playoffs, Buono publicly called the move an “embarrassment to the league.” Buono had a successful track record as a head coach in the CFL since he started in 1990, winning the Grey Cup three times and totalling the second-most regular-season wins in league history. But he opened himself up to criticism by judging another head coach’s decision. Clemons opted to take the high road and not to engage in verbal volleying with Buono. He decided to concentrate on the task at hand—beating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Division semi-final, and then taking on Montreal, which had beaten Toronto in the last two East Division finals. After that, Clemons and Buono would face one another as opposing coaches in the Grey Cup. And in two days, the two would be seated next to one another at the annual coaches’ media conference.

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“With all due respect to him, as I said before, he’s just not in the position to know what’s best for my football team,” Clemons told me. “He just didn’t have all the information. If he had all the information, he would have made a very similar decision to the way I did.” To be sure, if someone in the media raised the question to him or Buono during Grey Cup week it had the potential to evolve into a controversy. ***** Oddsmakers had the Lions 4½-point favourites because they had a better regular-season record and two proven quarterbacks: veteran Dave Dickenson, who was forced to the sidelines after the third game of the season with a knee injury, and sensational sophomore Casey Printers, whose remarkable production in relief earned him the nomination as the West Division finalist for Most Outstanding Player in the league. Toronto had the tandem of Damon Allen, the oldest player in the league at age 41 and who would be making only his third consecutive start following a cracked tibia, and backup Michael Bishop, who started eight games in relief. Bishop had posted decent numbers but nothing nearly as impressive as Printers’. Allen had played seven seasons for the Lions, and then was traded to Toronto after B.C. signed Dickenson. Deep in his competitive craw Allen wanted to show the organization that had dealt him away that he could still play at a high level in the most important game of the season. I called up former Argos owner Sherwood Schwarz, who had appointed Clemons coach, to ask his feelings about Clemons’s evolution. Schwarz bought the team after the

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1999 season, then had his franchise revoked by the Canadian Football League six games into the 2003 season because he had stopped paying his bills. The New York-based insurance tycoon still maintained an interest in the team and, in particular, in Clemons. He glowed about the Argos coach. “Whatever’s he’s going to do, he’s going to do well because he’s very smart, he’s very personable and he’s got a good heart, and he works hard. With that kind of combination you know he’s going to be successful at whatever he tries. I don’t think there’s too many jobs he can’t do. He’s one of the good people that deserve all of the good things that have happened to him and the accolades that come with it.” Schwarz’s follies in three and a half years of owning the team became daily fodder in the media, but now the team was on the verge of completing a season with the possibility of the ultimate triumph. For all his failings, Schwarz had either the vision or simply the good fortune to pick a head coach who played a significant role in the turnaround of the team. And whatever criticisms people levelled at Schwarz, Clemons remained true and faithful to him because he stepped in to buy the team when nobody else would. Moreover, had Schwarz not given him the opportunity, Clemons would never be in his current position and with a chance to make history. Even after Schwarz was removed from the organization, Clemons remained loyal. ***** On Wednesday morning, Buono and Clemons came together for the coaches’ media conference. It kicks off Grey Cup week for the media and is the only time when they get the chance

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to see the opposing coaches together. The two coaches usually go through the motions of congratulating each other on their respective seasons and making it to the final game. Rarely does the conference amount to anything more than just a good-natured gabfest that is forgotten by the following day. But not this time. Something significant was about to happen. There had been talk among the media that somebody would raise the “embarrassment to the league” controversy to see how both Buono and Clemons would react. They may have physically come together for the media conference, but Buono and Clemons had taken two different paths—for more than the West and East Divisions of the Canadian Football League. Buono, older and more seasoned as a head coach, had been through this experience six times before—albeit each time with Calgary, which he had coached for 13 seasons—and had never been known to impart anything sensational in this forum. It was not within his character or personality. Born in Potenza, Italy, in 1950, Buono had come to Canada three years later and grew up in foster homes in Montreal. He played 10 seasons in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes as a linebacker and punter before retiring and pursuing coaching, first as an assistant and then head coach seven years later. He later added the general manager portfolio to his duties and earned a no-nonsense reputation when it came to contract bargaining. He still had the burly build of a linebacker and regularly jogged to stay in shape. A devoted family man with a wife and four children, Buono regularly attended church and gave willingly of his time to community causes. Clemons was born in Dunedin, Florida in 1965, and reared by a single mother, although he had some contact with his

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father, who lived an hour and a half away. Clemons devoted himself to his wife and three children and believed in God, the church, and service to community causes and charities. Unlike Buono, he did not maintain any kind of a workout routine, although he had a naturally muscular build and occasionally practised lightly with the team, although never with the intention of playing a game again. To him, it was nothing more than fun. He remained close to his players, openly hugging them and often assigning each a nickname as a term of endearment. Many of them looked up to him as a mentor. The fact that Clemons had been parachuted into the head-coaching position without any preparation rankled some people in that fraternity who believed he had not paid his dues. While few, if any, wanted to be quoted on the record, the consensus among the naysayers had been that a head coach had to work his way up into that position through some sort of apprenticeship, be it an assistant coach, a coordinator, or some capacity directly associated with football management. Clemons had not been involved in any such capacity. But there had also been a perception among many people in football that the Argos ownership and management, which had previously hired a coach who had become a marketing nightmare, needed to do something drastic to win back fan support, and that selecting Clemons was the only thing that could do it because of his popularity. He freely and openly admitted his inexperience as a coach when introduced as the team’s head coach, but pledged to work hard, and through the evolution of time and change—both in players and a support staff assembled to give him the best possible chance to win—Clemons was in the Grey Cup, one victory away from validation.

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If, in fact, he needed it personally or professionally. Clemons’s inexperience in the coaches’ media conference made him unsure of what he would be asked; he knew only that he would try to answer questions as honestly as he could. He enjoyed talking and obliged the media. So much so, that some people joked he was paid by the word because he tended to ramble, which he acknowledged good-naturedly. Clemons always had something witty or interesting to impart, and this day would be no exception. He provided some classic quotes that became the topic of conversation among the media, the public, and his team. Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun raised the old platitude about players engaging in sex on days leading up to the game. The question had been a favourite of veteran Toronto Sun journalist Jim Hunt, who had covered 50 Grey Cups but not for several years. In the absence of Ol’ Hunt, Jones decided to push the sexual envelope, so to speak. Clemons grabbed the spotlight. “Far be it for me to interrupt what may be a player’s normal course of action for readying himself for a game,” Clemons said. “If it has worked thus far, please indulge. If it had not benefited you to this point, please abstain.” His response drew howls of laughter from the assembled audience, many of whom had never heard the question replied to with such wit. The Argo coach’s answer would be replayed over and over throughout the day in the electronic media and the following day in newspaper and Internet accounts. A little while later, in what became an awkward moment, Buono was asked again about his “embarrassment to the league” quote. Clearly uncomfortable with the question, particularly when he felt he had already answered and dispensed with it, Buono offered a response similar to the first

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time and did not personally apologize to Clemons. Without being asked, Clemons jumped in, almost as if he wanted the opportunity to reply. “I don’t have to agree with everything Wally said to respect him,” he began. “I do want to say that being here doesn’t make the decision right. I think right is right and I’m called to do what’s right for my football team, not what’s popular. With all due respect to my wonderful counterpart, he doesn’t know the situation our players were in. From a surface standpoint, the way it looks is one thing. What was actually happening with our football team is totally another.” And with that the subject ended, Clemons having delivered the final word. When asked about his team’s success, Clemons refused to take personal credit for it. “I’m here because of the players and the coaches,” he said. “The smallest part of the equation is Mike Clemons. Literally.” The coaches were also asked about whether they would assign curfews to their players. It is commonplace in sports for teams to insist that their players be in their rooms by a prescribed time for a road game. Often an assistant coach is assigned to make sure players are in their room by the curfew and violators are subject to a penalty and/or suspension. But different coaches have different philosophies about curfews. Buono took the attitude that there’s a time to work and a time to have fun, and that for the one or two players who can’t handle the delicate balance the result is either a fine or suspension. Clemons offered a somewhat different response, borrowing from a rule of his football mentor, Don Matthews, who coached him in 1990 and again from 1996 to 1998. Matthews asked his players at Grey Cup time for a week of their lives in exchange for a lifetime of memories. “For me, when you

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talk about balance, they’ve got six months to gain balance,” Clemons said, referring to his players. “This is about winning the football game, so let’s get focused. I’ve told our guys they can party for five days and regret it for six months or you can be focused for five days and party for six months. I think our guys are rational enough to make the proper exchange.” ***** The questioning then became more specific about the game. Buono was asked which of his two quarterbacks would start. He refused to tip his hand. Printers had suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder in the West Division final and Dickenson came on in relief. But Buono thought that revealing his decision before he had a chance to watch the two in practice served no one’s interest, and if he could force the opposition to plan for both, it would further complicate their preparation. Clemons had also not publicly divulged key strategies, an evolution of his growth as a head coach. In the game of football, hiding information from the opposing team is important because it could prey on a weakness, be it a player’s injury or a newcomer taking the place of a veteran. The less said the better, and even though Clemons liked to talk, he knew he had to be careful about saying too much that directly involved the game or the plan going into it. Following the question and answer period, the two coaches posed with the Grey Cup. Four days later, one would again embrace the venerable silver trophy, while the other would be left with only a bitter memory. *****

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Two days before the game, Clemons left after practice to visit the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, bringing along some team members who volunteered to join him—backup safety Chris Hardy, defensive tackle Noah Cantor, backup linebacker Ray Mariuz, and defensive coordinator Rich Stubler. Hardy figured he could always go to a party somewhere during Grey Cup week, but going to a hospital was a rare opportunity to do something special. If only he knew how special it would be. Clemons regularly made appearances at hospitals to spread his goodwill and cheer and, more often than not, he did it without fanfare or publicity. It was an extension of his community service that didn’t need to be glorified. The visit was supposed to be for half an hour, but it lasted about an hour and a half when word spread that the Argos were there. When they visited the children’s playroom, a 13-year-old Ottawa-area patient, Steven Szakowski, asked Clemons to sign a regulation-size football. The young boy commented to the head coach that he liked his running shoes, and he jokingly offered to trade his SpongeBob SquarePants slippers for the coach’s white Reebok Classics, which he thought were “kind of cool looking.” Clemons told the youngster he’d give him the shoes after the visit. The boy laughed, thinking Clemons was merely joking. The team went upstairs to various wards to visit some immobile patients, posing for pictures, and talking. Steven and some of the others followed them around. As the team prepared to leave, Clemons kicked off his shoes and gave them to the teen. Moments later, the surprised youngster wanted to have the shoes signed, and Clemons returned in sock feet. He autographed them “M. Clemons,” added his

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jersey number 31, and posed for a picture with Steven. Clemons’s generous act impressed the Argos in attendance. “I was surprised, but that’s Pinball,” Stubler said with a laugh. “It was one of those things, you can almost call it a Pinism,” Hardy said. “Only he would do that. It was just one of those genuine moments.” Clemons and the others returned to the hotel and then attended an organized team party for the fans. When he arrived, the fans went wild. He talked to the crowd, and afterward organizers had arranged for him to slip out the back way to avoid the hysteria. “But in typical Pinner fashion he goes right off the side of the stage and out into the crowd to exit from the main entrance,” Argos editorial assistant/broadcaster Jaime Stein recalled. “It took probably 20 to 30 minutes for him to leave the place with so many fans mobbing him.” It was a scene that was repeated over and over again every time the Argos coach made a public appearance. The crowd couldn’t get enough of him and Pinball couldn’t turn away from the admirers. ***** The day before the Grey Cup, the Argos had their final practice and it showcased how tight but loose they had become as a group. In keeping with a tradition that had begun with head coach Don Matthews in 1990, maintained the next year with his successor Adam Rita, and followed by Clemons, the Argos had Hat Day. Normally, helmets, or hats as they are sometimes referred to in the football vernacular,

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are worn by the players at all times on the field, even in practice, much like the headgear of a gladiator. But some coaches want their players to relax as much as possible the day before a game to save their energy and avoid exertion, and removing the helmet helps to psychologically do that. Hence, the advent of Hat Day, in which helmets are strictly disallowed, replaced instead by any form of headgear, no matter how outrageous or silly. The whole tone of the practice changes because of the absence of the helmet, combined with Hat Day’s tradition of singing and dancing before or after loosely running through plays that will be implemented in the game. Meanwhile, the B.C. Lions were dealing with the ongoing issue of who would start at quarterback. Buono continued to keep the media guessing, although he indicated he would tell his quarterbacks privately. But the issue seemed to be a lingering controversy that irked Printers, who clearly wanted to start in the most important game of his young, professional career. The Lions had another dilemma: Though the story would not come out until after the game, two Lions players had scuffled on the bus ride back to the hotel following the last practice. The Lions were not united in common purpose—clearly, they had some problems—while the Argos had held together, bonded by a family theme created by the defence the year before. Most of the players on the Argos’ defence had been together longer than those on the offensive unit and were in their second full season under the coordination of Stubler. But the offensive players had gradually started to jell following the return of several injured veterans, notably Allen, and the team happened to be peaking at the right time.

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Collectively, the Argos were motivated by a sense of purpose and inspired by their head coach. The night before the biggest game of his coaching career, Clemons, his wife Diane, their three children and his mother Anna, who had come from her home in Florida, paid a second visit to an Ottawa hospital, this time to see Kevin Cabey in Saint-Vincent Hospital. The 35-year-old one-time collegiate and professional player and former minor football coach had lost a foot a few years before when it was amputated because of an infection. He was still in the hospital recovering from a kidney transplant that was done in January 2004. His story had been reported by Ottawa sportscaster Ken Evraire, a retired CFL player. Evraire had told Clemons about Cabey earlier in the week, asking if he could visit him. Clemons told him he would try to find time to do it, but asked that the matter be kept private. The nurses had been hinting to Cabey that he should expect a visitor. “I heard a knock at the door and I looked up. It was Pinball and his family,” Cabey recalled. “We had a nice visit and were talking about the game and strategies and he gave me a program, signed it, and we talked for about 20 minutes, half an hour.” Grey Cup week is a busy time and the night before the game is a time when most coaches are mentally in a mode that wouldn’t include making a visit to a hospital. But Clemons would do anything within reason and with the availability of time to brighten someone else’s day—even the night before his biggest game as a head coach. “Getting there the night before the game, when most guys are focused 110 percent on the game and the biggest stage as far as the season is concerned, Michael made time,

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which was pretty amazing,” Evraire said. The following morning the Argos gathered for a meeting to make sure everyone was accounted for and present. Because he had spoken at length to his team at that point, Clemons opted to let the players talk to one another to further fuel the importance of the game. Quarterback Damon Allen turned to each of his teammates and told them he was playing for them. Rookie cornerback Jordan Younger talked about how he felt he had a guardian angel watching over him from the moment he checked into the team’s hotel. He was assigned room number 726, which just happened to be the numbers of the month and day of the birth of his only sibling, Carey, who died suddenly of heart arrhythmia seven years before at age 29. Clemons became so touched by his players’ words, he started crying. While kickoff would be shortly after 6:30 p.m., CBC began its coverage a few hours ahead and, among its features, included a segment on Clemons from an interview taped a couple of days before with interviewer Mark Lee. “The number one thing is, going to the Grey Cup is not about the party, it’s about the game and winning the football game,” Clemons had said. “You’ve got to stay focused on the football game because it’s wonderful to get here, but the real story is when you win it.” Clemons told Lee his thoughts on being head coach: “I never wanted to be a head coach, not because I didn’t think I would enjoy coaching,” he said. “I didn’t think it would be a good choice for my family. That was number one. I saw how coaches worked. They worked day and night, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, for six months of the year and then there are other requirements that take place during the

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The Dream Week

off-season and I didn’t want that for my family. I’ve got a lot of things that I want to do in life and I never want to undermine coaching. Part of the education process is that you know right here in front of you, you have the opportunity to build into the lives of 50 young men.” And while Clemons said that, the feature included one of his pre-game speeches, this one from the 2004 regular season, in which he talked to his team about commitment to one another and willingness to give everything. The CBC routinely filmed the teams in the locker rooms before playoff games to acquire footage to use as visuals and give the viewers an inside look, but rarely did it include the speeches by the coaches because this was considered a private time for the team. But in 2002, in Clemons’s first time coaching in the playoffs, he gave the CBC permission to film the locker room scenery and didn’t restrict filming his team speech. It proved to be so compelling to the CBC production staff that it took the liberty of airing some snippets of the sound and visual footage, presenting the coach in a situation the public hadn’t seen. He looked like a preacher at a pulpit, spilling out his emotion. It worked so well from a production standpoint that the CBC started routinely filming Clemons’s pre-game speeches in the playoffs and airing a few seconds. In this situation, as Clemons talked in an almost hypnotic rhythm, the camera scanned the dressing room, where all the players tuned into his message, and one, linebacker Kevin Eiben, nodded his head to the cadence of his coach’s words. Clemons’s pre-game post-game speech, which was filmed but never broadcast by the production crew of the team’s weekly television show, “Argos This Week,” illustrated an excellent example of the head coach’s leadership skills.

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Through Clemons’s words and body language and the reaction of the players you could really see and understand his influence on the team heading into this monumental game. He was not just their head coach; he was their motivator. “Guys, I think of myself as a rational man, a guy who understands perspective about life and what’s important and why this game is so important to me,” he began. “I think part of this is, until you truly care about somebody and you’re willing to work together with him and you’re truly willing to do it not just for your own good but for that other person—when you think about somebody else first—then you truly become family. Who are we?” “Family!” shouted the team, which followed his lead like a symphony heeding the direction of the conductor. “Who are we?” he asked again. “Family!” they earnestly replied once more. “Who are we?” he asked a third time. “Family!” they replied again. Each time the head coach and his team repeated this motivational exercise, it reinforced the message. “Now when we go out there today, we’ve been talking about playing at another level. We’ve been talking about being dominant. And you know why we’ve been dominant in the last few weeks? What’s the word?” And the entire team said, “Hit!” And by this he meant hit the opposition and make a statement about spirit and domination and will, sending a physical message to the Lions. “What’s the word?” he asked again. “Hit!” they responded a second time. “Now when we go out there today there’s going to be a

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bigger audience than there’s ever been in football in this entire country in history. It’s the biggest crowd ever. Now we’ve got a chance. This is what we’ve talked about. We talked about playing this game at a level that NOBODY ... NOBODY ... NOBODY ... in any league, anywhere, has ever played this game. What’s the word?” And the team replied, “Hit!” “What’s the word?” he asked again. “Hit!” “What’s the word?” “Hit!” It appeared as if part of Clemons’s purpose was to break up his soliloquy with key themes and messages, almost like punctuating a thought for impact. “Let’s go out there today as a family and get it done from the first whistle to the last whistle ... Win on three. One. Two. Three. Win!” After that speech, I spoke to Brad Diamond, whose production company filmed the Argos all season for “Argos This Week.” He had been in the dressing room to help coordinate the pre- and post-game material. “Wow! What I love about Pinball Clemons is what you see is what you’re going to get,” Diamond said. “He’s like that for his whole life. When he says it’s his family, it is his family. No matter how anybody felt going into that dressing room, when they walked out, you could feel the energy. It was unbelievable. They wanted to win for this guy.” ***** When the player introductions began, the Lions opted to be

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represented by their starting offensive unit, each member running onto the field, followed by the rest of the team. Dave Dickenson was introduced as the starting quarterback, ending the week-long speculation. The Argos introduced their defence, and it offered another illustration of Clemons’s bond with his players. He liked to impart a verbal and/or physical thought specific to each of his players before their introduction—some coaches simply followed the balance of the team on to the field without any ritual—almost like a mantra. For defensive back Clifford Ivory, Clemons imitated a plane flying, the thing the animated Ivory liked to do after making a big play. In the case of cornerback Adrion Smith, Clemons mentioned the word “playmaker” because Smith had made outstanding plays in each of the 1996 and ’97 Grey Cup games. And he concluded his thoughts to Smith by saying, “And as always I love you.” The two had a special relationship, much like a mentor and his protégé, because Clemons had helped Smith to become more involved in the community to help him in life after football. “Pinball knows the little things that make each player work, which kind of sets him apart from everybody (in the coaching field),” defensive coordinator Rich Stubler told me. Following the introduction of the defence, Clemons led the rest of the team onto the field, then headed straight for the bench, his smiling, happy face changing to serious game face in mid-stride. ***** B.C. won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball and try to grab the early momentum. Dickenson started at quarter-

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The Dream Week

back because Buono had concerns about Printers’s shoulder and had also factored in some struggles the young quarterback had against the Argos’ complicated defence. Dickenson had more experience and a cerebral quality that Buono figured could neutralize the Argos’ strength. And on the first series, Dickenson dissected the Argos’ defence with a long, impressive drive that ended with a touchdown. The Argos started off slowly, but scored a field goal midway in the second quarter and went ahead 10–7 late in the quarter on a touchdown run by Damon Allen. Anyone watching the game on television could easily see the CBC fixated on Clemons far more than Buono because of the repeated images of the Argos coach, offering a full galaxy of emotions: nervous, concerned, happy. As the game evolved and the score changed, so too did Clemons’s visual demeanour. While Buono looked impassive, almost like a poker player refusing to tip his hand, Clemons did not disguise his emotions. While his coordinators called the plays the team would run, Clemons was clearly attuned to what was happening, knowing at any time he might have to make a critical call or judgment that would define his participation in the game. B.C. tied the game with a field goal inside the final two minutes, but the Argos took a 17–10 lead with 22 seconds to go on a nifty 23-yard catch-and-run play by receiver Robert Baker, who sidestepped a Lions defender and then dove into the end zone. The Argos erupted in emotion—following what appeared to be a momentum-changing play—including their spirited head coach, who had been around the game long enough to know that a score this close to the half could psychologically benefit his own team and wound the other.

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Ever the strategist and realizing his team needed a specific boost, Buono had a specific plan he hoped to execute at the start of the third quarter to regain some momentum and emotion. Buono wanted his team to try an onside kick, in which the kicking team—in this case his own—can recover the ball if it travels at least 10 yards. The play appeared to work, but the Lions were flagged by the officials because one player moved forward past the starting point of the kickoff prior to the kicker and earned his team an offside penalty. It had been a crucial mistake, forcing the Lions to redo the kick. But the element of surprise had already been given away—much like a magician who made a mistake trying to do a trick and knew he couldn’t try it again because the audience fully expected it. The Lions had gone into the game with a plan not to kick directly to the Argos’ returners, fearing their ability to make big plays, which they had done all year. It resulted in the Argos starting with excellent field position, and left Buono open for criticism. But even when he had the right play called with an onside kick, it failed. The advantages were going entirely in favour of his counterpart. The Lions kicked off again, and the Argos received excellent field position and marched forward on that first series to go ahead 24–10. The Lions answered with a field goal on their first series to bridge the gap to 24–13. And then something happened that had the potential to turn the game dramatically in favour of the Lions. On the Argos’ second series of the third quarter, Allen ran with the ball, but had a hard time regaining his feet when he suffered leg cramps, which are sustained usually by dehydration and result in the limb locking up. Sometimes the cramps can be relieved by the athletic therapist or trainer massaging or

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The Dream Week

extending the leg to loosen up the muscle and the player only misses a minimum of three plays, which is the rule in the Canadian Football League for a time stoppage in play due to an injury. However, the problem can sometimes take more time to ease. Clemons joined the Argos’ medical staff, looking concerned for Allen’s well-being and the overall status of the team. As Allen walked gingerly off the field, the Argos had lost their leader on offence for at least three plays, and it was left to backup Michael Bishop to take over with five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Bishop had been a streaky player, blessed with marvelous athletic skills, in particular a rifle of an arm that could launch the ball the length of a field, but in his three years in the Canadian Football League he had some troubles with the mental aspects of the game and his preparation. Clemons had done his best with Bishop, as he did with any player experiencing difficulties, to build up his confidence, accentuating the positive instead of the negative. The quarterback is the most important member of the offence—and the team really—because he controls the ball distribution, and often the head coach has to develop a special relationship with him, in particular the confidence aspect. Bishop had filled in for Allen when the veteran quarterback suffered a cracked left tibia in the eighth game of the season and missed eight consecutive starts. The team won four games, lost three and tied once with Bishop as the starter. He had done a good enough job to help the Argos when they needed him most, but this would be his biggest challenge. Now he was called on to protect the lead. Now Clemons needed him more than ever. In two series, he played under control and with poise, keeping the clock moving until Allen returned. When Bishop made

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a first down, Clemons gestured excitedly toward him, clenching his fists in approval. But the drive ended with a punt. The Lions scored a touchdown on their series to narrow the gap to 24–19, but bungled two shots at a two-point convert, in which you can run or pass the ball into the end zone rather than kicking for a point. A subsequent attempt to score a point on a traditional convert with a kick through the uprights failed when the ball sailed wide of the goalposts. With eight minutes and change left in the game, Allen returned, but couldn’t score on his first series. The Lions took possession and Dickenson threw a long pass to standout receiver Geroy Simon, who was behind the Argos’ defence, but the ball sailed a couple of inches beyond his fingertips. This failed play would haunt the Lions. Had Simon caught it, he likely would have continued in stride toward the goal line for a touchdown and altered the momentum of the game. In the end, it simply became an incomplete pass, and was another heartbreaking moment for the Lions and Buono. Everything was going Clemons’s way, more so because his starter was back in the game and the Lions hadn’t been able to seize the lead. The Argos scored a field goal on their possession, giving them a 27–19 lead inside three minutes. While the Lions moved the ball on their series, they came up short, and rather than gamble on the third down, Buono elected to punt and hoped his defence would hold. It was the kind of move that would be analyzed and judged afterward. It would be seen as either a gutsy call if it worked or a conservative mistake if it backfired. The Argos’ offence kept the clock going. A first-down run by running back John Avery with 9.1 seconds virtually sealed it. Two defensive players, cornerback

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The Dream Week

Adrion Smith and linebacker Michael Fletcher, were so convinced the game had been won that they unceremoniously dumped a tub of ice water on their head coach. Clemons didn’t expect the shower because he was too preoccupied with the final play. When the game ended, Allen clutched the ball and ran backwards, savouring the moment. He had won the Grey Cup for a fourth time, beating the team that had traded him away the previous season after seven years. The moment was his. It was also Clemons’s. He had won the game few people would have ever expected him to be in as a head coach when first appointed to the job midway in the 2000 season while still active as a player. Still clad in his soaked sweater, Clemons was asked by the CBC’s Mark Lee about his first victory as a head coach and how it felt in comparison to the three he enjoyed as a player. He offered an interesting response, telling Lee that he understood he was a coach when he was upset by the way the team managed the clock in the final minute. “You’re always thinking about something else as a coach, but with these guys it’s absolutely awesome,” he said. “I love each and every one of them. It truly is a family. We’re just excited. And you know what’s so wonderful? That this Cup, this game, represents all of Canada. What a wonderful national game! You see all the people here, all those watching on television. This is what serves to unite this wonderful country and that’s what I love about it.” Like a politician, he had quickly and subtly sent out a message. This wasn’t about a game for Clemons, it was about national pride and everything he had come to know about the Canadian Football League and Canada since

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coming to the country in 1989 as an American who knew little about either. Lee reminded Clemons that he was in tears in his pregame speech. Clemons replied it had not been the first time he was in tears, relating his reaction to the morning meeting when various players made emotional speeches. “I’ve been crying all day long and I guess the tears will continue to flow for a couple of months,” he said. Blue confetti rained down on the field as the Argos received the Grey Cup, but it was the players, not Clemons, who stood on the stage and embraced the championship chalice. Clemons allowed the players to enjoy the moment, only later clutching the Cup himself. ***** The atmosphere in the Argos’ dressing room was chaotic and jubilant as family and friends joined the players, who literally soaked up the experience with champagne. Some 45 minutes after the game ended, the Argos’ public relations officials ordered everyone else out of the locker room so the team could enjoy a private moment, but one person was noticeably absent. Clemons still hadn’t come back from the post-game media conference one floor above the din. In an almost quiet tone, his energy level ratcheted down like a runner cooling off, he talked to me and another reporter and tried to deflect any mention of personal glory. “When you win a championship, it’s so much bigger than me that to accept any credit—I don’t want to,” he said. But he did want to talk about the historical significance of being the first black head coach in Grey Cup history and

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capping it off with a win. In this moment of reflection, he had come to realize that being a being a black head coach in the championship game meant something after all and that he had probably downplayed the significance of it. His mother, Anna, who had instilled in him values that shaped his thoughts about education, society, and community involvement, said something to him leading up to the game that made him reflect back on his humble beginnings growing up in Florida. His mother gave birth to him when she was 18 and had just graduated from a segregated high school. In combination with that, he was reminded of a poem he wrote in grade seven. The poem said: “Stand up, boy, you don’t sit there. You know you stand up.” I sit in the chair. “Hey, blackie, I’ve got some water, do you want some? Oh, I forgot, they don’t drink water where you come from.” Downgraded, segregated, discriminated by others, we are hated because of our skin. Now what’s with them?” “To tell you the truth, I don’t know what it means to be the first black coach in the Cup and to win it,” he said. “I know that I can’t do anything by myself, and on my own strength I’m very little good. Anything I accomplish has to be with the aid of individuals, and this team became like a family and is like a family. That’s why we won. It had very little to do with the colour of my skin.” But again, while the colour of skin didn’t factor into winning and losing, coaching and, more importantly, execution did. The Argos limited their mistakes; the Lions made too many of them.

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I reminded him of something I asked him the day before about whether he thought his team was destined to win. To him, winning was not about destiny, but the culmination of a few years of the franchise and the team coming together. In his opinion, people didn’t respect the quality of the team over the last few years. The fact the Argos were underdogs in the point spread going into the game had further illustrated that. Then he moved away from my original question about destiny and offered some personal insight into how he had a hard time coming to grips with why it is so special to win the game. “I try to keep things in perspective,” he said. “I think I am a man of perspective. I don’t think at least I’m an egomaniac. I put family first and so with this being a game, I don’t (know) why it means so much because it seems to be out of perspective. But I think it’s the people. I think in all of us is a desire as people to be a part of something that’s bigger than yourself and to work and care for people with no alternative motive; just to have other people’s best interest in mind and working together toward something; and when you get there, I don’t think there’s any greater satisfaction.” After the game, when the team returned to its hotel and celebrated with a party arranged by the owners, Clemons met Lori Bursey, the president of the Argos’ fan club, and handed her the coaching sweater he had worn during the game. Earlier in the season, in Edmonton, she had mentioned how she liked the sweater, and Clemons had promised her he would give it to her after the team won the Grey Cup that year. And he didn’t forget his promise. “The first thing he said to me was, ‘This sweater’s yours,’”

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she recalled. “I said, ‘No, you’ve won the Grey Cup and this is important to you and you should hang on to this.’ He said, ‘These kinds of things don’t mean anything to me. I would rather see it go to someone who will look after it and treasure it for what it was. It’s not that important to me.’” In the end, he had the memory of an incredible year for the Argonauts and the latest accomplishment in his life.

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Letters for Pinball

D

uring the course of writing this book, I sent out requests to various websites asking for people to submit personal stories about Mike Clemons. The response was overwhelming. The sheer volume alone of the e-mails could have been a book in itself. Collectively, the editors and I chose what we believe are a good cross-section that indicate as much about the respondents as they do about the subject about whom they wrote. And rather than just include them in one chapter, we’ve broken the e-mails up into various sections throughout the book. In some cases, the letters follow a particular time, in other cases they simply stand out on their own.

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Four years ago my son Andrew was diagnosed with cancer. He was just nine years old…. My wife and I decided to do something positive and stay focused, and so we organized a dinner/dance gala to raise money for cancer research at the Hospital for Sick Children. Michael’s office contacted us and said that he could not stay for the entire evening, but heard about our fundraiser and decided he wanted to meet Andrew. Well needless to say, when Pinball came through the doors with his lovely wife and that amazing smile of his, everyone was thrilled, especially Andrew. Michael also invited all of us to attend an Argo game as his guest at field level…. At halftime just after he had completed an onfield interview, he was jogging back toward the dressing room when Andrew and his brothers called out to him. To my astonishment he stopped, turned and saw the boys and immediately came over. He then arranged for one of the players to take us through the dressing room and meet the entire team after the game. It was truly a day we will always treasure…. What can I say? Thank you, Michael, for being such a loving and caring individual. You are an inspiration and treasure not only to Toronto but the entire country. God bless you and go Argos go! Len Mizzoni

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My grandmother Edith Schooley has been ill for the last three years and is 85 years old. Keeping her spirits motivated has been a challenge. She has many wonderful things that she has done as a volunteer. Now, she has taken ill, suffering from scoliosis, arthritis, gout and most recently blindness due to detached retinas. All the while she was still wanting to volunteer for those who are worse off. I wrote a letter to Mike to see if he could contact her to raise her spirits because, although she has been a longtime Tiger-Cats fan, Mike Clemons can do no wrong except wear the Double Blue as far as she is concerned. To my absolute amazement Mike called her to say hello and she gave him a hard time because she didn’t believe that it was him, and to top that off he made a visit to her home the next day with his mother and daughters. I can’t tell you how this has made her feel and I wrote Mike thanking him. My grandmother thinks that she saw an angel, I am sure. He made all that she has done for so many years worth it just for the chance of meeting with Mike. I have never told the radio stations or the newspapers about this visit because it was special for my grandmother, but I want the public to know that he does these things when he can, and from what I see and read he does an awful lot. He’s a tremendous man that has made a difference in the world. We need many more Michael Clemons’s in the world to make it a better place. Thank you, Mike! Norm Watson

35

I teach Sunday School at Walton Memorial United Church in Oakville, Ontario. I have taught the same young people since they were in Grade 2—now they are teenagers in high school. At some point during the year, I teach a Sunday school lesson about Pinball Clemons. I often wear my number 31 Argo jersey to church that day and all of the kids know how much I think of him. I tell the kids how he doesn’t hide the fact he is a Christian. I tell them how he lives his life. So often sports heroes are not good role models, but Pinball puts most of us to shame in the way he conducts himself as a person. I try to teach the kids that no matter what they do in life, they can take from Pinball the lessons of humility, good deeds (without expecting anything in return), kindness, tolerance, patience, hard work, never giving up . . .the list is so long. The kids are always inspired by him and his life. I had one of my Sunday School kids come up to me a few weeks back to tell me she had met Pinball at a local church when he spoke during their high-school lunch program. She knew I would be excited for her having met Pinball and, of course, I was. Pinball is a constant source of inspiration for these young people. I hope that by sharing his story with “my kids” at church they will take away some life lessons that will serve them well in the future. Pam Damoff

36

My son Seth, age three at the time, was a member of the Argonauts Kids Club. They had a meet the team day at Licks restaurant in Mississauga, so Seth and I drove down to the event from Barrie. We went into the restaurant and waited. Eventually Pinball and his daughters came in to get something to eat and had a seat. Pinball was constantly being interrupted to sign this or to chat, which he did not mind. It was getting late and I had a long drive home and Pinball was still eating. I did not want to interrupt him, so I told Seth that we should head out and that we would have another chance to see Pinball, which I think everyone knows is the case. It is just a matter of how long you want to wait in line, but still worth it. Pinball must have seen us because he called us over and asked Seth to sit down with him. I was amazed that this man would notice Seth and then call him over and then sit and talk with a three-year-old for about five minutes. Seth left with a football signed by Pinball and I believe several fries in his tummy that Pinball had shared with him. It showed me how this person is very humble and first and foremost a caring individual; how he does not miss anything from the largest fan to the smallest. Hal Leadlay

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2 Growing Up in Florida

Two months after the Grey Cup, the city of Dunedin, Florida, honoured its native son, the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts. Michael Clemons proved you could go home again, even if his life had changed dramatically from when he was born in the small Gulf town. He was born to Willie James Clemons and Anna Maria O’Neal on January 15, 1965, and his mother became the single biggest influence in her son’s life. Anna and her brother, James, almost two years older, had had to deal with harsh realities of life at an early age when their parents, James and Katherine O’Neal, divorced. Both parents subsequently remarried, but tragedy struck when Anna’s mother died when she was just five. Her great-grandmother, Annie Sinclair, decided that rather than have Anna and her brother live with their stepfather, Joseph Lloyd Bass, she would raise them.

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They grew up in Dunedin during the era of racial segregation, when blacks were forced to go to a tiny elementary school for children of their own colour. For junior high school and high school, they had to be bused to another school a few miles to the south in Clearwater. Anna planned to go to university, but her life took an unexpected turn when, at the age of 17, she met Willie Clemons, who altered her life forever. Willie Clemons grew up in Bradenton, about a 90-minute drive from Dunedin, part of a large family with seven other siblings. He played sports, attended school, and graduated as a teacher from Florida A&M University. It was during his internship at Pinellas High School in Clearwater that he met Anna, who became pregnant with his child. After graduating from university, Willie returned home to Bradenton and began his teaching career. Following the birth of his son, Willie Clemons asked Anna to marry him, but she declined, almost because it would be a marriage of convenience and not one rooted in deep-seated love and respect for her partner. This was not the life she envisioned for herself; the life she wanted for herself. “Somehow I just wanted to put all of that behind me and move on and felt if he wanted to really have a relationship with his son that was fine,” she said. “I just felt he was not the person I wanted in my life at that point. At one point I felt like I had failed to accomplish those things that I set out to do. He had accomplished everything that he needed. He had finished his college career and was pursuing that and here I was, just getting started.” She had wanted to attend nursing school at Florida A&M in Tallahassee and had been eligible for a financial scholarship

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Growing Up in Florida

from a ladies’ auxiliary in Dunedin, but she declined the scholarship, knowing she would not be able to attend school in Tallahassee—about three to four hours away—because she had the responsibility of looking after a newborn child. Instead, she focused on a career that would allow her to provide for her son. In high school she had done clerical work and became interested in a career in business, so she enrolled in a two-year program in St. Petersburg. Willie Clemons provided Anna with financial assistance for her schooling and maintained a relationship with his son. After graduating from the business program, Anna was offered a job with the City of Dunedin’s Utility Billings Department. At the time, the city wanted to integrate more blacks and other minorities into the workforce, and because of her qualifications she was encouraged to apply for the job as a receptionist. After accepting the job, she decided not to further her education, because she wanted to spend her free time with her son. She eventually rose to the position of superintendent for the city, the first black person to do so. ***** Dunedin was a small suburb of St. Petersburg and had no principal industry. For the most part it was a bedroom community of some 35,000 where people lived but commuted to bordering towns or communities to work. Anna and her son and his great-great-grandmother, Annie Sinclair, originally lived in an all-black section of town about three streets off the main street. When Clemons began elementary school, he and his mother and her great-grandmother moved a couple of streets over to a low-rise apartment complex for low-income

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black families called The Projects. It was a tight-knit community where if someone did something wrong, everyone knew about it for three streets around and the guilty person got a physical or verbal reprimand. Further punishment came from parents or guardians. Clemons became best friends with Fred Dixon, the son of Joanne Matthews, who was Anna’s best friend growing up, and Oral Matthews, who was Fred’s uncle even though he was only seven months older. While Fred lived with his mother in Clearwater, he spent considerable time in Dunedin with his maternal grandmother, Sara Matthews, who lived across the street from Anna and Michael. Fred, Oral, and Michael liked to play games in the street and go to the nearby park to play basketball. They also liked to fish for conch in the bay. The era and the environment in which Michael Clemons grew up was significantly more progressive than that of his mother. It may have had some elements of a ghetto because of the dominant presence of one particular colour of people, but it didn’t include gang violence. For the most part, it was a loving, caring, and nurturing community in which everyone looked after one another. Both Sara Matthews and her sister, Alfonza Moore, became an integral part of the lives of Michael and his mother. When Anna routinely sent her son to deliver a friendly gift for Alfonza, he’d stay there talking for hours. “He would stay talking so long she would have to come and get him,” Alfonza recalled. “He always had time for other people, and that’s something. That was a part of him. He’d help anybody that he could. That was a part of some of the community, but a part of his family, too.”

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Church became the backbone of the community and the epicentre of Clemons’s life. While he dutifully attended the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church with his mother, he preferred the teachings and the experience at the House of God Pentecostal Church, where Fred Dixon’s grandmother, Sara Matthews, was the pastor and Alfonza Moore was the Sunday school teacher. Clemons liked going to the Pentecostal Church so he could be with his friends, but also because of the relationship Alfonza Moore had with the kids. “She really made it fun for them and really gave them an understanding of the Bible,” Michael’s mother recalled. At an early age Anna had accepted God as her saviour and she would often impart to her son that if he put God first in his life, everything else would fall into place. “He probably really didn’t understand why a lot of things were being said or done, and I think that gave him some basis that you need the Lord in your life,” his mother said. “If you have the Lord in your life, anything that you set out to do you can accomplish.” At about the age of eight or nine, while attending summer Bible school organized by the church, Clemons accepted Jesus Christ into his life with the understanding that he would spend eternity in heaven. “When you’re going to church as a young guy, you think you’re a Christian already,” he told me. “They explained to us growing up in the Baptist Church that it wasn’t enough just to go to church; that you needed to make a conscious decision to ask Jesus Christ to come into your life and into your heart. I don’t know if that was the moment I specifically became a Christian because God knows our heart and it’s our heart that he will judge. If I had died a year before

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that, I truly believe God would assess my heart even at seven or eight years old as someone who loved him and understood and tried to live what he has for us.” Anna O’Neal also taught her son about community spirit, volunteering through the church to help elderly or disabled people or youths who needed transportation. Michael came to understand the importance of helping others and made community service a significant part of his life as he grew older. And a large part of this was due to his mother’s influence. “She never complained,” he recalled. “She not only took care of my great-great-grandmother and raised me, but she was always the one helping out other people in the community whenever somebody needed something. That’s where I got the sense of community and helping others, and that it doesn’t matter how little we have or how much we have. We should all be part of the community and all try to help out.” She organized her job around her son’s schedule, driving him to school and working through her lunch break so she could pick him up after school and take him to his activities. “I just wanted to make sure he arrived at school safely and he returned safely,” she said. “I was just always very concerned where my son was. I just didn’t want to leave him unattended. He had guidelines and instructions he had to follow. If he had homework after school, he knew he was not allowed to go out to play.” He played various organized sports, including baseball, soccer, basketball, and football. It was in football that he excelled the most. He didn’t fear the physicality and had a God-given ability to run elusively—something that would become the hallmark of his professional career—making opponents miss, in part because of his size and his agility. His

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size worked to his advantage, but equally important he had the heart of someone a foot taller. You can have all the physical tools to succeed, but if you don’t have passion, desire, and will, size won’t matter. It all comes down to heart. He had to deal with allergies, which were not considered serious enough that he needed medicine, but they did present a challenge. He started in football at about the age of eight in the Police Athletic League, which was organized and funded by the local police force and provided the players with equipment. Football gave youths a chance to play a sport at a minimal expense to their parents, who paid only a small registration fee. He quickly established himself as a star running back playing for the Dunedin Golden Eagles. He impressed his coaches not only with his athletic ability, but his intelligence, understanding the nuances and complexities of the game. He had an analytical mind and enjoyed the strategies that were employed by the coaches. When Clemons graduated from minor football at the age of 11, the executive of the Police Athletic League retired his jersey number, 32, which he wore for his football hero, O.J. Simpson, then the famous record-setting running back with the Buffalo Bills. Clemons was honoured as much for his gentlemanly conduct as for what he did on the field. ***** He routinely spent some time living with his father in the summer, but that stopped when he reached the middle-school age. His mother thought it may have had to do with his father marrying a woman who had several kids of her own and that

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Michael didn’t fit in with that family dynamic. But he was starting to develop his own ideas and life and found everything he needed at home with his mother and the tight bond they had developed. The relationship he had with his father was more like one between an uncle and a nephew. They enjoyed one another’s company, but lacked the closeness forged between a father and a son in the formative years. But Willie Clemons had an effect on his son’s value system, working with and mentoring youths. Willie Clemons became a hero in his neighbourhood for coaching youths and teaching them about life. He was a father figure to many neighbourhood kids, but, ironically, had a somewhat estranged relationship with his own son. Anna noted that Willie had all sorts of time for other kids but none for his own child. ***** When Clemons was about the age of 12, the expansion team Toronto Blue Jays began their first spring training in Dunedin. Their facility happened to be located only a couple of miles from where the Clemons family lived. Michael Clemons could have never known that some day he would become as synonymous a sporting figure in Toronto as the Blue Jays. When Michael was 13, his great-great-grandmother, Annie Sinclair, died, and the following year his mother decided to marry. She had been involved for several years in a relationship with Ralph Bryant, who owned a grocery store in Clearwater and also worked as a machinist. Michael had reservations about the marriage because his stepfather’s life did not revolve as much as his mother’s did around church and family.

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Anna and her son moved into Bryant’s home, about three miles from their home in Dunedin. A year later Anna and Ralph Bryant celebrated the birth of their daughter Kelli. She would become the darling of her older brother, who took her everywhere, becoming, in his words, his “sidekick.” The relationship between Michael and his stepfather became strained at times. It is not unnatural for a stepfather and a stepson to philosophically be at odds, and in this case the stepson attributed it to the stepfather not having enough in common with his wife. In later years, the couple separated. “I don’t think I ever consciously thought she was marrying for me, but I thought there was something more she wanted that she thought this would bring—being in a twoincome household,” Clemons said. “He was an extremely hard worker and I really admired that about him. If work started at 6:00 or 6:30 in the morning, he was always up by five. He always made sure that if I needed something, he would provide it. He had a co-worker that had a store called the Sports Spot and I had a free thing whereby I could go and get what I wanted because he knew I wouldn’t abuse the privilege. If I needed a pair of tennis shoes, I could put it on a bill and he would pay for it. He was just very good in that way. He didn’t feel that I needed a father figure. He felt from a character standpoint my mother had given me everything I needed. When we had father-son talks, it was more about their relationship than ours. He was a very decent person. It’s just the lifestyles of he and my mother didn’t match. But I love my stepfather to death.” *****

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In Clearwater, Clemons found himself living just 10 blocks from his childhood friend Fred Dixon. Dixon lived just around the corner from Robert Tucker, a year-older relative of Clemons. Because they were related, Tucker and Clemons called each other Cuz. They knew one another while growing up, but bonded when Clemons moved to Clearwater. Tucker was known as Big Tuck because as a kid he was more than 6 feet tall. He eventually grew to 6 feet, 5 inches, almost a foot taller than Clemons. They shared a passion for sports at a time when Tucker’s friends joined the “cooler crowd,” who were into drinking and smoking. Tucker said that when he and Clemons started hanging out it was like a “whole new light. We clicked on the same level. It was me, him, and Fred.” When he was about 17, Tucker drove a two-door Buick that became known as “The Jetson,” named after the spaceage cartoon. Tucker and Clemons drove around in it and made their own statement. “It was our version of the car that can go anywhere on gas for 10 bucks or less,” Tucker recalled. “We gave it that name because people used to see us flying around in it. But we weren’t the types of kids that were irresponsible. We never did anything reckless to get ourselves into any kind of trouble. We used to hang out at each other’s homes, stay the night after football or basketball games, hang out during the proms, graduation, you name it—the whole nine (yards).” Clemons attended Dunedin High School, which had some 4,000 students, predominantly white. His first year on the football team coincided with the arrival of 35-year-old Don Murray, a physical education teacher who had an impressive coaching résumé from successful programs in

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Florida and Georgia. The Dunedin High School principal and administrator hired Murray to improve the football program, which had had little success in its 30-year history. Murray had the credentials to make that happen. He assembled a coaching staff and made it clear that the players had to do well academically to stay on the team. The coaching staff monitored the players’ grades on a weekly basis, and they had to pass a certain standard before they were allowed to play. Murray also involved his players in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes—something that would play a huge role in Clemons’s career and life. Founded in 1954, the FCA is the largest interdenominational, school-based, Christian sports organization in America. Murray believed in the whole person, not just the athletic aspect, and that spirituality, regardless of individual belief, was important. When Clemons joined the football program, he had peaked at about 5 feet, 5 inches and weighed about 150 pounds, which, compared to older, established players, limited his role initially. He impressed the coaching staff as a defensive player first because of his fearlessness. He didn’t show any fear taking on bigger, stronger players. He developed on offence as a hybrid receiver/running back who could fill various needs, either running the ball or catching passes. Murray coached the quarterbacks and running backs and had a “pretty good grip” on Clemons’s development on a regular basis. “He was short and he’d accelerate into the line and be down there low and underneath and, boom, all of a sudden he’d pop out,” Murray remembered fondly. “Then you’d see the excitement and opportunity to create big plays.”

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Clemons’s childhood friend Oral Matthews has a vivid memory some 25 years later of trying to tackle him in practice. “I came up to hit him and I had a dead bead on him and I grabbed nothing but damn air,” he remembered with a laugh. “Four, five people could be trying to hit him in a crowd and you couldn’t catch him. He was just like what you call him now—Pinball. He could sidestep, fake you out, whatever.” Besides his athletic prowess, Clemons became popular because of his magnetic personality and leadership skills. “In a way he was laid-back, but he still had that charisma—other players would draw to him,” Don Murray said. “He was one of the leaders in his class, but once his athletic prowess started showing on the football field, it carried over to other areas and students followed him more. That’s not something that comes on the playing field. It’s a combination (of things).” He knew Clemons’s mother, who dutifully attended her son’s games because of her desire to support him in something he enjoyed. Murray said she impacted her son’s foundation as an athlete, student, and principled young man. “Any time you get good parent support—that’s one of the key issues to me to having success as a child,” Murray remarked. “If you’ve got parents that are behind you and are willing to support you and push you to raise that bar—in this case his mother was pushing him to do well in the classroom and making sure he was doing his work and staying on top of it and creating those good work habits—that carries on. That, to me, is what sometimes set Michael above some of the other folks.” *****

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Offensive line coach George Hemond took over the headcoaching duties in Clemons’s senior year when Murray moved on to Georgia. Hemond, who taught social studies, inherited a program that had been decimated by the graduation of good players, many of whom went on to play for major university programs. One of the departing players happened to be feature running back Craig Blanks, who was about 6 feet, 2 inches and 195 pounds, with strong legs and broad shoulders. He had been the 1981 Player of the Year in Pinellas County, with 1,500 yards and 27 touchdowns. Hemond gave Clemons a chance to fill the spot and he rose to the occasion. Hemond admitted that he gave Clemons a break because “we really didn’t have anybody else.” The team had little power, so they had to rely on “an offence that was based on guile more than power. We did everything to disguise what we were going to do and this gave him an opportunity because he could handle all these plays. He was a great receiver, ball handler, and, of course, when the chips came down, he ran over people. Let’s face it, he did. He was fearless. And in the open field, you couldn’t tackle him.” Because of his versatility and value to the team, Clemons rarely left the field. Not only did he play offensively and defensively, he also caught punts and kickoffs. The school made it to the third round of the state playoffs and lost in triple overtime to a team that appeared to be far superior. “We didn’t have any players,” Hemond said. “We did it with smoke and mirrors—and we had Mike.” *****

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In his final season in high school, Clemons received an award as the outstanding athlete in the county because of his success in soccer and football. While he preferred football and wanted to go to a college in Florida, he knew his size meant the premier institutions such as Florida and Florida State probably wouldn’t be offering him a scholarship. Hemond persuaded a friend on the staff at Harvard to consider Clemons as a scholarship prospect, convinced he would tear up the Ivy League, which isn’t known as a football factory. Hemond sent some films of Clemons to Harvard, which showed some interest in him. Harvard had strict academic standards, but that would not be a problem for Clemons because of his marks, which basically averaged out to the equivalent of an A. But the plan to go to Harvard changed when Don McCauley, a recruiter from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, came to Dunedin High. Hemond told McCauley about Clemons and gave him his stats, but the recruiter didn’t seem too interested, particularly because of the size issue. Hemond then showed him game films of Clemons in action. “He almost fell off his chair,” Hemond recalled. “He said, ‘I’ve got to get this kid. I’ve got to get this film to my head coach.’” McCauley took the film to show William and Mary head coach Jimmye Laycock, and Clemons was subsequently flown in for a weekend visit. Laycock was startled by Clemons’s size and found it “kind of hard to visualize him being a running back for us.” Laycock really had to be sold on the idea because there was little money left in the recruiting program. In fact, Clemons’s scholarship might have been the last one available.

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“What sold me was not his football stuff. What really sold me was his personality and just the type of young man that he was,” Laycock said. William and Mary offered him a full four-year scholarship covering tuition and room and board but insisted he make a decision within two days. At that time, Harvard had only expressed an interest and agreed to help Clemons fill out the necessary paperwork for a grant based on family income. He left William and Mary on Sunday, happy with the campus and the football program, but still faced with the dilemma of choosing between that and the Harvard opportunity. Clemons talked it over with his mother, who wanted him to be happy with the decision, but also looked at the two situations pragmatically. “I didn’t see how we could say no to something we had in writing and yes to something (when) we didn’t know for sure what the outcome would be,” she recalled. “But I wanted it to be his decision because he was going to be the one that was attending school and he had to be happy.” They talked to the representative from Harvard, who understood the situation and could not definitively tell them how much of a grant could be offered, so Clemons committed to William and Mary. It would be a decision that would not only advance his football future and, in fact, lead to a pro career, but accentuate his growth as a human being and introduce him to someone who would become a major role model. His four years at William and Mary would become a life-changing experience.

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Letters for Pinball

I am the head coach of the Milton Marauders, an over-18 team participating in the Northern Ontario Football Conference in the Canadian Major Football League. In the 2004 season we accomplished something no one thought was possible and that was to win the Canadian national title. I also am the defensive line coach of the University of Guelph and have been involved in football as a player and coach for nearly 32 years. Upon the completion of the 2004 season with Milton I started giving thought to moving up the chain in the game I hold so dearly to my heart and to be associated with the organization I also love dearly—the Argonauts. I sent off an e-mail to Pinball introducing myself and my accomplishments along with my résumé. About two weeks later I received an e-mail from Pinball’s secretary confirming a meeting with Pinball. I had my chance to meet a legendary coach and soon after found out that this legendary coach is a legendary man. continued

I expressed my desire to Michael and what my dreams were. Michael proceeded to give me the opportunity to improve my skills by involving me with the other coaches and individuals within the Argonaut system. When leaving the practice facility one day, I ran into Pinball in the parking lot dressed in a tux, obviously returning from a public speaking engagement somewhere. Pinball stopped and thanked me for my diligence and persistence, which I found odd since it was he who gave me this chance. When I tried to thank Pinball in return for everything he was doing for me he simply stated, “Barry, we are buds now and we are always even.” This is the measure of this man. His generosity is unfounded; he is the most positive, energetic man I have ever met. As a coach I only hope I garner the same respect that he has and can conduct myself in the same fashion as Pinball Clemons does. He is truly a role model for the ages. Barry Emo

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My niece Natalie Bell, 12 years old at the time, and I were coming back from the 2000 Grey Cup in Calgary. While at the airport and just ahead of our flight, we see Pinball Clemons and his wife. My niece, not knowing anyone in the CFL, let alone all of football, quickly yelled, “There’s Pinball.” Somehow she knew him. We began to chat casually and Pinball and my niece exchanged some words. Pinball quickly posed with her for a photo, and then asked someone else to take a photo with me included in the shot. At this point my niece was in awe of him. She just couldn’t believe how genuine he was. Later we found out that we would be on the same flight heading back to Toronto. On the flight filled with Easterners, Pinball starts from the back and works his way to the front of the plane while talking to all the fans in each row. The real story here—and the one that my niece still holds close to her heart—happened after we retrieved our luggage. Our car was parked across the street in the airport parking lot and my niece and I each had two bags. The shocker here for my niece? Doesn’t Pinball come from behind and take her luggage and carry it across the street to my car, and actually puts her luggage into my car. The smile on my niece’s face was priceless. She had a tear in her eye when he left us. In the car she kept saying, “He is so nice. Oh my God. How many people would do that, and how many football people would do that for you?” The next year, the Argos played the Ticats at Ivor Wynne Stadium and of course my niece wanted to come to that game to see Pinball. We entered the stadium about an hour and a half before kickoff and we head up the few steps behind the Argos’ dugout. A few minutes later Pinball comes our way without us saying anything and he remembers my niece and they have a few words together. That is class. That is someone who has taken the best the game has given him and has not let notoriety get the best of him. continued

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In 2001 at the Grey Cup in Montreal, I brought my niece to see Pinball speak at a Grey Cup breakfast about the lessons he learned in life from God. His charisma not only kept her focused on his words and teachings, but it did the same for me. The public speaking brilliance that he has is second to none. He spoke about how difficult it was to grow up being a short kid and all the obstacles he faced, and how he came to be what he is today. It was yet another example of what a child loves to hear. A year after that, in 2002 when Toronto played Hamilton at the University of Western Ontario in an exhibition game, we saw Pinball interacting with the fans prior to game time and as we approached him to say hello, he beat us to it. Now this probably isn’t a big thing in the entire scope of things, but the class, the genuine caring, the respect and the total personna of Pinball was enough to magnetize this child to him. She now has pictures of him in her bedroom, and over the years she has even brought up these instances in conversations between the two of us. That just proves how one person did a minor thing or two in the grand scheme of things, yet is still major and long-lasting in the mind of one child. Enzo Spadafora

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3 College and the NFL

The College of William and Mary is the second-oldest academic institution in the U.S., after Harvard. It was established in 1693 and is part of the circle of elite schools often known as the Ivy League of the South. The college, which has a student enrollment of some 4,000, is the hub of the community of Williamsburg and its population of 12,000. The football team is known as the Tribe. Little did anyone know how much of an impact Clemons would make on the Tribe and the community, both as an athlete and as a hero of the little people—literally. When Clemons reported for training camp, the team assigned him to room with another running back, Merritt (Dirk) Gibson, who had come from New Jersey. Like Clemons, he had a strong religious background and together they read scriptures at night and joined other players in Bible

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study meetings. Gibson and Clemons initially were homesick and helped each other through that time. Gibson recalled that a relative had warned him of the possibility of rivalry between roommates or friends who were competing for the same position on the team. But in his relationship with Clemons, even though both were running backs, they fed off of each other’s energy and “pumped each other up.” Gibson, who was taller and heavier than Clemons, saw the talent and potential in the small running back. Clemons had what Gibson described as “cat-quick” feet. Gibson had to sit out the entire first year after he suffered a concussion in pre-season, but could still practise with the team and maintain his scholarship and standing. Clemons made the squad, but not as an every-down player. He played in some situations to utilize his strengths catching the ball or to return kicks. In eight games, he had 26 carries—two of them touchdowns—for 135 yards, 13 catches for 105 yards, and three kickoff returns for 51 yards. The team voted him Rookie of the Year. He scored his first touchdown early in the season on a run against North Carolina on a series in which he had been dazed by a tackle. That first season he made a big impression on the coaching staff, his teammates, and just about everyone because of his easygoing personality and humility. He had a constant smile and always words of praise for his teammates. “He was the type of person you wanted to be around and liked to be with,” head coach Jimmye Laycock said. “Even when he messed up, it was hard to get mad at Michael because he just had that way about him and look

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about him and the way he would talk about things and just go on from there.” ***** When Clemons returned home in the off-season, he began interning at Honeywell in the aerospace division. His mother had a colleague at work, whose husband, Bill Ely, worked at Honeywell and helped in the hiring. Clemons’s job, which paid well and consisted of shipping and receiving, had the makings of something that could develop into a more meaningful position in future years, particularly because he had the aptitude and desire and never entertained the possibility of playing professional football because of his size. Around this time, he met his future wife, Diane Lee, through one of her friends, Kim Mason. Unlike the man she would marry, Diane came from a large family of six boys and two girls, but she shared a similar commitment to the church, much of it influenced by her mother. Diane’s father, Wilton, worked two jobs, one in maintenance for a local hospital and the other as a cook at a restaurant. Her mother, Ella, worked for a while as a nurse. A week after their initial introduction, Michael and Diane met one another at a dance. Kim Mason told Diane, who had never dated, that she and Michael would make the perfect couple (they were a year apart in age). As fate would have it, Michael’s friend Fred Dixon happened to be giving Diane tennis lessons. When Michael told Fred he was interested in Diane, Fred told him to drop by Diane’s next lesson. Michael made sure he showed up even though he wasn’t much of a tennis player. After the lesson, they went for something to

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eat, but she warned him she had to be home by a certain time because her parents had strict rules. Diane, who worked and had her own car, drove Michael home. He kissed her on the cheek and simply wished her “Good night.” “I sat there and I was like, ‘Oh my God, he’s the best, he’s the one,’” she recalled. “It was crazy, but from that minute I knew he was the one. It was like, ‘There’s something special about that guy.’ How did I know? I just kind of knew.” They started seeing one another daily after that. They were both devout Christians—she a Seventh-day Adventist who sang in church—and their faith became a strong part of their relationship. “Absolutely,” Diane said. “That was most important for both of us, I think, at first. I know it was important for me because of the way I was raised. I knew I wanted to find somebody who had the same beliefs as I did and respected me for who I was and didn’t want me to change for them or anything like that, and that was Mike.” Clemons had to return to school, but the absence from his girlfriend had no bearing on the permanence of the relationship. It had already been sealed with that first kiss. Emotionally and spiritually they were soulmates. ***** In Clemons’s second season, he and Gibson and two other teammates moved off campus into a two-bedroom apartment. As their friendship grew, Clemons opened up to Gibson about his relationship with his mother and half-sister. “It was easy to see how tight he and his mother were and how much he was like a father figure to his little sister,” Gibson

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recalled. But Clemons didn’t have much to say about the relationship with his father and stepfather. Gibson and Clemons were slated to split playing time, but that never really happened. Clemons developed ankle sprains that second season and no amount of time or therapy could end the problem, which limited his production and ended up giving Gibson more playing time. In eight games, Clemons had 56 carries—one for a touchdown—for 168 yards, 16 catches for 126 yards, and three kickoff returns for 30 yards. There was no telling what he would—or could—do if healthy. Off the field, Clemons started to involve himself more in the community, including becoming a Big Brother, in a charity that would become a significant part of his life in future years. “It was a nightmare of a year injury-wise, but I grew a lot personally, doing some different things in the community,” Clemons said. “I don’t know why I got asked to do things and go places, but one of the classes Dirk and I did (had to do with adult education), so we helped adults to learn to read.” But Clemons had a punctuality problem, a curious personality trait that became obvious to Gibson, who routinely watched his roommate dilly-dally, oblivious to the clock and being on time. “He didn’t rush for anything except yards on the football field,” Gibson said with a laugh. “Punching the time clock for him might have been a tough thing to do. He was always running around. If class started at nine, he was probably coming out of bed about five to nine to get into the car to drive to school.” Gibson thought it had to do with Clemons’s huge clothing collection. His mother stressed the importance in life of proper attire.

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“He had more clothes than some clothing stores,” Gibson said. “Socially, he was never ready because he had so much stuff he had to go through. The rest of us were jeans and T-shirt type of people. He had everything—leather pants, all types of blazers. Being on time was not the most important thing.” ***** Clemons returned home again in the spring when school ended and continued working at Honeywell and furthering his relationship with Diane, who had plans to take business courses at the Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists (now Southern Adventist University) in Chattanooga, Tennessee in the fall. His life on and off the field was about to change significantly because of adjustments in the overall coaching staff at William and Mary. The coach of the pass receivers, Mike Faragalli, who would resurface in Clemons’s career in a major way 10 years later, left to join the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. Derwyn Cox joined the Tribe as the running backs’ coach, the only black man on the staff and only the second one in the history of the football program. Cox had grown up in Williamsburg and played college football at Virginia State University and later became a head coach at West Point High School in Virginia. He provided Clemons with a variety of things he could draw from, both by helping him as a football player and by becoming someone in whom Clemons could confide. In fact, it became a two-way relationship from which both could learn and grow. “I think we both took care of each other,” Cox said. “I think Mike was glad to have me, as a minority, as his offensive

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backfield coach. I think that was something he was hoping he could identify with—that we would have maybe the same type of background with both of us being black. I don’t think he had a coach that he thought could understand him as a person and I thought he looked forward to having me as a coach once he got to know me.” “I latched onto him because of his personality,” Clemons said. “He was helping me and I was helping him, I felt, during that period. I was helping him to learn the offence, and he was giving me some insight into some things I didn’t have insight to (in life).” Heading into Clemons’s third season, Laycock re-designed the offence, patterning it after Joe Gibbs’s Washington Redskins. Laycock decided to make the change after Gibson’s knee injury during spring training left the team short of explosive running backs. Laycock spent time with the Redskins to fully understand the nuances and wrinkles of the offence, which removed the fullback most teams used to provide lead blocking for the feature running back. Replacing the fullback with a receiver maximized the passing game by spreading people out and creating spaces and lanes that required the defence to expand its coverage. But a key part of the offence became the usage of Clemons and his ability to play full-time without the nagging ankle injuries that limited his production the year before. “Michael was the only (running) back we really had and we wanted to find good ways to utilize him,” Laycock said. “We borrowed some ideas from the Redskins and they really were effective.” Clemons showed the kind of moves in the new offence that in future years earned him the nickname Pinball. With his agility, he could make opponents miss in open space.

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“Mike would sometimes get hit five or six times on one running play and continue running,” Laycock remembered. Because the revamped offence was so wide-open and because of Clemons’s size, defences had no hesitation about sending bigger players to try to run over the little running back to get to the quarterback. But he faced defenders fearlessly and proved to be an effective blocker, which was unusual for someone of his size yet spoke volumes of his heart. “As they would come, he would dip his shoulder, stand up, and then flip them over,” Gibson recalled. “He used what he had and made it work.” “Michael knew the offence and where the blitzes or pressure was coming from,” Cox added. “Being a survivor, he used his own technique to make sure he didn’t get hurt, but he’d still get the job done.” On those occasions when Cox sensed Clemons needed a play or two off to prevent him from physically wearing down, he substituted him with another player. “One of the things he told me I did for him was keep him healthy,” Cox said. “He could come to me and tell me he was hurting and I could relay that information in a way so that it didn’t look like Mike was trying to take some practice time off.” With an offence that suited his style and a position coach who understood him, Clemons had a breakout season. By season’s end, he rushed the ball 179 times for 714 yards and caught a team record of 70 passes for 657 yards. He also returned 20 kickoffs for 509 yards and one touchdown. In all, he had 11 touchdowns. His production earned him recognition as an Eastern Collegiate Athletic Association All-Star. *****

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Between Clemons’s junior and senior seasons, the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League placed his name on their negotiation list. Every CFL team has a list of players they are interested in; they are usually still in college or under contract to an NFL team. In many ways the negotiation list is a futures list, which allows teams to tie up a player’s rights if he ever comes to the CFL. The Stamps had beaten the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to the punch, much to the chagrin of Mike Faragalli, who was familiar with Clemons’s talents at William and Mary. He had tried his hardest to persuade the Tiger-Cats to put Clemons’s name on the team’s negotiation list, but the Stamps acted more quickly. In Clemons’s final season at William and Mary, the coaching staff made him one of the captains of the team and increased his duties by allowing him to return punts, convinced he could handle the added physical toll. Some teams don’t want their starting players doing return work for fear it will wear them down and limit their primary productivity, whether on offence or defence. Clemons returned 20 punts and had an average of more than 25 yards. To put that in perspective, on average he advanced the ball one-quarter of a U.S. regulation-sized field every time he returned a punt. That’s an excellent average— about double what would be considered the norm. In football, the shorter the field the offence requires to start its possession, the less the amount of ground it will have to cover to make it into the opposing team’s end zone. On average, Clemons allowed the offence to commence its possessions with great field position. Overall, he also had 1,118 rushing yards from 232 carries, 505 receiving yards from 73 catches—breaking his

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own mark—and 423 kickoff yards from 17 returns. He finished with the sixth-highest single-season all-purpose yardage total in the history of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Laycock admitted that he had never seen a player as small as Clemons, but the success William and Mary had with him encouraged the school to look at more small players during its recruiting process. “He really set the precedent here for us, because after that we had a lot of success with undersized running backs,” Laycock said. “I kid people that after Clemons we made sure that we got tape and looked at every small running back in the nation. It opened our eyes as coaches.” The school honoured Clemons during his final season with a Michael Clemons Day which produced a huge turnout. T-shirts with Clemons’s jersey number were produced and given out to kids, and Clemons signed autographs. He had become a star not only because of his athletic accomplishments—receiving Virginia’s major college offensive player of the year award after his final season—but also for reaching out into the community. Cox said Clemons became a “pied piper,” as little kids gravitated to him because he was “this little guy playing with these big guys.” “A lot of kids gravitated to me for some reason. I think it was my size,” Clemons said with a laugh. “I’m just not very intimidating. There were just quite a few kids that I knew by name and when I’d see them, I’d try to give them a ride to where they were going—just try to encourage them to get their school work done and those kinds of things.” *****

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With the football season over in the fall, Clemons faced the very real possibility that his career had come to an end. His amazing performance at William and Mary notwithstanding, the National Football League did not fancy undersized players. And while the Canadian Football League took a more open-minded approach to smaller players, the Calgary Stampeders, which had him on their negotiation list, had not given him or his agent any assurances they would be offering him a contract to attend training camp the following June. But in late January the NFL entered the picture when he received an invitation to the Scouting Combine. The Combine is an evaluation camp for the 20 or so toprated graduating college players in various positions. The players are flown to Indianapolis to be tested physically and mentally under the watchful gaze of all the teams. Players are tested for speed, strength, and agility, and undergo the Wunderlic intelligence test. In the game of football, where understanding and processing information in quick intervals is paramount, teams are interested in the mental aptitude of players they may potentially select in the National Football League draft in April. Depending on what happens in the two days of testing at the Combine, a player’s stock can rise or fall heading into the draft. The most important indicator of all the tests—certainly for a ball carrier—is the 40-yard dash, which determines straight-ahead speed. Despite a knee sprain suffered in his final game and not having run since the end of the season, Clemons recorded a time of 4.55 seconds in the “40.” While the time had been a tenth of a second or so slower than his best, he did well enough to keep NFL teams interested. To put it into perspective, it’s considered optimal if a running back

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can do the “40” in the range of 4.3–4.55 seconds. Clemons handled the running and receiving drills with ease, demonstrating his skills but still knowing he had the size issue. “I just felt I was a little guy from a small school. I think part of it was a defence mechanism,” he said. “Part of it was shielding myself from rejection, being quite honest, just sort of saying, ‘If I don’t get drafted, it’s no big deal. If I don’t go to a camp, it’s no big deal.’” Clemons returned to school to complete his studies. By reducing his workload in the first semester, taking four courses instead of five and then dropping out of one, he had fallen behind the schedule that would have had him graduating in four years. He majored in economics and minored in sociology, but would need to extend his schooling beyond the four-year scholarship if he wanted to graduate. Clemons’s agent scanned the interest of the National Football League and determined that his client might be drafted—that he had done so well in the Combine that a team might be willing to take him, regardless of his size, and perhaps use him as a kick- or punt-return specialist. His mother had her concerns about the National Football League and how it would affect her son’s ability to complete his education. In some cases, the last thing a player cares about after he is drafted is whether he completes his degree. “I felt as though if he was drafted, he would go off to play ball and that he would never complete his education, and that was something that we really talked about and felt was very, very important,” she said. “He said to me, ‘Mom, whatever I do, I promise you that I will get my degree. As soon as the season is over, if I’m picked up by anyone, I will be back in school.’”

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In the eighth of the scheduled 12 rounds of the 1987 NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Clemons, who was playing touch football with some friends at school at the time. When he heard that he’d been selected, Clemons announced the news to his friends. They opened up a case of beer to celebrate and he joined them. He was 22 years old and it was the first time in his life he drank alcohol. Clemons called his mother with the news that he’d been drafted. While she shared in his joy, realizing he had accomplished another milestone in his life, she remained concerned that he complete his education so he’d have something to fall back on once he’d finished his career in sports. The Chiefs had made a precedent of selecting small-sized running backs. In 1967, they had drafted Noland Smith in the sixth round out of Tennessee A&I. He became known as Super Gnat because he was only 5 feet, 5 inches and 154 pounds. But Smith developed into an excellent return specialist, running back a kickoff in his rookie year for 106 yards—a league record that he shared with two others—and receiving All-Pro honours, the equivalent of a league all-star honour at his position. Whether or not Clemons could duplicate Smith’s skills, the Chiefs decided to take a chance. “I thought Clemons was a special athlete,” recalled the team’s head coach at the time, Frank Ganz. “He was very quick, tenacious. I thought he would be a great return man. He just played with tremendous energy—just a great guy, somebody we’d like on the ball club; somebody I thought could make the team better. The size wasn’t much of a factor. We thought if he was a player, he was a player.” The Chiefs paid Clemons a salary of $78,500, including a signing bonus of $18,500. While a first-round pick at that

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time would have likely received a contract that paid more than $1 million a season, including a significant six-figure signing bonus, a player’s financial worth decreases with each descending round in the draft. But for Clemons, who never thought he’d be drafted because of his size, the money further added to his latest accomplishment in life. He used the signing bonus money to help his mother pay off some debts and to buy himself a car. ***** Among the players he met in his first professional training camp was running back/return specialist Paul Palmer, whom the Chiefs selected in the first round of the ’87 draft out of Temple University in Pennsylvania. Palmer’s college team had played against Clemons’s and they developed a relationship because of the similarities in their positions and size. Palmer was not a whole lot bigger than Clemons, standing 5 feet, 9 inches and weighing 186 pounds. It is not uncommon for smaller-sized players to gravitate to one another because they understand the inherent prejudices directed toward them by the people who make personnel decisions. “A lot of times people associated with football get too caught up in inches and pounds and that whole thing, but people like Mike and I have no problem with our size because this is the way we are; this is all we know,” Palmer said. Clemons impressed the team in training camp and in the first two pre-season games, but then an ankle injury set him back and limited what he could do in the remainder of the preseason schedule. It is not uncommon for running backs to develop ankle injuries because of the torque of turning so

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quickly, combined with synthetic surfaces with little give. However, the team liked his production, so he made it past the last round of player cuts and earned a spot on the final roster. “Mike was pretty deceptive in a lot of ways,” Palmer recalled. “We would go up against defensive backs in practice and I don’t think there was anyone who had a chance to really cover him. Within a small space, Mike was quick enough to elude you. He may have not had the speed to outrun you in the end and once you got behind him you may very well have had the advantage speed-wise, but face-toface they could barely touch him.” In the opening game he returned some punts and carried the ball in a few plays as a running back. But fate intervened before he had a chance to play a second game. The NFL players went on strike. The strike lasted four weeks and resulted in replacement players taking the jobs of the regular players. The season became a write-off for the Chiefs, who finished with a 4–12 record. Clemons dressed in only eight games and missed the final three games because of a deep thigh bruise incurred while blocking in practice. A rib problem also bothered him. Overall, Clemons had unimpressive statistics that season. He had 19 punt returns for 162 yards, most of which came in a game against Green Bay in which he totalled 79 yards on six returns, including a 44-yarder. His season totals also included one kickoff for 3 yards and two carries as a running back for 7 yards. In retrospect, he had plateaued two months into the season and everything plummeted after that. But he drew the admiration of his teammates because of his endearing personality and his calming influence on the field.

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“If things weren’t working out for you, Mike might talk to you just try to settle you down, or if he saw you doing something that maybe you might want to do differently, he would talk to you and kind of put a bug in your ear,” Palmer said. Clemons never really had a chance to fully show what he could do. He would have to wait until the next season to make his mark. ***** Keeping the promise he made to his mother, Clemons returned to William and Mary after his rookie season with the Chiefs to continue his education. He lived for six weeks or so with Derwyn Cox and his family and impressed them by how little he had changed after his NFL debut. Clemons became like a member of the family, spending almost all of his free time with them, even teaching Cox’s five-year-old son to ride a bike. A lot of players who go to the NFL and make some quick money get swelled egos and their personalities change, but not Clemons. “I think he was more low-key than he was before,” Cox said. “He was content just sitting at home watching TV with my kids at night, or in getting up and eating breakfast and just hanging out with them for the day.” ***** Clemons realized how fragile and temporary a football career can be when, in 1988, he returned to the Chiefs, who had changed the personnel set-up in their operation. He was told the day before training camp that he no longer fit into

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their plans. According to Frank Ganz, the Chiefs liked Clemons as a player they had drafted and invested time and money in, and felt that had he been able to play more in his rookie season they might have kept him a second season. But there was a feeling that Clemons would not hold up to the physical side of the game because of his size. Greg Mohns, the Chief’s, director of scouting at the time, and who later in life worked for Clemons, offered a different perspective. He thought Clemons became a victim of a change in the structure of the football operations after the team drafted him. “We drafted him as a return specialist, more than a running back,” Mohns recalled. “They tried to expand his role and they put him in situations where it was going to be hard for him to succeed. The people making the decisions lost sight … of the real reason why we brought him in.” As a return specialist, Clemons would only be involved in a limited number of plays per game, which would preserve his energy and effectiveness. He could come into a game fresh without being worn down from playing in an offensive series. While every player wants to be a starter on either offence or defence, teams prefer to limit the roles of their kick- and/or punt-return specialists, particularly if there is a concern about size and ability to hold up against physical wear and tear. “As an every-down player or even one involved (in) playing a limited number of series on offence, he faced the risk of an injury,” Mohns explained. As Clemons reflected on his Kansas City experience, he surmised that his injuries and his size combined to raise doubts about his physical ability in the minds of the Chiefs.

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“As a guy my size, you can’t show that kind of vulnerability,” he said. “When you’re a little guy, it’s hard to get those second and third chances. I believe they felt I was talented enough to play. I didn’t think they thought my body could hold up.” ***** Following his release from Kansas City, Clemons drove back home, uncertain about his football future. Then, fate seemed to step in. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had the worst record overall the year before, had first crack at claiming players on waivers. This process allows one team to take another team’s discards, and the Buccaneers claimed Clemons. The Bucs played their home games close to where Clemons grew up, so it was a homecoming of sorts. But it was to be a short homecoming. After one preseason game, the team cut him. Just like that, Clemons’s pro career appeared to be over. But he was not despondent or bitter. Looking back to his start in high school, he had never expected to play college football. And when that opportunity arose, he didn’t expect to play professional football. Then that happened, too. It may have lasted only a year, but he had accomplished more than he ever expected, given that he was deemed too small as far back as youth football. He returned to his intern job at Honeywell for the fall and became the youth director of his church, chauffeuring youth in a big, old, yellow bus. In the following year he returned to William and Mary to finally complete his education. During his time there he had a part-time job as a

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coaching assistant with the football team. Then, in the spring of 1989, Clemons’s agent informed him he’d been contacted by the Calgary Stampeders, who had placed Clemons on their negotiation list three years before and were prepared to offer a contract. This coincided with plans the management at Honeywell had to invest in him as an employee by sending him to school to pay for his Master of Business Administration. There had been a perception among some football people that even though Clemons had a limited stay in the NFL, he had a future in the CFL, which wouldn’t have as much of an issue with his size. People who had seen Clemons play figured he had the physical attributes and skills to succeed in the Canadian game because of the wider field, which allowed players that extra space to make plays. Mike Faragalli, Clemons’s one-time coach at William and Mary and, by this time, an assistant coach with the Edmonton Eskimos, said Clemons didn’t have blazing speed, but had quickness. “I knew he was not going to get a shot in the NFL. Running backs at that size don’t play in the NFL,” Faragalli said. “He had great hands, but naturally I thought right away he’d be a guy that the CFL could sign out of college; that he wouldn’t be a draft choice and make all the money down there and end up staying there for any length of time.” Clemons decided to give football one last try, and with the permission of the company, which liked his potential, put the Honeywell plans to the side. The Calgary situation dragged on for three months without any contract or commitment, and then the team decided it had other priorities and removed his name from its negotiation list in June once training camp began. A day later, the Toronto Argonauts put

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Clemons on their negotiation list. Ralph Sazio, the team’s president and an alumnus of William and Mary, phoned Clemons to see if he still wanted to play football. Clemons had his bags already packed and laid out on the living room floor, thinking he was headed for Calgary, but now the plan had changed. He told Sazio he didn’t know what he wanted to do. He’d just been released from Calgary without even getting a chance to prove himself and he had memories of what happened in Kansas City in his second year with the team. It was 11 a.m. and the Argos wanted him on a plane in four hours. He called his mother to seek her assistance and she encouraged him to follow his heart. He called Sazio back and agreed to go. What Clemons couldn’t have known then was how the Argos, the Canadian Football League, Toronto, and Canada would combine to forever change his life.

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Mike has always been the type of person—on and off the field – whom I wanted my kids to identify with and look up to. My second son’s name is Michael and he was a big fan! He also was a super hockey player— mostly because of his skating ability and style. His nickname as a player from the time he was seven was Pinball. He even was able to have that as the name on his hockey sweater on a couple of teams. One spring I took Michael out of school and we drove out to the Argos’ spring training facility at Guelph University. At the end of practice Mike went out of his way to come over and say hi just to us and he was thrilled to see Pinball on the back of Michael’s hockey sweater. He then let me get a picture of him hugging my son. It was like he had all the time in the world and we were the most important people in the world. How bout that: Michael/Michael; skating style/running style; Pinball/Pinball. Rick Burrows

This is about a letter I sent to Pinball Clemons and a followup to it. I have a six-year-old son, Brandon, and I thought he would enjoy seeing the Argos up close at a practice. My neighbour, who has been an Argos season-ticket holder for the past eight years, along with his two young kids came with Brandon and myself to the practice. We watched the last 45 minutes of the practice and then were absolutely stunned to see all of the players line up and shake the hands of the thirty or so fans who had come out to watch. This was totally unexpected, but what a great surprise! Pinball took the time to sign Brandon’s book, have a photo with my son and thank us for coming out to the practice. There was another young man at the practice who had drawn a caricature of Pinball, which he presented to him. Pinball’s response to him was so impressive, I still think about it occasionally. As a result of our experience, we went down to the last regular-season game and the Eastern semi-final. For Christmas we were given season’s tickets for the upcoming season. As a followup to this, my family and I were sitting down to watch a movie on a Saturday night in April. We had just sat down when the phone rang and I happened to pick it up. The caller asked to speak to Derek Logan. “This is him speaking,” I said. It was Pinball on the other end, calling me to thank me for the letter. Unbeknownst to Pinball, my daughter had just come home from Sick Kids Hospital the previous day after spending three weeks there, so as you can imagine his call couldn’t have been more timely or more uplifting. He said the letter made him feel like a “proud parent.” I was so stunned that Pinball was calling us at our home, that I rambled for a few minutes and then I asked if Pinball would take the time to speak to

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Brandon. My wife, Heather, not the biggest supporter of professional athletes, was amazed and now realizes what a fantastic person Pinball is. Brandon was thrilled that Pinball would call and speak to him. I think he told every relative who came near our place over the next week that “Pinball called me at home!” At the end of Brandon’s conversation, I came back on the line. Pinball thanked me again for the letter, thanked me for being a new season-ticket subscriber and told me that the next time Brandon and I came down to a practice at Erindale to please take the time to introduce Brandon to him again. I’ve always been a fan of Pinball’s, but as you can imagine, my two “encounters” with him have made me an even more staunch supporter of him and his players. Derek Logan

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4 The Making of Pinball

The Toronto Argonauts are North America’s oldest professional sports franchise, dating back to 1873. According to historian Craig Wallace, the Argonaut Rowing Club decided its members needed an alternative form of athletic exercise when weather conditions made it impossible to go in the water, and so they began playing rugby—some rules of which would later be adopted as the forerunner of the Canadian Football League. The “Argos” adopted the Double Blue colours of England’s Oxford and Cambridge universities. Alternately known as the Boatmen, Scullers, or simply the Double Blue, the Argos became a part of the Canadian football fabric, which included an annual national amateur championship. The winner received the Grey Cup, a trophy first awarded by Lord Grey, the governor general of Canada, in 1908. The Argos consistently

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recruited prominent players who had either come out of the National Football League or outstanding U.S. colleges with big reputations. Some of these players eventually became stars, while others flickered like the proverbial flame. Time would tell whether Michael Clemons would become one or the other. ***** Clemons arrived at Toronto’s airport bewildered by signs in English and French, the many different people and languages, and the general hustle and bustle. It was like no city he had ever seen. He was a stranger in a strange land. “It was chaos when I arrived,” he recalled. “There were people from everywhere. People speaking Chinese, Japanese, East Indian, Italian, French. English seemed like the fifth language. It was a sort of sensory overload. It was just really, really different.” He was wondering whether he had made the right decision, giving up a career opportunity with Honeywell for a chance to play football in a foreign country with foreign rules. He was completely confused by it all. He spotted a sign welcoming visitors to Canada in French and English and stood in line. After passing through customs, he was greeted by one of the Argonauts staff who was holding up a sign with his name on it. The team representative looked stunned on seeing the size of the newest Argos recruit. Clemons recalled, “He was looking at me like, ‘Who is this midget? Who is this little guy? Who in the world did we come to pick up? He must be able to run. He better be able to run.’”

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The Argos already had an established running back in Gill (the Thrill) Fenerty, but needed a return specialist, regardless of size, to replace Pernell (Sweet P.) Moore, who had an injury. Head coach Bob O’Billovich, who had been with the team since 1982 and had a good handle on personnel, hadn’t been too concerned with the size issue. He had played professional football himself, and wasn’t much taller than Clemons. “I had gotten reports from friends of mine in Kansas City,” O’Billovich recalled. “I was well aware of Michael, and then when I talked to Ralph Sazio about it, it kind of brought up the fact that he had seen him when he was (in college).” Equipment manager Danny Webb, who had been with the team since 1985, had seen Argos players of all shapes and sizes come and go. Some had big reputations and even bigger egos but failed to last the test of time because they did not measure up to expectations either physically or mentally. Now he was seeing Clemons for the first time, and not only would he be the smallest player in the Argos’ training camp, he would be one of the smallest football players Webb had ever seen. “I thought as a running back this guy may get killed up here,” Webb recalled. But Clemons’s ability to bounce off players established him as a special player independent of his size, and he displayed this quality during a goal-line drill in which he ran directly into a wall of defenders. “As soon as somebody hit him, he would bounce off them and go in another direction,” O’Billovich remembered. “Somebody else would hit him and knock him back another way. But he was always recoiling and bouncing off them.”

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It reminded O’Billovich of a pinball machine when the ball is bouncing around, and he made that analogy when talking to the media. Suddenly, Michael Clemons was becoming known as Pinball. In years to come the name would be famous in Toronto and, to an even greater extent, in Canada. The irony is that he had grown up giving people nicknames as a term of endearment, but no one had ever given him one. As part of the rituals common with most football teams during dinner at training camp, rookies were required to stand up and sing upon command by the veterans. Some picked their alma mater’s song, but Clemons chose something sung in church. That helped cement a spiritual bond with many of his teammates, in particular receiver Darrell K. Smith, defensive backs Carl Brazley and Doran Major, and cornerback Reggie Pleasant. They took a liking to the pintsized player, both as a person and as a teammate. “I think that one of the things that right away endeared Pinball to people is you could sense there was a real good quality about him,” Brazley recalled. “He was a good guy, a fun-loving guy, a humble guy. When you see people like that you realize that there’s just something a little special about them.” But Clemons’s sparkling debut early in training camp literally came to a stop because of a hamstring injury, forcing him to the sidelines and into the training room for therapy. During one of these sessions he met veteran offensive lineman Chris Schultz, a towering physical specimen with an intense demeanour that could be as intimidating as his size. Schultz didn’t quite know what to make of his new teammate, in particular his easygoing personality. When Clemons introduced himself to Schultz, the big right tackle looked

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him straight in the eye, swore at him, and told him to get lost. He thought Clemons was trying to get on his good side and sensed he wasn’t being genuine. Shortly after Clemons resumed practising, he re-injured his hamstring, a muscle that can become aggravated by too much physical exertion and an insufficient amount of training. The best form of healing is rest and physical therapy. Clemons’s injury kept him out of the two pre-season games, but he had shown enough ability to earn a longer stay with the team. It meant, however, that he would be demoted to the practice roster, which is a developmental squad for players who aren’t on the regular roster and pays a nominal weekly stipend of $500 plus living expenses. Regardless of the contract that has been established between the team and the player, the terms and financial conditions no longer apply. In football, unlike most sports, the contracts are not guaranteed and can be amended or voided, and a new contract established. In some cases, players will decide that the practice-roster pay is insufficient or that being assigned to the practice roster is a blow to their ego, and will ask to be released to pursue employment with another team. Clemons figured he had literally and figuratively come that far and decided to accept the practice roster spot and hope to work his way into the game-day lineup, in which case a new contract would be established. The fact that the club kept him around rather than just release him, which is not uncommon for first-year players who haven’t established themselves, signalled the Argos’ optimism about Clemons. He had a couple of things in his favour: his talent and the fact that the club had followed his progress for several years. Sazio first spotted him years before

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while at William and Mary, and Sazio’s brother, Gerry, a scout with the Argos and also a William and Mary alumnus, had tracked the young player as well. Scouts are known for cataloguing information about players, knowing that at any time they can be called upon to make a recommendation. It is a lot like following the stock market and making a quick evaluation and decision when an opportunity arises. “We felt he would be the ideal player for Canadian football,” Sazio said. “He could run; he had a lot of moves. I saw him as an every-down player and a returner because of the field. I thought this guy was suited for the Canadian game. The field is wider and longer in Canada. He was a crafty guy. I thought the game was more suited to him.” ***** When the Argos broke training camp in Guelph, about an hour’s drive northwest of Toronto, Clemons needed a place to stay. Sazio called Mickey and Chuck Crow—affectionately known as Mom and Pop—who lived across the street from Exhibition Stadium, where the team had played its home games for almost 30 years. The year that Clemons arrived coincided with the team’s move into the newly opened SkyDome (now the Rogers Centre), which featured a retractable roof and seating for more than 50,000, less than a mile away from Exhibition Stadium. The Crows had provided lodging for Argos players and coaches since the early 1970s in their home, which became known as the Crows Nest. Clemons took up residence in the Crows Nest. It became a stay that lasted more than four years—longer than any other player the Crows had taken in—because of the comfort level

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he found living there. During that time Clemons’s mother and other relatives, as well as Diane, visited him there. Then, for more than a year after they married, Michael and Diane lived in the Crows Nest. Clemons accepted the strict rules laid down by the Crows: no female companions (unless the couple was married), no smoking upstairs, no drinking, and no lip. Anyone caught breaking the rules—and some who boarded with the Crows over the years did just that—had to leave promptly. Mom and Pop Crow had their own family, but also considered the players their children. In turn, the players found comfort living there, often staying at home in the evening to watch television, or sometimes going with Mom Crow to the mall or to the grocery store. The Crows opened their home and their hearts to Clemons. When Clemons arrived at the Crows Nest, Mickey Crow suggested he explore the city and gave him directions how to take the streetcar to downtown Toronto. He passed landmarks such as the Royal Alexandra Theatre and Roy Thomson Hall, the CN Tower and the SkyDome. He found his way to the Eaton Centre, the massive shopping mall in the middle of Toronto, and stopped off at a phone booth to call his mother and tell her about Toronto. In a word, he was overwhelmed. That initial introduction and what he experienced in the next couple of weeks convinced him he could live in Toronto; that Toronto was a special place. ***** At the Crows Nest, Clemons’s roommate was Jeff Boyd, a receiver in his second season with the Argos and seventh overall

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in the CFL. The two became close friends, almost like brothers. They spent hours talking about life and reading from the Bible. Mom Crow came to know Clemons as quiet and reserved, and he endeared himself immediately with his personality and respect for others. Pop Crow, who was 6 feet 2 inches, called Clemons his “dear little son.” As Clemons developed as a player and became active in community events and causes, Mom Crow became somewhat of an executive secretary, keeping under control his habit of being late and making sure he arrived on time for personal appearances. “If he had an appointment to speak at eight o’clock at night, I told him he had to be there for seven, and he’d arrive there early and would say, ‘Mom, you did it again. I was there early.’” Over the course of Clemons’s stay, he impressed the Crows with his leadership abilities. Mom Crow recalled her husband remarking, “Michael, for the size of you, you seem to be the leader of the bunch.” “It was embedded right in Mike,” Mom Crow remarked. “He just took care of everybody.” Clemons became very close to the Crows. When Chuck Crow passed away in 1991, Michael gave the eulogy and Diane sang “Amazing Grace.” When Michael and Diane celebrated the birth of their first child in 1994 and needed a Canadian citizen to sign the birth papers because they were landed immigrants, they asked Mom Crow. ***** Clemons spent time healing from his hamstring injury and preparing himself mentally and physically in case the team

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needed to insert him into the starting lineup. Sometimes players on practice rosters can go through an entire season without getting a chance to play—like understudies who learn the lines or routines but can only watch from the wings. For Clemons the opportunity happened rather quickly. Heading into the third game of the season, the team promoted him from the practice roster to the active roster—and he had his contract adjusted, albeit for slightly less than the league’s average of about $58,000—to make his Argos debut as the “designated import.” Unlike the National Football League, which makes no distinctions about nationality, the CFL is composed of an almost even split of American players (imports) and Canadian players (non-imports). Because of the collective bargaining agreement between the players’ association and the owners, there are provisions to maintain Canadian content, in particular a quota of starting non-imports, thereby preserving the identity and fabric of the league. Back in 1989, each team could classify one of the Americans as a designated import, which only allowed that individual to play in a starting role on offence or defence if he replaced another import. Most teams employed the designated import for punt-/kick-return purposes, but the individual learned a position on offence or defence should he be required to replace a starter at any point during the game. Clemons apprenticed as the backup to Gill Fenerty. Clemons’s debut came at the SkyDome against the visiting Edmonton Eskimos, whose coaching staff included Mike Faragalli, the one-time assistant coach at William and Mary in Clemons’ first two years there. Clemons ran the opening kickoff back some 45 yards, but then lost control of the ball after

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a bone-jarring tackle by Jeff Braswell. Argos offensive lineman Chris Schultz recalled that Clemons was hit so hard you could hear a popping sound. It was so loud that everybody turned around, and it looked as if Clemons was really hurt. “His eyes were in the back of his head and he just gets up and shakes it off,” Schultz said. “He had a good toughness about him.” Had Clemons crumbled to the turf and lay down like a wounded warrior, it could have sent the wrong message to his teammates and, more significantly, to the coaching staff and management. It is one thing to make a mistake and fumble; it is quite another to physically show weakness, particularly if you are a smaller player who is already fighting to prove you can stand up to the physical punishment. This would be a defining moment in Clemons establishing his courage. As Clemons returned dejectedly to the sidelines, some of the veterans who were part of the kickoff coverage walked over to him to pick up his spirits. They believed in his ability—even if there might have been some initial concern among the coaching staff about his toughness—and they promised to do everything possible to spring him loose on his next return. He bounced back from his initial mistake and maintained that consistency the rest of the game, totalling 184 yards on nine returns to earn player-of-the-game honours. Much was made of Clemons’s performance heading into his second game, also against Edmonton, a week later at Commonwealth Stadium. This time, his production didn’t match the output in the first, and after the third game he again injured his hamstring in practice, sending him to the sidelines for several weeks. He returned in a game against Calgary and the coaching staff

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inserted him into the starting running back spot in place of injured starter Fenerty. Clemons had a breakout game, running and catching the ball and even throwing a pass for a touchdown on a trick play. Quarterback John Congemi tossed Clemons the ball and he threw it 10 yards into the end zone to a teammate for the score. Clemons’s combined production earned him his second player-of-the-game honours. Unfortunately, the Argos lost the game, the fifth in a row and the sixth in their last seven. Around this time, Clemons met two Argos fans who would figure prominently in his life. Lori Bursey and her partner, Ron Keffer, had been long time season-ticket holders and had developed friendships with the players. In September, Bursey and Keffer invited Brazley to their apartment to celebrate his birthday and suggested he bring along a friend. He brought Clemons, who wore a suit and tie while Brazley dressed casually. Clemons made a significant impression on Bursey for more than just his sartorial splendour. He asked a lot of questions about Canada, and his personality and charm endeared him to Bursey. They would develop a close relationship and she would come to regard him as the most incredible person she would ever meet. Bursey became president of the Argos’ fan club, Friends of the Argonauts, and Clemons became the fans’ favourite. But that was a long time in the future. Clemons gave only a hint of his value in his rookie season. He played 10 games, carried the ball 28 times for 134 yards and had one pass reception for 2 yards. As the designated import, he had little opportunity to make a major contribution on the offence, but he posted some impressive return yards—356 on kickoffs and 507 on punts. In a game played on a gusty day in Winnipeg,

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Clemons demonstrated his return ability by fielding a short punt and scampering 25 yards for a touchdown. It would be a prelude to a dominant year the next season, one that would be a coming-out party for Pinballmania. After the season, Clemons joined other football players in the Athletes in Action program, working in partnership with an organization called Youth for Christ. The players visited schools in Kingston and Belleville, about three hours east of Toronto, spending about three or four days playing basketball or volleyball against the students and then sharing their personal stories about their commitment to Christ. It became apparent to Steve Kearns, the Toronto-based chaplain for the Athletes in Action program, that Clemons had a special ability for public speaking and he fit in perfectly in this situation. “Kids just loved him,” Kearns said. “There were certain guys like Mike who can connect better with people—it’s just their makeup. When you can get those kinds of guys involved, it’s great.” ***** Clemons returned home to Florida in the off-season, eager to return to Canada the following June for his second season in the Canadian Football League. Unlike in 1989 when he arrived at training camp with little chance to prepare himself physically, Clemons spent the off-season training at his alma mater, Dunedin High School. He wanted to be physically and mentally ready. Team president Ralph Sazio overhauled the football operations after the 1989 season, ending Bob O’Billovich’s

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seven-year stint as head coach. He had achieved more victories than anyone else in Argos history, but the team had stopped producing with the same efficiency, and a change needed to take place. Professional teams often go through transitions from one year to the next, whether it is owners, general managers, coaches, or players. Incoming head coach Don Matthews had an impressive résumé and would become the single greatest influence in Clemons’s evolution as a CFL star. In fact, Clemons would later refer to Matthews as his “football messiah.” Prior to becoming the defensive coordinator of the Edmonton Eskimos in 1989, Matthews worked for five seasons as head coach of the B.C. Lions. He took the Lions to the Grey Cup in his first season (1983), losing an 18–17 decision to the Argonauts, coached by O’Billovich. Two seasons later, Matthews won his first Grey Cup as a head coach, defeating Hamilton 37–24, adding to his collection of five consecutive Grey Cup wins as defensive coordinator for the Eskimos between 1978 and 1982. Sazio also hired Mike McCarthy as the Argos’ general manager. McCarthy had come from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, for whom he had worked for several years as player-personnel director. Argos owner Harry Ornest, a character of sorts who was fond of telling people “I have ties that are older than you,” encouraged Matthews to add some hype when introduced to the media as the team’s new head coach. Matthews obliged by promising to “shoot out the lights” with an exciting offence, which he entrusted to Adam Rita, who had been his assistant with the Lions. McCarthy engineered a trade in March to acquire quarterback Matt Dunigan from the B.C. Lions for six players.

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Dunigan, a Louisiana Tech University alumnus who began his CFL career with Edmonton in 1983, had just finished his best season in the CFL, passing for more than 4,500 yards and rushing for almost 400 yards. It’s considered a solid figure if a quarterback can pass for 5,000 yards in a single season, but being able to almost accomplish that with passing and rushing totals is equally impressive. Regardless of whether a quarterback is moving the yardage chains with his arm or his feet or a combination of both, he is judged by his totals and, perhaps more importantly, his ability to lead his team and win games. Dunigan, who played with the fearless warrior mentality of a linebacker, had all the qualities the Argos were looking for to lead their high-powered offensive attack. The Argos had an opening for a feature running back after Fenerty signed in the off-season with the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. Six running backs came into training camp, and Clemons was the only holdover from the year before. Leonard Morris, who stood only an inch or so taller than Clemons, received some early attention in the media. Clemons nicknamed Morris “the Blur.” But after evaluating the film of Argos games from the previous season, Matthews had already decided to use Clemons as the feature running back whether or not Fenerty returned. “(Clemons) didn’t get as many chances as a running back and so you really didn’t have that read on him until you went and looked at all the film for the whole year and saw that every time that he did get it, he really made something happen,” Matthews recalled. “Although he was a small man, he played big.” Matthews believed Clemons could be an every-down player in addition to his return duties, something that the young player relished. It also showed Matthews’s aggressive

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philosophy as a coach compared to others who may have taken a more conservative approach with their starting running back. Matthews liked to “live on the edge” in his game-planning, be it with personnel or taking chances, and employing Clemons as a full-time running back/returner certainly fit this approach. Matthews brought a totally different mentality to the team than O’Billovich had. He demanded respect from his players, but allowed them the freedom to express their personality. He demanded only one thing: that come game time they gave everything they had the moment they stepped on the playing field. He was, to use an expression, a player’s coach, and he had no shortage of belief in the little player he decided could do it all. The Argos opened the season against Edmonton and Clemons touched the ball regularly, principally as a receiver. He caught a whopping 10 passes for 114 yards and added 141 yards on punt and kickoff returns. But despite Clemons’s efforts, the Argos lost the game 40–34. And Clemons sprained a ligament in his left knee and missed the next two games. During this period the Argos extended Clemons’s contract through the end of the 1993 season and increased the overall financial package, which included bonus provisions. His base pay would be $60,000 a season—a slight increase from the previous contract and slightly more than the league’s average player salary at the time—but bonuses would be added based on individual totals and awards. When Clemons returned to the lineup, Matthews and offensive coordinator Adam Rita decided to move him around more, realizing that it didn’t make any sense to keep him in the backfield exposed to physical wear and tear. Not that

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Clemons hadn’t proven his ability as a blocker; if anything, he impressed his teammates with that aspect of his game, much the same as he had done in college and the NFL. It became apparent to Rita that when the ball was put in Clemons’s hands, “magical things happened,” so the team designed a spread offence to utilize his effectiveness. In a spread offence, there is no running back lined up either to run the ball or provide protection for the quarterback. The running back becomes like another receiver, spread out to a certain area to force one of the defenders to cover him—one of the most difficult and challenging assignments in the game of football. The running back traditionally has more speed and quickness than the defender assigned to cover him, and given space in which to operate, which is the template for the spread offence, an agile and elusive running back such as Clemons can become dangerous. In essence, Matthews—and to a greater extent Rita—had tweaked the offence ever so slightly to highlight Clemons’s ability as a pass receiver, in addition to his skills as a running back and returner. “He could turn a game around himself with big plays and sudden change,” McCarthy said. “You get the ball in his hands and you have sudden change right away.” The Argos’ offence lived up to Matthews’s bold off-season proclamation of “shooting out the lights” on offence and Clemons became a big part of that. As Clemons impressed on the field, he started to make an impression on veteran offensive lineman Dan Ferrone, who rejoined the team after a season in Calgary, preceded by seven seasons in Toronto. Similar to his fellow offensive lineman Chris Schultz the year before, Ferrone had had his initial suspicions about Clemons and his upbeat personality.

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“Most people who are high energy and very upbeat and positive all the time have a dark side,” Ferrone said. “They’ve got the skeletons in the closet. But as time went on it was very hard to find when he wasn’t upbeat, when he wasn’t high energy, when he wasn’t nice. I just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Nobody can survive training camp, nobody can survive a full season, and it was going to happen sooner or later.” It never did. Clemons’s production, in particular as a receiver, started to pick up considerably in his new role. He registered three games with 100 or more receiving yards following the seasonopening game against Edmonton. The highlight of the season came in a 60–39 win over Hamilton in late September. With each game, he inched closer to the league’s all-purpose yardage record of 2,896 set by Hamilton’s Rufus Crawford in 1984. By season’s end, he had rewritten the pro football record with a staggering total of 3,300 yards, including 519 in rushing, 905 in receiving, 831 on kickoffs, and 1,045 on punts. Overall, he had 14 touchdowns. His production earned him the nomination as the team’s Most Outstanding Player and he later became the East Division’s nominee for the league’s 1990 Most Outstanding Player Award, pitting him against West Division nominee Craig Ellis of Edmonton. The Argos placed second in the East Division in the regular season and beat third-place Ottawa in the first round of the playoffs, but lost to Winnipeg in the division final—one game short of making it to the Grey Cup. It was the end of the Argos’ season, but not the end for Clemons. A few days later, he was named the Most Outstanding Player in the league, finishing with 55 first-place votes compared with eight for Ellis.

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Clemons had his mother and sister flown in from Florida for the league’s annual awards ceremony, which takes place the week of the Grey Cup and is televised nationally. “First of all, I’d like to thank my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, from whom my strength comes and without which nothing is possible,” he said as he began his acceptance speech. “Secondly, I’d like to thank a person who is as much deserving of this award as I am, without a doubt because she would often reprimand me with her back hand—my mother sitting in the front row—and my beautiful little sister, Kelli. Though I don’t feel I am deserving of this award—there are so many great players in the CFL—I do accept it with gratitude and elation on behalf of the players back in Toronto. I wish you were here, guys. Thank you very much.” As she reflected on that night, Anna Bryant recalled fondly her son’s evolution as an athlete. “The main thing I’ve always instilled in him is that you set your goals and you reach for them. All the days and nights of practice and games and here it was—this night—and it actually paid off.” But she also took pride in his public recognition of his faith and spirituality, realizing he did not accomplish what he did solely with his athletic prowess. He had been blessed. Diane had visited Michael a couple of times in Toronto and was overwhelmed by his popularity among the fans. “Just to see him out signing autographs, I had seen that with him in university, but it was totally different in Toronto,” she remembered. “I was like, ‘Wow, maybe this is more than what I bargained for.’ At the same time it was pretty cool. I think both of us kind of thought he would come up to Toronto, maybe play a year or two, and he’d be headed back home to Florida. I don’t think either one of us thought that

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the football would last as long as it did in Canada. I think when he won the Most Outstanding Player (Award), we kind of both realized this may last a bit longer than we thought— that maybe he can play Canadian football for a long time.” ***** For the second consecutive season, Clemons would see a significant change in the Argos’ model, this time right at the top—and it had a bearing on his value, certainly from a financial perspective. In late February 1991, Argos owner Harry Ornest, a Canadian who had a home in California, sold the team to a group that included California mogul Bruce McNall, hockey star Wayne Gretzky, and actor John Candy. McNall made a fortune in rare coins and then branched into sports and entertainment ventures, including the purchase of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. He engineered arguably the most significant trade in National Hockey League history, acquiring Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers. Gretzky grew up in Brantford, an hour or so west of Toronto, and followed the Argos. Candy grew up in Toronto and had been a lifelong fan of the team. Seeking to make a big splash with his latest property, McNall offered University of Notre Dame star receiver Raghib (Rocket) Ismail a four-year contract that was potentially worth $26 million—by far the biggest deal in the history of the Canadian Football League and, at the time, one of the most significant in the history of pro sports. McNall wanted to raise the profile of his latest sports property and figured that Ismail would be to the CFL what Gretzky was to the NHL. The signing received international attention—just the

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thing McNall wanted—with stories in major North American newspapers and broadcasts. The contract paid him a base salary of $115,000 Canadian, but, more significantly, an annual personal services deal of $4 million—more than the sum of the entire team’s player payroll. In a typical personal services deal in sports, the athlete is required to do services such as appearances and interviews to promote the team, something Clemons had been doing already without gratuitous compensation. Ornest had recognized Clemons’s contribution after his breakout season and had promised to renegotiate his contract, but the sale of the team put that plan on indefinite hold. There would be no way of knowing for sure if the issue had been discussed during the sale of the team and whether the new owners planned to follow up on Ornest’s intentions. Inevitably the media started asking him about his contract situation. He felt uneasy talking about the possibility of a renegotiation and how any demands he would make would reflect on the organization, the coaches, the players and the fans. Clearly he had been in a position to seek more money, but it would have to be done privately. Clemons had already cultivated a reputation and a profile in the community for his work on and off the field and did not want to jeopardize his good standing by coming across as a selfish, money-hungry athlete. However, the economics of the profession dictated that there could be a way to resolve the issue with his agent. Clemons already had issues with his American-based agent and, deciding it was time to make a switch, employed the services of Toronto-based Gil Scott. His client roster included several prominent players, some of whom he had

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signed to lucrative deals in both the CFL and NFL. Hammering out a deal for Clemons would require deft negotiating, taking into account the new ownership and its decision to significantly invest in the Rocket. However, a spokesperson for the ownership group publicly declared the intention by the McNall group to give Clemons a new deal, but said that it would take time. It would mean Clemons would have to come to training camp and hope the new owners honoured their intentions, so rather than sitting at home in a contract holdout, which is not an uncommon practice in sports, Clemons flew north from Florida to Toronto to join the Argos. While Scott and the financial representative of the new ownership worked on revising the existing contract, Clemons maintained a positive attitude in training camp. The spotlight had been clearly shone on the Rocket, and people on the team, the media, and the fans speculated that it irked Clemons, particularly because he wanted a new contract. Clemons believed a new deal would be done and he also believed that Ismail could only enhance the team’s chance to go all the way to the Grey Cup. In turn, this would help Clemons to accomplish the overall team goal. Clemons was looking at the picture with a macro viewpoint rather than a micro—and selfish—one. Clemons electrified fans with an 87-yard touchdown on a punt return in a pre-season game against Winnipeg just a day before he signed a new four-year contract that Scott had finalized. The new deal would make him the highest-paid running back in the league at an annual stipend of just over $100,000, including bonuses. “There was no way we were ever going to get ‘Rocket money,’” Scott said. “It was kind of hard to take, in my way

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of thinking anyway, that (Ismail) comes in and hasn’t done a thing (at the pro level) and here you’ve got the player of the year, who’s set an all-purpose yardage record the year before and he’s going to earn a lot less.” The Argos also had a new coach in 1991. Matthews, who clashed philosophically with general manager McCarthy, departed to become head coach of the Orlando Thunder of the World League of American Football, so McCarthy promoted offensive coordinator Adam Rita to head coach. Rita maintained Matthews’s offensive ideology. However, he had to figure out a way to mesh Ismail into the equation. Many people wondered how Rita would find a way to provide Clemons and Ismail with enough work on a consistent basis to make them effective and happy. Looking back on that period, Rita said he didn’t consider it an issue because of the way Clemons approached the situation. “I think Pinner always thought there was a lot of room for all the people on the team to share the glory,” Rita said. Clemons embraced his new teammate, who was thrust into a public role that he had difficulty handling. Ismail, who was somewhat shy and misunderstood by the public, was the centre of attention because of his contract and the Hollywood glitz and glamour that became part of the McNall show. Clemons assisted Ismail on and off the field. Clemons had clearly established himself as one of the team leaders, guiding the group in its own brand of singing and dancing before the games. While standing in the middle of a circle formed by his teammates, Clemons would ask, “Who’s in the house?” And his teammates would reply, “Daddy’s in the house.” This would be repeated a few times and then Clemons would ask, “What time is it?” And they’d

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reply, “It’s time to get busy.” This had been an extension of something Matthews had brought forward as part of team building and bonding, allowing the players to have fun, yet know they had a specific purpose every time they stepped onto the field for a game. They could be as loose as they wanted, dancing and singing in their pre-game ritual, but they had to take that enthusiasm and passion and direct it to the playing field. Rita had preached to his players that the SkyDome was their house and they had to play with that pride of ownership. And Clemons was reinforcing that message every time he led his teammates in their unique pre-game experience. Clemons started off the season strongly and appeared to be headed on a course to shatter his all-purpose record, but his charge came to a halt midway when he strained a ligament in his right knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery and missed five games in all. Even when he returned to play, he still hadn’t fully recovered physically, so when the Argos clinched first place in the third-last game of the season with a victory over Calgary, the coaching staff placed him on the injured list for the final two games. Combined with the bye the team earned in the first round of the playoffs for winning the division, Clemons had some three weeks from his last game to heal. But in the Eastern final against Winnipeg, Clemons suffered a turf toe injury, one of the most painful and discomforting things for an athlete, especially for a running back who makes sudden and sharp cuts. The injury, which is really an inflammation of the ligaments in the toe, became increasingly common with the advent of artificial turf. The unforgiving carpet, which had little protection underneath

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separating it from a concrete floor, caused a multitude of injuries, including the aptly named turf toe. Clemons had to have his toe joint frozen at halftime to mask the pain. The Argos won 42–3 to qualify for the Grey Cup a week later in Winnipeg against the Calgary Stampeders. The Calgary coach was Wally Buono, who would figure prominently in the Grey Cup 13 years later against Clemons. While heading into Winnipeg, the Argos faced the uncertainty of playing without quarterback Matt Dunigan and Clemons. Dunigan, who endured another injury-filled season that limited him to only eight regular-season games, suffered a separated shoulder in the Eastern final. His replacement, Rickey Foggie, played in the playoff game. He had produced an overall record of seven wins against only three losses in the games he played. Replacing Clemons would be much more difficult because of his overall value on offence combined with punt and kick returning. He required crutches to move around during the days leading up to the game and, at times, couldn’t even wear shoes. He couldn’t practise, lest he aggravate the injury. Dunigan had his shoulder joint frozen for the game, while Clemons wore a size 11 shoe with a special insole, rather than his regular size 9. After playing with freezing on the foot for the first half, he was forced to have it frozen again at the break. However, the foot became so swollen that it was difficult for him to play efficiently. In effect, he couldn’t contribute anything significant beyond one kickoff return for 43 yards. Overall, he would run three times, catch one pass, and return two punts. He became essentially a decoy. The Argos prevailed 36–21, a touchdown on a dramatic kickoff return by the Rocket factoring significantly into the

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outcome. Not overlooked were Dunigan and Clemons, who played through pain and discomfort, demonstrating their dedication and leadership. The Argos became Toronto’s team by virtue of their Grey Cup win. Rocket had lived up to all the hype, and in the end he and Pinball had worked well together on and off the field, a testament to both players, in particular Clemons, who showed selflessness and team leadership. “A lot of people asked Mike what he thought about Rocket, and Mike was one of the biggest cheerleaders for Rocket,” Brazley said. “Some people wondered how they were going to get along, but it was always the same. Mike was just Mike. He didn’t change anything he did. He didn’t sulk. He didn’t say he needed the ball more. They were just as cool as could be. There was never any problem.” Following the Grey Cup and the civic parade in downtown Toronto, the team disbanded, but Clemons stayed around to participate in a bevy of personal appearances for charities, schools, and religious groups, increasing his toehold in Toronto as an emerging sports celebrity. Clemons had evolved during the season as a television personality. Brazley had developed an idea for a campy sports television show involving two fans, who were actually athletes playing characters, talking about sports. He had already lined up Doran Major to play the role of one of the characters, Jerome Love, and when he asked Clemons if he wanted to play the other character, Benny Feelgood, Clemons wholeheartedly joined the cast. And thus, “The Home Boys Report” was born, consisting of three-minute segments played during halftime of games during the CFL season. “The Home Boys Report” on HBTV was like a “Wayne’s World” for sports fans.

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Brazley directed from the background and occasionally appeared in cameo roles as the character Breeze. They wore black sunglasses, shorts, and T-shirts. “Get your kids off the streets and pull up (your chair) really close,” the two characters said. “You guessed it. That’s right, it’s Home Boys time.” “Hey, all you Ice Cube fans, I’m Jerome Love,” Major said. “And just like Sony, I’m the one and only Benny Feelgood,” Clemons added. John Candy joined in one skit and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Joe Carter joined in another as HBTV grew in popularity. It lasted only one season, but showcased Clemons’s funny side and character. He was becoming a star for more than just his fancy footwork. He could also talk the talk. ***** The off-season is a time for players to take a mental and physical break from the game, to let their bruised bodies and battered minds recover. Some players use the time off to travel, some spend quality time with their families, and others work to supplement their income (in the case of the CFL, with its average salary of almost $60,000, an off-season job is not uncommon). Clemons took it easy after his strenuous season, still feeling the effects of his foot injury, while making the occasional return to Toronto to help with promotional work. He also found time to propose to Diane and they married in June, just before training camp. The wedding party totalled some 30 people and the guest list numbered about 400.

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The wedding was planned for six o’clock, but Clemons was at the church two hours early because he had promised Diane that he would not be late. He kept telling everyone, “I don’t know why everyone is worried about me. It’s my wedding and I’m not going to be late.” Diane and her mother arrived at the church via horse and carriage (tragically, the patriarch of the family, Wilton Lee, had been murdered a few years before in a shooting by an individual he knew and who was subsequently convicted and sent to prison). When the ceremony began, Jessica Pleasant, whose husband, Reggie, played cornerback for the Argos, sang the scheduled first song of the wedding, “Household of Faith.” The ceremony, which included a saxophonist playing gospel music in the background, lasted two hours and included two ministers in observance of the couple’s different religious denominations. After the service, the wedding party posed for pictures, including one shot of the men outfitted in Reebok shoes compliments of the groom and his connection to the shoe company. Clemons’s relationship with Reebok began early in his first year with the team. Some of the veterans who had shoe deals with Reebok encouraged the company representative to outfit Clemons. Even though Clemons had been an unheralded rookie, his teammates figured he had the athletic qualities and personality to do special things on and off the field. Reebok took a chance on him and it developed into a long-lasting business relationship. During this time the Clemonses had contractors working on a new home just north of Dunedin in a beautiful gated community in Palm Harbor. Clemons had done well enough financially to enjoy a quality of life that included a home for

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him and his bride. Of course, it would only be part-time lodging until it was time to return for another season of football and residence at the Crows Nest. Mom Crow had stopped taking in players by that time, but made an exception for Clemons, who simply felt comfortable there. Right after the wedding Diane suggested that she stay in Florida and keep her job with the state government and visit him on occasion. But they had been dating for eight years and now that they were married he wanted her full-time company. Diane didn’t fully realize at the time that Canadian immigration rules would not allow her to work in Canada and she did not enjoy the forced idleness and her loss of freedom and independence. “I was not used to having to depend on anybody for anything and I think when I got married to him and moved to Toronto, that was one of the hardest things ever for me—to not be able to get up in the morning, go to my job, and do my own thing,” she said. But she dutifully followed her husband’s wishes and found employment nonetheless—becoming a full-time assistant for the man she married, who became increasingly in demand for speaking functions and public appearances. “Everybody wanted a piece of Pinball,” the team’s public relations director at the time, Dave Watkins, recalled. “He was always everyone’s first choice. People would go directly to him. He’d give his phone number to organizers. He had his own little division, his branch office of the Argos where he was setting up his own stuff. Diane started handling a lot of that stuff.” Diane admitted she had to control the situation so that she and her husband had some life of their own. The couple

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had an unlisted phone number and Diane told her husband he could give it out only to people he trusted and if somebody really wanted to contact him, he should take their number and he and Diane would call them back. “It was hard for Mike because he was so used to giving his number out,” she said. “But he started giving it out less and less.” She was constantly amazed at her husband’s ability to play football and then spend endless hours and energy in community causes. ***** The hardest part about building a championship team is keeping it together. For older players a championship win is the perfect time to walk away from the game, while others seize the opportunity to increase their net worth. Heading into the 1992 season, the Argos lost several players to retirement and one noteworthy leader to free agency. Matt Dunigan signed with Winnipeg in the days leading up to training camp. His contract had expired in February and his agent had negotiated to keep him in Toronto, but the Argos had concerns about his health after he missed portions of each of the last two seasons because of injuries. In the end, Winnipeg offered him a better deal and Dunigan signed with the Blue Bombers. McCarthy said he wanted to give Dunigan the deal he asked for, but was “caught in the middle” of an ownership decision. It was a decision, he said, that was the biggest mistake the Argos made as a franchise under that ownership. It also marked one of the most dramatic shifts in the history of the franchise, which enjoyed a renaissance because

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of the combination of the SkyDome’s attraction as one of the world’s greatest entertainment centres and the Hollywood star power that came with McNall, Gretzky, and Candy. The Argos had gone through a steady decline in popularity due to changes in consumer tastes and a new generation of sports fans who grew up on the Toronto Blue Jays, who were about to establish themselves as back-to-back world champions. There was also the increasing popularity of the National Football League and rumours that a team might someday come to Toronto. The Argos had their own dedicated audience, but nothing compared to the crowds that supported the team through good times and mostly bad in the ’60s and ’70s at Exhibition Stadium on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition. But behind the scenes, McNall’s financial empire was having problems, which would result, a few years later, in one of the biggest crashes in the history of pro sports. Little by little, the groundswell of support that the Argos had built up started to dissolve and the team’s performance on the field faltered. Only one thing remained constant: Pinball Clemons and his attraction as the Argos’ star player. ***** The Argos of ’92 were not nearly as explosive as the previous year’s edition and there was a significant plan to make the Rocket the feature player. The team struggled and one game in particular, a 31–0 loss to Calgary, highlighted the Argos, but for all the wrong reasons. Ismail kicked a fallen Stamps player in the head during a wild melee involving both teams. Images of the infamous kick were replayed on

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sports stations across North America, which only a year before had featured news of Ismail’s historic signing. A few days later, commissioner Larry Smith doled out fines totalling $11,850, including $10,000 that Ismail had to donate to charity as part of his penance. The Ismail incident only amplified the struggles of the Argos. They may have been the defending Grey Cup champions, but they weren’t playing like it—and ownership decided something drastic had to be done. One game later, following another loss, Rita became the fall guy when he was fired and replaced by defensive assistant coach Dennis Meyer. He was not a popular choice among the players, who loved Rita and felt he shouldn’t have been fired. As a sign of protest the players initially refused to practise, but realized the decision had been made and they had to continue without their deposed head coach. Often a mid-season coaching change does not yield success. In addition to the emotional and mental effect on the players, the replacement coach often hasn’t had time to properly prepare for the job or may not be suited for the leadership role of overseeing an entire team instead of a particular aspect of it. Under Meyer, the Argos could not stem their freefall from the previous year and posted a record of 3–4 in the final seven games. Overall, the Argos finished last in the division. But the real story of the year—beyond Rita’s firing—became the production of Ismail and Clemons. Ismail’s statistical numbers fell off noticeably—basically in half— from a total of 1,300 receiving yards on 64 catches in his rookie year to only 651 on 36 catches in his sophomore season. Teams started to concentrate more on him, effectively

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limiting his production. The one area in which he made a significant contribution came in returns, leading the league with 1,925 overall yards. As for Clemons, he played through some niggling injuries at the start, notably a nagging problem with turf toe from the season before, and a back problem, but never made an issue of it publicly. He played all 18 games, but his production fell off sharply compared with the statistics he posted playing only 11 games the year before. He had only 572 rushing yards in the 18 games compared with 443 in 11 games the year before and 559 receiving yards compared with 417 the previous year. His combined punt and kickoff production fell off by about 100 yards from the 1991 season. He lost his feature role to Rocket in many respects. But there would be something in 1992 that would provide an illustration of what made Clemons such an endearing personality, both among the fans and the team. He went out of his way to spend time during the regular season with a university football player in Ottawa who had been badly hurt during a nationally televised game in October. Rob Dunn, who played for the Carleton Ravens, suffered numerous injuries, including a fractured jaw, while attempting to field a punt. An opposing player with the Ottawa Gee-Gees ran full force into Dunn without any regard for the rules that require the kicking team to give the receiving team at least five yards before physically engaging the closest person to the ball. The Gee-Gees’ player was suspended for the balance of the season. Dunn’s coach called the Argos asking if perhaps the team could send one of Clemons’s jerseys to cheer up the injured player. Clemons had been Dunn’s football hero because they both returned punts and stood about the same

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height. Clemons had been watching the game on television and just before the violent incident he had commented on an excellent return Dunn had made. Clemons decided to personally make the trip to Ottawa to visit the hospitalized youth, who couldn’t talk because of damage to his jaw and heavy medication, but communicated with the aid of a magnetic writing device. Clemons presented Dunn with a game-worn jersey and an autographed football, and placed his 1991 Grey Cup ring on Dunn’s finger. Dunn’s career had been ruined and his quality of life dramatically changed, but Clemons’s visit left a lasting impression on him about the quality of athletes and the positive difference they can make in others’ lives. “It was giving up his time to come to see me at a time when somebody had done this to me,” Dunn recalled. “I don’t want to compare myself to a victim of a crime because there’s a lot worse things that can happen out there, but when you’re a victim of something like this, there’s a part of you that loses all trust in humanity. It’s like, how can one person do this to another person? At the same time, from not only Mike but other people, there’s such overwhelming goodwill to come up and see you and offer any kind of assistance they can. It was a fantastic feeling. That was one of the reasons I always liked him.” ***** If the ’92 season provided the Argos with the sobering reality that staying on top is often harder than getting there, the next season continued the precipitous decline. It was the beginning of the end of the team’s star power. The Argos

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ownership balked at continuing to pay Ismail his personal services contract of $4 million a season, feeling he failed to live up to his commitments for promotional appearances. He developed a reputation among some people in the organization for being immature, but Clemons viewed it differently. In his opinion, it was a problem of different expectations between the player and the ownership. In January, in a bid to shake up the team and cut back on the player payroll, McCarthy engineered a trade with Edmonton in which 16 players changed teams. It was the biggest overall transaction in CFL history. Quarterback Tracy Ham, the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 1989, headed the list of players coming to Toronto. It was a deal that would stick in the craw of McCarthy, who said he gave Edmonton a Grey Cup-winning team with the players he traded. The coordinator of the Eskimos’ offence happened to be Adam Rita, who played a significant role in the deal because of his knowledge of the Argos’ talent. In the spring, the Argos and McNall officially parted company. The Rocket signed in the National Football League with the Oakland Raiders. Behind the scenes, the ownership trio of McNall, Candy, and Gretzky began the process of putting the Argos up for sale. Many key players on offence retired, further gutting key components of the ’91 championship team. “Everything that could go wrong went wrong,” McCarthy said. He lost his job midway through the season. The offence sputtered under the direction of new offensive coordinator Darrel (Mouse) Davis, who didn’t feature Clemons in his plans. Clemons felt he was being unfairly judged on his

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performance of the previous year when he was injured. But he did his best to act professionally and accepted his role. “I think it really gave me a chance to be a real teammate because all of a sudden, I wasn’t the focal point and didn’t complain about it,” he recalled. “I was still the happiest guy on the field. I worked hard and did what was asked of me and was effective when I got in.” After replacement coach Dennis Meyer managed only one win in 10 games, the club fired him and brought back Bob O’Billovich as general manager/head coach. He revamped the offence and returned to a traditional pro system, using Clemons as the feature running back, with a fullback for blocking purposes and four receivers. The Argos won two of their next three games, but went winless in the remaining five. The Argos failed miserably, finishing last in the league with a 3–15 mark. This was a team that only two years before had won the Grey Cup. The drop from first to worst took only two years. As frustrating as the season proved to be on the field, off the field Clemons continued reaching out into the community—often overextending himself—and the community latched on to him with growing regularity. The Canadian Football League Players’ Association recognized Clemons’s work in the community by naming him the 1993 winner of the Tom Pate Award, given annually to the player who best demonstrates an outstanding contribution to his team and his community. Each team nominates a player and then the CFLPA chooses a winner. Clemons had been the Argos’ nominee for the third straight season when he won it. *****

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Three years after it bought the team with such fanfare and promise, the McNall group sold the Argos. In March 1994, TSN Enterprises took over. The last vestige of the glitz, glamour, and glory from the ’91 championship season became nothing more than a footnote in time. For the ’94 season, O’Billovich overhauled the football personnel. The Argos improved dramatically, winning seven of 18 games and qualifying for the playoffs, but lost in the first round to the Baltimore Stallions. For Clemons it marked a turnaround in his career. He became an integral part of the team again and had a decent season totalling 2,352 all-purpose yards. He recorded 787 rushing yards, a career-best at that point, including his first-ever game with 100 or more yards. He also had 577 receiving yards from 51 catches, the second-most in a single season for him. But he would look back on that season for an entirely different reason, one that meant more to him in his personal life than his professional career. Diane had been pregnant with the couple’s first child, giving birth in March to a baby girl they named Rachel. Clemons had had Argos equipment manager Danny Webb on standby alert to rush over to the hospital with a video camera. When the call came, Webb did his best Pinball imitation and hustled over to the hospital and gave the video camera to Clemons, who took the handoff and then dashed inside to record the footage. It would be the best film he ever watched—better than any game replay or individual highlight. The Clemonses had decided by then to live year-round in Toronto, selling their home in Florida and returning to Toronto a month or so before the birth of Rachel. In effect, they decided to become permanent residents of Toronto and

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their child, born in that city, automatically became a Canadian citizen. By this time, both Michael and Diane realized that all they needed had been right in front of them in Toronto. The city presented everything they could ask for with regard to community spirit, acceptance, and a good place to raise a family. Clemons had a profile that had grown significantly since he came to Canada in 1989 with an uncertain future, and he had developed business contacts and friends. The Argos introduced an interesting promotion in 1994 in which fans were invited onto the field following a game to receive autographs from the players. Clemons drew the longest line, and he refused to leave until every request had been met. All along, he chatted with the fans, prolonging the autograph session and holding up the SkyDome workers who had to roll up the football turf to put in the baseball turf. “The line would be 100 yards long and this is an hour after every other player has left,” Argos public relations director Dave Watkins recalled. “They’re folding up turf around him. They left one patch, rolled everything else up, and I remember the look of the SkyDome maintenance guys. They’d be looking at him and shaking their heads and laughing at him. He’s still signing autographs at eight o’clock at night from a one o’clock football game. That was hilarious. Even as a staff, we loved what he was doing for the community, for the fans, but we all wanted to go home, too.” In 1995, the Argos made yet another coaching change as O’Billovich decided to concentrate on his general manager duties and hired Mike Faragalli, who had been Clemons’s coach in his first two years at the College of William and Mary. Faragalli joined the Argos after spending the previous four years as offensive coordinator for Bowling Green State in Ohio.

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At age 36, Mike Faragalli became the league’s youngest head coach, but he struggled to gain acceptance from the team. He tried to implement a tough and demanding regimen, but the players balked, feeling the same routines that worked in a college program couldn’t be duplicated at the pro level, due to the higher standard of play, the travel schedule, and the daily practice grind. He had some philosophical clashes with players, notably quarterback Kent Austin, who had been at the tail end of a great career. Faragalli coordinated the offence and Austin ran it, but they had different ideas about how to make it work. The team had a hard time winning, which only exacerbated matters. With each mounting loss, the pressure heightened, to the point where upper management pondered a coaching change before the season was lost. After Faragalli lost seven of the team’s first nine games, the club fired him and O’Billovich replaced him, but he could do no better, winning only two of the remaining nine games. The Argos finished out of the playoffs again in a year in which Clemons had his most productive season as a running back, setting season highs for carries (181), yards (836), and touchdowns (seven). Overall, he had 2,588 all-purpose yards, leading the league in that category for the second time in his career. By all accounts, the Argos’ future looked bleak. People didn’t want to support a losing team in a stadium that had lost its attraction because it was considered too big for football. Even with Clemons, who had become arguably the most visible and popular pro athlete in the city, the Argos remained important only to a small, select audience of hardcore fans. Clearly something major needed to be done.

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I wanted to share with you a magical CFL memory from a day in 1992 when my son Brad was like a young Forrest Gump, meeting two legends in one day by simply being in the right place at the right time. Brad, now a young man of 26, is deaf with a learning disability. He has always been a big CFL fan and has been an Argo season-ticket holder since the age of 13 in 1992. In that season, we were on our way to an Argo game, which happened to be against Calgary. This pleased Brad greatly, since he was a big Doug Flutie fan and a Stamps fan, being born in Calgary. We were travelling north on Spadina Ave. and approaching Front Street to make a right turn. A vehicle approached us from the opposite direction and I thought I would play the rare courteous urban driver and allow him to turn in front of me. Soon we were side by side and my eagle-eyed son noticed that it was none other than Pinball Clemons. Not suffering from any shyness, Brad waved his game tickets at him. Well, Pinball’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. He waved us to pull over. We all got out of our cars and, standing in the middle of Front Street, he thanked us for supporting the team. Not very surprising now that we know the kind of person Pinball is, but a little surprising at the time! continued

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After the game, Brad wanted to head downstairs to try and get Doug Flutie’s autograph—along with 100 other fans. A young woman beside me kept yelling in a tiny voice, “Larry, Larry,” trying in vain to get the attention of then-Stamps owner Larry Ryckman. It turns out that it was Doug Flutie’s wife Laurie, unable to get past security due to the fact that she had forgotten her credentials. I have a loud voice from many years of bellowing at games, so I was able to help her out and get Mr. Ryckman’s attention. I sure wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass by for Brad, so before she disappeared I asked Laurie if she could get Doug Flutie’s signature on our program. We waited patiently, hoping only to get an autograph on a program. Little did we expect that Doug Flutie himself would soon appear to meet Brad. Doug spent a long time chatting with him, longer than we ever could have hoped, making a young fan so very happy. It was a special moment for both of us. An older couple beside us were touched to see the meeting between Brad and Doug. I told them about our earlier encounter with Pinball that day and how lucky Brad was to have met these two wonderful people in one day. On telling them this they informed me that their son was the Argo equipment manager and that they could perhaps get Pinball out again to sign an autograph. A little later the man with the million-dollar smile comes up to us and gives Brad a big hug. Pinball stayed and chatted with Brad, offered words of encouragement and laughed together for another 40 minutes. We drove home not quite believing the day we had. Pinball, being Pinball, has never forgotten Brad or his meeting on that day in 1992. Brad, needless to say, will never forget Pinball, either. That day Pinball gained a new number one fan in Brad and we remembered yet again why the CFL is so special to so many Canadians. Garry Terpstra

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It was back in the summer of 1991 when I first had the opportunity to meet Mike (Pinball) Clemons. I was an impressionable young boy, just beginning to forge his own views. I will never forget meeting Michael Clemons that day, nor will I forget a day that goes hand in hand with that first meeting, some five years later. In the summer of 1991, Mike Clemons and Matt Dunigan were on hand in Newmarket, Ontario, to do a promotional subdivision opening. Being die-hard Argonauts’ fans, my dad and I went to the event, strictly to see our beloved Argonaut stars in the flesh. When we arrived, the event was just coming to a close but we managed to corner Pinball before he left for the day. We shook hands, introduced ourselves as Christian and Deane Cooke and made some idle chatter. I remember vividly looking up—yes, looking up to him—and seeing the joy in his eyes and was amazed how he really seemed to be listening to what we were telling him about our lives. He seemed genuinely interested in what we had to say, even though his promotional requirements had obviously ended hours ago. For every question we asked about him, he would ask two about us. I remember thinking that this was so much more than a promotional visit for him. We chatted for about 15 minutes as he gracefully signed everything that I asked him to. I remember leaving that day so impressed and influenced by the Pinball, but little did I know this was just the beginning. It was some five years later that I had the opportunity to come faceto-face with the Pinball again. Now a teenager and highly skeptical of any existence of celebrity sincerity, my dad and I made our way to see the Argos open training camp at Guelph University. After the practice concluded, those in attendance were allowed onto the field in order to meet and greet the team. My dad and I wandered around the field, shaking hands and seeking autographs with various players, but we both knew that there was really only one guy we wanted to see—the Pinball. He wasn’t hard to continued

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find; all you had to do was look around for the largest group of fans and the Pinball would not be far. Anyway, after a good hour and Pinball still signing autographs with no sign of discontent, my dad and I decided we’d better head off since we had a fair drive home. However, before leaving I decided to get another autograph from him—and from the encouragement from my dad—since I had brought a special insert from the Toronto Sun, celebrating the record-breaking year of the Pinball Wizard. The insert was artistically represented in a pinball machine design. As I made my way through the masses and unfolded my insert, I was shocked to feel the warmth in his eyes. I hesitantly asked, “Pinball, can I have your autograph?” Shockingly, he gracefully took the paper, looked at me and said: “Absolutely. Your name is Christian, right?” I nearly dropped to the floor when I heard him say that. I hadn’t had any interaction with Pinball, albeit cheering him on in every game, but nothing in-person since that hot summer day in 1991. Here he was, without missing a beat, not only remembering me, but remembering my name! I have never been so impressed as that moment. To meet a celebrity who is so genuine and who obviously was truly listening at a little promotional event in a little northern town to a little ankle-biter like myself was truly astonishing. Even as I am writing this story to you, I still shake my head in disbelief. But anyone who knows the Pinner and anyone who is reading this book is now finding out that is the Pinball! He really does listen; he really does care; he really is, well, real! To finish, I’ll leave you with the words that Pinball left with me that day at training camp. Not only was it impressive that he remembered my name, but he took the opportunity to influence me and gently direct me towards a certain direction in life as well. After saying, “Your name is Christian, right?”—to which I shockingly replied, “Yes it is, Pinball!”—he said, “Well, it’s a good thing to be!” and gave me a wink.

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I knew what he meant. This was by far one of the most influential days of my life. To put this in perspective, the general population has difficulty remembering people that they may have met a week ago. Not the Pinball. He remembered a short, little dark-haired boy wearing his now-famous number 31 jersey; a short, dark-haired boy who is now a dark-haired tall man who still wears a number 31 jersey at age 25. Influenced? I think so. I thank you, Pinball, for that day, for I learned a lesson that is truly priceless. I left truly feeling as if I could make a difference in people’s lives and that if you do truly listen and be truly genuine it is something that people will never forget. I never thought going to an Argonauts training camp would change my life. Thanks to Pinball and thanks to my dad! Christian Cooke

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My mother worked in housekeeping at the University of Guelph and I was always after her to get me an Argo hat or something, being that I am a huge fan. I used to pick her up at work and it was a big thrill to see the likes of Pinball, Tracy Ham and others. My mom got in the car—and keep in mind she is not a football fan—and asked me if what she had in her in possession was anything. Well I took one look and could not believe what my mom was holding. It was Michael (Pinball) Clemons’s 1991 Grey Cup ring. I could not believe it, but after a couple of days the conscience kicked in and we made arrangements to give the ring back to Pinball. But not after taking some pictures. On another note, my wife wanted so badly to meet Pinball and thanks to an autograph session for season-ticket holders we had that chance. But his line was so large that security stopped it. As soon as Mike found out about this he told them to open it up and that he would stay until he met everyone. That alone is a class act, although security was not happy. Robbie Kitchen

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In 1996, the Argos changed coaches—yet again—although this time the new one had a previous history with the team and had had a particularly significant influence on Clemons’s career. Don Matthews returned to Toronto six years after he left. He had worked in Baltimore the previous two seasons during the Canadian Football League’s venture into the U.S., making it to the Grey Cup the first season and losing and returning the next season and winning. When the franchise relocated to Montreal following the collapse of the CFL’s three-year American invasion, Matthews contractually became a free agent and the Argos signed him because of his track record for producing winners. Matthews remodelled the team, overhauling the roster with talent from the dispersal draft of the dissolved U.S. teams, as well as through trades and free-agent signings.

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Quarterback Doug Flutie, who had played the last four years in Calgary and won one Grey Cup and was voted the league’s top player twice, headed the list of the Argos’ free-agent signings. He had been declared a free agent because of a contract dispute. The Argos signed him to a deal that paid him $1 million a season, the richest deal in the league. Part of his contract stipulated personal services to help market the team. He had good looks, spoke well, and had an uncanny ability to make magical plays. At only 5 feet, 10 inches, he lacked the size to make it as a full-time starter in the NFL, in which he played for part of four seasons between 1986-89. He then embarked on a career in the CFL. The Argos also signed Robert Drummond, the backup to the league’s top running back, Mike Pringle. The 6-foot-3-inch, 215-pound Drummond had size and skill and could run and catch the ball equally well. He really hadn’t had a chance to show it, getting only limited play behind Pringle, who set a league record for rushing yards in 1994 and was voted the league’s Most Outstanding Player in 1995, but Matthews liked what he saw. Matthews told Drummond that if he signed with the Argos, he would be the feature running back, the job that Clemons had held off and on since 1990. Now Matthews had another plan for Clemons. He wanted to employ him as a slotback, the player who lines up in between the offensive line and the wide receiver. In the slot, a player has space in which to catch a pass. Matthews’s strategy would allow the team to keep Clemons and Drummond on the field at the same time. In Matthews’s mind, this plan had the potential to be as successful as the move to switch Clemons from a return specialist to an every-down player in 1990, the year he was voted the Most Outstanding Player in the league.

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A week or so before the start of the 1996 training camp, Matthews explained his latest plan to Clemons. Matthews believed that moving Clemons out of the running back spot would lessen the potential for injury because he would not be exposed to the same type of direct physical contact and, in turn, this could add some years to his career. “I feel that he probably felt he wasn’t going to be utilized enough to make the contribution that he liked to make,” Matthews recalled. “A running back that goes through the line of scrimmage and takes all the hits they take doesn’t have a long life in any professional football league. What I was trying to do was utilize two excellent athletes and get them on the field at the same time and the only way I could do it—and use the spread offence that we used and Flutie was so good at—I had to make Pinball the receiver and Drummond the running back.” Matthews also wanted to remove some of Clemons’s return duties, in particular on punts, giving that assignment to second-year player Jimmy (the Jet) Cunningham. Drummond suffered a minor injury in training camp, so Clemons assumed his old role, losing a valuable chance to practise in his new position and develop a rapport with Flutie, who was adapting to a new offence and new personnel. The entire training camp is only about two weeks long, wrapped around two pre-season games, so there is little time for a player to learn a new position. It becomes even more complicated when the player can’t even practise in that position. But Clemons did what was asked without complaining. The Argos opened the season with a dramatic 27–24 win on the road over Montreal, featuring a touchdown pass by Flutie, who showed his magic scrambling all over the field

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and eventually finding receiver Paul Masotti in the end zone. The Argos’ home-opening 38-36 loss to Hamilton led to a critical meeting between Matthews and Clemons the following day. Clemons arrived a few minutes late for the film rundown because he had been stuck in traffic following a charity function he attended on behalf of the team. Matthews had stated on numerous occasions that the fear of losing a game outweighed the thrill of winning. Each defeat, particularly that early in the season when the team had been discovering itself with all the changes in personnel and coaching staff, reinforced the need to pay attention to detail and routine. Matthews would not make exceptions for any player, regardless of their star power or position or reasons for tardiness, and told Clemons afterward to commit himself to the team or consider retirement. “I said, ‘Man, I love you for your charity events, but you’ve got a choice on what you’re going to do here. You’re either going to be a football player on the Argos team or you’re going to have to be a charity worker, but you can’t be both unless you can be to football practice on time, so tell me now what you’re going to do.’ He said, ‘I want to be a football player’ and I said, ‘And I want you to be.’ It was never a problem again. It was a minor issue in the blip of things, but I think it was an important issue. Everybody on the team knows what’s going on. If the rule is good for Pinball, it must be good for everybody.” But Clemons’s version of the story is slightly different. In fact, he recalled the situation with slight bitterness because he had been criticized for something that really wasn’t his fault. In addition, he had been going through some personal frustration having become a spare part in the offence instead

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of a feature player. Flutie, who was gradually learning more about his teammates and their strengths and how it all meshed together in the flow of the offence, hadn’t established any kind of rapport with Clemons. While most teams had the coordinator call in the plays from the sidelines, Matthews had given Flutie the luxury of calling his own plays —the first time the talented quarterback had that opportunity. Flutie had a brilliant mind, capable of analyzing a defensive scheme like a computer processing information, but he hadn’t figured out how to best utilize Clemons. And when Matthews called in Clemons to voice his displeasure about arriving late for the team meeting it only exacerbated Clemons’s frustration about his role, on and off the field. “From my standpoint, it was out of place, because I was doing something for the Toronto Argonauts, not something for Mike Clemons,” he said. “The interaction between Don and me was significant because it pissed me off. Don was pissed because we lost the game. I was pissed because I thought I could have helped out. The only way I’m actually getting a chance to help is to go out and do charity and community stuff for the organization. I tried not to be a problem child. I’ve got no problem with changing positions. I’ve got no problem with running my old position the whole time in training camp and changing to the new position, and now I’m going to be getting grief for being 10 minutes late when I was away doing something for the team. I tried to be understanding throughout the whole process. To me, (criticizing me) wasn’t right. My real question was: Is the game being as loyal to me as I’m being to it?” As he recalled the incident, the angst and frustration from that time was evident. His smile was replaced by an

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agitated countenance, remembering a painful point in his career. He had been through troubling times before, such as in 1993 when coordinator Mouse Davis lessened his role, but this particular memory seemed to be more disturbing because it represented a variety of issues, in particular his commitment to the team. “Don has been great for me, I’ve learned a lot from him, but for anyone to think that the effort I gave or my approach to the game changed because of a conversation would be ludicrous,” Clemons continued. “But Don is awesome and he had vision and he knew what he wanted for me and he knew that I could be effective at that. He was wonderful in all of those ways, but that little thing didn’t make a bit of difference, I believe.” The Argos rebounded from the loss and won their next two games, but Clemons still hadn’t factored into the offence. Overall, he had 17 receptions for 175 yards and 10 carries for 66 yards. Both Flutie and new offensive coordinator Adam Rita, who had worked for Matthews in the past and succeeded him as the Argos’ coach in 1991, were still trying to figure out one another. It was a work in progress. A breakthrough for Clemons—and really the team as a whole—happened in the fifth game when the Argos travelled to Regina to play the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Clemons caught nine passes for 106 yards and the Argos won 40–16. “Flutieball” was officially hatched, as the quarterback with the magical talents completed 33 of 46 passes for a whopping 552 yards, one of the greatest individual games in Argos history. Flutie spread the ball around and Clemons became his most popular target. He simply threw some deft, short passes and let Clemons use his elusive ability to slip away from the opposition.

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And like a trickle of water that evolved into a steady flow, the Argos’ offensive machine had been turned on to full effect—and all the problems Clemons had in the first few games dissipated. Flutie had found out how to employ his little receiver and how he figured into the whole process. The brilliant colours were evolving into a beautiful rainbow. In the next game, Clemons caught nine passes for 99 yards, followed by seven-for-44 in the game after that and sevenfor-97 in the following game. In the ninth game, which represented the halfway point of the season, he caught 10 passes for 126 yards. It really didn’t matter who the Argos were playing, they had an 8–1 record, and Clemons, for one, was racking up yards with the same efficiency as a machine collecting corn at harvest time. Little changed in the second half of the season, albeit the Argos lost two games, finishing one victory shy of a Canadian Football League record for single-season wins. But at 15–3, the record had been a dramatic spike upward from the previous season and even better than the 1991 season, in which the Argos posted a regular-season record of 13–5 en route to winning the Grey Cup. Clemons led the league with 116 receptions—an Argos record—for 1,268 yards and had 2,626 all-purpose yards. It would not mean anything, however, unless the team finished it off with a championship, because Matthews had said before the start of the season that anything short of a Grey Cup win would be a disappointment. This was Matthews’s philosophy, knowing that a loss, particularly one in the Grey Cup, would sit in the collective consciousness of the team for the entire off-season like an unfulfilled dream. Everything in the season is geared toward the Grey Cup and the

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belief that any team, on any given day, can rise to the moment and win it all. Matthews set the standards high, taking pride in the regular-season accomplishments but knowing it would mean nothing without capping it off with a victory in the Cup. This was his belief, and he had won the Cup five consecutive times as a coordinator with the Edmonton Eskimos between 1978 and 1982 and twice as a head coach, first with B.C. in 1985 and next with Baltimore in 1995. He had also been to the Cup and lost enough times to know the awful feeling of defeat and the finality of it all. Win that one game and it will be a memory that lasts a lifetime, something to cherish and reflect upon; lose that one game and it could be a deflating moment of regret, leaving you wondering what could have been. The Argos enjoyed a bye week in the first round of the playoffs, the reward for finishing first in the division, then prepared to play host to the Montreal Alouettes at the SkyDome. Few people expected the Als to present much of a challenge. The Argos had beaten the Als twice in the regular season, including the dramatic opener when Flutie scrambled all over the field and threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Paul Masotti with 14 seconds left on the clock. Almost a month later at the SkyDome, the Argos won 40–31, posting another rally inside the final minute to secure victory. The Als finished the regular season with a 12–6 record, but clearly they had to figure out a way to be at their best to beat the Argos in their own building. It was delicious irony of sorts that the Als had been the same team, for the most part, coached by Matthews as the Baltimore Stallions the year before and relocated to Montreal. He had helped to build the team into a powerhouse; now he planned to render it powerless.

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And it didn’t take much to do it. In fact, momentum swung the Argos’ way on the opening play of the game. Clemons took the opening kickoff and, following his blocks and his instincts, found the holes to cut through the Als’ defence as easily as a knife cutting through butter, running 91 yards for a touchdown. Only 14 seconds had expired, but the Argos had done enough to mortally wound the Als. More than 59 minutes remained in the game, but the Als would not be able to win back momentum. After 30 minutes of play, the Argos led 26–0. After 45 minutes, the lead had escalated to 36–0. It ended 43–7. The Argos had earned the right to go to the Grey Cup a week later for the first time in five years. The game would be played 45 minutes away in Hamilton, which meant the Argos didn’t have to do much travelling. In the days leading up the Cup at the 1996 CFL annual awards dinner, the Argos gathered to show their support for teammates who were finalists for the individual trophies. Centre Mike Kiselak, who had come to the Argos in a trade from the Saskatchewan Roughriders, won the Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award. Flutie followed him later in the march to the victory dais when named the Most Outstanding Player. As part of the proceedings, Clemons received his second Tom Pate Award for outstanding community service as voted by the CFL Players’ Association. Former teammate Dan Ferrone, the president of the CFLPA, introduced him. “This year’s winner epitomizes the award,” Ferrone began. “He’s something every parent can be proud to talk about as a role model.” Clemons received a standing ovation as he made his way to the stage. For the first time since the award’s inception in

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1976, the Tom Pate became part of the nationally broadcast awards show shown on The Sports Network, and Clemons thanked those who supported and guided him. “I’d like to thank my lord and saviour Jesus Christ, who is really the reason I do the things I do; I act the way I act; I live the way I live,” he said. “Some people don’t understand when people get up and thank someone who they can’t see, but that is the biggest part of me and the biggest part of my life. I really am serious about it and really wanted to do that.” He then went on to thank his wife and daughter for being patient with his community work. “I’m not always home for ’em, but I try to be a good father and a good husband and I want to thank them so much for being so patient, so kind, and so loving.” He also thanked his mom, who was in attendance, repeating his oft-expressed sentiments: “She provided the inspiration for me. She showed me how to do this. She’s a loving, caring person who raised me on her own as a single parent. I just want to thank her and I love her so much.” He concluded his speech with an emotional plea on behalf of youth, a subject near and dear to his heart and something he felt needed to be said while he had the opportunity in front of an assembled crowd and the larger audience watching on national television. “Please don’t give up on your young people,” he said with passion. “Don’t tell ’em that they’re the worst generation ever. They’re no different than we are. They want the same things that we wanted when we were young; when we were their age. They’re no different. They want respect and they want love, so please give it to them. There’s a saying on a Salvation Army wall: ‘We should stop loving things and

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using people and start loving people and using things.’ Just think about it. God bless you.” And he departed the stage, planting in the minds of the public a social reminder that was beyond just talking about football. Afterward, when he came to talk to the media, he amplified his message. “Every athlete shouldn’t have to go out and go to all kinds of schools and participate because that’s not necessarily their cup of tea. But in some way, we are all part of the community and should get involved. That’s what community is—coming together.” ***** Grey Cup day arrived with a reminder that when you play outdoors, weather can always be a factor. While the SkyDome offered the Argos a controlled environment to play in, Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton offered no such protection. And Mother Nature had something interesting planned for the biggest annual football game in Canada—a snowfall. It lay on the Hamilton landscape like a cold, white blanket, making it almost impossible to decipher the lines that divided the field in 5-yard increments. But it would take more than inclement weather to defeat the Argos, who were heavily favoured to beat the West Division champion Edmonton Eskimos. The Eskimos were far from home but had the support of the Hamilton faithful, who hated the Argonauts. The age-old rivalry between Hogtown and Steeltown meant that even though the Argos represented the East Division, Tiger-Cats fans had no room in their hearts to support the enemy.

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The Eskimos scored first, recording a two-point safety by sacking Flutie in the Argos end zone. About eight minutes later, Eskimos receiver Eddie Brown caught a pass that would be remembered as one of the greatest in Grey Cup history. In full stride, he hauled in a pass that deflected off his toe and thigh and continued en route to a 64-yard touchdown. The Eskimos led 9–0 after one quarter, but the Argos were far from done. In the second quarter, Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 38-yard field goal. Almost 90 seconds later, Jimmy Cunningham fielded a punt and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, finishing off his thrilling run with a dive into the end zone. Along with the one-point convert, the Argos led 10–9. Slightly more than four minutes later, Vanderjagt added another field goal to give the Argos a 13–9 lead. Twenty-five seconds later, Edmonton regained the lead on a 75-yard touchdown play between quarterback Danny McManus and receiver Jim Sandusky, but almost five minutes later the Argos recorded a touchdown to take the lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Henry (Gizmo) Williams took the ball 91 yards for a touchdown to force another lead change. But with 40 seconds to go in the first half, Flutie scored a touchdown on a 10-yard scamper. The Argos led 27–23 after 30 minutes of exciting football. The third quarter produced only three points, off of a Vanderjagt field goal. He added another field goal early in the fourth. Edmonton scored a touchdown about five minutes later and tied the game with a convert. With less than two minutes to go, Vanderjagt connected on his fifth successful field goal to give the Argos a three-point lead. Only 12 seconds later, the Argos took control of the game when cornerback Adrion Smith picked off a pass that deflected off of Edmonton receiver Darren Flutie—Doug’s younger brother—to lead by

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13 points. Edmonton managed a touchdown with nine seconds to go and the game ended 43–37 in Toronto’s favour. It had been a thrilling game with great plays and a controversy. Flutie was fortunate to retain possession on what appeared to be a fumble on a dive into a pile of Edmonton defenders. Clemons hadn’t been much of a factor in the game, with only three receptions for 29 yards, but he had won the ultimate team prize. He and his teammates had dedicated the game to a five-yearold Toronto-area boy, Matthew Rodrigues, who was battling leukemia. Clemons and Drummond had visited the boy in his hospital room in advance of the run to the Cup and presented him with a signed ball on behalf of the team. Clemons developed a close relationship with Matthew and his parents, Keith and Beverley, and worked on a plan to financially assist them in paying for the cost of their son’s high-risk chemotherapy by holding a sports-celebrity breakfast. Keith and Beverley had run up substantial expenses trying to find a compatible match for a bone marrow transplant. Because they were both of mixed races, it became like a needle in a haystack trying to find a compatible donor; to build up a donor registry they had to pay for blood tests at their own expense. In addition, their insurance claims had reached the maximum. The breakfast, which took place the following February and was widely publicized, helped ease some of the Rodrigueses’ financial burden largely due to Clemons’s help. “What he did for us is immeasurable,” Keith said. “The guy is genuine. He really didn’t want anything. He did (it) out of the kindness of his heart. He certainly brought attention to our cause and plight.” *****

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Clemons had played out his contract, but put himself into a position to reap the rewards of his big season. He had no reason to explore the free-agency market, which allows a player to sign with another team at any point once the freeagency period commences, usually in mid-February. He liked it in Toronto, and the Argos valued him for his work on and off the field. To many fans, he was the Argos. Clemons’s agent, Gil Scott, made a presentation to Argos president Bob Nicholson, impressing upon him Clemons’s value. Scott used the expression “Toronto treasure” in his pitch. In its literal sense, treasure can mean wealth (as in money, jewels, or precious metals) stored up or hoarded, or wealth of any kind or in any form. Clearly Clemons had been established as a treasure through what he did for the Argos and the city of Toronto. He had, in fact, become the most recognized athlete in the city, his status greater than that of high-profile players with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Blue Jays, and the Toronto Raptors, none of whom had Clemons’s cachet. The Argos and Scott agreed on a multi-year deal in which Clemons received separate stipends taking into account his value as a player and a promotional asset. While Scott would not divulge the exact financial amount, he said it reached $150,000 each year, with an additional bonus in the last year. The contract became a template for future deals engaged in between CFL teams and their high-profile players. The league instituted a rule that allowed teams to pay a player up to $100,000 a year for marketing purposes separate from the playing contract. The Argos made a special presentation when formally announcing Clemons’s re-signing and Nicholson used the expression “Toronto treasure.”

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“When they talk about a Toronto treasure, I think Toronto is my treasure,” Clemons said at the time. “The city has given me more than I can ever give.” To Nicholson, “Toronto treasure” signified Clemons as a special person, someone he had come to know in three seasons as genuine—the “real deal” in his own words. Nicholson recalled that he had practically run out of superlatives every time the team had an announcement involving Clemons, and that Toronto had been fortunate to have someone who cared as much about the community as he did, living and working there. Clemons spent 100 days a year in charity- or team-related functions, lending his time and name to causes such as Big Brothers, the Special Olympics, Easter Seals, and the Leukemia Research Fund of Canada. He also spoke to assemblies at Toronto-area high schools in a police-sponsored program called Tackle Violence, talking about non-violence, self-control, thinking ahead, and having the right attitude. He had a roster of companies sponsoring him, providing him materials and/or money to cover his expenses. To be associated with Clemons represented a positive image, and if the cause was right he could be counted on to lend his support. “People knew he was such a good guy and people were so accustomed to him doing so many things and that he would do them for free if the cause was right,” said former teammate Doran Major, who along with a partner owned a marketing business that had Clemons as a client. “They’d call Robbie Alomar and write him a cheque for $25,000, but ol’ Pinball, he’ll do it for free. That was the thing that was disheartening for me. I thought people almost took his kindness for weakness. And he’s far from weak. He still went on

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his own and did a lot of things for free if the cause was right. He just became super-popular around the city because his mother instilled some great values in him. He’s just a real special person. There’s probably not anybody in sports and entertainment that I haven’t met, but I can tell you this: I haven’t met anybody more impressive as an individual. He’s smart, he’s articulate, he’s funny, he’s fun, and he has sincerity and a caring quality about him. I just haven’t been around anybody in my life that can give you 60 seconds or 120 seconds and you walk away feeling like you’ve known him all your life. He’s got a real gift.” ***** If 1996 proved that Clemons could accept the challenge of adapting to a different position and make a significant contribution to a championship season, 1997 elevated his worth to an even greater degree. It would become his most memorable season, highlighted by a play in a playoff game that would be remembered for all time in the annals of Argos history. It would also be a meaningful season for Clemons because of the friendship he developed with rookie Derrell (Mookie) Mitchell, a relative unknown when he joined the Argos but who would become a major star in the Canadian Football League. Like Clemons, Mitchell was a native of Florida, but attended university in Texas at Texas Tech. The New Orleans Saints drafted him in the sixth round of the 1994 NFL draft and he played in 14 of their 16 games as a backup receiver and on kick returns. He bounced around the pros after that. It didn’t take long for Clemons to realize the newcomer had special qualities, both as a player and a person.

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He was humble and didn’t boast about his speed, which was lightning quick. He showed a particular ability for making a catch and turning on the jets. “Once he saw me in practice, he told me that I was going to be something special and I was going to be around the CFL for a long time,” Mitchell remembered. “Being new to the CFL, I really didn’t just take it to heart right then. I’d just come out of the situation from the NFL and saw the unfairness that goes on in that league.” In the NFL, the politics of the draft and personalities can sometimes make a player more valuable than his talent. It is not always the best players who play. But Clemons tried to instill confidence in Mitchell, assuring him he should have no worries about surviving the final player cuts and receiving a spot on the team. Mitchell had received the nickname Mookie for no particular reason in college and it stuck with him. In fact, he’d tell people greeting him for the first time to call him Mookie. It would become a name almost as popular to Argos fans as Pinball. The Argos’ electrifying offence picked up at the start of the season without showing any drop-off from the previous year. Mitchell, whom the team tried out as a wide receiver early in training camp then shifted to slotback so he could utilize his speed inside, added another dangerous element to the Argos’ arsenal. And it would have no impact on Clemons because Flutie knew how to distribute the ball to all of his personnel, recognizing their individual strengths and adapting to the opposition. In the first game, against Winnipeg, Flutie earned the league’s offensive player of the week honours, passing for 438 yards and running for 116 yards. Clemons caught 10 passes, the most he’d

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ever had in one game, for 137 yards and recorded one touchdown. Mitchell had 103 yards on five catches, one of them a touchdown, in the game, which the Argos won 38–23. There was talk that the Argos had the potential to go undefeated in the regular season, but that came to an end in the third game with a loss to Saskatchewan. The Argos followed up with three consecutive wins before losing to Calgary. But there was never any serious concern that the team might falter to the point of it becoming a crisis. There were merely blips. In the eighth game of the season against the Edmonton Eskimos at the SkyDome, Clemons caught a 17-yard pass, and that reception eclipsed Dick Shatto’s franchise record of 466 career receptions. To acknowledge the achievement, the game was temporarily halted to pay homage to him on the large video scoreboard. Clemons humbly removed his helmet and saluted the crowd, who stood up and cheered appreciatively. Life was good for the team and for Clemons in particular. He was having a great season, and on the family front he and Diane celebrated the birth of their second child, Raven, before the annual Labour Day game in Hamilton. In late September, in the 14th game of the season, running back Robert Drummond injured a knee and was sidelined for the next three games. Matthews and offensive coordinator Adam Rita decided to move Clemons back into his old running back role in the interim and put another player, Jack Jackson, in his place. In his first game, Clemons did it all as a running back and a receiver. He ran the ball five times for an astonishing 76 yards—a 5-yard rushing average is considered good, but in this case he had a 15-yard average. He also had a career-best 15 catches, only one shy

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of the team record set by Terry Greer in 1983, for 118 yards. Overall, he had three touchdowns. In the next game, he scored two rushing touchdowns and, more significantly, surpassed his own pro record of 3,300 all-purpose yards. In his third and final game as a running back, Clemons had 11 rushes for 72 yards and eight catches, two of them touchdowns, for 112 yards. The Argos won the game 48–17, beating Calgary and setting a variety of team and personnel records in the process: 10 consecutive wins; 17 consecutive home wins; Don Matthews moving into first place among all-time head coaches in the league with 147 career victories; Derrell Mitchell breaking Rocket Ismail’s team record of 1,300 receiving yards in a rookie season; and Clemons eclipsing his own single-season record of 1,045 punt return yards. It was as if the Argos could do no wrong. Or so it seemed. In the final regular-season game, the Argos played in Montreal and lost 43–38 to the Alouettes. Because the Argos had already clinched first place, they had a bye to the division final two weeks later, but finishing the regular season with a loss meant having to think about it for a fortnight. Clemons had 122 catches and 3,840 all-purpose yards for the season, 540 more than his old mark. He became the first player in the National Football League and Canadian Football League to post 1,000 yards each in receiving, rushing, and punt returns in a single season. After Montreal won the Eastern semi-final, the Alouettes travelled to Toronto to play the Argos, buoyed by the victory in the final regular-season game. In fact, Als cornerback Irv Smith proclaimed his team to be the “new beast in the East.” In front of a crowd of 32,085 at SkyDome—one of the largest

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turnouts for an Argos game in years—Toronto appeared to be on its way to another easy win, leading 20–9 at the half. But momentum swung in favour of the Als after that, when they scored two touchdowns in the first half of the third quarter. After the Argos tied it up with a field goal, the Als went ahead on a touchdown with a few seconds to go before the quarter expired. Toronto came back with a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to tie the game, but it took some heroics to win the game, including a play that would be remembered as arguably Clemons’s greatest moment as an Argo. Late in the fourth quarter, the Argos’ defence held and forced Montreal to try to move ahead with a field goal, but Als kicker Terry Baker missed the attempt and Clemons ran the ball out of the end zone to Toronto’s 16-yard line. Quarterback Doug Flutie, weak from a flu that forced him to take intravenous injections before the game to replace lost fluids, ran the ball twice, which, combined with a penalty, advanced the ball to Toronto’s 42-yard line. Then came Clemons’s memorable play. Flutie, who had been completing almost 66 percent of his passes, called a play in which Clemons would cross over the middle. Clemons ran downfield and crossed over, catching the pass at Montreal’s 40-yard line. Then, he quickly spun to his left, sidestepped two defenders, and ran to the end zone with receivers Masotti and Mitchell providing some blocking help. As Clemons crossed into the end zone, Mitchell jumped on his back in glee and brought him down to the ground. The touchdown run had been 58 yards, and only 40 seconds remained in the game. Every play is designed to result in a touchdown, but the odds depend on the situation. For example, when a quarterback throws a long bomb to a receiver who only has to beat

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one defender, the chances of the play becoming a touchdown are greater than in the case of a player with two defenders covering him catching a pass. Flutie had merely been trying to move the ball downfield to give the Argos a chance to win the game with a field goal, but Clemons had taken the play the distance with a quick-shift move he had probably made as far back as youth football. It just became so much more important on this one play—this one glorious play. Matthews remembered the play vividly and compared Clemons’s moves to the way Michael Jordan took charge of a basketball game or Wayne Gretzky a hockey game. In this case, Flutie and Clemons teamed together to turn around the team’s offensive struggles. “It was just where two guys decided to take charge of what’s going on and win the game,” Matthews said proudly. “They took it upon themselves. Those two guys took their game to another level and just decided ‘We’re going to win this game.’ It was a beautiful thing to watch.” Montreal had one last possession, but ran out of time and hope and lost 37–30. The Argos had made it back to the Cup. In the days leading up to the game, Flutie won his second consecutive Most Outstanding Player Award and Mitchell garnered the Rookie of the Year Award. Clemons had been right all along going back to training camp: Mitchell would indeed be something special. ***** In the Grey Cup, the Argos faced the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who had finished third in the West with a weak 8–10 record. Then they managed to score stunning upsets over Calgary and

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Edmonton, the latter ruining the Eskimos’ chance to play host to the championship game at home at Commonwealth Stadium. The game attracted a sold-out crowd of 60,431, including what appeared to be about 59,000 Western supporters rooting for the underdog Roughriders to win. The Roughriders struck first with a field goal, but the Argos recorded 17 consecutive points with two touchdowns and a field goal. Saskatchewan scored a touchdown but missed the convert, to partially cut into the Argos’ lead. A field goal on the final play of the first half sent Toronto to the locker room leading 20–9. Matthews used some of the time at the break to plan a play that would alter the complexion of the game. The Argos would receive the kickoff and have Smith and Clemons back to return the ball. Matthews predicted Saskatchewan would try to kick away from Clemons and direct the ball to Smith, feeling he didn’t have the same return ability. The plan called for Smith to catch the ball, move toward the middle of the field, and fake pitching the ball off to Clemons, who theoretically would freeze the Saskatchewan return team by following through with the disguise. Saskatchewan did as planned and Smith moved toward Clemons and followed through with the fake. Saskatchewan bit, giving Smith the split second he needed to move away from potential tacklers and over to the wide side of the field. He sidestepped Roughriders kicker Paul McCallum and recorded a Grey Cup record 95-yard touchdown. As the expression goes, you couldn’t have written it up any better. Saskatchewan never recovered emotionally, with the Argos recording three touchdowns in the third quarter, including a score by Clemons on a 5-yard catch. The Roughriders outscored

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the Argos 14–6 in the final quarter, but lost 47–23. The Argos became the first team since Edmonton back in 1981–82 to win back-to-back Cups. Of course, Edmonton had five in a row beginning in 1978 and Matthews had been part of all of the victories as the defensive coordinator. In the post-game excitement, Diane Clemons was accidentally knocked unconscious in the stands when a fan elbowed her while trying to catch a souvenir. She was rushed by ambulance to a hospital, accompanied by her husband, still dressed in his uniform. It turned out to be only a minor head injury—although the incident became widely reported in the media—and she was released a few hours later. At the civic reception the following week, the Argos received the Grey Cup at Toronto City Hall and Clemons led the crowd in a dance similar to what he done on the field with his teammates. The Argos were “in the house” with their second Grey Cup victory. In December, Clemons participated in a special Christmas at Horizons for Youth, a Toronto shelter. Through his connections and business contacts, he played the role of Santa by bringing presents and handing them out to youth, who were also given a hearty meal. It would become a regular practice for Clemons. ***** The new year symbolically ushered in changes for the Argos team, which would be broken up by significant player losses, some due to retirement and others because of key defections to other teams or leagues. In what may have been the biggest loss of all, Doug Flutie signed with the Buffalo Bills, ending a great

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two-year run in Toronto. Other losses to the NFL included kicker Mike Vanderjagt, centre Mike Kiselak, linebacker Reggie Givens, defensive back Johnnie Harris, and cornerback Adrion Smith. The greatest team, arguably, ever assembled in the history of the CFL had been broken up, leaving behind the winningest head coach in CFL history, Pinball, Mookie, and the hopes of winning the Cup three years in a row. Matthews immediately began searching for a replacement for Flutie, which would be as difficult as finding someone to take over as the lead singer for the Rolling Stones. To be sure, a candidate could be found, but there was only one Mick Jagger or, in this case, one Doug Flutie. Early in March, the Argos signed Kerwin Bell as the quarterback who would take over as the starter. Bell had played for Matthews in the World League of American Football in 1991 and had spent the 1996 and 1997 seasons as the third stringer with the Indianapolis Colts but had virtually no playing time. He had previous CFL experience with Edmonton and Sacramento and had earned a reputation as a player who lacked mobility but could stand up in the pocket and absorb punishing hits and not back down. He was, in a word, a warrior. He had a style that was exactly the opposite of Flutie’s, who was exceptionally mobile, but Matthews had so much confidence in Bell that he boasted the quarterback would throw 40 touchdown passes and total 5,000 passing yards, basically duplicating what Flutie had done the previous season. It was quite a sales job, but there weren’t many believers. After all, there was only on Flutie. In April, Matthews publicly disclosed that he planned to limit Clemons’s workload in the upcoming season by taking him off punt- and kick-return duties. In effect, he hoped to

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find someone with explosive return ability and to extend Clemons’s career even longer. Clemons had been apprised of the plan and readily accepted it. When the 1998 Argos media guide came out, it featured Clemons on the front cover, posing with the 1997 Grey Cup ring. With Flutie gone, Clemons had once again become the figurative face of the Argos. He had never been bothered by the media attention given to Flutie, just as he had not been affected by the attention directed to the Rocket. All he cared about was the greater good of the team and the chance to win the Grey Cup. But without Flutie, it seemed this would be too great a challenge, notwithstanding the positive outlook of Pinball. In training camp in June, the Argos lost another key player when Robert Drummond signed with the B.C. Lions as a free agent. Matthews wanted Drummond back, but the Lions made the running back a more lucrative offer. Matthews had confidence, though, in the other backs in camp, in particular Tony Smith, a 1992 NFL first-round pick. The team suffered a physical toll in the pre-season when they lost their quarterback in the first game. Kerwin Bell suffered a broken left forearm, elevating rookies Jay Barker and Nealon Greene into a battle for the starter’s job. Then, in the second preseason game, Tony Smith suffered a broken collarbone. Matthews looked into his assembled personnel and found a replacement for Smith. It had been the player he had personally tapped to become his starting running back in 1990. Now it was eight years later and Matthews turned to Clemons once more. The Argos struggled until Bell returned in the fifth game of the season and thereafter he guided the team to two

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consecutive wins. At the halfway point of the season, the Argos had a 5–4 record. While the Argos lost the annual Labour Day match to Hamilton—the game is a tradition on the CFL calendar—they were about to re-sign one of their stars from the 1996 and 1997 Grey Cup teams. Cornerback Adrion Smith, who had signed with the Buffalo Bills in the offseason, had been cut. Hamilton made an aggressive pitch to sign him, so he talked to several people about what to do, including Clemons, whom he looked up to like a mentor. Clemons suggested that Smith look beyond the money and weigh the importance of establishing permanent roots and offered to help him in the business world. “He told me, ‘I’ll take you wherever I go. You can make some contacts. You’ve made your name here in Toronto, you’ve had two good Grey Cups, so everything is in your corner to try and network outside of football. You can supplement your income by speaking, maybe getting a job.’” Smith heeded Clemons’s sage advice and it proved to be a wise decision. Smith became a disciple of Clemons, who helped him network outside of football by steering him to learn about life beyond the game, including speaking to youth groups and assemblies about positive values. In the second half of the season, the Argos went on a three-game win streak and appeared to be heading in the right direction. During this time, Clemons’s autobiography, All Heart: My Story, was released by publisher HarperCollins, which had approached him with the idea of doing the book. While initially reluctant to do something self-aggrandizing, he committed to the project to give his mother an account of his career in Toronto. The publisher instructed Clemons to be honest and candid, and he did just that. He provided insights

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into the trials of his youth and some of the difficulties he had in his family life, but also into some conflicts and philosophical clashes with head coaches and assistants, in particular in his many years with the Argos. Back on the field, the Argos had a 9–6 record with three games to go. During the third quarter of the last game, Clemons dove into the end zone and developed a knot the size of a marble in his right calf. With only five days until the next game, the club opted to sit him out. It would be the first time in four years he wouldn’t suit up. The Argos lost the game— a rematch against Montreal, whom Toronto had beaten in the last game—and then prepared to meet the division-leading Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Clemons played, but it was a game that the Argos lost badly, finishing on the back end of a 45–8 drubbing. Heading into the last game and with no chance to catch the second-place TiCats, the Argos travelled to Winnipeg and left Clemons behind to give him some additional healing time from the lingering calf injury. It also allowed Tony Smith a chance to get some game experience. The Argos lost 31–12 to close out the season with a 9–9 record and three consecutive losses. Clemons had a decent season, considering he had been returned to the running back role and missed some playing time. He totalled 610 rushing yards and 995 receiving yards. He also contributed 216 yards on returns. Some of his teammates also had good seasons. Kerwin Bell passed for 4,991 yards, threw 27 touchdown passes, and set a league record with a 67.3 percent completion rate. Had he not been injured, he might have followed through on Matthews’s predictions of 5,000 passing yards and 40 touchdown passes. As it was, he came very close. Mookie Mitchell

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set an Argos and league record with 160 catches, and totalled 2,000 receiving yards. But unlike the previous two seasons heading into the playoffs, there was a sense that the Argos were headed for an early exit and no amount of Clemons’s optimism would help. Playing on the road in Montreal, the Argos fell behind 24–17 at the half and never recovered. They lost 41–28. Clemons caught a touchdown pass in the game, but it was small personal consolation in what was otherwise a devastating team loss. There was much speculation about whether Clemons would retire or continue to play. His contract had expired and at the tail end of the season he had stated that he would retire when he didn’t think he could make a contribution, he no longer enjoyed the game, or if his body couldn’t hold up to the physical grind any more. He indicated he wanted to see how things panned out with the club before making a commitment, one way or another. He ended up re-signing. Matthews, who had concerns about the ownership’s financial commitment, opted to leave and signed with the Edmonton Eskimos. Faced with finding a replacement, Nicholson and new general manager Eric Tillman narrowed their search to two candidates, John Jenkins and Jim Barker, who had both been assistants under Matthews. The two had combined to run the offence—Jenkins overseeing the passing game, Barker the running game—but it was Barker who received the job, his first in the pros as a head coach. It was considered a popular choice by the players, although Jenkins would come back into the picture for the Argos in two years— and would have an impact on Clemons’s coaching career. *****

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In March, the Argos made significant news when they traded Bell in a multiple-player deal to Winnipeg, receiving young receiver Mitch Running and established running back Eric Blount in return. The Bombers, who had had two losing seasons with a multitude of quarterbacks, coveted Bell’s proven ability, while the Argos addressed a need for a receiver after losing Derrell Mitchell to the Chicago Bears of the NFL and relieved Clemons of the running back role with Blount. When Clemons was contacted by Toronto Star reporter Mark Harding to offer his comments on the trade. Clemons talked effusively about Bell, calling him a great quarterback who was productive. In fact, Clemons viewed him as one of the best pure passers he’d ever been around, including Flutie. But Clemons made some other remarks in the article that became a lightning rod for controversy, specifically Bell’s ability to win. Bell had set a league record for the highest pass-completion percentage, led the league in passing yards and had been voted an East Division all-star. Statistically, he had done well, but the team finished with a record of nine wins and nine losses in the regular season and then lost out in the first round of the playoffs. Coming off back-to-back Grey Cup championship seasons, the team had clearly gone in reverse, and Bell became one of the targets for the team’s decline, rightly or wrongly. When management viewed the reasons for making the trade, it pointed to the age difference between Bell and backup Jay Barker, who was almost seven years younger and had greater mobility. Yet there was also the popularity factor. While Bell had practically posted the same statistical numbers Matthews predicted when he signed him, Bell did not

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generate the Flutie magic and excitement, both in terms of his personality and the way he played. Many factors would go into the reasons for making the deal, but in the end there would remain a lingering controversy, specifically Clemons’s reference to the team’s record with Bell at quarterback. Although he never called Bell a loser, somehow that particular word become like a burning ember that would heat up at a later date. In training camp, the Argos acquired veteran backup quarterback Jimmy Kemp from Edmonton to provide some insurance for the developing Barker. The Argos dropped their season opener at home to Montreal, then travelled to Winnipeg to play the Blue Bombers. It was Bell’s first game against his former team and reignited the controversy created by Clemons’s comments. Bell stated publicly that he was hurt by Clemons’s remarks. It is not uncommon for the media to fan the flames of controversy by poking at the burning embers. Clearly this was one of those times, in particular in a football-crazy community like Winnipeg, which lives and dies with the Blue Bombers. Clemons was deluged by the media when he arrived at Winnipeg Stadium for the Argos’ practice the day before the game. “I think it was much more of an issue to you guys (in the media) than it was to me,” Clemons said. “I think in the context that I said it, hopefully you can understand it.” When the media asked why he didn’t try to clarify the matter sooner, Clemons said, “I’ve got a busy life and we’ve got two little girls and we’re building a house. I have a business as well as a lot of charitable commitments back in Toronto. For me, I didn’t really see it as that much of an is-

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sue. I thought Kerwin knew and understood that. You’re always learning lessons in life. This was a lesson and that is to handle situations right away.” Clemons had tried to make a football analogy in his original comments to Harding, not a personal statement against anybody. “What I said was meant in a purely football analytical sense and not as a personal critique of Kerwin,” Clemons added. “It’s not my duty to critique him as a player.” But somehow that’s what it became. To try to hype up the game and the controversy, the Blue Bombers, management ran an ad in both of the Winnipeg dailies. The ad featured a cartoon character of Clemons saying, “That Kerwin Bell ith jutht a big fat loother.” Bell’s character in the ad responds, “Now it’s time to answer the bell. We gonna play us some Pinball—Bomber style.” To some people, the ad smacked of racism and stereotype in the way it portrayed Clemons, but he dismissed it. At the very least, the ad reflected poor judgment by the Blue Bombers. Many of the people in the crowd of 18,025 for the game booed Clemons over the Bell controversy. The Argos led 24– 17 going into the fourth quarter, then frittered away the game with turnovers. Winnipeg scored 30 points in that final quarter, winning 47–27. After the game, Clemons and Bell talked for a few minutes to clear the air. “He’s sorry for the way some of the things he said came out,” Bell said to the media. “He wanted to apologize to me and my family. My integrity has never been questioned and the stuff I read hurt me, but we straightened it out.” The Argos had only one win in their first four games and Clemons had not been much of a factor. After that, the Argos

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won two games but lost their next two to post a 4–5 record at the halfway juncture of the season. Clemons was on pace for his least productive season on offence since his rookie year with Toronto. The team struggled offensively under Jay Barker and Jimmy Kemp. The trade for Bell failed to pan out because Running had injury problems and Blount did not produce as expected. The loss of Mitchell, who had signed after the season in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, took away a big-play receiver. But Mitchell returned to the team in September following an unsuccessful tryout with the Bears, giving the team a playmaker. He moved in with Clemons, further solidifying their friendship. “There was no way I was going to find someone in Toronto to give me a room for two months,” Mitchell recalled. “The majority of the guys room together, so at that point everyone already had their roommates. Pinner was the only person I could turn to at the time for somewhere to stay. Pinner made the invitation when he heard I was coming back. He was the one who actually came and picked me up at the airport. Right then, he had already decided that I was staying with him. He had already discussed it with his wife, Diane, and it was a done deal. “What you see with Pinner is what you get. When you’re at home with him, he’s the same Pinner. He’s that type of guy who would give you his last dime, his last shirt, if you were loyal to him, if you were a friend of his. Like I said, what you see on TV, what you see around the practice facility, that’s the true Pinner.” *****

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The Argos finished off the regular season at home with a 20–15 win over Edmonton. Beyond just the win, the game had additional significance, both for the franchise and, as it turned out, for Clemons. A New York insurance businessman, Sherwood Schwarz, had been at the game as part of a process that would lead to him buying the team later in the year. Schwarz had been apprised by his first cousin, J.I. Albrecht, a veteran in football management, that the Argos were for sale, and together they had quietly come to Toronto to begin their information-gathering process. A scene involving Clemons after the game caught Schwarz’s attention and left a significant impression. Clemons had been going back to the locker room and he stopped and talked to the fans. An elderly woman stopped him and he took the time to talk to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It surprised Schwarz, who had never seen that kind of behaviour among athletes in the United States. “I thought to myself—if that’s the kind of guy that the CFL has, maybe it makes sense to own the team,” he recalled. The Argos travelled to Hamilton for the Eastern semi-final and lost 27–6. Their season had concluded and their future looked uncertain. Would anyone buy the team? Schwarz continued to do his due diligence, and he became publicly identified as a suitor. He said that if he bought the team he hoped to include Clemons, Paul Masotti, and linebacker Mike O’Shea in his plans because of their popularity. At that point, Clemons had still not committed to playing another season. His contract officially expired the following February and he had been frustrated by his role in the season. He had not been used with any regularity.

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During the Grey Cup in Vancouver at B.C. Place Stadium, Clemons worked as an analyst for the CBC. Before the game, he also attended an unusual wedding outside the stadium where two Argos season-ticket holders, Bill Smith and his longtime girlfriend, Sandra, exchanged vows and openly displayed their love for Clemons. They wore Argos jerseys—the bride wearing white, of course—with Clemons’s number as a tribute to him and for his qualities as a kind, gentle, and caring person. On the bride’s jersey, Clemons signed “Congratulations, Sandra.” On the groom’s jersey, he wrote “Live, Love and Laugh.” Clemons exuded excitement during the broadcast, talking as if he had been energized with high-voltage batteries, and while talking about the game he publicly declared he would return for another season. It would be an unforgettable season for the Argos and, in particular, Clemons.

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It was during my last year of high school (circa 1997) that I attended a Smashmouth football camp in Mississauga, which was sponsored by Pinball, Duane Ford, and Paul Masotti. The camp was an extraordinary football learning experience, but the atmosphere and the opportunity to meet Pinball and his family was what made it truly unforgettable. He brought such energy to each session, jumping around playfully and getting so genuinely excited about each drill. At the height of the frenzy he would engage us in a back and forth taunting of “Who’s your daddy?” The camp also offered five scholarships that were to be made available on the basis of performance on the field and the submission of an essay about the importance of football in our lives. I was fortunate enough to be awarded one of the scholarships…. Pinball wanted to do more than just award the scholarships, however. He really went out of his way to make us feel special…. As remarkable as that experience was, something even more remarkable happened for me about a year and a half later. I was walking with a friend through Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke…. Pinball was shopping as well, and was seemingly unaware of the buzz his presence continued

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had generated. My friend jokingly said to me, “Go say hello to your buddy” and gestured toward Pinball, who was walking in the distance. I felt shy and assumed Pinball was probably in a rush and would not remember this particular life that he’d touched. Before I could even respond, however, I heard the distinguished chant, “Who’s your daddy?” I looked up and was absolutely thrilled to see Pinball running toward me. He called me by my first and last name and after I extended my hand, he gave me a hearty hug and asked specifically how my parents were doing and mentioned how great it was to meet them at the camp. We chatted for a while, my friend in shock, and a small crowd gathering to observe. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more important than I did on that day. Pinball had always been someone special to me, but on this day I realized that to him, I was someone special, too. He inspires greatness and instills hope. Pinball, thank you for everything. Joe Vernon

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I was a fan and spectator at the 1997 Grey Cup festivities in Regina. The morning prior to the big game between Calgary and Baltimore there was an all faiths chapel service being held downtown in a big tent. One of the features was Pinball Clemons conducting the morning service. My friend and I had come for a pancake breakfast but were intrigued by the opportunity to hear this man. We had seen him play football and we knew he was an awesome athlete. We were not disappointed. He gave an excellent and inspiring sermon. Afterwards, Pinball mingled with the crowd. I was astounded to meet him in person and discover a man who does not have pretenses, is not full of himself and does not put on airs. He was as genuine a human being as there could possibly be. His warmth and earthy friendliness were a reassuring moment for my friend Graeme and me that athletes can truly epitomize role models. I wish my children could have been there to meet him. I have been and remain an Argo fan even though I live in Minnesota. I go to their games in the summer when at the cottage in Northern Ontario. The fact that the Pinball is head coach is tremendous. I can’t think of a better representative of the game or a person of leadership that a player could respect and learn from more than this man. The Argos are lucky and the fans and people of Toronto are even luckier. Ron Bentley

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Sherwood Schwarz knew all about running an insurance business, having begun as a door-to-door salesman, refusing to be deterred by people slamming doors in his face. He had moxie and drive—in a word, chutzpah. As his bio in the Toronto Argonauts’ Official Guide 2000 indicated, “He is a product of the Great Depression … and has never forgotten its aftermath. That memory steeled his resolve to succeed in business.” And that’s exactly what he did, amassing a fortune with a business he called The Carnegie Group. Schwarz had gone from humble beginnings, growing up in tenement housing in New York, to multi-millionaire status—a classic rags-to-riches story. But he wanted more out of life than just selling insurance; he wanted a diversion, and owning the Argos, a team he would compare in history to the New York Giants of the National Football League, gave him a sporting interest.

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But the Argos had lost much of their lustre. The previous ownership, Interbrew S.A., a Belgium brewery that picked up the team as one of several properties when it purchased the Labatt Brewing Company, no longer wanted any involvement in sports. Interbrew told the Canadian Football League it would only operate the team until the end of the 1999 season and to find an owner at any price. No single owner or group from Toronto showed any interest, knowing the Argos represented a bad financial investment. They drew crowds averaging only about 15,000 a game—essentially about 10,000 less than it took to break even on a game-by-game basis—and that combined with limited revenues from corporate sponsorships and other such streams meant the team lost about $3 million a year. The CFL team that was the equivalent of the New York Giants of the NFL could be had for a token fee of roughly $100,000 or so Canadian, a meagre amount when an NFL team costs at least US $600 million—if one happened to be available. Schwarz had neither the financial wherewithal nor the opportunity to buy the Giants, but he could afford the Argos and became their financial saviour. Schwarz, who on numerous occasions in his travels had been confused with television producer Sherwood Schwartz, admittedly had no knowledge about the inner workings of professional football. To help him in that role, he employed Albrecht, figuring he had the expertise and knowledge to raise the Argos back to respectability, and gave him the dual role of senior vice-president and managing director. A “living legend” in the game of football, according to the bio he wrote about himself in the team’s guide, Albrecht had 50 years of experience in various capacities in professional sports and sports

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entertainment. In his peripatetic career, he worked in the NFL, CFL, American college football, and Canadian college football. He even had a stint as tour manager for the Harlem Globetrotters and managed a professional soccer team. He had various roles in the CFL in the ’60s and ’70s in player personnel and/or management, including a period with the Argos when the team had crowds averaging more than 45,000 per game. His football journey came to an end after the 1994 season, in which he began the season as vice-president of football operations for the CFL expansion franchise Shreveport Pirates, but left in mid-season following a change in the football operations power structure. Since then, according to his bio, he had been working on his autobiography, which he had tentatively titled Just J.I., a Modern Sports Odyssey. “Just J.L.” referred to the fact he only had initials for his given names—an oddity consistent with his unique self. At the age of 70, Albrecht relished his return to the CFL like a gunslinger back for a shootout, but he faced criticism from some members of the media who had had previous experience with his crusty demeanour. He also had some confidants in the media, people who found him engaging and colourful. A voracious reader who kept a mental log of everything written about him, Albrecht verbally challenged anyone who doubted him, pointing to his many accomplishments and contacts, people of the highest level in professional football. Schwarz had so much trust in Albrecht that he gave him a 10-year contract. Albrecht boasted that the deal was ironclad. While some stories in the media claimed that the game had passed Albrecht by and likened him to a dinosaur, he

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routinely dismissed those criticisms like flicking off a fly. Schwarz repeatedly backed him. He believed in Albrecht, someone he had grown up with and who was exactly his own age. They were contemporaries and first cousins, but that little item remained known to only a few for reasons that were never fully explained by either Schwarz or Albrecht. Albrecht believed he could bring the Argos back to the glory years, filling the SkyDome to the brim with crowds of 50,000, similar to the ones that once packed Exhibition Stadium in the ’70s. He believed his marketing savvy and promotions could even help Schwarz make money. Albrecht had Schwarz’s ear—and his wallet. Albrecht’s first big move would be to select a head coach. Although Jim Barker was still under contract and had done a decent job in his first try as a head coach, Albrecht wanted his own man. He conducted a lengthy search, and in early February he announced John Huard as his choice—hardly surprising because the two had a lengthy history. Albrecht loved Huard like a son. He convinced the Denver Broncos to draft Huard, a gritty University of Maine product in the ’60s, and Huard became a starter and eventually one of the team captains. An injury ended his NFL career four years later, and though he tried to extend his playing days in the CFL with the Argos in 1974 he suffered a career-ending knee injury. He turned to coaching and enjoyed success in the Canadian college ranks, winning the national championship in his first year in 1979 with Acadia and again two years later. He joined the professional ranks in 1984 as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blitz of the ill-fated United States Football League, and later found employment at the U.S. college level

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with the Maine Maritime Academy, a tiny school with an enrollment of 700 midshipmen cadets. In 1994, Albrecht hand-picked Huard to be the head coach of the Shreveport Pirates, but Huard never coached a single game—a disagreement early in training camp with a member of the training staff led to his firing. He returned home to Maine and had opportunities to be an assistant coach but rejected them, working instead on writing coaching manuals, selling artificial turf, and building a boat. It appeared as though he had found contentment. But Albrecht vowed to hire Huard again if the opportunity ever arose. Now he had the chance, and in his opinion no one on his list of candidates came close to Huard. “He had the inside track and there wasn’t another horse in the race,” Albrecht recalled with pride. Prior to Huard’s hiring in Toronto, stories started circulating concerning his unorthodox ideas for building discipline in his players. There was talk that as part of his plans to instill physical fitness and mental toughness in the Argos, he would limit the players’ water intake in practice and provide them instead with Popsicle breaks, a highly unusual idea at the professional level, more common with youth football. Water is considered an important staple of training to replace lost body fluid, while a Popsicle is a kids’ treat in the summer. Another rumour suggested he would demand that his troops skip rope after practice to reduce the buildup of lactic acid. Similar to the Popsicle break, it appeared to be a goofy idea. He also believed in using computer analysis to identify weaknesses and trends in the opposition, a practice that had some value but only if he could find assistants who could

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understand and assimilate the data and translate it to the players in a way they could accept. At the media conference to introduce him, Huard created a furor when he declared that the Argos’ defence the previous season had been “overrated,” even though it had led the league in most categories. He then acknowledged he had not seen any games, but needed only his computer analysis. Schwarz would later say he should have fired Huard on the spot for these statements. Huard’s remarks had been made in the presence of several defensive players; the team’s reigning defensive coordinator, Gary Etcheverry; and notable offensive players, including Clemons. Clemons took an open-minded approach to the hiring, while some of his teammates were skeptical, albeit measuring their words. Perhaps, in their minds, the less said the better, and if Huard failed to make it to the first preseason game in Shreveport, history might repeat itself. Etcheverry listened to overtures made by Huard and Albrecht to become the team’s defensive coordinator, but he sought a more secure environment and joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a similar role. It was a tough loss for the defensive players, who admired his strategies and him personally. Huard assembled a staff, consisting of three newcomers to the CFL but educated in his computer-evaluation process; a former teammate from his playing days, and two others without any pro coaching experience. In summation, Huard had a staff that collectively lacked the right ingredients to succeed according to most knowledgeable observers. The Argos appeared to be a ship headed for disaster before it even left port. As part of his plan to reach out into the community, Schwarz hired Paul Masotti, the longest active-serving player

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on the team and leading receiver in Argos history, to help out in the front office in the off-season. He wanted to employ Clemons, too, essentially making use of their names and contacts in the community to expand his business. Clemons, however, had a more active schedule with his various charities and community work and could not commit to a full-time schedule. In late May, before the start of training camp, Masotti announced his sudden retirement to accept the position of executive vice-president. On the eve of training camp, the Argos dealt popular middle linebacker Mike O’Shea, arguably the brains and heart of the defence, to Hamilton. It coincided with the free-agent signing of middle linebacker Calvin Tiggle, who had played out his option in Hamilton. Albrecht liked Tiggle’s lateral mobility and the fact he was two years younger than O’Shea. He also liked the acquisition of Eric Lapointe, a highly acclaimed Canadian university running back who hadn’t had a chance to showcase his skills at the professional level. Clemons committed to the 2000 season as his last, after which he would retire. He decided to make his final season memorable when he shaved his head the night before the first practice. Many players shave their heads or cut their hair short in training camp to combat the heat. “I always said I was going to cut my hair off before training camp. This is my last chance,” he said at the time, amid chuckles from people smiling at his bald pate. Almost immediately, the veteran players balked at Huard’s ideas and his communication skills, or lack thereof. He put up a cold front, preferring not to engage in any idle chatter or small talk, often walking by the players without

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uttering a word, although one time he verbally shot back at one player who called him buddy. In his way of thinking, there was no room for friendliness. Some of the players questioned the strategic systems Huard and his staff put in place. Many of the approaches, such as employing big, beefy receivers close to the line of scrimmage to implement a physical running game, seemed to conflict with the current style of wide-open offences with smaller receivers spread out to utilize their speed. Defensively, the schemes seemed to indicate a lack of familiarity with the nuances of the Canadian game. And the coach who oversaw the kickoffs and returns gave every indication he had no idea what he was doing. The players considered refusing to play in the final preseason game in Winnipeg—a radical idea that tells how frustrated they had become. Clemons advised them against it, telling them that even if they didn’t understand Huard’s methodology, they still had to give him a chance, and refusing to play in the game would reflect badly on the league. The Argos were pounded 59–13. Heading into the first game, the critics had a field day with their comments about Huard and the man who hired him. But football can be a funny game, one in which any team can beat the other no matter what the odds or pundits suggest. Each game, the proverbial slate is clean and whatever happened in the pre-season is in the past. And never was that truer than in the season-opening game in which the Argos pulled off a stunning result on the road, beating the Saskatchewan Roughriders 36–28. The Argos physically manhandled the Roughriders defence, coordinated by Etcheverry, the former Argos defensive coordinator. Huard received a

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celebratory Gatorade shower from some of the players, an idea that would have seemed unlikely because of the distrust and enmity that had developed in training camp and the preseason, particularly among the veterans. At least, Huard won a game and the begrudging respect of his critics. The euphoria of the win ended quickly when Montreal laid a 45–6 whipping on the Argos in their home opener only five days later. Nine days later the two teams played in Montreal and the Alouettes won 41–4. On the train ride home, some players sarcastically sang “We Shall Overcome” because Huard wanted the team to report back to the training facility for a meeting. By this time, the players felt like slaves. They were tired, mentally and physically, and wanted a break from the madness. Some of the players would suggest that they had to drag themselves to practice, feeling like hopeless shift workers instead of grown men playing a game. You could see the disheartenment on their faces and in their body language. “It shouldn’t get to the point where guys don’t want to walk over to the practice facility because they knew when you got there they would (have to) do something unheard of,” former Argos’ receiver Derrell Mitchell recalled. One assistant coach, Jeff Fairholm, had had enough of things he deemed to be wrong in Albrecht and Huard’s handling of the roster of players and called me to vent his comments for use in an article. Fairholm, a talented receiver whose career had been cut short by back problems, had been hired because his father had a long friendship with Albrecht, but it didn’t matter to him now. He knew full well his actions could compromise his employment, but he had already had shouting matches with Huard and Albrecht and no longer

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cared about his future on the team. When the article appeared, Fairholm had his job duties reduced to that of a travelling secretary and soon thereafter he and the team worked out a termination agreement. After six games, the team had a record of 1–4–1. One fan remarked, “How do you support a team (when) there’s nothing to like except for Pinball Clemons?” Huard had become the butt of jokes among fans because he dressed for games in a bright red rain jacket and pants that his wife had bought him to wear for boating. At the very least, the fans thought, he should be wearing something in blue to reflect the team’s colour scheme, but he seemed either oblivious or unconcerned. The only question in the minds of fans—and maybe in the minds of the players, too—was how low could the Argos go before either Schwarz or Albrecht decided to do something to shake the team out of its malaise. In the days leading up to the seventh game of the season—against the Lions at B.C. Place—Albrecht and Huard appointed Clemons to the role of player/coach for the running backs. They had seen him run his annual football camp for youngsters and were impressed with the way he conducted some of the drills. They viewed him as a leader and sought to take advantage of that to help turn around the team. He had not been known as a student of the game or a future coaching prospect, but he had a deep sense of commitment to the organization and took on the task. The Argos lost to B.C. and Huard enraged the players during a team meeting the next day when he accused them of constantly complaining and indicated he didn’t need to do the job, that he could be making more money doing something else. It was a point that stuck in the heart of the team.

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Some of the players felt they were being disrespected and Clemons spoke on their behalf. “I was trying not to contradict him, but to save him,” Clemons said in retrospect. “I don’t remember exactly what I said, but the essence of it was that there were a million and one things we could all be doing, but we’d chosen to be here and to do this, and in essence you’re slapping us in the face by suggesting that this is not where you want to be. I was really trying to help him clarify his statement because indeed we could all be in different places, but saying it strong enough so that the guys knew who was speaking up with a voice.” Schwarz, Albrecht, and his son, Dean, a director with the team, pondered the possibility of a coaching change. Schwarz suggested Masotti and Clemons. J.I. Albrecht also mentioned John Eason, who had been brought in as an offensive consultant early in the season to replace Fairholm. Eason had assistant coaching experience at Florida State University and the University of Southern Carolina. He had been working as an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida when the Argos hired him to help the team for the remainder of the season. He planned to return to school after that. The Argos played B.C. in a return match at the SkyDome and lost 51–4. Clemons fumbled a punt and at one point threw his helmet on the turf in an uncharacteristic display of frustration. The game attracted just 11,350, the lowest turnout for football at the SkyDome in its 11-year history. Fans chanted, “Fire the coach,” and booed and cursed Huard. Some people even threw projectiles at him. The Argos appeared to have fallen to an ultimate low point.

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Albrecht controlled football operations and had no intention of firing Huard, but he had a feeling the coach had had enough and was about to resign. Albrecht took Clemons aside after the game to tell him about the possibility of a coaching change, and broached the idea of taking the job if it were offered to him. The seed had been planted; now it would take some time to germinate. And it started the next day when Huard quit. Schwarz and J.I. Albrecht talked about a successor. Inasmuch as Albrecht respected Eason’s intelligence and skills, he also knew that Eason wouldn’t have any impact on ticket sales or the media. Schwarz preferred Masotti because of his working relationship with him as executive vice-president, but Albrecht wanted Clemons, feeling he had the leadership capabilities to do the job. They came to an agreement and offered Clemons the job at the team’s training facility. “I don’t know if I even had the capacity to say, ‘Why me?’” Clemons recalled. “It was maybe the oddest thing I’ve seen happen in sport. I thought they felt the guys needed somebody they could respect and the community needed somebody it could respect and then it could go on from there. I thought I was being a little bit of a guinea pig and that’s two things: one is an experimental thing; the other is being sent out to the slaughter. I also thought we could be more efficient than we had been in the first half of the season. But sometimes you don’t make decisions; decisions are made for you. This wasn’t a coaching change as much as it was an acknowledgement (that) ‘this hasn’t worked and it’s not going to work.’ “This decision was made for the Toronto Argonauts based on how everything had played out. A change here was

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prudent. There’s nothing that is foolproof. Generally speaking, it makes most sense to make your changes in the off-season. This was the right time for a change because in everybody’s mind, a change was already made.” Clemons called Diane and informed her of the news— and she immediately started laughing. “I thought he was joking. Yeah, right,” she recalled. “But he said, ‘Honey, I’m serious.’ I just got real quiet and said, ‘You know what, Mike? I just have to pray about that. I don’t know about that one.’” And she promptly hung up the phone, not knowing what else to say. Some six hours later, when he got home, they discussed it again. “I knew that Mike wanted to play more and I knew there were some records that he wanted to break and so as a wife and as a female I’m thinking about all those things,” she said. “I’m thinking and saying to him, ‘There’s things that you wanted to do as a player, are you sure you want to do this?’ He said, ‘We have to put aside the things I wanted to do for the sake of the team. Forget about what I want to do as a player. That will never happen. The team needs me and I want to know how you feel about it because if you’re cool with it then I think I’m going to take the job.’ I said, ‘If you’re cool taking the job, then I’m going to support you in whatever you want to do.’ I said, ‘I would love to see you play at least another year or two because I love watching you play and there’s some things you want to accomplish, but if you’re ready to give that up, then I’m going to support you.’” But she told him he should play one more game at home.

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“Not just for the fans, but for me,” she said with a laugh. Clemons called some of his closest friends and colleagues to gauge their opinion. Adrion Smith recommended that he not take the job because of concerns he may jeopardize his reputation in Toronto. “Pinball loves a challenge just like the next person,” Smith said. “It wasn’t that I thought he couldn’t do a good job. I just didn’t want him to get caught up if things got bad, because in 2000 things were really bad. All of a sudden the fans could turn on him and say the things that they say about every other coach. ‘Oh, you’re a bum. You’re terrible, get out of here. You’re a player, you’re not a coach.’ I didn’t want (his) becoming a coach to turn around and bite him in the butt. He was giving up his playing career, and I thought he had a good two more years in him.” But if Clemons took the job, Smith planned to accept the decision and support him. Clemons also talked to receiver Derrell Mitchell. In fact, he asked to come over to his house, which indicated to Mitchell that whatever his friend had to say to him must have been so serious it couldn’t be discussed over the phone. They sat at the dinner table together and Clemons delivered the news. “I remember it like it was yesterday,” Mitchell said. “I said, ‘Pinner, that’s a great opportunity. You know the city, you know the people. You’ve been Mr. Argo and now you can continue to be Mr. Argo. But with that job there will be some consequences and situations where you’re going to have to release friends like me and Adrion. One day you’re going to be forced to release friends.’” It would prove to be a prophetic comment. 178

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After Clemons agreed to the job offer, his agent, Gil Scott, met with J.I. Albrecht and worked out an agreement, the terms of which were never publicly revealed. However, Scott said that it amounted to a three-year deal and that the Argos agreed to pay Clemons’s playing salary for the balance of the season, even though he would be playing in two of the remaining 10 games. Overall, it was an unusual deal borne out of an unusual circumstance. Shortly after all parties agreed on the deal, the news of Clemons’s imminent hiring leaked out. By this time, the daily events of the Argos had become like a soap opera, with enough twists and turns in the plots and subplots that you couldn’t miss a daily episode or you might get lost. But of all the things that could have been projected or predicted, who would have ever thought hiring Pinball Clemons as the head coach could be part of the script? What exactly were the Argos thinking? Was Clemons actually going to do it? Was this nothing more than a public relations move? It surprised at least one Argo loyalist, someone with close ties to Clemons and a passion for the team. Lori Bursey, the president of the Argos fan club and a long time friend of Clemons since they first met in 1989, had a difficult time digesting the latest scenario. Her heart as an Argos fan had been ripped open by Huard’s coaching and Albrecht’s management, and now Schwarz wanted to put his best asset—and Bursey’s beloved friend—into a position to save the franchise. “It wasn’t that I thought he couldn’t do it or that he (didn’t have) the skill to motivate players, but it just came out of nowhere,” Bursey recalled. “In retrospect, I understand why they did it. The team was in such disarray and the only way that they were going to get out of that was to do

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what they did. While initially it was perceived as being a P.R. move, obviously the owner at that time was either tremendously smart or tremendously lucky. But anybody that knows Mike knows how special he is and that he’ll put 100 percent into anything and so it wasn’t a stupid move, that’s for sure.” But it was an act of desperation by Schwarz. Something had to be done. He had been the owner for less than a year. The last line of his bio, in which he professed to not know the inner workings of football but said that “he’s learning quickly,” clearly came to fruition. He may have been a brilliant businessman in insurance, but he seemed to be hopelessly over his head in his football venture. This was like a card game, and he had already dispensed with the joker; now he was playing his trump card, the precious ace. ***** Before the formal announcement of Clemons’s hiring, most media stories accused Schwarz and Albrecht of using Clemons’s goodwill and service to turn around public sentiment. “There wasn’t a writer or broadcaster who didn’t knock the hell out of the appointment, saying I did it as a publicity stunt,” Albrecht recalled with clarity. “They all underestimated Michael’s ability or potential as a coach, especially of the Argonauts at that time. It was perfect timing for him because the players adored him and he had enough leadership in him to do what had to be done. They all underestimated that and they underestimated me in selecting a person of ability.” Albrecht had been around football more years than some of his harshest critics had been alive. In his mind, he was a

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visionary, someone who could see what others couldn’t because, as his bio stated, he had been an administrator, recruiter, promoter, innovator, and coach. This move was a product of all those things. Hiring Clemons would allow Albrecht to make good on his vows to promote a visible minority in the role of head coach, something he had lobbied for when out of football. He had sent letters to the CFL executive, critical of what he perceived to be a lack of progress in the hiring of visible minorities as head coaches, and his concerns had been put in the public domain by at least one writer sympathetic to Albrecht’s concerns. So when Albrecht had the chance to hire a visible minority for the Argos job and selected Huard, a Caucasian, his critics took him to task, accusing him of hypocrisy. He tried to defend himself by noting Huard had native Canadian blood in his family tree, but that fell on deaf ears. At least now he had helped to hire a visible minority, but skin colour had nothing to do with the decision. In his opinion, Clemons simply was the right person for the job. Before the media conference formally announcing him as the new head coach, Clemons met with the players in the portable dressing room. They erupted in glee, spontaneously jumping up and down in a moment that practically made Albrecht weep. Greg Mandziuk, the team’s director of communications, recalled that the walls shook when the players expressed their delight in their new coach. Adrion Smith described it as a “sense of jubilation, kind of like a second chance.” Eight games had been wasted and the team had a record of 1–6–1, but the season had not been lost completely. This represented a chance to put a few wins together and possibly make the playoffs. The players had so much respect for Clemons they

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would, according to Smith, “run through a brick wall” for him. Once he had composed himself after almost bursting into tears, Clemons offered the players a simple but straightforward message: “You guys are professionals who must take responsibility for your jobs and you will be judged accordingly.” In other words, regardless of the coaching change, everyone had to remember that the scrutiny process would continue and the accountability process would continue, albeit under a different regime—and with Clemons still playing. It was a somewhat bizarre set-up, and time would tell if it would be better than the previous one. Clemons brought an esprit de corps—a feeling of harmony and togetherness—and a new sense of fun to the team. It was one of the things that had been lacking under Huard’s regime. Clemons insisted the players still call him Pinner and not Coach, something Mitchell, for one, found a little odd. Among athletes, “coach” is a respected term, like referring to a medical person as doctor or a clergy person as minister or reverend instead of just saying mister so-and-so. Whereas Clemons was Pinball before, now he was Coach Clemons to his players, as strange as that sounded and seemed, particularly when he hadn’t retired as a player. “This is the guy I used to live with. This is the guy that always had been a friend of mine. Now I have to start calling this guy ‘Coach,’” Mitchell remarked at the initial transition. “Some guys had mixed feelings about it. A lot of people were wondering if this guy was ready. I told Pinner that there was going to be a lot of mixed emotions, but I knew with due time he was going to be the man for the job.” When he addressed the media, four days after he was formally offered the job, Clemons faced one of the largest

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gatherings for an Argos announcement in years. The throng also included some other notable individuals: Toronto mayor Mel Lastman; CFL president Jeff Giles; Argos alumnus Terry Evanshen, who happened to be visiting Albrecht, the individual who had drafted him into the CFL; and Argos fan club president Lori Bursey. Seated alongside Clemons for the announcement were Diane and their two children, Rachel and Raven; his mother, Anna, who coincidentally happened to be in town for the previous game; team owner Sherwood Schwarz; managing director J.I. Albrecht; and Clemons’s agent Gil Scott. Dressed comfortably in dark slacks and a blue-and-white striped T-shirt, Clemons flashed his famous smile when the team’s director of communication, Greg Mandziuk, began the historic proceedings. Schwarz introduced Clemons as “a man who needs no introduction and I’d like to describe him as our only choice to become the 38th head coach of the Toronto Argonauts.” The word “only” stressed the fact that no one else had been in consideration for the job, which wasn’t entirely accurate, but Schwarz wanted to make a point that that’s how much confidence the team had in Clemons. The incoming head coach then put on a baseball cap with the Argos logo, as camera flashes lit up the room. Mayor Mel Lastman then spoke. He had asked to be included at the gathering upon hearing the news that Clemons would become head coach. The colourful—and at times controversial—politician stood up at the microphone and said, “I want to congratulate my nephew, Pinball Clemons.” In fact, the two were not in any way related—although many people thought Clemons was popular enough to be the mayor of Toronto—but Mayor Mel,

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as he was known during his two terms, rarely missed a chance to grandstand. “He’s the best thing that happened to the Toronto Argonauts. As far as I’m concerned, he’s the best thing that happened to Toronto. The people of Toronto are thrilled that Pinball Clemons is the new head coach of the Toronto Argonauts. Pinball is football. He is an inspiration to the kids and the fans of our city. As a player, he knows the game inside out. As a player, Pinball (has) brought magic and inspiration to the game. I am thrilled he is the new coach. I can think of no one else who has the passion and excitement for the game and no one who will coach as hard as this guy will. Toronto could not ask for a better coach. He is truly a great ambassador of our great city. Pinball has the drive. He has pride and he has the spirit to do great things with the Argos. This guy is fantastic. He is a great motivator. He will get that football team going and for the record, I want all of you to know that even if this guy wasn’t my nephew, I would have said the same thing. I think you’re great and I love you.” It was the kind of endorsement one would have expected for a visiting head of state, dignitary, or luminary, not a coach of a football team. But that was the magnitude of the man, according to the person who promoted the individual’s talents like a marketer pitching a product. The two shook hands, and Clemons, almost embarrassed by the introduction, tipped his hat to the mayor. “Wow! For the first time in history I might not know what to say. I’ll be a little tongue-tied,” Clemons began. He then related the story of the conversation he and his wife had when he first informed her he’d been offered the

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job and of the discussion they had several hours later, after which they decided he should take the job. “I still love the game and I’m going to miss playing it dearly,” he continued. “No doubt about that. I love being on the field. I just have a passion for the game. As much as I love the game, I think I love being an Argonaut even more. It’s something I’m really, really passionate about and this gives me a chance to be an Argonaut for longer than I can actually play out there on the field, so that’s one of the wonderful things about this opportunity. “This is a terrific opportunity but it’s one that I have to admit I’m not ready for. I am ready in terms of commitment and passion and knowing and understanding the game in a general sense, but I certainly have no experience at being a coach. So when you put that right out in the open, no, I don’t have experience, but I am excited and have committed to not only this, but two years after this.” Clemons had been offering some interesting illumination, essentially admitting his inexperience but trying to point out the positives that made him a worthy candidate to take over the job. “I’m committed to seeing this team rise, not just be competitive, but to the top,” he continued. “Certainly we’ve got our work cut out for us, but I’m willing to work. I don’t have a problem with that. I’m just extremely excited about being able to get back out on the field and really (go) after things now. It’s been 72 hours of anxiety and nervousness and now we’re getting a little closer to home because we’ll be taking the practice field in about an hour, so I’m starting to get in my comfort zone again and think about what we do, and that is play football.

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“As we are right now as a team, it’s a new season. It’s a 10-game season and we’re two games out of the playoffs. We do have a plan to make it to the playoffs. We are going to go out and assert ourselves and play good football. We’re going to play with emotion, but as you know, emotion does not equate to success. You have to be competent at this game. We’ll make a concerted effort to try to bring in people that will make and effect change. This is a long-term process. We’re going to try to win right away, starting Monday in Hamilton.” By that he was referring to the annual Labour Day game between the Argos and Hamilton, six days later at Ivor Wynne Stadium, and one game beyond that, mainly because Diane felt he owed the fans of Toronto one more appearance in uniform in the SkyDome. He said that on September 15 in a game against the visiting Saskatchewan Roughriders he would play his last official game, and then he would retire. In the interim, defensive line coach Walter Highsmith would act as the head coach. At 6 feet 4½ inches tall and 275 pounds, Highsmith had physical dimensions that dwarfed Clemons; they looked like a real Mutt and Jeff. It would be almost impossible for Clemons to oversee the entire game plan when in his role as a player, particularly while on the field. He could micromanage while on the sidelines, but needed a deputy to assist him in the interim. “I will be here; I will do the work as a head coach,” he said. “I’ll be here working and putting in the time before practice, but once we go into (daily team) meetings (with the coaches), I will be a player. I may have some influence, but no different from a player/coach situation that I was in a couple of weeks prior.”

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Well, actually a lot different. Now he was the head coach, not an appointed assistant midway through the season. He explained that one of the reasons he would continue playing in the Labour Day game had to do with a limited number of receivers on the roster. The day before, receiver Stefan Ptaszek had retired to attend graduate teaching school. Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun posed the first—and most obvious—question to Clemons: Why was he doing it? “The odd thing is, I had to ask myself the same question,” Clemons replied with a smile. “If I’m honest, I always said I would not be a coach in football because I love my family, and loving my family and being a coach, I thought, were oxymorons. You don’t get a chance to see them, as a coach. J.I. told me back in June that he was going to make a coach out of me. He saw me coaching at a football camp that we hold for young kids every year and he said, ‘You’re going to be a coach some day,’ and I said, ‘No way.’ “The reason I’ve taken the job is this is the most excited I’ve been in a number of years. I know I don’t win games as a head coach. Players win games, and the people around the head coach are the guys that actually win football games. The head coach is the guy that keeps it together, but you also need to have an understanding of these things. I know I have the commitment that will allow me to do that.” He was then asked about the reputation he had built up in the community and how it might be adversely affected if he did not succeed as a coach and whether or not that concerned him. “I think fear of failure keeps a lot of us from achieving great things and doing things that we love to do in life,” he

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said. “All I can do is demand the most of myself. I am still going to be the same person in terms of character. If I’m not successful on the football field, then it’s something I have to accept, but in terms of a person being able to bring people together—in terms of the passion of the game and being able to analyze the Canadian Football League game—I think I have those tools. There are things that I’m going to need to learn. I’m willing to do that.” Clemons was asked if the dwindling attendance for Argos games had anything to do with his decision to take the job. In other words, did Clemons feel a personal sense of obligation to the ownership and the state of the franchise to use his popularity to help bring people back to the games, particularly when the SkyDome looked like a barren cupboard in the last game? That was the game in which the few people who actually came out voiced their frustration and, in some cases, projected it with objects hurled at Huard. “Certainly that was a part, but if I thought I couldn’t do a competent job, then I wouldn’t have taken the position,” he said. “Yes, there is some emotion because I’ve always thought as an Argonaut I’d like to see the team better off when I’ve left than when I came. You can’t say that right now, and this is an opportunity for me to help restore some of the pride and the passion and excitement to Toronto Argonaut football.” Clemons brought an immediate positive change in public relations. Whereas Huard and Albrecht collectively produced daily controversies and, in turn, created public relations disasters, Clemons immediately changed that. It was like in wrestling when the villain in the lead role is replaced by the

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hero and the audience cheers instead of boos. It’s the ultimate negative situation turned into a positive. Clemons’s hiring bucked the policy of selecting someone with experience, but veteran football people understood this was an exceptional circumstance. There had been precedents in previous years involving high-profile players who had been hired as head coaches in the CFL without any experience. Russ Jackson, one of the greatest quarterbacks in CFL history, retired from Ottawa in 1969 and six years later became head coach of the Argos. He coached for two seasons and totalled only 12 wins in 32 games and never coached again. And Ron Lancaster, who went from being Jackson’s backup quarterback in Ottawa to a starter in Saskatchewan and evolved into a star player, failed when he became head coach of the Roughriders immediately after retiring. He had only four wins in 32 games over two years. But Clemons’s hiring set a precedent in the CFL of a player becoming a head coach while still playing. ***** The annual Labour Day game in Hamilton is arguably the most important on the Tiger-Cats’ calendar—at least to the Steeltown fans. There’s an expression that the only thing that matters in a given season is beating the Argos on Labour Day. In a city famous for its work ethic, the people demand an honest day’s work by the Tiger-Cats on a day famous for labour. Shortly before Clemons’s head-coaching debut, a familiar name from his past rejoined the team. Kerwin Bell was back in Toronto after being released by Winnipeg. Bell had played

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for the Argos in 1998, then was traded the following off-season to Winnipeg, and Clemons created a controversy when he made some critical comments about his quarterbacking style. But the two had put the controversy over Clemons’s remarks behind them. Bell wanted to play football and he wanted to do it for Clemons, so much so that he rejected a chance to join the Calgary Stampeders, who were outbid by Toronto. There had been a perception that the Argos were spending freely without any regard to the bottom line or the cap restraints by which the league governed each team but didn’t strictly enforce. It was believed the Argos offered Bell $10,000 a game for the remaining 10 games, even though he wouldn’t play on Labour Day because there simply wasn’t enough time to prepare. This was probably twice as much as Calgary offered. Bell had been cut by Winnipeg to avoid having to pay the balance of his contract—reportedly $150,000 for the year—because of cost constraints. To rid themselves of the deal, the Blue Bombers had to do it before the league-wide September 1 deadline, after which veterans with several years’ experience had their contracts guaranteed according to the bylaws between the CFL and the Players’ Association. Heading into the Hamilton game, Clemons was asked about the fierce rivalry between the Argos and Tiger-Cats and what kind of reception he would expect in the opposition’s stadium. In the past, Argos players had been subjected to verbal abuse and, in some cases, had objects hurled at them. Clemons took the high road. “The people of Hamilton mean a lot to me, too,” he said diplomatically. “They’ve been uncharacteristically good to me. I’ll often get comments such as ‘Argos suck, but not you, Pinball.’ It’s kind of a weird thing. Ivor Wynne Stadium has

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just been an electric place for me to play and is my favourite place to play other than SkyDome.” One sign inside the stadium said, “Destroy the Argos. It’s a Labour Day tradition.” Another read, “Clemons Lemons.” But the most interesting sign was a block away on Main Street at the Ryerson United Church: “Beat the Argos, but Be Kind to Pinball.” That summed up the general attitude in Hamilton and elsewhere. “You never think you’d see that in your enemy territory, but the guy is unbelievable—he’s so well liked,” analyst Chris Walby said at the start of CBC’s telecast of the game. The game attracted a capacity crowd of 28,830. A few of them were Argos supporters, but almost all were Tiger-Cats fans. After the defence stopped Hamilton on its first series, the Argos offence took to the field. The Argos featured a formation with six receivers spread-out—the first tangible sign of Clemons’s imprint on the team—compared to Huard’s bunch formation of big, beefy players lined up tightly to emphasize a running game. On the second play, quarterback Jimmy Kemp threw a pass to Clemons, who was roughed up by rookie linebacker Sean Woodson and flagged for illegal contact. The crowd booed the call, even though it was a blatant penalty because a defender is not allowed to physically interfere with an opposing receiver before he has a chance to make a play on the ball. Clemons regained his feet without any injury. The Argos failed to score on the series and kicked to Hamilton, which in turn did little with its possession. On a second-down play in the Argos’ series, Kemp threw a sideline pass to Clemons, who was in the clear. No defenders were applying pressure, but the ball bounced out of his hands onto the turf and landed

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on top of him when he fell. He took the ball and threw it down in disgust afterward. The sure-handed receiver had probably caught the ball countless times before on a similar play, but perhaps this was an indication that his concentration had been distracted by everything else on his mind. He wasn’t just the player or the coach, he was the player/head coach, and his mind had become like a computer digesting information at a rapid clip without the proper software to process it. The Argos fell behind 9–0 in the first quarter, but gained some momentum in the second quarter when cornerback Wayne Shaw intercepted a pass and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. Combined with the one-point convert and a single point scored earlier in the quarter, the Argos trailed 9–8. A dust-up involving Hamilton receiver Andrew Grigg and Argos defensive player Vernon Mitchell occurred at the Argos’ side of the field, right in front of Clemons. He tried to break up the melee, something he would have done as a player because of his pacifist nature; however, in this case he was also the head coach protecting his player and trying to prevent a violent incident from happening. The Argos defence played hard, picking off three passes and keeping the team alive. At the end of the first half, Hamilton led 18–11. But in the second half, the Argos simply fell apart. They made too many mistakes and Hamilton took advantage of them. There had been a perception that the Argos could use the Clemons hiring as an early momentum builder, but at some point in the game it would cease to become meaningful and all the faults and limitations built up from the Huard era would simply be too much to overcome. The Argos were crashing hard and fast, and no amount of Pinball enthusiasm could help

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them. He was emotionally, physically, and mentally spent from playing and trying to concentrate on his individual assignments, overseeing the team while on the sidelines and consulting with Highsmith, and encouraging the players. Add in the emotion from the previous days and how dramatically his life had changed and it was quite understandable that he could experience an overload. The Tiger-Cats won the game 42–12. “I expect to win every football game, so absolutely this comes as a surprise,” Clemons said afterward. “But I guess we have to realize we’re playing against the Grey Cup champions. We said this thing wouldn’t be turned around overnight.” Yet this was not about a win or a loss, it was about a surreal moment, featuring a player/coach trotting on and off the field while also trying to keep a handle on the ebb and flow of the game. “It was unreal,” Derrell Mitchell said of the whole experience. “It was like a movie, and then when he came to the sidelines, he was giving advice on what to do.” In the next game, five days afterward in Winnipeg, Clemons restricted himself to just coaching. During this time, TSN commentator and former teammate Matt Dunigan criticized Clemons’s “three-week farewell tour.” He said during a broadcast that Clemons should stop playing and concentrate strictly on coaching; this would also free up a roster spot. But Clemons had already promised Diane and his fans that he would play one more game in Toronto against Saskatchewan. “They could start making some tough decisions that need to be made,” Dunigan said. “To me it looks like they’re

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stymieing the process for a three-week period and almost forgoing the opportunity to stay in the playoff race. The disarray over a three-week period, I think, causes a lot of confusion and a lot of situations develop that need not be there. I think they need to be moving forward. That’s my opinion. The comment is not directed at anybody in particular. I’m certainly not trying to tell anybody what to do, but I don’t understand why the Argonauts are taking a three-game leave from accountability.” When apprised of his former teammate’s comments, Clemons said, “I respect Matt a lot, but I respect the fans who have supported me for 11½ years even more in those terms. I feel I owe them that and I told them I’m going to play in that game at home and that’s the reason we’re doing that.” Clemons typically enjoyed rebutting criticism, but did so in a subtle way that separated emotion from pragmatism. Rarely did he raise his voice. It was like a response in a college debate. In a significant move by Clemons, Kerwin Bell, who had joined the Argos for the Labour Day game but didn’t play, practised as the starter leading up to the Winnipeg game, supplanting Jimmy Kemp to the backup role. The team had invested in Bell and he had been a starter; he had not been brought in to be a backup. Conversely, Kemp had been a career backup who had fought hard to become a starter but couldn’t fight the perception that he played better coming off the bench. The game also had personal meaning to Bell because he would be facing the team that deemed him to be disposable. His former backup, Khari Jones, would start for the Blue Bombers. The game began ominously for Toronto

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when Winnipeg returned the opening kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown. At halftime the Argos trailed 12–4. Kerwin Bell was dazed by a hard hit early in the third quarter and Jimmy Kemp came in to replace him, but Bell recovered and returned on the Argos’ next series. He combined with Derrell Mitchell on a touchdown, the first by Toronto in 11 quarters. Trailing 12–10 with one minute and 12 seconds to go in the third quarter, the Argos had the ball on Winnipeg’s 5yard line on the third down. Clemons had to decide whether to go for an easy field goal or gamble on the offence scoring a touchdown. It’s been said that every football game comes down to a handful of critical plays, and this was one of them. Moreover, this would be a move that if successful, the fans, media, and so-called armchair quarterbacks watching the game would praise Clemons for; if it failed, they would criticize him. He elected to go for a touchdown to boost his offence’s confidence. The Argos scored the go-ahead points on a pass from Bell to receiver Andre Kirwan in the middle of the end zone, over two Bomber defenders. Suddenly the crowd, which had jeered Bell moments before with taunts of “Ker-win, Ker-win,” quieted down. On the Argos bench the players crowded around Clemons. In the fourth quarter, Bell and Mitchell connected on a 76-yard touchdown play, and with less than six minutes to go, Toronto led 24–12. With about a minute and a half to go, defensive lineman Johnny Scott and linebacker Martavius Houston dumped a bucket of Gatorade on Clemons, after which he was mobbed and hugged by various players. Speaking like a true coach, Clemons interjected, “Let’s not celebrate yet. Let’s finish the game.” And he turned his

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attention back to the field, where the Argos offence was trying to run out the clock. They succeeded, and the Argos won 24–12. “The guys just did a great job, I didn’t do anything,” Clemons told the media. “I was just on the sideline there and they made it happen, but it’s a wonderful feeling.” Looking back on that win, Adrion Smith said there was a tremendous amount of pride for Clemons. “It was a carryover from him being named the head coach and us having a renewed spirit for the rest of the season,” Smith said. “Everything that happened prior to the Pinball era was left back in the past. We were charting new waters. Everybody was happy for him because everybody had the utmost respect for him, but by the same token, we were happy we won the game.” ***** Six days later Clemons would play his final game, and the stories leading up to it focused mainly on him. As he talked with the media the day before, they saw an emotional man. They asked what it was like to come into the league a virtual unknown and retire as a sporting hero and cultural icon. “That part is overwhelming and I really don’t understand it,” he said, struggling to hold back tears. “There are so many people who have played with the Argos and have had similar and greater dedication, but who haven’t had the opportunity to enjoy the same things I have been able to over the course of my career. I’m not sure why that is. A lot of people would say it’s me, but it’s not me. It’s an opportunity that God gave me. I feel so fortunate, but I feel undeserving at the same time.

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At the beginning of my Argo career nothing indicated that I would be durable and healthy and be able to play this game for 1½ months, let alone 11½ years.” To honour Clemons, the Argos planned a variety of activities before and after the game. Family members, friends, former teammates, football associates, and CFL executives were either flown in by the team or asked to attend the game. And anyone who could physically be there made the attempt. It was too important. “That was like a kid with a brand new bike,” Clemons’s childhood friend and co-best man at his wedding, Robert Tucker, said. “He was the bike and everybody wanted to ride that bike. They wanted to be a part of Pinball’s celebration.” TSN, which broadcast the game, billed as “Pinball’s Final Run,” pumped it up. Host James Duthie emphasized the pinball metaphor in his introduction: “In the game of pinball, a small object gets thrown into the action at high speeds, gets bounced around a lot, puts up big scores, and can really put a smile on your face when you win. Just a few reasons why the nickname ‘Pinball’ is so fitting for Mike Clemons. Before he makes the complete transition from player to coach, we’ll put another quarter in the machine and play pinball one last time. The Riders are hoping to make the Argos go tilt, while Toronto aims to score points en route to the playoff bonus. It’s Pinball’s party and everyone’s invited.” There is rarely much emotion during sporting events at SkyDome, and this is particularly true of Argos games, but this event had energy and palpable excitement. The crowd came not for a game, but for an event. Whereas the Argos couldn’t give away tickets for the last home game under the Huard banner, scalpers did brisk business for Clemons’s

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farewell in a player’s uniform. The official attendance of 28,724 was nearly triple the count for the infamous last home game. Lori Bursey, the president of the Argos’ fan club, knew this would be the last time she would see Clemons play and felt a nervous sickness in her stomach. “I had enjoyed watching him play for so many years and because we had this friendship, I just wanted the best for him,” she recalled. The Argos offence was introduced player by player, but clearly everyone waited for Clemons to make his final run on to the field. His baseball cap worn backwards, Clemons clearly looked overcome emotionally—practically in tears— as he prepared to be introduced. He then sprinted with glee through the on-field tunnel of his teammates, bouncing off their bodies like his nickname. Shortly thereafter, Diane Clemons sang a soulful rendition of “O Canada” in English and French and her husband was shown on the big-screen billboard singing along. Diane finished the song, and the crowd responded with thunderous applause. Clemons walked toward the centre of the field for the opening coin toss to determine which team would receive the ball first. He flashed his great smile, and watched as his daughter Rachel performed the ceremonial opening kickoff. Clemons’s mother, flipped the coin to determine which team would kick off and which would receive. “It’s my mom. I’m going to win the toss,” Clemons announced to the Saskatchewan players. But Clemons’s mother could not influence the coin toss. The Roughriders won and elected to take the ball first and try to grab the early momentum.

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Both 31-yard lines were marked off for the occasion to honour Clemons’s jersey number. He would wear five separate jerseys, one in the warm-up and one in each of the quarters. All were donated to various charities. Saskatchewan stalled on its opening drive and had to punt, with Clemons back as the lone returner. He caught the ball just before it went out of bounds, but had only a 3-yard return before running out of room. Saskatchewan had wisely elected to kick it to a limited space in such a way to prevent Clemons from gaining the wide side of the field and potentially posting a big return and giving his team—and the fans—a boost. After each team failed to do anything meaningful on successive drives, the Argos opened the scoring with a decent series that ended in a field goal. But the Riders replied with a long drive that ended on a touchdown to end off the quarter leading 7–3. Saskatchewan kicked off to open the second quarter, but the ball bounced out of bounds in Clemons’s direction. It was obvious Saskatchewan did not want to boot the ball in the centre of the field, giving Clemons room to run. Saskatchewan scored a field goal on its first drive of the quarter to go up 10–3. Clemons fielded the kickoff and juked, jived, and bounced his way for a 25-yard return that brought the crowd to its feet. Midway in the quarter, Saskatchewan engineered a touchdown drive to go up 17–3, and that’s the way the first half ended. Clemons had touched the ball only once on offence and recorded 54 yards on returns. Saskatchewan head coach Danny Barrett noted in an interview with TSN that he had talked to his team about withstanding the emotional rush that the Argos would have.

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“It’s a great night for Pinball, but at the same time we’re focused on what we need to do and that’s win the football game.” Clemons lined up for the second-half kickoff and made an over-the-shoulder catch and returned it 23 yards. The Argos put together a drive during which Clemons finally touched the ball two successive times, getting solidly hammered on the first one. The Argos scored on the series on a touchdown catch by Derrell Mitchell to shave Saskatchewan’s lead to seven points. Saskatchewan scored a field goal to increase its lead to 10. Toward the end of the quarter, Clemons fielded another punt and bounced off a bevy of defenders before he was stopped after a 14-yard gain. It was pure effort and desire. The fourth quarter started with the Argos on offence and Clemons on the sidelines, changing into another jersey, the last one he would wear as a player. Less than a minute and a half into the quarter, Saskatchewan scored a touchdown on a long bomb and increased their lead to 27–10. Clemons took the kickoff and ran it 15 yards before he was absolutely rocked by a Roughriders’ bone-jarring tackle. The ball squirted loose, but officials ruled that it was not a fumble; Clemons had been downed before losing control of the ball. Clemons stayed in the game, although he looked as though he had been hurt or, at the very least, shaken up. The Argos punted after a decent drive that came up short and then Saskatchewan punted on its series, which saw Adrion Smith lined up as the sole returner while Clemons stayed on the sidelines. Smith returned it about 26 yards. Slightly more than seven minutes remained in Clemons’s career as he walked onto the field talking to mammoth

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offensive tackle Jerry Crafts, who outweighed him by about 120 pounds. The Argos fumbled on the first play of the series and Saskatchewan turned that into a field goal to go up 30–10. With just less than three minutes to go, the Argos narrowed the gap with a 1-yard touchdown run by Ryan Terry. Many people wondered why the team hadn’t given Clemons a chance to score the touchdown—he had been lined up as a wide receiver—but TSN analyst Glen Suitor wisely noted that Clemons probably did not want to do anything to give himself personal glory. With a minute and 24 seconds to go in the game, Saskatchewan scored another touchdown to go ahead 37–17. The crowd rose to its feet and started to give Clemons hearty applause before the kickoff. He lined up for the return with Adrion Smith, but never had a chance to touch the ball. Saskatchewan kicked it to Smith’s side, although the ball bounced out of bounds, which is an automatic penalty that results in the receiving team taking possession on its 45-yard line or forcing the kicking team to re-kick. Almost always the decision is to take the ball at the 45 because the team is guaranteed good field position without the risk that something could go wrong on the re-kick. The crowd voiced its displeasure for the Roughriders’ poor sportsmanship, and the Argos declined the penalty to force Saskatchewan to repeat the kickoff. Clemons walked over to Roughriders’ head coach Danny Barrett and demanded, “Why are you kicking out of bounds on me?” Barrett had been a long time friend of Clemons through their mutual affiliation with the Christian-based Athletes in Action program. He had done everything right strategically from an opposing coach’s perspective to prevent Clemons from touching the ball too often. But the game

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was out of reach and Clemons’s career was coming to a close. Barrett had to put aside the game plan and be a friend instead of a rival coach. He walked onto the field and instructed kicker Paul McCallum to kick to Clemons. Barrett gestured to Clemons that the ball would be kicked to him, and then returned to the sideline. He looked directly at the television camera and said, “This one’s for Pinball. All the fans in Canada, this one’s for Pinball.” The crowd started clapping in unison waiting for the moment. Clemons fielded the ball and ran it 25 yards before he was tripped up. A few seconds later, Kerwin Bell threw a pass that appeared to be intended for Clemons, but the ball was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Clemons returned to the sidelines and walked over to the bench, physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. But he composed himself to return to the field for the kickoff. With 23 seconds left in Clemons’s playing career, McCallum kicked off and, after colliding with fellow returner Adrion Smith, Clemons took the ball in the middle of the field at about the Argos’ 9-yard line. He rambled 49 yards before he was roughed out of bounds. A group of players from both teams embraced Clemons, while the fans applauded wildly. Clemons returned to the sideline spent and bent down on one knee to take a breather. Then he rose to his feet and gave a thumbs-up to the crowd. The game ended with Clemons sitting on the Argos bench, his head covered in a towel. He then walked back onto the field for the post-game ceremony, his eyes wet with tears. “I cried that whole day,” Diane Clemons remembered. “I think I woke up that morning crying. I went to the game

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crying. It was very emotional for me, and I think for him, knowing it was going to be his last game.” Many of the family and friends who had been invited to Clemons’s final game gathered together at midfield for the post-game ceremonies, joined by players from both teams. Wearing a clean Argos jersey with his number 31, Clemons looked as though the burden of everything he had gone through in the days leading up to the game and the game itself had been lifted from his shoulders. His smile was relaxed, and he was ready to enjoy the proceedings. CFL chairman John Tory thanked Clemons for everything he had done for Canadian football and for setting an example for everyone throughout the country. “Thank goodness you’re going to be around as coach of the Toronto Argonauts,” he said. “You’ve got a lot of records that you set, but long after you’ve coached your last game and brought the Grey Cup back to Toronto, I’m sure, the records we will be proudest of and you’ll be proudest of will be as a person and a citizen of this city and across Canada. You have set such a wonderful example for people, for kids, for fans, for players, for people who aspire to be players. I can only say we love you, and thank you. I’m not going to say we’re going to miss you because we’re not. You’re still around.” The Argos then unveiled a banner that included Clemons’s number on the team’s All-Time Honour List. Clemons was walking around handing out his shoes and sweatbands and other equipment that he wore in the game as souvenirs to people in the crowd. With his youngest daughter, Raven, in his arms, he returned to midfield. Argos owner Sherwood Schwarz, who a few moments before had been booed by the crowd for all

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that had gone wrong in the season, presented Clemons with a blow-up of a photo montage of his career highlights that appeared in the souvenir game-day program and a framed jersey. “Michael, I haven’t been as lucky as most of these fans to have seen you throughout your career, but I’m luckier than all of these fans because you’re going to be working with me in your new career. I’m looking forward to us being together for a very long time.” Clemons’s number was then officially retired and Clemons spoke—or attempted to. He was overcome by the cheering fans. “Thank you very much. First of all, I’d like to say very simply that I love each and every one of you. I am so grateful for each and every one of you here tonight. I didn’t prepare anything tonight because I didn’t want to take away anything from the field and I thought it would be better if I just spoke from my heart. So you’ll forgive me if I’m not polished in this presentation and I’ll try to be myself—short.” That drew a collective smile from everybody, in particular his wife and mother, standing side by side. “I’d like to say something else that I’m very sincere about and you often hear people throw this around, but I’d like to thank, with all due respect to all religions that might be in the house tonight, my Lord Saviour Jesus Christ. That’s because that’s the reason I am what I am. That’s the reason I act the way I act, the reason I do the things I do. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t omit that. “Tonight, I was very disappointed. We expected to win this football game. I’d like to thank all of you for coming out and I apologize to you that we weren’t better tonight. You

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may say that this wasn’t about the game, but I tell you no. The Toronto Argonauts are much bigger than Pinball. They always have been and they always will be. I am a Toronto Argonaut regardless of where I am or what I might be doing. What I plan to do in the immediate future is coach this team to the playoffs this year. You may call me unreasonable, but I’ve been called that before. We are going to do our best to play the best football for you for the rest of the season and I ask you, don’t give up on us. I want to see you back here two weeks from now when we play again. This time the old guy who can’t run like he used to will be on the sidelines helping his team to win.” Players and coaches from both sides stayed on the field, still dressed in their sweat-soaked uniforms, to honour the man they had either played against or coached against. TSN showed Argos kicker Noel Prefontaine sitting on the Argos bench, weeping with emotion—and he was not the only one. TSN broke into the farewell speech because it had gone far past the time the network had allotted and into the scheduled 11 p.m. highlights of the day’s sports events, including Clemons’s last game. “If Pinball had to give halftime speeches, the third quarter might be over, but if anybody deserves it, he deserves it,” host James Duthie said. “And so one career ends for Pinball and the next begins, and the first one ends with absolute and total class, the way he carried himself throughout.” Following the post-game ceremony, Clemons returned to the dressing room and addressed the media. “It’s amazing (that) 28,000 people would care about what I do on a daily basis,” he said. “Not many people can say that 28,000 people would come pay to watch them do

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their job. I think it’s a pretty amazing testimony. I wish I could have risen to the occasion a little bit. I think we’re a better team than we showed. By the end of the game, I was spent. I had given all I could. If there were no tacklers (on the final kickoff run he ran for 49 yards), I’m not sure I would have been able to get to the end zone.” At the post-game party in his honour at a nearby restaurant, it took him an hour and a half after entering the front door for him to reach the area at the back reserved for him and his family. There were many people who wanted to talk to him and he obliged every one. ***** In the remaining games of the regular season, the Argos posted a 5–2 record, yet came up short in their bid to make the playoffs. But clearly they had made significant strides with their next head coach. He had done some different things by changing the offensive setup and the coaching staff and benefited from the addition of Bell and some other players. More than anything, he put spirit back into a team totally demoralized by Huard. He was a player’s coach. He communicated with his personality, whereas Huard showed little of that. He used his knowledge of the game instead of a computer to succeed. In summation, he did a lot by being himself. “It wasn’t about scheme. It wasn’t about Xs and Os. It wasn’t about having organized structures and practices,” said Paul LaPolice, one of the assistants brought in by Huard. LaPolice remained loyal to the man who gave him his job, but also could see the value in the man who replaced him.

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“It was about getting everyone to feel happy again about playing for the Argos and being an Argo. That’s why it was such a good decision,” he said. “I remember sitting around talking to people and saying, ‘It was the only decision to be made and it was the best decision to be made.’ The team was so fractured. It needed somebody to pull them together. We did have some decent talent. I wouldn’t say we were a great talent, but if we just got the guys to play together, who was the perfect guy to create a family atmosphere? Pinball.” Less than two weeks after the final regular-season game, owner Sherwood Schwarz began making the first of two significant moves: hiring outgoing CFL president Jeff Giles into a similar role with the Argos; and switching Paul Masotti from executive vice-president to general manager and moving J.I. Albrecht into a business capacity not associated with the football team. Schwarz and Albrecht ended up parting company and Albrecht sued Schwarz for breach of contract. Schwarz gave Clemons the title of vice-president of football operations, effectively giving him the final say on football operations decisions. Clemons called the trio of himself, Giles, and Masotti the “dream team.” And so the Argos were set to go in a different direction, this time with Coach Clemons in place for the whole season.

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In the summer of 2004, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. After two major surgeries, I started a chemotherapy regime that would take several months to complete. Unfortunately, the chemo sessions ran right through Grey Cup and although we had already purchased our Grey Cup tickets and accommodations, we were unable to go to Ottawa. I tried to get my oncologist to change some dates so we could still go, but he was quite emphatic that I could not. Go figure! Since attending the Grey Cup is an annual vacation for me and I most certainly look forward to the annual blending of the CFL family from all the CFL teams, not being able to go was quite disappointing. My sister, Lesley Anne Gough, and her husband, Garfield, had planned to meet us in Ottawa for the festivities. They carried the torch for us that week. Unbeknownst to me, Lesley Anne had designed a memory autograph book in which she had copious numbers of fans, players, coaches and officials write notes of encouragement to me. The book is quite a treasure and I am truly blessed to have received such an honour. continued

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Of course, Pinball was very busy with his team, getting ready to win the Grey Cup. But he still took the time to talk with my sister and wrote me a special note. “Get well soon. Remember tough times don’t last, but tough people do! Pinball Clemons. Romans 8:28.” I think that sums up what Pinball Clemons, the man, is all about. Arlene Mongovius

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My daughter, Jacquelyn, was a member of the 2004 Blue Thunder promotional team. Throughout the season, at the numerous games we attended, we kept our eye out for an opportunity to meet Mr. Clemons, in hopes of getting his autograph. I asked Jacquelyn if she would be able to sneak up to him for a quick autograph for me during the team’s post-season games in Montreal (for the Eastern Final) and Montreal (for the Grey Cup). She was unsuccessful due mostly to the fact that when she did see him, he was often surrounded by media, and during the down times for Mr. Clemons she was reluctant to approach him to allow him some peace. Anyway, on the train ride home after winning the 2004 Grey Cup, she had an opportunity to ask him for his autograph. Seeing that Jacquelyn had her video camera, Mr. Clemons went above and beyond an autograph. He allowed my daughter to videotape a very personal and heartfelt message just to me! What a wonderful man! Lynda A. Ord

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I met Pinball at the Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners Symposium in Richmond Hill in April, 2005. He was a guest motivational speaker there during a lunch seminar, and before his talk I went and introduced myself as an Argonaut season-ticker holder. Pinball just lifted me off my feet and spun me around. He thanked me endlessly for my support, but what really made this special for me was he took off his 1996 Grey Cup ring and put it on my finger and said, “This belongs to you just as much as it does to me.” He allowed me to pose with him and the ring on my finger. It made my day. Just to say that I earned that ring as much as him made me feel special. That is something only Pinball could do. Filippo Cosentino

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Jeff Giles joined the CFL as chief operating officer in 1994 and three years later became president, ushering in a cuttingedge marketing campaign on a shoestring budget. The CFL had fallen on financial hard times, to the point that the future looked bleak and something needed to be done. Giles and his team kicked around some ideas to highlight the league’s uniqueness, using various slogans, in particular “Our Balls Are Bigger.” It was meant to point out the difference between the size of the football used in the CFL compared with the NFL, but it was an obvious double entendre. T-shirts imprinted with the slogans became popular sales items. The income derived from the sales would not be enough to rid the CFL of its woes, although it did create awareness and provided the first drops of financial relief. A $4-million loan from the NFL provided some major assistance.

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But after six years in the league office and butting heads with some team owners who didn’t like his progressive style and would not support his bid to become commissioner, Giles decided to take his life in a different direction and joined the Argos as president. Giles had developed a relationship with Sherwood Schwarz when he evaluated the Argos before purchasing them, and now the New York insurance tycoon needed some upper management help to run the team. With J.I. Albrecht removed from the football operations and working on another project for Schwarz, Giles became the top man on the masthead, responsible for everything financial. Schwarz had reportedly lost $6 million in his first season—roughly double the amount of previous Argos owners because of excess spending—and it was Giles’s job to find a way to whittle down the costs. It would only be a one-year job, just long enough to help Schwarz and then move on to something else, most likely unrelated to the CFL, having exhausted his goodwill. Early into his new role as president of the Argos, Giles started to see a side of Clemons that many people don’t. It happened while he and the head coach were talking about the salary cap, at the time roughly $2.1 million for each team to pay players’ salaries and injuries. The salary cap had become like the speed limit, and even though there were rules in place and year-end audits to monitor the spending, violators were rarely penalized. The salary cap had become more of a guideline—at least that’s the way some teams viewed it—designed to help teams keep their costs under control, but it seemed the system had benefited the private owners and made it virtually impossible for the community-owned teams in the eight-team league to compete on an even scale.

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“I remember sitting in a room talking about the team salary cap and paying players and it was a very interesting exchange with Michael,” Giles remembered. “Behind closed doors he was very adamant about his point of view. He really believed in what was the right thing to do and who he should have and how much money we should spend and all those types of things, and we had some very interesting discussions and some very interesting give and take. Probably the times that I treasured the most were behind closed doors because that’s when I really got to know him.” During the off-season Clemons worked to put together a veteran coaching staff, one that he hoped would provide him with an infrastructure for success. Huard’s staff had clearly been unsuited to coaching, with regards to both experience and competence. In fact, Clemons would retain only one, offensive assistant Paul LaPolice, while dismissing the rest, some of whom did not find immediate future employment in either the CFL or any branch of football. Clemons approached some high-profile candidates, including former Argos defensive coordinator Gary Etcheverry, who coached in Saskatchewan in 2000, and another Roughriders’ assistant, Bill Dobson, who had also worked in Toronto. When the suitors rejected Clemons’s overtures, stories started to circulate about how some people didn’t want to work for him because they felt he didn’t have the credentials. But there was another untold factor—money. He had tight budgetary constraints that limited how much he could pay top assistants. Unlike in the previous year, the football operations would not have an open chequebook. And even though there had been a so-called salary cap teams had to abide by for paying coaches and their assistants, this too

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became more of a theory than a practice. If a team really wanted a top assistant, it could come up with some creative solutions, either with housing and/or car allowances or other perks. Clemons found a top individual to coordinate his defence in Rich Stubler, who had that same job with the Argos in 1990. A career coach who began his apprenticeship in 1971, Stubler was currently employed by the Detroit Vipers of the Arena League and wouldn’t be able to physically report for duty until his employment concluded about five or six games into the CFL season. He could help out by communicating with a former player, Kavis Reed, who had been hired as a defensive backs/special teams coach. Clemons approached a former teammate, Dan Ferrone, offering him the “challenge” to coach the offensive line, even though Ferrone had never had any coaching experience. But Clemons still lacked someone to coordinate the offence, and with a couple of months to go before training camp he announced he would do it himself with the help of his assistants and quarterback Kerwin Bell, who was about to re-sign. But a month later, he changed his mind and announced the hiring of John Jenkins as associate head coach and offensive coordinator. Jenkins had worked as the Argos’ offensive coordinator in 1997 when they won the Grey Cup, and shared the job with offensive line coach Jim Barker in 1998. With a proven offensive coordinator and a veteran quarterback, Clemons now appeared to have two of the key players he needed to succeed. The Argos faced an unusual controversy in training camp that indirectly affected Clemons and his values. Giles and his marketing assistant, Geoff Fardy, had talked about the idea

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of using strippers from a local club for a wet T-shirt competition as part of the pre-game entertainment outside the stadium. It had been an idea only in the discussion stage, but it escalated into a full-blown controversy when the media became aware of it. The CFL’s new commissioner, Mike Lysko, became infuriated. He believed the marketing idea reflected poorly on the integrity of the league and ordered Schwarz to put a stop to it. In the midst of it all stood Clemons, who was trying to concentrate on coaching the team, but as a member of the organization he would be affected by the plan. It seemed as if Clemons hadn’t even been apprised of the idea when it first surfaced. Giles thought Clemons would pull him aside and indicate it was a really stupid idea, but that never happened. While he did not agree with incorporating strippers into the overall concept because it conflicted with his values and morals, Clemons tried to look at the situation from every side and hoped that some kind of compromise could be reached. “For those people that are over at the pre-game party, (the strippers) will probably add a little excitement and a little fun,” Clemons told the media. “Everything still has to be done tactfully and I think they’ll be responsible in that manner. If it adds to the excitement and the fun of coming to an Argonauts game, I think it may assist us.” In the end, Schwarz stopped the promotion under pressure from Lysko and other owners. ***** Things did not start out well for the Argos, who lost the season opener 27–3 to Montreal. A story circulated afterward that

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a patron yelled at Clemons because he was smiling while signing an autograph. The disgruntled fan felt Clemons should have been more upset after the loss or at least not appear to be happy about it. It seemed a minor point, as if Clemons should be scowling or frowning after defeat to visibly show his disappointment. But Clemons was merely trying to be engaging en route to the locker room, and losing one game did not constitute an Argos armageddon in his opinion. But after three consecutive losses, all of them at home, Clemons became the object of criticism from some fans. Jeff Giles recalled the early struggles that year, and the fans’ frustration and how they reacted to Clemons. “They weren’t actually turning on him; they were saying he was put into a situation where he couldn’t win,” Giles said. “I think in the second year they were thinking he should have never been the coach in the first place. It was always, ‘Michael always does whatever is best for the organization and this was what the organization wanted to do and it wasn’t fair.’” After the third loss, Clemons revealed to the media that he told the team that if he wasn’t the right person to lead the team to the Grey Cup he would step down, but he had no immediate plans to quit. But for the first time as a coach, Clemons looked frustrated. A few days later, when the Argos returned to practice, Clemons said he had come to the realization that win or lose, he simply had to be himself, maintaining a positive, upbeat state of mind. If it meant smiling while signing an autograph after a loss—the very thing that offended the fan after the first loss—he simply had to be himself. “I talk to corporate people about the same thing,” he told the media. “Sometimes the person you’re preaching to is yourself.

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I’m grateful for what I have. I can’t be the negative person. I’m going to work as hard as I can and I’m not going to change who I am. I can’t frown because I think fans don’t want me to smile if we’re not winning. I apologize to any fans or players who detected I wasn’t having fun because that’s not what it’s all about. We will have fun and we will win football games. I asked the guys (on the team) to have perspective in life and understand what we do isn’t life and death.” But there were problems on the team that were only in the embryonic stage, but which contributed to the early struggles. Stubler hadn’t physically reported, and his expertise was missed, particularly because he ran complex defensive formations, which were based on making instantaneous decisions upon the snap of the ball. It was less about sheer, brute force and more about the mind. Meanwhile, the offence had been going through a period of change under a new system, one that did not feature a running game, despite the presence of running back Michael Jenkins, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards the year before. Jenkins, who was not related to offensive coordinator John Jenkins, had been one of the few players signed by Albrecht who developed into a star, but he was being underutilized. John Jenkins preferred a passing attack, and Clemons was content to not interfere because he believed in hiring people and letting them do their job. But the criticism directed at Clemons had been the reason some people close to him didn’t want him to take the job in the first place. They had realized that no matter what Clemons had done for the club as a player, some of the same fans who cheered for him would turn on him if he didn’t win as a coach. Rightly or wrongly, the head coach receives the credit

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when the team wins and the criticism when it loses, and early in the season Clemons started to experience the latter. The Argos won two games after their opening three losses, beating Saskatchewan on the road 50–24 and then travelling to Calgary and beating the Stamps 36–35. Michael Jenkins recorded back-to-back games with at least 100 rushing yards—the benchmark of a good running game—and it seemed as if the Argos were back on track. But two consecutive losses followed, after which Clemons remarked, “It’s hard for me to look a fan in the face. I’m doing what I think is necessary to win football games and we’re not winning them, so obviously I’m not doing my job and it makes no sense why. I don’t like it and I just can’t stand it. I am disappointed, most of all for the team owner and the fans. If it was just me, I could work through it—it’s no problem—but I feel like I’m letting those two groups of people down.” Clemons’s admission indicated the depth of his despair, and how even a person motivated by a positive outlook can develop a different personality in times of conflict. The big question was: Could Clemons find the right formula to turn around the team, much as he had done the previous season? But two more losses followed. At the halfway point of the season, the Argos had a 2–7 record and appeared to be in a bottomless pit, but Schwarz staunchly supported Clemons. “I think he is a motivator par excellence,” Schwarz said. “There’s nobody I’ve heard of who is better than him and I think (success) is going to happen under his watch. Why this is happening I don’t know and I’m sure that he is very discouraged, but I haven’t lost faith. I hope he hasn’t.”

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Clemons publicly stated that he needed more time to turn the Argos around, saying that he felt a reasonable turnaround would take three years. “Already people are saying, ‘He can’t coach, he’s not cut out for this.’ It wasn’t a job I applied for,” he said. “It was a job I took out of responsibility and obligation and tried to perform competently. To say I’ve been given the full opportunity at this point, I think, would be probably premature.” But how could he have done such a good job the previous year? As the expression goes, he didn’t become dumb overnight. The Argos rebounded from their four-game slide with a victory over B.C. in which Michael Jenkins, playing in his second consecutive game after recovering from an injury, rushed for 166 yards, the best single-game total of his career. Again, however, defeat crept back into the Argo picture with consecutive losses to Montreal and Edmonton. With six games to go in the regular season, the Argos had a 3–9 record and it appeared they would need something amazing to make the playoffs. Bell, who had been battling injuries throughout the year and had missed the last four games, returned to the roster and provided the team with veteran leadership. Something critical was also happening behind the scenes. Clemons had started to become more persuasive in communicating his thoughts to John Jenkins about enforcing a running game. Even though Bell liked to pass and had a great relationship with John Jenkins, Clemons knew the running game had to be used and John Jenkins had to be made to understand that. In effect, Clemons had become comfortable enough in his role as a head coach to exert pressure on his experienced offensive coordinator.

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Things started to turn around with victories over Calgary, B.C., and Montreal, the last one a decisive 51–24 score. It was the Argos’ best overall performance of the season and highlighted a brilliant effort by Michael Jenkins, who rushed for 149 yards. With three games to go, he needed only 84 more to eclipse the club record of 1,247 set by Gill Fenerty in 1989. Although the Argos lost their next game in overtime, they came back to win the one after that. Michael Jenkins, who only needed three rushing yards to set a single-season franchise record, totalled 131. With a record of 6–10–1 heading into the final week of the season after a sluggish first half of the season, the Argos trailed the third-place Montreal Alouettes by one point. The Argos had a chance to go ahead of the Als the day before playing Hamilton, which had already clinched second place in the division. Late in the second quarter, with the Argos trailing 14–5 and on a drive deep in Hamilton’s territory, quarterback Kerwin Bell threw a pass to receiver Derrell Mitchell, but Hamilton linebacker Sean Woodson intercepted the throw and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. Bell had completed only three of nine passes for a paltry 20 yards at that point and Clemons was fed up. He pulled Bell out of the game and replaced him with Jimmy Kemp. Bell dropped his helmet on the bench, realizing he had been pulled, and said something that set off the normally passive Clemons, who then confronted him and directed him to the locker room. Defensive back Rio Wells positioned himself between the two to prevent the confrontation from escalating and Clemons walked away. While defensive lineman Elfrid Payton tried to calm Bell, the quarterback said something else to Clemons that clearly agitated him. Clemons walked

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back over to the quarterback, but was whisked away by defensive coach Kavis Reed. Unbelievably, mild-mannered, easy going Pinball Clemons had snapped! The Argos lost the game 31–20 and failed to make the playoffs. Clemons’s reaction, played out on national television, showed he had a temper, whereas previously it seemed that he never lost his cool. What many people didn’t know is that the quarterback had said something so offensive to Clemons that he decided Bell would no longer play for him as long as he was head coach. Clemons won’t discuss exactly what Bell said to him—even now—only that he had crossed the line and would never play for him as long as he was the coach. Clemons said he had gone out of his way at various points, urging ownership and upper management to sign Bell to a significant contract despite budget limitations imposed on football operations. And Clemons did not appreciate Bell reporting to training camp out of shape. When Bell’s play had not been satisfactory and the upper management began to talk about cutting him to avoid having to pay his full salary, Clemons pleaded with Giles to keep the quarterback. Clemons said Bell knew all this because he and Clemons had the same agent, Gil Scott. All that aside, Clemons said he had given Bell explicit instructions to run the ball, only to see the quarterback overrule the call on the play that produced the interception, and then openly show Clemons disrespect with comments so incendiary that he had to deal with the matter instantly to assert his authority as the head coach. “If I didn’t do what I did, I couldn’t respect myself,” Clemons recalled. “In no way did I swear at him. In no way

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was I disrespecting him. To this day, I’ve got a lot of respect for Kerwin Bell as a player and as a person. I don’t harbour bitterness, but what he did at that time in that place was unacceptable. As a leader, I’ve got to make tough decisions.” Bell has only a vague recollection of the incident, speculating that he may have challenged Clemons’s truthfulness, allowing him to finish the games he started. Bell said it had been a personally frustrating season for him, brought on by injuries and his desire to be the full-time starter from the beginning of each game to the end. Even when he returned to the lineup for the final six games, he was replaced by backup Jimmy Kemp in three of them because of his struggles. As a head coach, Clemons had to make decisions in the best interests of the team, sometimes based on a feeling or a gut instinct. Bell had personal pride and wanted to start what he finished. Bell later apologized to his teammates for his actions. The Argos did not pick up the option year of his contract and Bell retired and turned to high school coaching in Florida. After seven years in the league, including one with the Argos, Giles left the team as expected at the end of the season. He had helped Schwarz to establish a budget that contributed to cutting the operating losses in half. Before leaving, he talked with Schwarz about the possibility of Clemons becoming president. There had already been rumours of the possibility, but Clemons tried to douse the story while still concentrating on coaching. Schwarz and Giles had discussed this idea for a few weeks and before approaching Clemons. He could not coach and be the president at the same time. Clemons had made

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significant headway in his evolution as a head coach, but the challenge of presiding over the team intrigued him. The president is responsible for every detail, including the hiring—and firing—of employees, setting and maintaining a budget, and meeting with corporate clients and businesses. There are a myriad of functions, one of which included hiring a head coach if you happen to be the existing one. Less than three weeks after the last game of the season, Schwarz formally introduced Clemons as the new president of the team, ending the rumours. “I think this is one of the most important steps we’re taking in moving to the next level,” Schwarz said. “I think he’s very talented. We all know his qualities as a motivational speaker and his involvement in the business world take him beyond the novice stage of becoming president of this franchise.” Clemons had been involved for several years as a partner in a business, Marketeers, that helped companies market themselves on cable television. The business had been winding down its operations at the time of his appointment as Argos president. He exuded confidence when introduced in his newest role. “I am a proud Toronto Argonaut and I accept this responsibility with zeal and enthusiasm,” he said. “We’ll take our time and try to assemble the right team and move forward pragmatically. We will continue to work diligently to restore some stability to this organization. We’ve had so much movement the last little while.” Clemons would use an expression when talking of his philosophy about the Argos and his vision. He called it an “ethos of competence.” Some people had no idea what he meant, but Clemons believed the inner fabric and character

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of an organization contributed to its overall success. He wanted to inject a culture that started from the top with the values and philosophies that he believed in and applied to his everyday life. Among Clemons’ initial hirings as president was director of communications Dave Haggith, who had been working as a publicist for Toronto Raptors superstar Vince Carter. Haggith had been looking for a change and a challenge and he found both with the Argos. He had grown up admiring the team, and even had a dog named Argo. “I had a world of respect for Pinball,” Haggith said. “He and I chatted by phone and I went to work for the team just for him. I couldn’t have more love for the guy than that. Pinball was all excited. He knew my background, but he also knew I loved the Argos.” Dan Ferrone, whom Clemons had hired the previous year as offensive line coach, accepted a business job with the team as vice-president of operations and special projects. In Ferrone, Clemons had a confidant who oversaw the financial operations while he branched out into the business community to push the Argos brand. But on the business aside, Clemons had to find someone to succeed him as coach. It arguably would be his most important hiring because of the visibility of the coach—someone whose ideas, views, thoughts and remarks are scrutinized on a daily basis. He could be as arrogant as Don Matthews or as bizarre as John Huard, but in the end the most important thing he would be judged on was his ability to win. Clemons had one candidate in mind, someone he had known for several years and had tried to hire as an assistant—Gary Etcheverry. He joined the Argos as an assistant

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defensive coach in 1997 and moved up to become the coordinator of the defence in 1999. The team led the league in most defensive categories that year, and Etcheverry had earned the respect of his colleagues, even if Huard had the audacity upon his official hiring in 2000 to suggest the defence was overrated. Etcheverry had spent time as a defensive coordinator with Saskatchewan and later B.C. after his Argos experience, but the chance to come to Toronto and work for Clemons intrigued him. Many of the players he had coached in Toronto in years past still remained with the club. He knew the personnel and the city and felt the time and place combined to make it the ideal job. But first he would have to wait to be hired. Inasmuch as Clemons wanted him, at least one other person in the organization had another idea. Garth Drabinsky, a controversial theatre impresario, had joined the team as a consultant. Drabinsky had made a name for himself in the theatre world with lavish, big-budget productions such as Phantom of the Opera and Kiss of the Spider Woman. He liked to make a big splash and believed one had to spend money— and lots of it—to make money. And he operated with brute force and a sharp tongue, demanding results from employees, some of whom cowered in his presence. Drabinsky had a plan to provide total entertainment from the moment the patron came into the stadium to watch the Argos play. In his mind, it would be no different than coming to watch one of his lavish productions. Drabinsky wanted a marquee coach to sell to the fans, someone who had a proven track record for success and name recognition in the football world. Don Matthews had just that and had been between jobs. He met with Clemons

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and Schwarz, but the Montreal Alouettes flew him in for an interview later that day and weren’t prepared to let him leave without signing a contract. He liked the Als’ set-up, feeling the team had a good chance to win the Grey Cup, and took Montreal’s offer. The Argos interviewed or talked to several other candidates, but the process dragged on and time became a critical factor. The search ended where it began—with Etcheverry—the individual Clemons wanted all along. Etcheverry, a distant cousin of Canadian Football League Hall of Famer Sam (the Rifle) Etcheverry, was introduced as a defensive guru and someone who could communicate his football philosophies like a good teacher. This would be his first head-coaching job at the professional level. His only other experience as a head coach came in a brief stint at a small American college, in which he didn’t have much success. As an assistant coach, he shunned the media, believing there should be only one voice from the coaching staff, that being the head coach. He was once asked a question by a reporter for a story and responded: “Double no comment. That means I have no comment and I want to be quoted saying I have no comment.”“Coach Etcheverry” may not have had the flash of Matthews, for whom he worked in 1997, but Clemons and the Argos players liked him. As for Drabinsky, he would have to grow into the idea. Drabinsky had been working on his blueprint to make it “cool” to go to the Argos games again, lining up some highprofile acts from the music and entertainment fields, including singers Shaggy, Amanda Marshall, the duo of Canadian rock icons Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman, and skateboard legend Tony Hawk. He was also working on a secret plan to bring boxing great Muhammad Ali to Toronto to appear at an

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Argos game to promote awareness and raise funds for Parkinson’s disease, from which Ali suffered. The Argos made a big off-season move by signing burly free agent defensive lineman Joe Montford, who left the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for a contract that would pay him about $250,000 a season—the kind of money normally paid to quarterbacks. The Cats hadn’t been prepared to go beyond $180,000. Montford had established himself as the current active leader in downing quarterbacks behind the line of scrimmage for sacks. He had name recognition, an imposing physical stature, an engaging personality, and a desire to work with underprivileged youth. He knew Clemons because he’d played against him and was managed by Toronto-based Natasha Borota, a close personal friend of Clemons and a business partner. However, he was not necessarily the kind of player Etcheverry preferred. He liked players interested in fitting into his complicated defensive scheme, which was based on pressure and sacrifice. Montford had come from a system built around his talents, freeing him up to go after the quarterback. Under Etcheverry’s scheme, Montford would be one of 12 players in the defensive scheme, instead of the one player around whom the scheme was built. But the Argos needed to do something to sell the sizzle. In the absence of a star quarterback, Etcheverry set his sights on a plan to acquire the rights to Michael Bishop, a youngster with a rifle arm but who had little success in the National Football League after a stellar career at Kansas State. He was only 25, and despite bouncing around the NFL with New England and later Green Bay, his arm strength made scouts wonder how good he could be if his talent could be harnessed. Etcheverry researched Bishop and then made the

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trade with Calgary, who owned his rights after placing him on their negotiation list. Etcheverry knew through Bishop’s agent the player wanted to come to Canada to play, and that Calgary would be willing to trade because they had a surplus of quarterbacks. Bishop would become the young gunslinger on whom Etcheverry would hang his coaching hat. While Clemons went about his job overseeing the entire operation while coming to the occasional practice to check out the team, Drabinsky started working on putting together the entertainment package, including spectacular videos featuring the players and the Argos brand. Anyone coming to the games would feel like they were seeing a Steven Spielberg production. In training camp, free-spirited defensive end Elfrid Payton fell into disfavour with the demanding Etcheverry, who opted to release him. Payton loved the Argos and contacted Clemons hoping he could intervene, but the president had too many tasks to take care of and they did not include clashing with his rookie coach over a personnel issue. Clemons had to let Etcheverry do his job without interference. While the organization made good on the promise of entertainment before the games and at halftime, it failed with its on-field product. Injuries, the lack of an experienced quarterback, and a clash of wills between Etcheverry and some players, in particular Montford, contributed to many problems. Bishop became the starter because Stanley Jackson, who had been groomed the previous season for that role, suffered a devastating knee injury in the second game of the season. Bishop struggled to adjust to the nuances of the Canadian game compared to the American brand, including the wider field, added man, and reduced time

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between plays. The quarterback had to be fast and sure, and Bishop looked lost. Defensively, Montford had a hard time adjusting to Etcheverry’s system, like a wild thoroughbred under a strong restraint. The system featured pressure from various angles instead of one player bullying his way forward with sheer strength and speed. That was Montford’s way, but it wasn’t Etcheverry’s—and Etcheverry controlled the defence and the team. The Argos lost their first two games before Etcheverry recorded his first victory as a professional head coach in game three. That was followed by two more losses and then one win. The slow start had fans wondering about Etcheverry’s ability, while team consultant Garth Drabinsky started pondering a coaching change. After the tenth game of the season, with the Argos struggling with only three wins, Schwarz indicated to some people in the organization he was not happy with the direction of the team and wanted to fire Etcheverry. Coinciding with the concerns about the football team, the Argos were announcing plans for Ali to appear at the team’s game against the Ottawa Renegades in October at the SkyDome. To some observers, it was like watching a circus act played in different rings. A few days later, on the eve of the Argos’ game in Ottawa, word started to filter out that if the team didn’t show marked improvement, Etcheverry would lose his job and Clemons would be back in as head coach. Clemons had more than just football on his mind—his wife was about to give birth to the couple’s third child, a girl named Rylie. In fact, the delivery happened on the day of the game, which the Argos won. But following a blowout loss in Saskatchewan— a game which Clemons attended—Schwarz had had enough and decided to replace Etcheverry with Clemons.

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It was Clemons who indicated to Etcheverry the day after the loss that he was likely to lose his job unless he could give Clemons something to change Schwarz’s mind. He couldn’t and didn’t, and a few days later Etcheverry was fired. It was early in September 2002, a bittersweet time in Argos history. A young head coach had lost his job, and his successor, although popular among the fans, clearly didn’t want to be back on the sidelines at someone else’s expense. He felt as though he was making gains as the president and wanted to continue in that role, but he couldn’t do both jobs. If he returned to the sidelines, he had to give up his presidency. It was that simple. Once again, Clemons had to take one for the good of the team. Dan Ferrone, the Argos’ vicepresident of operations and special projects, handled Clemons’s presidential duties on a temporary basis. In his first media conference as the new head coach, Clemons clearly lacked the same excitement and enthusiasm he had when he replaced Huard. He said that he wanted to give Etcheverry time but Schwarz felt he needed to make the change. “I’m not at all thrilled and that’s honest,” he said. “I wanted Coach Etcheverry as our coach and I wanted to be where I was, building this organization.” He acknowledged that everyone was disappointed, but they had to get to work and rebuild the team. “That’s the challenge ahead of us.” Clemons immediately worked on the mindset of the players. He handed out bottles of Gatorade and asked the players to take a sip. Then he asked them, “Is it in you?” It was the marketing slogan of the drink, but Clemons wanted to know if his players had it in them to win the final six games of the

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season. Clemons, who was a partner in a Toronto-based clothing apparel company called Plain & Simple, had T-shirts printed with the slogan and gave them out to the players the day before the first game. Clemons made a significant move during the week, demoting Bishop from the first-string quarterback to the thirdstringer, feeling he hadn’t put in enough time preparing and wouldn’t climb back up until he showed improvement. It was a dramatic move, one that he might not have made two years before in his first stab at coaching, but he was more experienced and sure of himself. He had a veteran in Reggie Slack, who had been signed in July and understood the value of working hard all the time. In a repeat of the first time he took over as head coach in 2002, Clemons faced the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. But this time the game was in Toronto, and this time it produced a different outcome. The Argos won 28–1, but eight days later in Montreal they lost by a score of 38–3. The next game they played at home and lost 23–18 to Montreal. With three games remaining in the season, the Argos still had a shot at the playoffs, but they would need to run the table. The first of the three games took place in Hamilton, and Toronto pulled out a dramatic 29–28 win in overtime. They immediately began preparing for their next game, six days later at home against Ottawa. In many ways it was a game within an event because this marked the appearance of Ali. So much anticipation and buildup went into it, and while Clemons had been an admirer of the legendary fighter, he had his own fight on his hands. He needed to keep his team focused, even if everyone in the media wanted to talk about Ali. The game did not draw the turnout expected.

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If anything, free tickets had to be distributed in the days leading up to the game to create the illusion of a packed crowd, what’s often referred to in the sports and entertainment world as papering the house. Clemons would allow the team to see the latter part of the halftime show, in which Ali was joined on stage by legendary boxers of the past and the present. The team returned from the locker room to see Ali up close. In fact, Ali kissed one player on the head. The Argos won 29–12 and now had a chance to make the playoffs heading into the final game. Hamilton lost its final game of the season, giving the Argos a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win. Facing the visiting Calgary Stampeders, the Argos capped off an incredible turnaround season by winning 33–32, overcoming a halftime deficit of 29–10. With 25 seconds to go in the game, kicker Noel Prefontaine kicked a 42-yard field goal to put the Argos ahead. The game, in many ways, mirrored the dramatic turnaround of the season, which seemed lost before Clemons took over from Etcheverry. The SkyDome crowd, which had been as dead as a mausoleum for parts of the season, cheered boisterously. “I love this football team—just the grit and the fight and the wherewithal,” Clemons told the media. “I’d take three more in a row.” He was referring to the Eastern semi-final, the Eastern final, and the Grey Cup. During this time I asked Diane Clemons whether she felt her husband should continue coaching the team next season. Schwarz still hadn’t decided in what role Clemons could best serve the team, but Diane said she wouldn’t stand in her husband’s way if he stayed on as coach.

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“I know it’s going to be even less time with the family, but I think he’s a great coach and the guys on the team respect him so much and I like to see him in his glory,” she said. “Right now I really think he’s enjoying being back on the field. He just wants to get through this.” Diane added that she had become caught up in the emotion of the Argos’ stretch run to qualify for the playoffs. “In the last two games, I told my husband, ‘This is nothing but a miracle,’” she said. “The way they came back against Calgary, who would have thought that? Personally, I had given up and I’m his wife and I’m sitting in the stands thinking, ‘Honey, I love you and I know you can pull some stuff off, but we might as well write this one off because there’s just no way we can win this.’ And then I thought, you know what, Diane, Mike always tells me, ‘Never give up. Don’t say it’s over until it’s over.’ I said a little prayer. ‘Lord, I know these guys aren’t even playing as though they deserve to win because they’re not playing like they want to win, but I think my husband deserves to win this game, so if you’re going to do it, just do it for him.’ Next thing I know, we have two touchdowns and an interception for a touchdown and I was like, ‘Oh my God, it is not over until it’s over.’ “I knew it was only through God’s grace that we won that game because that was a miracle. I’m sorry, that was a miracle. What did Mike say to these guys to make them play like this? He said, ‘I don’t make them feel bad. I just encourage them.’” The victory over Calgary vaulted the Argos into second place in the East, giving them the homefield advantage. Toronto faced the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who placed fourth in the West Division but crossed over to the East because it

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had a better record than the third-place team in the East. It’s one of the quirks of the Canadian Football League’s playoff format to ensure the teams with the best records qualify for the playoffs and to place merit on the regular season. The coaching match-up pitted Clemons against his longtime friend Danny Barrett, who coached against Clemons in his last game as a player. It also marked the first time two black coaches opposed one another in a CFL playoff game. Prior to the game, the CBC videotaped Clemons addressing the team. It would prove to be a moment that publicly showed Clemons’s emotion in a way few outside of the Argos’ inner sanctum had seen before. It provided a true glimpse of his words and his emotion and how compelling the combination is, even more so when you see the raw footage in its entirety. Standing in the centre of the dressing room, Clemons said, “When I leave this earth, on my tombstone it will read 1965 dash. What I do with my life will be determined by what I do with the dash. That’s the same for you today.” As he was saying this, he was moving throughout the room and gesturing with his right hand, his voice gradually rising. “What you do is going to be determined by what you do with the dash. This is our chance to make something out of our dash. That’s what’s going to be written by that dash. Between those two numbers are what’s going to determine what our life is all about. Here you’ve got a chance to do something with your dash.” By this point, he really started to emote with passion and energy and enthusiasm, like a preacher at the pulpit delivering a sermon. “It’s going to take every last one of us. Defence, you need to be outstanding today. Offence, you need to be

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outstanding today. Special teams, you need to be outstanding today. Coaches, you need to be outstanding. Trainers, equipment staff, everybody together. If we play … everybody … all together, 100 percent, ain’t no way they will stop us today. Everybody. It takes each and every one. If we do it, all together, we cannot be beaten. You understand that. Give all your effort. Give everything you have and we will come out on top. Let’s do it, all together. All of us, all the time. Take nothing for granted. All of you. All of you. Give it, give it all. Let’s do it all. We’ll get this thing. Win on three. One, two, three.” And in unison everybody shouted, “Win!” The CBC showed part of the speech, in particular the end when he gesticulated wildly while saying “all of you, all of you,” then slapping his right thigh to “give it, give it” and then banging his fist on a table to “all.” Haggith said CBC routinely shoots some locker room footage for the playoffs, typically of the players preparing before they go out on the field. He said Clemons knew CBC had personnel inside the room, but simply didn’t pay heed to them as he addressed the team. “A lot of people might think it was a staged thing, but it was really CBC just kind of getting lucky,” Haggith said. “It’s not stuff they would normally have access to and they technically shouldn’t have been filming the pre-game speech part. It was kind of a mistake, but a mistake that produced some pretty good stuff. “That’s where I saw what ‘Pinball the player’ might have been like. I don’t know because I wasn’t around. Pinball knew he had the respect of every single guy. That’s what I love about him. He’d get (respect) from the Mike O’Sheas, the

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Adrion Smiths, but you’ve got (players) who are brand new to the CFL and who don’t know what Pinball is all about. They just spend any amount of time with him and he literally crosses all borders. No matter what your upbringing, no matter what your personality is like, you all gravitate toward Pinball. He’s just such a loving guy. You can be the toughest, hardest guy to get through and he would break you down. He’ll get through to you and everybody will love him.” Adrion Smith didn’t consider what his head coach had done out of the ordinary, having seen the emotional orations many times before. “Pinner’s a great motivator and he’ll do whatever it takes to motivate you, whether he gives you a solemn speech; whether he gives you a parable; whether he gives you a fireand-brimstone, yelling, shouting speech; whether he’s kicking over the Gatorade thing; whether he pounds on the table,” Smith said. “That’s just what he does depending on what he feels that situation deems. When the camera films it and all of Canada sees it, the reaction is, ‘Whoa, what is this? What’s going on here? What is Pinner doing?’ That’s a side they don’t see, but that side’s been there all along.” ***** The Argos had an easy time with Saskatchewan, winning 24–14 to go to Montreal to face the Alouettes in the Eastern final—one game away from the Grey Cup. Clemons had taken his team this far, but this represented a big challenge: playing on the road in the playoffs in a hostile environment. The noise inside the Olympic Stadium would make it difficult for the visiting team to call out its signals. In a

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delicious irony, Clemons would be facing the coach whom he often called his “messiah.” Matthews, who routinely came into a new team and posted instant, positive results, had the Als on a roll. They had won 13 of 18 regular-season games, including defeating Toronto twice. They had an explosive offence and a deadline defence. And while many people in the media built it up as Matthews against Clemons, it was the Als versus the Argos. Clemons could fire up his team, but so could Matthews. In the end, the players would determine the outcome. The game attracted a noisy crowd of 57,125 at the Olympic Stadium. The Argos took the first possession and began a nice drive, but had to settle for a field goal. Still, they had temporary momentum and the fans were hushed. But on Toronto’s second series, starting quarterback Reggie Slack suffered the first of two injuries, leaving young backup Marcus Brady, who was signed in late September and moved ahead of Bishop as the second stringer, to replace him. The Als attacked the Argos and their inexperienced quarterback like a vicious predator. And unlike in the final regular-season game, there would be no miracle. The Argos’ glorious run came to an end, with Toronto losing 38–15. The season was over, but there still remained questions about the future, including the role of Clemons. While Schwarz planned to explore putting a general manager and/ or head coach in place, he also indicated he would allow Clemons to do whatever he wanted. About a month after their season ended and after conducting some interviews and discussions with potential candidates to replace Clemons, the decision was made to maintain continuity and retain Clemons as head coach.

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Little would Clemons know that the next season would be his most challenging but ultimately his most rewarding, and the thing that would galvanize the team to his leadership en route to their glorious Grey Cup quest in 2004.

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In 2002, my sister, Margaret, was fighting cancer. Pinball arranged for special seats for her and her husband Ron, and my brother John and me. Not only that, but someone met us at the elevator and took us from field level to the Argo bench. Pinball came over and spoke with us all, but particularly with my sister. She had brought her autograph book and some of the players signed it while she sat on the bench. When the warm-up was over, every player on the team came and shook her hand, spoke to her or hugged her. Margaret became very emotional; she couldn’t believe that these big, professional players would give up their personal time before a game to interact with her and encourage her. Pinball asked us to stay for a while after the game, but Margaret’s stamina didn’t last long enough for that. However, she enjoyed sharing the story of this wonderful experience with many people during her last few months. She also asked me to thank Pinball whenever I saw him again. It was at Margaret’s memorial service that we again saw Pinball. Word had reached him that Margaret had died and he made a point of attending the service. He spoke to Ron and to each of his seven children. continued

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I walked over to thank him for coming and encouraging the family. Incredibly, he remembered my name and hugged me to share in the loss of my sister. When I gave him Margaret’s message of thanks, he turned the focus from himself (as only Pinball can do) and said, “No, no, Dave, thank you!” Pinball is a man who exemplifies Christianity and he is the most amazing sports personality in Toronto history. Dave Scarrow

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The first time I met Pinball was about five years ago. I was standing in line with my dad, shaking; I was so excited to finally meet him…. I had watched Pinball play [ever] since I could remember, and I was overjoyed that he was standing only a couple of metres away from me. I had just finished writing a report on him in my grade 7 English class; I had learned so much more about him, his family, and his career. He is such an amazing man, the way he was talking to each fan as if they were part of his family; taking the time, one by one, to talk with everyone. He cared [about] what everyone had to say…. When I got [to the head of the line], I couldn’t control my shaking and I started to cry. I was just so ecstatic that he was standing right in front of me; my mouth went dry and I could not speak. Eventually my mouth started working again. With tears streaming down my face, I was able to get the words out that I had just finished doing my [class] project on him. He simply replied, “I’m not worthy of that. I’m not worthy.” I was still shaking and crying…. He felt terrible that I was crying and he leaned into me and said in a gentle way, “Aw, give me some love” and kissed my cheek. He actually thanked me for coming to see him and for writing my report on him. I couldn’t believe it. I should have been thanking him! Every time I see him, even from a distance, his energy, love, and life radiate from him and he puts a huge smile on my face…. He is the most amazing man … and I will always remember the day I met him. Shannon Morgan

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On the day of Pinball’s final game, I took the day off work to get to Toronto early and get two additional tickets for the game because my wife, Carol, and I wanted to take our two daughters…. I ended up being interviewed by City TV regarding Mike and his final game as a player. Much to my chagrin, the interview was aired on the evening news by City TV. I had some explaining to do to some of my co-workers who had caught the news that evening [as to] why I had not been at work. Obviously, I explained, life has its priorities, and mine was to have our family at the game to honour Mike’s contributions to the Argos, Toronto, and to life in general…. Of course, … Pinball has been so inspirational to all of us…. His most inspiring message has been, “If you hear it, you will forget it. If you see it, you will remember it, but if you do it, you will understand it.” I quote his words often and have used them to assist others…. Pinball … has always exemplified the ethics of hard work, grace under pressure, and human dignity and kindness. Keith Quigg

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In the summer of 2003, my family vacationed in Montreal for a five-day trip. By coincidence the Argos were playing in Montreal that weekend, too. I figured there was no way my wife and daughter would let my son and me take in the game while they found some other activity to do in Montreal. When we arrived at the hotel, we saw signs indicating Argo team meetings in certain rooms! My 10-year-old daughter met Pinball in the lobby and he shared a secret handshake with her. She knew little about football, but she appreciated a celebrity treating her so specially. My eight-year-old son knows more about football, so he got himself invited by Pinball to view game films with the defensive secondary. By the way, my wife was so impressed with the team, we ended going to the game after all! Steve Ranot

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In 2001, my wife and I and two friends took the train to Montreal to see the Grey Cup, which was not only my first Grey Cup, but the first CFL game that I’d ever attended, so you can imagine my excitement. We arrived Thursday morning so we could take in all the festivities and meet players, etc. We were fortunate to meet many stars and football people, however, there was one person whom I really wanted to meet and that was Mike Clemons. So, here we are at the Grey Cup sitting in the end zone stands near the CBC booth and before the end of the second half my wife heads to the concession stand while I hold our seats. As she is returning, a large crowd of people is gathered around, so my wife asks someone what is going on. She is told that the person in the centre of the crowd is Mike Clemons. My wife waits until everyone is finished and then tells Mike her little story of how her husband has been hoping to meet him all weekend but never had the opportunity. So, he tells her to quickly get me since he has to return to the booth for the halftime analysis. My wife runs to where I’m sitting and relays the story to me. We are seated about halfway down the end zone stands, so I dash to the area where she told me Mike would be waiting. As I’m running to the area, I’m thinking there is no way he will wait this long for someone to meet him and he has probably gone back inside the booth. However, when I arrive at the location, there is Mike standing all by himself waiting for me—a total stranger who just happens to be a big fan of the CFL and of Mike Clemons. We shook hands and I introduced myself. Someone else just happens by at the time and Mike asks if I would like a picture taken. The guy graciously agrees to take our picture, but has a difficult time operating the camera and the flash does not work on the first two pictures, but Mike patiently waited for the guy to adjust and snap three more pictures. I get an autograph from him and I wish him well, and he returns the gesture, after which he returns to the booth. Thank you, Mike, for that little touch of unselfish humanity, God bless. Glen Doucet

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About five years ago, I went to watch my nephew play high school football at U of T’s Erindale campus in Mississauga where Mr. Clemons was overseeing the coaching and encouraging the players. There were several parents and onlookers, most came prepared with chairs and rain gear. I went unprepared not wanting to spend too much time as I have no knowledge of the game and therefore am not a fan. I went to encourage my nephew. I was standing for perhaps 20 minutes when for no apparent reason Mr. Clemons left the field, borrowed a chair, ran over to me and said, “Sir, have a seat and enjoy the game.” I didn’t know who he was, but was touched at this man’s thoughtfulness. Nobody, I mean nobody, had shown me such kindness before. Several months later I saw him on TV and I was all the more humbled at this famous personality’s act of pure love and kindness to a stranger. To me he is my hero not so much for the game but his humility and gentleness. Cedric Martis

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The 2003 season brought more changes, including the departure of Drabinsky, who parted company with Schwarz after a season that failed to produce any dramatic turnaround in attendance despite a massive amount of spending. Full public disclosure of finances was not required because the Argos were a private company, but rumours surfaced nonetheless that after three seasons, Schwarz had operating losses totalling $18 million. That was roughly double the amount it might have been with careful attention to the bottom line. The team also owed creditors in excess of $1 million. Schwarz had tried every possible idea, promotion and plan in three years to turn around attendance, but couldn’t make a positive difference. Early in the winter, Clemons announced his coaching staff. It was the most experienced group he had assembled in his brief coaching tenure. He hired Adam Rita as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator. It was Rita’s third time

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with the team and his first since leaving the Argos as the offensive coordinator following the 1996 Grey Cup victory to work in B.C., where he had been the coach and general manager. Rich Stubler became the full-time defensive coordinator for the entire season after working parts of the last three. Greg Mohns, who worked as the Argos’ GM in 1996, returned as coordinator of football operations and player personnel to handle player contracts, salary budgets, and day-to-day transactions. All three had worked together on the staff of the B.C. Lions in 2000 and all had connections to Clemons from his Argo playing days. They were people he could draw on for knowledge and contacts. The Argos had a dilemma concerning high-priced defensive star Joe Montford. He was not going to fit into the Argos’ new defensive scheme, which included only three down linemen instead of the traditional four. Calgary had shown an interest in Montford, but he wanted to go back to Hamilton because it was closer to his off-season home in South Carolina and he had a comfort level with the organization after six seasons there. Clemons persuaded Mohns to make a deal with Hamilton as a favour to Montford, whom Clemons had personally helped to recruit to Toronto. The Tiger-Cats’ package of receiver Tony Miles and fullback Randy Bowles had been attractive, but this was as much about Clemons’s humanitarianism as it was about a simple swap of players. The Argos had a limited operating budget because Schwarz had decided to stop pumping money into the team. He had put together a plan to secure one or more partners to shoulder the financial strain and help him with his plan to build a new stadium, but it required additional time. He also

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had a backup plan—selling the team and cutting his losses. He put a price tag of $10 million on the franchise, but he had no takers willing to shell out that exorbitant amount. Dan Ferrone, who had been in charge of the team’s business operations, had to operate with whatever funds were coming in from league revenues for annual television rights (which worked out be about $1 million for each team), licensing, and a limited season-ticket base. But for the most part he had to rely on the goodwill and trust of suppliers. But they wanted their money, and when they couldn’t talk to Ferrone, they tried Clemons, feeling the good-natured coach would help. But Clemons was no longer the president, and the business operations weren’t his responsibility. In May, during training camp, the Argos’ dire financial situation became public when stories surfaced in the media. Up until then, the team had done its best to keep the matter private. Clemons spoke to the team to inform each of the players they would be paid, and that Schwarz was trying to add one or more partners. After that, he talked to the media and indicated that the football operations staff had been aware of the financial concerns for some time, but didn’t want to make an issue of it. Early in June, the Argos acquired veteran quarterback Damon Allen from B.C., who had been deemed expendable after the Lions signed free agent Dave Dickenson who had spent the last two years in the NFL with five different teams, but didn’t play in a regular season game. He had been the most outstanding player in the CFL with Calgary in 2000. The Argos had made an attempt to sign Dickenson, but bowed out when it became apparent Schwarz no longer had the financial wherewithal to continue in the bidding. The

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price tag would reach about $450,000 on average for four seasons, roughly $200,000 more per season than Allen. Allen had numerous passing records and three Grey Cup championships in his 18-year career, but at age 40 he no longer fit into B.C.’s plans. But the oldest franchise in the league welcomed the oldest quarterback. Clemons knew Allen as both a fellow member of Athletes in Action and as an opponent during their playing days, and lauded him as a “living legend” at the media conference held to unveil the newest member of the team. Allen had missed valuable training camp time and had to adjust to a new system and new personnel. Even with all his experience, he needed to figure out his receivers and they needed to understand him, and that only comes with time and repetition in practice. The Argos opened at home against Saskatchewan and appeared to be headed for victory, but the Roughriders scored two touchdowns late in the game to claim a 20–18 win. The next game, played against the Hamilton TigerCats, resulted in a 49–8 win. In the third game of the season, the Argos travelled to B.C. and the story line became Allen versus Dickenson, even though they would not be on the field at the same time. Once again, the Argos lost a heartbreaker in overtime, 30–27. That was followed by a 34–32 loss to Ottawa. A 24–14 win over Winnipeg provided some relief, but rumours of impending pay cuts due to the uncertainty of the ownership started to creep into the picture. Under the terms of the Canadian Football League and the CFL Players’ Association, all players’ salaries would be covered by the league, but several players had side deals that were not stated in the

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contracts registered with the league. It was not uncommon for teams to pay players salaries that were not registered with the league, a move that circumvented the salary cap. The CFLPA discouraged players from making side deals because if anything happened with ownership, there was no way to offer protection. Heading into the sixth game in Calgary, Clemons was involved in a crossfire of words. In a Calgary Sun article that appeared the day before the game, Calgary head coach Jim Barker had offered his opinion on the current Argos regime and its many problems. Barker had coached the Argos in the 1999 season, but had not been retained when Schwarz took over the team and, in fact, he had to fight the league to collect the monies from the remainder of the contract. Because Schwarz did not assume any of the team’s liabilities as part of the owner transfership, there had been some legal issues regarding whether or not the league was responsible for covering Barker’s contract. It placed a tremendous strain on Barker and his family, leaving the deposed head coach felling abandoned in the process. Barker said he had no feelings of sympathy for the current Argos ownership, but he also took a verbal shot at Clemons. He claimed that Clemons, in his role as president, failed to follow up on a promise to call him back about his potential interest in the vacant headcoaching job that had gone to Gary Etcheverry. Clemons called Barker’s comments “myopic.” “He’s entitled to his opinion,” Barker said at his media conference the day before the game. “I like Michael. I think he’s been a guy that has been fabulous for the league and is a guy that has brought a lot to the table, and at no time did I ever say anything derogatory or negative about him.”

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When Clemons had his media conference and was apprised of what Barker had said, he said, “I really, really enjoy Jim Barker and consistent with that I really don’t like everything I say, so I’m not going to like what someone else said. I think disillusioned would be the right comment about how I feel right now. What he said doesn’t make sense to me, but in no way is there any animosity.” What Barker didn’t know is that Clemons tried unsuccessfully to convince Schwarz and managing director J.I. Albrecht to retain Barker as head coach, but they decided against that. In the end, the Argos beat Calgary 41–24 in an outing in which Allen made bewildering plays to score points. In a word, he was brilliant. But the team’s season was about to turn around dramatically, on and off the field. Four days before the seventh game, the CFL terminated Schwarz’s ownership for repeatedly failing to pay his team’s bills. The league had already loaned the Argos $1.4 million and the team sought an additional $350,000 to cover players’ salaries from the last game and other team payroll costs. Schwarz had hoped to continue receiving financial assistance while he worked on a plan to raise money through a deal to bring investors into the picture, but the plug was pulled. As long as the league was picking up the tab, Schwarz had no control of his destiny. In the wake of the takeover by the league, all of the team’s salaries were put on hold. While the players would receive their salaries in the contracts registered with the league, everyone from coaches to employees in the football and business operations had their paycheques frozen. The

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league had appointed its chairman, Paul Robson, to oversee the team’s financing following Schwarz’s removal. Amid all the controversy of the previous few days, the Argos played B.C. After falling behind 19–3 at halftime, the Argos rallied to win 28–26 in overtime. The game included a defining moment beyond everything that happened leading up to it. Argos quarterback Damon Allen was pushed out of bounds into a mobile camera cart stationed on the Lions’ side of the sidelines. It was the equivalent of running full speed into a wall and Allen was knocked silly for a few seconds. He walked off in a daze and the full extent of the physical trauma would not be known for days, similar to what would happen in a car accident. ***** Five days after the win, the league terminated the jobs of 15 Argos front-office employees, leaving only a handful employed. The league would be overseeing all aspects of the business operations, and as a result, Ferrone, who had essentially been the de facto president, resigned. He was about to be released anyway because the league no longer needed his services, despite the fact that he had faced live bullets every day from angry creditors demanding to be paid. For the time being, the league would not terminate the jobs of any in the football operations—and Clemons hoped it would stay that way because he could not afford to lose anyone. Heading into their next game, on the road in Edmonton, many players spent time collecting information at the CFLPA’s head office. The game was the most important thing, but some players had grave concerns about their contracts,

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in particular the side deals that were not reported. According to linebacker Mike O’Shea, Clemons had put a lot of effort into trying to ease the minds of the players affected by the league takeover. “He certainly tried his best to reassure us as well as … keep on getting us out and playing at a high level,” O’Shea recalled. “It’s tough to do when guys are worried about making rent and doing stuff like that. If guys are worried about that, it’s tough to get focused. But he put a lot of effort into keeping the guys focused.” The Argos’ two-game winning streak came to an end in Edmonton with a 49–20 loss to the Eskimos, who scored at will in the first half. Damon Allen took a physical pounding, exacerbating the trauma incurred by the run-in with the television cart the game before. He didn’t know it at the time, but the left side of his body had been jarred out of alignment and he would require extensive physiotherapy. After the loss, Clemons addressed the media and appeared to be emotionally and mentally spent. He indicated that all of the problems the team faced had probably finally taken their toll. In the midst of all that, the Argos encountered another distraction. A return match against the Eskimos four days later had to be postponed because of a blackout in Toronto caused by a massive power outage. “This is unique,” Clemons said in his car on the way to the game. “Just when you thought you’d seen it all.” The game was scheduled for a few days later, but the delay did the Argos no good. The Eskimos went out and beat them 18–15. *****

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The league decided to make some moves that affected the football operations, relieving personnel director Greg Mohns of his job. The CFL imposed a tight budget on spending, limiting the Argos’ ability to bring in players, which eliminated the need for a personnel director, although the job also entailed functions that included signing players, scouting future prospects, and monitoring the roster from day to day. But with no owner, the Argos no longer had the luxury of spending for the future with the league’s tab. This contributed one more difficulty to Clemons’s ability to keep the team mentally, physically, and emotionally intact. With a record of 4–6 heading into their annual Labour Day game against Hamilton, the Argos faced a team with a 0–10 record. The game became known as The Bankruptcy Bowl, because like the Argos, the Tiger-Cats had been taken over by the league during the season because of financial problems. The Argos won the game, and went on to win four of their remaining seven games. They finished with a 9–9 record and clinched second place in the East and homefield advantage for the semi-final. Once again, the fourth-place team in the West Division had a better record than the third-place team in the East, producing a crossover for the playoffs. In this case, the Argos played host to the B.C. Lions. Clemons’s father, Willie, came up from Florida to attend the Eastern semi-final. It was the first time he had seen his son in any Argo capacity in the 15 years since he had joined the team. Although they had a relationship that was more like an uncle and nephew, Clemons had tried to make his father a regular part of his life since the birth of his children, beginning with Rachel in 1994, with visits when the family

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went to Florida for a vacation and with regular phone calls. Willie enjoyed his stay and saw his son celebrate a win when the Argos beat the Lions 38–15. ***** Three days later, the team announced new ownership. Two Toronto businessmen, Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon, were unveiled as the new owners of the Argos. The team also had a new president, Keith Pelley, who had left a similar post with The Sports Network. It had been rumoured for several months that Sokolowski was one of several investors who were each putting up $500,000 to join in a limited partnership with Schwarz. Following the league’s takeover, Sokolowski remained interested in buying the team, but deliberately avoided any dealings with the media until a deal was done. He had been introduced to Cynamon, who had attempted to buy the Argos outright in the spring, although that was not made public until after he and Sokolowski closed their deal. Sokolowski, a home builder, and Cynamon, a manufacturer of private-label liquid household detergent products, knew one another from similar charity work, but had never engaged in business together. They quickly found common interests. For one thing, they both wanted to own and operate the Argos and to build a new stadium for the team. In Pelley, they found an energetic individual with an unbridled passion for the Canadian Football League. He originated the concept of Friday Night Football, the Canadian Football League’s equivalent to the National Football League’s Monday Night Football. It created a game-of-the-week concept, and made the Friday game something special.

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“David and Keith and I believe Pinball is one of the greatest figures in Toronto sports history,” Sokolowski said at the media conference in the days leading up to the East Division final. “We could not go forward without Pinball in our plans. I think it’s safe to say Pinball will play a significant role in the foreseeable future for the Toronto Argos.” Clemons did not attend this media conference because he was involved in team meetings. He indicated he had talked to the owners, but wanted to devote his attention to his head-coaching duties. ***** When the Argos had completed their final practice, Clemons did one more thing to fine-tune his team from an emotional, perhaps even spiritual, standpoint. He lined up the team at one end of the practice field and together they solemnly walked to the other end, some holding hands. Some observers watching from the sidelines were baffled by the exercise. It looked as if the group as a whole had walked the length of the field searching for something lost. Clemons later explained it represented a sign of unity and purpose by players who had come together as a team through trying times on and off the field. The players exuded confidence the day before the game, but they all agreed that it would mean nothing unless they won. They had knocked on the door a year ago; now they came to kick it down. But the Als were not about to be generous hosts. Early in the game, the Argos lost starting quarterback Damon Allen when he injured his hand. Backup quarterback Marcus Brady did an excellent job in relief, showing poise and maturity and putting the team in a position to win. But the Argos were victimized by a controversial call in the final

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minutes of the game. Als quarterback Anthony Calvillo scored the winning touchdown on a 35-yard run in which Calvillo was smacked on the hand by defensive back Clifford Ivory and clearly fumbled before crossing the goal line. But the official immediately ruled a touchdown, and because the CFL did not use instant replay, the Argos had no recourse to challenge the call. The final score was 30–26 for Montreal. “It was an electric atmosphere. It’s just the wrong team won,” Clemons said afterward. “This is the dinner that (future) champions must eat and it doesn’t taste good going down. I can’t tell you how proud I am of (my team), not only as football players, but as men. I’m extremely proud to be their coach.” In a poignant moment, Willie Clemons told his son “You’ll get ’em next year.” It would be a telling remark. Clemons ended up becoming a finalist for Coach of the Year honours, along with Montreal’s Don Matthews and Edmonton’s Tom Higgins, who opposed one another in the Grey Cup. Edmonton won, overcoming a Cup loss to Montreal the year before. Higgins went on to be voted Coach of the Year, but there were many people who felt Clemons deserved the award for all he had done to keep his team together throughout the turmoil. “Only in true adversity do you become a man or a leader,” reflected Adam Rita. “Nobody recognizes you as a leader or a man until you’ve done something extraordinary that makes people think, ‘Oh, how’d he do it?’ That was (Clemons’s) defining moment.” Clearly Clemons had evolved as a head coach. Only two years before when the Argos struggled, Clemons had been targeted

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by some fans and people in the media as a good guy who couldn’t coach. In 2003, he had clearly proven that he could. “I don’t know if there’s anyone else I know in all my years of coaching that could have done the same thing he did of keeping those kids playing and focused on something (that) was not their paycheque,” Stubler said. Derrell Mitchell said Clemons’s leadership skills were evident throughout the ownership crisis. “Pinner was pretty much forced to tell the guys, ‘We have a problem with ownership. We’re just going to have to play our way through this thing.’ He did all he could just to keep guys positive, but eventually it came to the point he had to tell guys the truth. Right there, that showed me that this guy is a believer. When Pinner would get up in the front of the room, before we even talked about football, we discussed how guys are going to get paid. Guys have bills to pay. Pinner did everything in his power. That’s what shows me he’s a leader.” For all Clemons had done to keep the team together the year before, a decision still had to be made regarding his future. A new ownership is not compelled to maintain the status quo, as Schwarz had demonstrated, but in an effort to maintain consistency in the football operations, Sokolowski and Cynamon retained Clemons. Anything else would have torn the team apart. Clemons took the opportunity to tweak his football operations staff. Offensive coordinator Adam Rita wanted to move into a managerial role, so he became vice-president of football operations. Clemons turned to a former teammate, Kent Austin, to fill the job vacated by Rita. Austin had left the business world the previous year to begin an apprenticeship in the professional coaching ranks as the quarterback coach

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of the Ottawa Renegades. He had a reputation as a detailed, hard-working individual and would be an asset to the Argos’ coaching staff. Clemons also rehired personnel director Greg Mohns, who had lost his job when the league took over the team midway through the previous season. ***** In the spring, Clemons’s father became ill and had to be hospitalized. He lapsed into a coma. Clemons flew to Florida in his father’s final days and spent long hours with him in the hospital, reading scriptures to him. Willie died of heart failure on April 20. He was just 62. “Neither one of us cared for conflict or foolishness. We never had issues,” Clemons recalled of the lifelong relationship he had with father. “Because of the different relationships there were challenges at times, but I never felt resentment to my dad for not being around or not doing more. I was always proud that he did as much as he did in his community. What I do is probably similar to what he did, but the foundation of that really came more from my mother, but you never know what you get subconsciously.” “(Willie) had separated from his second wife a couple of years before he died, and I guess that gave him a lot to think about. He and Mike started to have conversations,” Clemons’s mother, Anna Bryant, said. “I guess they talked about things and they were able to let the past be in the past and to look toward the future.” Clemons spoke at his father’s funeral service, which took place at Southeast High School, where he had taught and coached for 20 years. The crowd was so large it couldn’t be accommodated

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in a church. Willie Clemons had developed a reputation in the community as a leader and a father figure. His son spoke about his father, and about life and what you do with it. “Everybody wanted to know how Mike could get up and talk like that,” his uncle Randy Clemons said. “He softened everybody’s hearts up and made that day really easy on everybody. It was the first time I had ever heard him speak and a lot of people commented to me about the way he spoke.” A week or so after the service, the school had a celebration to honour Willie Clemons and dedicated a weight room in his honour. A family member made up about 75 T-shirts that included Willie’s photo, his name, and his dates of birth and death. Clemons received one of the shirts, which would become a prominent personal symbol as the season progressed, along with a tourist hat with the initials FL (for Florida) and the numbers 04 (for the year). He bought it in Florida during his father’s hospital stay, and wore the hat almost daily for practices, but didn’t wear it during games because of rules pertaining to coaching apparel. After Clemons, his staff, and the new ownership assessed the players and the talent level, the group came to a consensus on some important decisions, principally the availability of free-agent running back John Avery. He had led the league in rushing in 2002 with Edmonton, then signed with the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. A knee injury and operation cut his season short. The Argos hoped he could duplicate his 2002 season and made him the highest-paid player in the league, other than quarterbacks, with an annual stipend of $250,000 for four years. Clemons flew in from Florida following his father’s funeral to personally assist in the wooing of Avery, then returned the next day.

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To accommodate Avery’s signing and the effect on the payroll, the Argos released running back Michael Jenkins and decided they had to cut receiver Derrell Mitchell’s salary of $130,000 a year by 40 percent. Mitchell had been with the team since 1997 and had become one of Clemons’s closest friends on the team. Heading into the 2004 season, Mitchell needed less than 100 yards to break Paul Masotti’s team record of 8,772 career receiving yards. Mitchell heard off-season rumours that the Argos were looking to trade him, so he talked to Clemons, who tried to put his mind at ease. But the football operations as a whole—including Rita, Mohns, and Austin— had made up its mind about Mitchell, and Clemons had to respect the decision. In the days leading up to training camp, player personnel director Greg Mohns phoned Mitchell and told him about the pay cut. He needed Mitchell to make a quick decision about whether or not he would accept the decrease. Mitchell and Clemons talked again. “He was trying to counsel me through it,” Mitchell recalled. “I was telling him, ‘Pin, friendship and money don’t mix.’ Pinner’s always been the one that was loyal to me, so I didn’t want Pinner to have anything to do with that. That’s why my agent and Greg Mohns and I did it by telephone.” When Mitchell refused to take the pay cut because he felt he couldn’t afford it, the team released him. Later that week, Edmonton signed him and paid him the full $130,000 a year he had been scheduled to receive in Toronto. The Argos would go on without him, but it took Clemons a while to get over the grieving process of losing Mitchell. Mitchell was more than just one of his players; he had become a friend for life. *****

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There is little time in football to dwell on yesterday. The past has to be put aside and revisited when there is an opportunity to reflect. So even though he was grieving over the sudden departure of his good friend Mitchell, Clemons had to focus on the task at hand—training camp was set to commence. At the team meeting in advance of the first practice, Clemons provided an emotional speech in which he summed up his hopes and dreams for the season. It was filmed by a TSN crew assembling footage for a documentary. “The only way that we’re going to be the absolute best in this entire league is to take pride in what we do,” he said. “We want to go out and be dominant—every man, every play, every down all day. So in my books, I want to redefine excellence in the football universe this year. I want to play at a level that nobody has ever seen. Have you ever watched a tape of an entire game, and every play, every man on the field hustles? Nobody took a single play off for the whole game? Have you ever seen that? Have you ever seen a game where nobody took a single play off the whole game? Have you ever seen a film like that? Have you ever seen a season like that? I’m going to challenge you to risk more than others think is safe. To care more than others think is wise. To dream more than others think is practical. And to believe more than others think is possible.” And so the dream season began, even though it had some interesting twists and turns beforehand. After the two pre-season games, the Argos and Tiger-Cats engaged in an interesting trade. In need of a veteran Canadian offensive lineman because starting right guard Sandy Annunziata had had major reconstructive knee surgery in the off-season that required more recovery time, the Argos approached the

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Tiger-Cats. Hamilton wanted quarterback Marcus Brady, the player Clemons had publicly anointed as the heir apparent to Damon Allen, and offered offensive lineman Mike Mihelic. The two sides consummated a deal, adding a couple other minor details, but some Argos fans questioned the merits of the transaction. The Argos appeared to be strengthening their closest rival with a quarterback who looked to have a big upside, leaving enigmatic third-stringer Michael Bishop to the backup role behind Allen. Some people questioned the ability of Mihelic, a journeyman who had a reputation for losing his temper and taking penalties. But Clemons, for one, liked Mihelic’s nastiness and felt it was something lacking in the offensive line as a whole. Two games into the season, Mihelic suffered an upper leg injury and the Argos began a revolving door of replacements until Annunziata could return. After a slow early start on offence, due to learning the systems implemented by new coordinator Kent Austin, injuries, and a revamped receiving corps that included many players without previous Canadian Football League experience, the Argos hit their stride. Beginning in the fourth game, the offence started to jell under the direction of Allen. First came one victory, then another, until the Argos were on a four-game streak. For the first time since Clemons became a coach, the Argos had put together enough wins at the start of the season so that they wouldn’t have to scramble in the second half to make the playoffs. At least that’s what they had hoped. The Argos had a 5–2 record heading into a pivotal game in Montreal against the division-leading Alouettes, who had a 7–1 record. All the talk going into the game centred on

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winning the game to bridge the gap and tying the season series with one more game to go. It was not to be. During the game, Allen, who had been playing well, dropped back to make a pass, and upon releasing the ball had a defensive player make contact with his lower left leg. He went down hard and appeared to have suffered a serious injury. On the Argos sideline, the team held its collective breath, worrying more for the health of their leader than the fate of the franchise. Allen had to be helped off the field, amid reports he had suffered a knee injury that had the potential to end his career. The Argos lost their spirit and the game. The initial speculation of a knee injury proved to be false. It was diagnosed as a fractured tibia, which would sideline him from six to eight weeks. He had been known as a quick healer, but in the meantime the Argos had to rely on a young quarterback to fill the void. The trade that sent Brady to Hamilton now put the spotlight squarely on Bishop, who would have to take the quarterback reins for better or worse. This presented a different challenge for the Argos and Clemons, who had endured the stress of the collapsed ownership in 2003 but bonded together through the adversity and came close to making it to the Grey Cup. This would test the character and resolve of the team and the ability of Clemons as its leader to maintain the emotional and mental equilibrium of everyone. Bishop had shown flashes of athletic brilliance at times during his two seasons with Toronto, but he lacked consistency. This Bishop was a lot more mature than the Bishop who joined the team in 2002 and became the starter early in his rookie year, only to be busted down to third-string by

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Clemons because of his lack of preparation. Bishop had come a long way under the tutelage of Austin, who played quarterback and who commanded respect as a player and now as an assistant coach. He worked on harnessing Bishop’s raw, physical talent and helping him mentally see the game with clarity. A good quarterback can see the play developing in slow motion, and that’s what Bishop needed to do. Meanwhile, Clemons would work on the player’s psyche, building him up and deflecting any criticism directed by the media. In Don Matthews’ way of coaching, every player is made to feel like he is the most important at his position, and this clearly had been a facet that Clemons either borrowed or incorporated into his coaching philosophy. It served little purpose to tear down a player in public; it only made sense to elevate him and accentuate the positive instead of the negative. Amid all the concern about Bishop in his first game replacing Allen, he had the game of his life—or at least to that point in his CFL career—against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He made the right passes and when he couldn’t make a play with his powerful right arm, he used his legs to run over the opposition. He finished with 300 passing yards—a good total by anyone’s standards—and ran for almost 100 rushing yards in the taut 14–6 win. This was the kind of game Gary Etcheverry had probably dreamed of back in 2002 when he was the Argos’ head coach and Bishop was in his first season in the CFL. Now, some two years after Etcheverry’s departure, Bishop had played with poise to finally put together a total game, throwing for one touchdown and running for another. Maybe he was the answer, not only for the interim but the future when Allen retired.

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Bishop earned the league’s offensive player of the week honours, but he couldn’t duplicate his performance in the next game, which resulted in a 31–10 loss to the B.C. Lions at B.C. Place. The Lions received a huge performance from second-year quarterback Casey Printers, who emerged as a bona fide star while replacing injured starter Dave Dickenson. He was recovering from a knee injury. Conversely, Bishop struggled, completing only about 15 of his 29 passes before he was replaced by rookie Scott Krause. The loss would not be squarely on Bishop’s shoulders, but as the quarterback he faced the criticism nonetheless. ***** The Argos’ next game came on Labour Day. Early on, Bishop was roughed up on a run, and a wild melee ensued. Three players, including two from the Argos, were ejected for throwing punches, and the game ended in a 30–30 overtime tie. This led to an emotional game in Winnipeg, a game that had the potential to crush the morale of the team. The Argos lost 44–34 and tempers flared in the dressing room afterward. Running back John Avery and middle linebacker Mike O’Shea engaged in a verbal confrontation that nearly escalated into a physical dust-up. Clemons’s ability to calm down the situation came into play, and he talked to the team to remind everyone about maintaining character and focus. Later that day at the hotel, he had a separate conversation with O’Shea, one of the leaders of the team. The meeting took place in Clemons’s room and lasted about two hours, during which the coach told the player to trust the management of the team. He asked O’Shea to do his part and instructed him

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to come back and talk to him if he had any additional concerns, but reinforced the idea that he should trust that everything would work out for the betterment of the team. “I never stopped believing we were going to win the Cup by any stretch of the imagination, but I just wasn’t sure if at that point in the season we were headed in the right direction,” O’Shea recalled. “I thought we’d gotten off course a little bit and he reassured me that we were on course. I don’t think I agreed with everything he said, but we’re two grown men and we’re entitled to differences of opinions. There’s always more than one way to get that goal accomplished and he is the head coach, so his way is the way that we’re going to do it and obviously his way was correct.” The Argos rebounded at home, beating the Edmonton Eskimos 26–17, followed by a 49–24 win over Calgary, who were coached by Clemons’s former teammate Matt Dunigan. Dunigan had left the comfort of working as an analyst of football games for The Sports Network because of his desire to coach. He was not only given that role, but control of the entire football operations, a tall order for someone with no previous experience as a head coach and a résumé that included only a season as an offensive coordinator at a small American college. In his first season, he struggled through controversies with his players, some of whom didn’t respect him or his ideas, inconsistent quarterbacking, and philosophical differences with offensive coordinator John Jenkins—the same assistant Clemons had hired in 2001 and with whom he had had some difficulties. The Argos rolled up their third consecutive win by beating B.C. 22–16, but suffered a stunning defeat in Calgary, losing 29–11 to the Stamps, who had only three wins on the

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season going into the game. Allen dressed for it and replaced Bishop, who struggled with his consistency. This led to the second-last game of the season. Allen would be starting, facing the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who had a chance to catch Toronto. The Argos had a 28–0 lead in the first 13 minutes on four touchdowns. The onslaught began with an astonishing 97-yard touchdown by Bashir Levingston on the opening kickoff, followed later by a touchdown drive by the offence, an interception for a touchdown by defensive back Clifford Ivory, and a 115-yard return for a touchdown by Levingston. Punter/kicker Noel Prefontaine suffered a knee injury in the second quarter, and backup safety Chris Hardy, who also backed up Prefontaine, connected on three crucial field goals in the fourth quarter. These three points became the difference in the Argos’ 38–31 win, which clinched second place in the East. ***** In the final game of the season, Clemons elected to rest many starters, who were physically beat up from the grind of the gruelling schedule. The Argos had had to play several games with limited days of rest—for example, playing in Calgary on Monday, then returning home to play against Hamilton on Thursday—because of an inability to secure requested dates at the SkyDome. The stadium ownership had little interest in the Argos as a tenant, and after years of speculation the team wanted to leave to an alternative location. In fact, there had been a media conference the day after the Calgary game to announce plans to build a new stadium in the north end of Toronto in time for the start of the 2006 season.

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In the absence of their full starting contingent, the Argos faced the Montreal Alouettes, who had already clinched first in the East, and lost 58–20. Some fans and critics responded by lashing out at the team—feeling the Argos had cheated their paying audience by failing to field a competitive lineup—and Clemons faced the heat. Many people wondered why Clemons could profess to care so much about the fans, then turn around and deprive them of a chance to see a quality lineup. But Clemons had done what he felt was right in the best interests of the team and, in fact, other coaches had done the same in similar circumstances. But in the wake of the criticism, the team gave out vouchers to all ticket holders for a free ticket to any game the following season. The team didn’t have to do anything, but the first-year owners felt a moral responsibility. The team issued a media release, in which Clemons said, “As an organization we were put into a difficult position because of our schedule and the resulting health of our football club. After making the playoffs and earning homefield advantage, we made the decision to give our fans and football team the best possible chance to have success in the playoffs. We think (that) with our record attendance and the best onfield product in seven years, our fans deserve the best opportunity we can give them in the post-season. Make no mistake, I love our fans and I try to do my best for them at all times.” To further illustrate the issue of being a tenant in a stadium with a landlord that had no interest in the team, the Argos had to play host to the semi-final game two days ahead of the planned date because SkyDome had been booked for a kids’ show. It would be more of an inconvenience than

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anything—the team had eight days between games—but added another ridiculous twist to the season. Still, Clemons and Co. had to forge forward. At least they were in the playoffs and needed only three wins to lay claim to the Grey Cup. In his pre-game speech, which was filmed for the team’s weekly television show prior to the Eastern semi-final, Clemons provided a personal message to the team. He began by answering a question he was asked by the media the day before the game. “Most of the times when you get questions in a press conference you give canned responses, but one question caused me to think a little bit. The question was, ‘What does this mean to you?’” At this point he removed his coaching sweater, under which he was wearing a T-shirt with the picture of his father. “About a year ago my dad came to his first game in my whole career as a pro. This is his shirt. He’s with me tonight. He’s no longer with us here on earth, but he’s with us tonight. Life is short, guys. We don’t have a whole lot, so when you ask me what does this mean to me, I am giving a portion of my life to commit myself to this endeavour. That’s what it means to me.” As he was talking, he was hitting an emotional pitch. “So when I (heard) that question, I (was) a little bit confused and it caused me to think, ‘Well, why do I love this game? Why is it, I began to think? You know I’ve gotten some personal awards and when I get up there, I don’t get emotional about that. Do you know why I love this game?” As he said this he began to point individually to players. ”It’s because of you,” he said in the direction of one player. “It’s because of you,” he said in the direction of

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another. And then he walked right up to linebacker Mike O’Shea and pointed directly at him. “It’s because of you getting here early every time and I know how much you care about this game. That’s why I love this game. Family is why I love this game. And you know what a family does? Family looks after each other.” He instructed the players to look at the teammate next to them and say, “I’ve got your back,” and then to turn to the player on the opposite side and repeat the same thing. Then he began a familiar team chant. “Together we rise ... together we rise ... together we rise ... together we rise ... together we rise ... together we rise.... Guys, let’s go out of here together and play as a team. Know that you don’t get anything. No second chances here. No second chances. It’s all about tonight. Stay together, play together.” And then he finished with a count of three. “One. Two. Three. Win!” As he recalled his coach’s pre-game speech and in particular how Clemons approached him and looked him square in the face, O’Shea said he could feel the passion and sincerity. O’Shea, who normally spent the time during Clemons’s pre-game speeches reading his scouting reports, had been mesmerized. “It certainly struck me in a good way—a very, positive way,” he said. “I didn’t expect him to take those three quick steps to me as he walked by and say what he said. Not only did it catch me off guard, but it was a pretty neat feeling I had after. It’s very hard to describe. It was almost empowering. Did it make me go out and play any better or play any differently? I don’t think so, but I know I walked on that field

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differently. It was a pretty special feeling. I don’t know what he did; it was just different.” In front of a crowd of 37,835, one of the largest football audiences to watch a game at the SkyDome, the Argos dismantled Hamilton bit by bit. The Tiger-Cats took dumb penalties and the Argos played soundly. A 116-yard touchdown by Kenny Wheaton on an interception inside the final three minutes of the game brought the crowd to its feet, deliriously cheering the defensive back in his long run. The Argos won 24–6, and were now headed back to Montreal for the third consecutive year to play in the Eastern final. ***** A week later, the Argos played the Als in Montreal and once again Clemons delivered a rousing pre-game speech, which the production crew of the team’s weekly television show filmed. “It took 370 days and two hours and 50 minutes to get back to this point right here,” Clemons began. “Guys, you have prepared. You have put your work in. We are ready to go. See on the other side right now. See on the other side of this game right now. We are ready. Defence, let’s trust in one another and not give up the big play. Offence, success on first down and take care of the football. Special teams, we’ve got to outwork them and the other thing, as (special teams coordinator Marcello) Simmons said, ‘We’ve got to be physical.’ What’s the word?” And with that, he said, “Hit,” and the team responded. Then he repeated it again. “It is time now. It is time. It is our time. Turn to the guy next to you and say, ‘It is our time.’ Turn to the guy on the

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other side of you and say, ‘It’s our time.’ Say, ‘I’ve got your back.’ Now turn the other way and say, ‘I’ve got your back.’ Now when I say all, it means everyone. Who are we?” And the team collectively said, “Family!” “Who are we?” “Family!” “Who are we?” “Family!” “We will stay together, we will play together, and when it’s all done, we’re gonna pray together, then we’re going to head to Ottawa (to play in the Grey Cup). Let’s go get a win on three. One. Two. Three. Win!” Sixty minutes of football would determine one way or another whether the Argos would finally beat Montreal and go on to the Cup. After losing to the Als in each of the previous two Eastern finals, the Argos still were the underdogs. The opening 30 minutes produced a tight game, with the Argos leading 8–7 on a single point and a converted touchdown after a 97-yard kickoff return by Arland Bruce III late in the first quarter after Montreal scored a touchdown. This was exactly the position the Argos wanted to be in, limiting the Als and silencing the crowd of 51,296 at Olympic Stadium. Early in the third quarter, defensive end Eric England sacked Als quarterback Anthony Calvillo, who landed hard on his right shoulder and lay crumpled on the turf. He was unable to play thereafter, forcing the Als to use an inexperienced backup. This had been the plight of the Argos in the last two Eastern finals, and now Montreal had to face the adversity. After three quarters, the teams were engaged in a 9–9 tie. Toronto took the lead on a 16-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, then added seven more points two and a half

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minutes later on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Bruce and a one-point convert. With less than two minutes to go, the Argos added another touchdown when running back John Avery broke loose and found open space en route to the goal line. He ended his 25-yard run by diving into the end zone. He had had a season of hell because of a knee injury and had faced repeated criticism in the media, but for one play—one moment—Avery had erased all the physical, mental, and emotional agony. Hell was now heaven and he was diving into it with delight. Montreal added a touchdown with a minute and 18 seconds to go, but the Argos held on for a 26–18 win. The players celebrated by dumping a tub of Gatorade on Clemons, soaking his coaching sweater. He removed it and came into the media room wearing the T-shirt of his father, but not because he wanted to make any statement—it was the only dry article of clothing he had. After the same game the previous year, Willie Clemons had predicted that his son would win in 2004. He had been correct, even though he did not live to see it. And one week later, the Argos would win the Grey Cup in the greatest achievement of all for Willie Clemons’s son as a head coach.

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Last year as the team departed from the hotel in Ottawa for the Grey Cup Game, I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Clemons and wish him well. I said, “Mr. Clemons, good luck and bring the Cup back home.” He said, “Call me Mike” and then he said thank you. Upon returning to the hotel after the game, I had the opportunity to meet Mike again. As fans gathered around him, he said, “I will be happy to sign autographs for everyone, but first I’ve got to go see my family.” Of course getting to the elevator was delayed as he signed autographs. He then saw me in the crowd, reached out his hand and said, “Hey big guy, this one’s for you. You told me to bring it back and I did.” I was stunned to say the least that he remembered me in all the excitement and most of all what I had said to him. Mike is an exceptional individual and has a very positive attitude. Oddly enough he signed each autograph and took pictures with those who wanted them and only after doing all that did he go up to his family. Amyn Keshavjee

My nine-year-old son Patrick and I decided to head to Ottawa to witness our first Grey Cup. I promised my son at the start of the season that if the Argos had a winning season and made it to the Grey Cup we would attend the game. What a great event and game. The following afternoon, along with hundreds of other Grey Cup fans, my son and I boarded the train to Toronto. Once on the train, we discovered that the next train was carrying the Argos back home. Within minutes of departure, Patrick was standing at the door partitioning our train from the one carrying the Argos. At one point, Pinball removed himself from the noise of the centre of the train to the adjoining door where my son was standing. He appeared to be concentrating on a cellphone call but obviously could not help but notice my son starring intently into the Argo cabin. A few minutes later, after he had finished his call, Pinball opened the door in his cabin and opened the door into our cabin. He approached my son, who happened to be carrying a CFL football, and engaged him in conversation. As soon as Pinball discovered my son was not only a season-ticket holder but knew almost every player on the train by name, he invited Patrick to join him and the Argos in their cabin. I should point out that he came up to me to ask my permission! For the next two hours my son lived the dream—held the Grey Cup, met the players and had every member who was still comatose sign his Grey Cup football. Today that ball stands next to his bed. He is an Argo fan for life. Pinball even let me hold the Cup! Kevin Smith

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My buddy and his sons and I were standing on the field on the Friday leading up to the 2004 Grey Cup, watching the practice. Once the practice was over and the scrums with the reporters were done, we approached Pinball just to say hello and wish him luck. Pinball was very much in demand—especially leading up to the biggest game of his career—but as usual Pinball was his accommodating and personable self. We chatted for a few minutes and did not want to take up too much of his time. While talking he noticed another gentleman standing off to the side, also waiting to talk to him. I said to Pinball, “We will let you go, so you can chat.” In typical Pinball fashion, he said: “No, boys, let’s just bring him into the huddle with us, so we can all chat!” Now this may seem like a small encounter, but we had brought my buddy’s sons along with us and they were totally in awe of meeting Pinball, then found out he was every bit as nice as they thought he would be. Every professional athlete should take a course called Pinball 101 on how to make every fan they encounter feel special. People like Pinball are few and far between. I have had many occasions to bump into Pinball and I can’t say enough good things about him. He is one of the main reasons that we are Argo fans. John Robinson

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I was very fortunate to meet Pinball in May, 2005 while attending a conference at the Nottawasauga Inn in Alliston. Mr. Clemons had been scheduled to present a speech to us on our last day during our luncheon. I knew he would be there as indicated in the agenda, so I brought two footballs to get autographed for my friend and me. I skipped my lunch to meet Pinball and he arrived at the Inn while the meal was still being served, so he decided to wait upstairs in the restaurant. Before I could get any words out he extended his hand and said, “Hey, how are ya?” I shook his hand and replied, “Hi Michael, how are you?” I asked if he would mind autographing the footballs I had and he fully obliged. He has the best autograph I had ever seen. That signature spanned the entire football from one end to the other. As I thanked him and he was walking away, I wished him well in the upcoming season. He immediately turned around, walked back to me and once again shook my hand and said, “Thank you.” When he entered the conference room after being introduced, the room went into a roar. He captivated everyone with his animated motivational speech. Success comes from passion and Pinball has an enormous amount of passion. It is no wonder that he has the respect of his team; he has the passion that is highly contagious. He had us laughing so hard at times and at other times you could hear a pin drop as he spoke about a child in a wheelchair that needed a board to write on to communicate. He had earned a standing ovation following his speech. Robert Duke

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Clearly, the most important thing Clemons wanted in 2003 when he became the Argos’ president—to instill in the organization an ethos of competence on and off the field—had started to manifest itself. With the change in ownership after the 2003 season, successful businessmen David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski and vibrant president Keith Pelley put together a professional game plan to turn the team around and grow the Argo brand locally and nationally. Winning the Grey Cup in 2004 proved to be an instant reward, but the owners and the president had a template that went way beyond that, and the head coach had ideas of his own. Collectively, they would pool them together and strategize ways and means to keep the team in the forefront with some of the most interesting and bold initiatives in the franchise’s history. And as things evolved, one thing became apparent: whatever the Argos did, the head coach would literally have a say in things.

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In May 2005, President Keith Pelley and Clemons outlined the Argos’ plans for the brand new season in a media conference call as part of the CFL’s State of the Franchise series. They also spoke about the team’s hopes of becoming the hottest ticket in Toronto at some point in the future. Competing for the sports entertainment dollar against the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Raptors and Toronto Rock, that seemed like an ambitious goal. Then again, Clemons didn’t shy away from reaching beyond what others considered unimaginable or unattainable. “The Maple Leafs are so deeply entrenched into the fibre of our community—and really the nation—that maybe we can’t be a hotter ticket than them, but I’ll die trying,” Clemons said with his usual zeal. “But even if we get into the area of being able to compete in that stratosphere with the other teams that are in our marketplace, I think we’re headed in the right direction and that has to be our goal. I think the real key to our goal is being community based, not only doing all the things on the field but the things off the field are the real difference and where we have the real advantage.” **** For the 2005 season, the Argos didn’t alter their roster significantly from their previous Grey-Cup winning season, hoping that continuity could translate to more success. Leading the charge of players coming back to the Argos for another year was quarterback Damon Allen, who re-signed to play his 21st season in the CFL. It’s truly a phenomenal achievement in sports for any athlete to extend a career this long, in particular one whose position is subject to violent hits or collisions. 284

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The Argos began the season at home in the newly-named Rogers Centre, formerly known as the SkyDome, against the B.C. Lions in a rematch of the 2004 Grey Cup. The Grey Cup banner was raised, but the game lacked the perfect ending when the Lions won 28–21. Next came a game in Calgary against the Stampeders in what would become a standout moment that impacted on the team’s togetherness. Argo receiver Robert Baker became visibly upset on the field—he later claimed a Calgary player spit on him—and was ordered off the field by Clemons to compose himself. When kicker Noel Prefontaine said something to Baker, the receiver punched and slightly bloodied him. The Argos billed themselves as being a tight-knit family, but this incident, seen on national television, showed a slight chasm. Not only did the two players have to be separated, but Clemons had to go over to Baker, who was sitting alone on the bench, to calm him. Baker had apparently made an undignified gesture to the Calgary crowd as he exited the field and the fans seated closest to the Argo sideline verbally taunted him. Clemons, ever the patriarch, tried his best to settle his player and his team. Neither Baker nor Prefontaine wanted to talk about the situation after the game, but Clemons addressed it. “We call ourselves a family, which means a brother is always a brother,” he said. “Brothers scuffle at times, but a brother never ceases to be a brother.” He said seeing two of his players publicly feuding concerned him, “The biggest thing is managing the process,” he said. “If it didn’t concern you, then you’re not real smart … I was disappointed it happened, no question about it. Those kinds of things should not take place. Yes, I’m absolutely concerned with that. I’m glad that we found a way to win the football game, but it was absolutely a distraction.” 285

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The Argos addressed the situation by suspending Baker for the next game and instructing him to phone the president of the Calgary Stampeders and apologize for his behaviour, in particular his gesture to the fans, and to do some community service. The Argos had no obligation to do anything—it wasn’t as if the two players were from opposing teams—but felt a message needed to be sent to the public that the organization did not condone Baker’s actions. As the head coach, Clemons had to be protective of his players, but also had to move forward and stem the controversy lest it fester indefinitely. The Calgary game quickly became a distant memory as the Argos put together a solid first third of the season with a 4–2 record to lead the East Division. Damon Allen, freshly turned 42 years old, was in the midst of his best-ever season, and people started talking about him becoming the early favourite for the league’s Most Outstanding Player Award for the first time in his long career. Heading into their ninth game—and the halfway point of the season—the Argos faced the Calgary Stampeders once again. Much attention focused on Baker and how he would be able to handle himself emotionally. Baker rose to the challenge and ignited the turning point of the game by leveling a Calgary player with a solid, legal hit after an interception. The hit dislodged the ball and Baker recovered it. Clemons had a smile of satisfaction on his face because Baker had clearly demonstrated his professionalism and put aside his personal issues. The Argos used the turnover to take an 11–10 the lead and went on to win 25–16. They raised their record to 6–3, the best mark for the Argos at that juncture since the 1997 season. **** 286

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But the Argos and their head coach had more than football on their minds. The day before the home game against Calgary, the Argos unveiled one of their most ambitious projects in the franchise’s 130-year-old history. Stop The Violence – We Are Toronto became the Argos’ civic call to duty, addressing the growing problem of violence in the city, most notably gun violence. Argo President Keith Pelley developed the idea for the program to reinforce the message that the organization wanted to be out in the community, and Coach Clemons became the campaign’s most ardent spokesperson. This wasn’t about using a platform to sell tickets; it was all about doing something for the greater good. The team had already been deeply entrenched in Toronto-area high schools, promoting their anti-bullying messages with speaking engagements and appearances by the players and the coach, and working collaboratively with the police. Tackling gun violence represented something of a greater magnitude: this went right to the heart of the city, which had been mentally and emotionally wounded by a slew of gun-related deaths and injuries. Some of them involved innocent bystanders. The Stop The Violence – We Are Toronto campaign encompassed a multi-faceted plan focusing on awareness, mentorship and education. With the help of charitable contributions, initiatives such as a walkathon in association with the Toronto Police Association, and sales of merchandise, the Argos hoped to raise money for community-based organizations committed to eradicating violence in the Greater Toronto Area. Several players, notably linebackers Chuck Winters and Michael Fletcher, had grown up in pockets in the U.S. populated by gun-toting gangs and violence and had lost family members and friends through senseless shootings. They 287

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could speak firsthand about how guns and violence had affected their lives. Even Clemons could identify with gun violence after losing his future father-in-law in a shooting some 20 years before. And as someone deeply passionate about the future of youth and ending violence, he became the perfect spokesman for the program. Standing in front of a lectern, wearing a Stop The Violence T-shirt, Clemons talked in the only way he knew how—straight from the heart. “My little Rachel, Raven and Rylie will never get a chance to see their grandfather. That’s because my wife’s father was shot and killed in Clearwater, Florida, by someone that was supposed to be his friend,” he began, his voice starting to crack with emotion. “If he could see my mother-in-law’s face, he wouldn’t have pulled the trigger. If he could have seen the anguish on a family of eight, he wouldn’t have pulled the trigger. It’s non-violence or non-existence. The two can’t co-exist. We’re not here to incriminate anyone. We’re here to stand beside our leaders—the leaders of the best city in the world—and say ‘any violence is no good.’ It doesn’t matter whether it’s gun violence. Violence of any kind is not acceptable and we as a community, quite frankly, have taken too long. “And what is the crux of it? The crux of it is understanding the significance of life. How precious life is. We don’t understand how precious and how significant life is. That’s the real study and we all fall short there. “I know I do,” he said raising his hand. “Any time a police officer disrespects someone when they stop them, that’s falling short. Any time in any sector we as leaders, as

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members of our community fall short, we’re saying life or people aren’t as important as they really are. What we’ve lost is respect. The culprit? Selfishness.” Broadcast live by City TV, the Toronto-based channel that bills itself as the pulse of the city, Clemons’ words— particularly for those people who had never heard him address an audience—underscored the Argos’ message. **** On Labour Day, the Argos kicked off the second half of the season, playing in Hamilton against the Tiger-Cats. Emotions usually run high when the Argos and Tiger-Cats play on Labour Day, but this particular edition involved something rarely seen in professional football at any level. Hamilton, which had only one win in nine games to that point, won 33–30, but an ugly incident afterward became highlighted more than the score. As he was walking toward the team’s dressing room, Argo return specialist Bashir Levingston threw his helmet into the stands, reacting to what he claimed was a fan spitting on him. The helmet hit a youth, who was not the person who allegedly spit. Police arrived on the spot and filed a report. Clemons later chatted with the youngster, who did not wish to be identified. Clemons spent time the following day talking to Levingston, a player with whom he regularly chatted, almost in a father-son kind of way. Clemons provided him with spoonfuls of kind, soothing words and the occasional ounce of tough love. But the helmet-throwing incident bordered on something extraordinary—rarely, if ever, had a player thrown a helmet into the crowd. Clemons encouraged Levingston to

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speak to the boy and his father and apologize for his actions, which he did. The team fined Levingston an undisclosed amount, while the league investigated the incident and later suspended the player for one game. After he had talked with his head coach, Levingston addressed the media and indicated he deeply regretted what he had done, adding that he had never been spat on and, in retrospect, reacted in the wrong way. In a sense, his emotions had simply run wild, practically overboiling and he simply reacted by throwing his helmet. In words he would use again in other situations, Clemons told the media something positive could evolve from Levingston’s actions, “Our society could go a long way in our character education simply understanding why we do what we do,” he said. “You don’t respect people so you get respect back, because if that’s the case as soon as disrespect enters then you’ll disrespect the other person back. That was the case [with Levingston]. Bashir is a respectful guy and he was disrespected and he acted out in disrespect. But we have to understand why we do what we do, not just do what we do. Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. “We had action without vision [after the game] and those kinds of things can be a nightmare. We have to be able to understand at all times that we have respect because we are respectful. We don’t have problems when everybody respects each other. Challenges crop up when disrespect enters the picture. It’s a learning curve for us. It’s an example that we’ll be able to share and show our own humanity in that we’re learning and we will get better.” **** 290

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With three games to go, the Argos travelled to Montreal to play the Als in a game that had the potential to decide first place in the East. Both teams had 9–6 records and the series had been split at one game apiece. The Argos put together one of their best collective efforts of the year winning 49–23. Allen had a great game, his play on the field making its own statement that he should indeed be awarded the league’s Most Outstanding Player. The Argos closed out the season losing 27–17 to Ottawa, but rested many of their starters. Unlike the year before when the team and Clemons in particular incurred the wrath of some of the Toronto media and some fans for not playing their starters, this time it became a non-issue. For one thing, the game was being played on the road, as opposed to at home where the issue of consumer satisfaction had come into play, but there had been a bigger story in play here: Ottawa’s future as a football team, only four years after it had been resurrected following its collapse after the 1996 season, seemed in peril. Montreal played host to the Eastern semi-final and easily beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders 30–14, setting the stage for Toronto and Montreal to play in the Eastern final for the fourth consecutive year, albeit for the first time in the Argos’ home stadium. The week of the Eastern final the Argos formally announced plans to play host to the 2007 Grey Cup, marking the first time in 15 years the championship game would be in Toronto. At a gala gathering at the top of the CN Tower, the Argos unveiled their grand plans. Argo owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski spoke along with team President Keith Pelley and various dignitaries and retired

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players from previous Grey Cups. Collectively they expressed their feelings about the championship game and what it meant to have it return to Toronto after such a long absence. Then Clemons spoke, providing his own personal pitch to the people, “The rest of the country says this is the biggest event that happens in our country on a yearly basis,” he began. “Now Toronto, it’s up to you to let the rest of the country know how important they are to you. I want to encourage the city of Toronto to put on a show of a lifetime. Grey Cup 2007 is going to be the greatest show on turf—we’ll bank on that.” Few people expected the Als to beat Toronto, especially at home, in the game leading up to the Grey Cup. Torontonians embraced the game, practically filling the Rogers Centre to the brim with an announced crowd of 44,211, the largest gathering for a home playoff game since November 17, 1991. The Argos took a 14–0 first-quarter lead, but Montreal had a game plan to apply constant pressure on Argo quarterback Damon Allen and refused to veer from it, regardless of the score. Gradually, the momentum started to swing in Montreal’s favour when the Argos started turning over the ball. In total, the Argos committed six turnovers, frittering away too many chances, losing 33–17. “You can’t win against a good football team turning over the football that many times,” Clemons said in a hushed tone after the game, his positive energy as deflated as a football that had all the air removed. “It really is the unthinkable. You have one or two [turnovers], it’s part of the flow of the game. You don’t think in this sort of game that you’d ever have that many turnovers.”

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Standing outside the Argos’ training facility the following day when the players convened to clean out their lockers, Clemons still felt the awful pang of defeat and the season suddenly ending. “Although we had a great year as an organization, as a team we suffered a loss that will never change,” he said. “It’s permanent.” But, ever the philosopher, Clemons tried to see beyond the bleak haze of losing, “We’re looking forward to coming back strong and to get this chance to not have this feeling again,” he said. “We want to use this to drive us, not to bury us.” A few days later, during Grey Cup week in Vancouver, Allen won the league’s Most Outstanding Player Award for the first time in his 21-year CFL career. He thanked many people, including Clemons, who believed in him, never making an issue about his age, only about his ability. Sitting in the audience, Clemons smiled broadly at the player he proudly called “The Legend.” **** Soon after the disappointing end to the 2005 season, the team announced Clemons had had his coaching contract extended through to the end of the 2007 season. In an ideal scenario, Clemons could cap his coaching career in the city in which he had made a name for himself with a victory in the championship game. In his announcement, team President Keith Pelley revealed the little-known fact that when Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon bought the club toward the end of 2003, several CFL governors had told them they would never win with Clemons as the head coach. Clearly, the job he had done in 2003 under trying circumstances hadn’t impressed everyone. 293

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“What they didn’t realize is that the combination of a warm heart and a brilliant mind has made this man a winner,” Pelley said. When Pelley gave the floor to Clemons, the head coach expressed his gratitude to several people, beginning with his wife. She pressed two fingers to her lips and blew him a kiss. Only she knew how much the Argos and the City of Toronto truly meant to him, but only he could express how big a part of his life his wife and his three girls had always been. First and foremost, he was a husband and a father. Clemons went on to talk about his future in the organization and how he didn’t want to be a liability, “I want to constantly prove myself,” he said. “I just want to go and work as hard as I can and do the best I can and continue to be an asset with this organization. We’ll walk slow and try to take not just one year at a time, but one game and even one play.” He expanded on the team’s “mission” of being Toronto’s ultimate role model, “combining a competitive spirit and great entertainment value with community involvement and pride.” While the team had enjoyed success, he deemed it to be just the beginning. “Greatness is not about a one-time thing or even a two-time thing,” he said. “Greatness is something that you repeat over time.” And with that the Argos and Pinball Clemons concluded 2005. **** If Michael Clemons earned the nickname Pinball for what he did on the field, it applies just as much to what he has done

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and continues to do long after the game of football was over for him. He’s constantly on the move, and never was that more apparent than in the months leading up to the 2006 season. Early in the new year, the Argos stepped up their Stop The Violence – We Are Toronto campaign in a big way. On February 1, 2006, at the lavish Scotia Plaza in downtown Toronto, the Argos awarded cheques of $25,000 apiece to four communitybased organizations committed to ending gun and gang violence in the Greater Toronto Area. The Argos pledged to raise another $500,000 towards the initiative through corporate support and donations by the end of 2006. Various speakers addressed the audience, including Nadia Beckles, a woman whose 17-year-old son Amon was murdered the previous November while attending the funeral of a friend. Her poignant speech brutally portrayed the harsh reality of exactly why the Argos began the Stop The Violence campaign. Clemons took the stage last, exuding unbridled passion and emotion, reading not from a prepared text but from his soul, “I’ve been sitting here trying to hold it together,” he began emotionally. “Proverbs has suggested vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. When we talk about making a difference and making an impact, a lot of us simply sit around the board room and talk about it. We are the epitome of vision without action. We spend our lifetimes talking about what should be done and nothing actually ever gets done. On the other hand, sometimes we are extremely active, but in a way that does not show or exhibit foresight—that there’s no vision. When that happens, it leads us to press conferences like this. This is a press conference that we have no desire to have. This is a place that we desire not to be.

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“Today is a great day because of the compassion of the people that are here. Not because of the topic but because people have come together to say that they care. “I’d like to thank our owners, Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon, who have revolutionized our team; that’s brought us to a place where we as a team care about the community even more than winning. We understand our place. We understand our true significance is not in how many Grey Cups we win but in how we impact people in our community. “Now in that, we plan to win some Grey Cups, too, just to let you know that,” he said in a considerably more lighthearted tone. Then he returned to his serious message. “This isn’t just a black problem. It is our problem as Toronto,” he added. “I also wanted to suggest to you that when we look at the problem, not only have we classified it as a black problem, but some of us have said it’s not that big of a problem … I can’t look at Nadia and be convinced of this. I’ve heard others say, ‘well, there just comes a time in which you just have to lock them up. You gotta put ’em away and do so for a long time. That’s the only way to get around it.’ “I’m here to tell you that I’m not willing to give up on the human spirit. I’m here to say, Amon isn’t so different from Michael. Amon, just like Pinball, loved life. Amon, just like Pinball, grew up to a single parent. Amon’s mother, just like Pinball’s mother, brought him up in the church. Amon, just like Pinball, loved the game of football. To give up on Amon is to give up on myself. “Nadia, I want to say to you and your family that there’s nothing we can do to bring Amon back, but we want to let

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you know that Amon’s spirit lives in literally thousands of young people in our community and we’re going to do all we can to come to the rescue of his spirit: not to alienate but to embrace; not to frustrate but to educate; not to ridicule but to love. That’s what our mission is. That’s what our desire is: To come alongside and do whatever we can. I want you to know that every little bit helps.” Eleven days after the Argos’ event, the Province of Ontario announced a program entitled the Youth Challenge Fund, in which the government would contribute significant funds to sponsor local programs, training and jobs for at-risk youth. A board of directors working with the United Way of Greater Toronto would oversee the fund and choose the programs receiving the funding, and Ontario Premier, Dalton McGuinty, chose Clemons as the chair. “The blood of violence has gotten our attention, but I want to let you know that much more prevalent in many of our communities are the tears of despair and the sweat of hopelessness,” Clemons said to an audience gathered together for the announcement. “I want to let you understand today that The Challenge Fund, not instituted properly, is simply a band-aid over a gaping cut and the blood will continue to rush through. Done properly, they are stitches that are meticulously and compassionately woven through to heal a wound that was once rushing with blood. “I want to let you know that even if we are masterful here, it means that there will still be a scar. The best we can do is tidy up a scar at this point. You see there are some things that are happening in our neighbourhoods that are irreparable. There is no going back. Finality has already happened in many cases, but it shouldn’t deter us. More than

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that it should encourage us. That is why we are here.” In April, the Argos launched a massive promotional campaign, with Clemons’ face plastered on billboards throughout the city and his voice on radio commercials. Still, Clemons could not do enough. Although he had embraced this enormous commitment to the Stop The Violence campaign and to the city of Toronto, he took on still more charitable work to spread his contribution beyond the city and outside the country. In May, with training camp only a few weeks away, Michael and his wife Diane took the trip of a lifetime, travelling to Africa, where they spent back-to-back weeks as representatives of the Christian Blind Mission and World Vision Canada. Christian Blind Mission International is the leading organization for rescuing and restoring people trapped in poverty by disability, and has more than 1,000 projects worldwide in over 100 countries. World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. The two organizations mapped out a schedule that allowed the Clemons to represent both groups. The Clemons travelled to Uganda and stayed in Kampala, which became their home base for the work they did for both organizations. With Christian Blind Mission, the Clemons visited an impoverished region where the children are outcast because of their disability or deformity. The Clemons also visited a hospital and saw firsthand an operation on a young girl who had her deformed legs surgically straightened. In another more joyful moment, the head coach engaged in playful games with the kids, tossing around a football. Although soccer is popular in Uganda, in this poverty-stricken region there is lit-

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tle money for balls, so the kids kick around banana leaves that are tied up and wrapped in a bundle. The Clemons provided them with soccer balls and gifts. “There were so many emotions, just hard to quantify,” the coach said, almost in awe of the memories. “The work that both of these organizations do is phenomenal. How far the dollar goes is indescribable. A little goes just such a long way. Both of them have an infrastructure set up where almost every Canadian can do something substantial in the life of the child.” **** While the Clemons were in Uganda, the Argos organization had been engaged in trying to acquire a player who had one of the biggest profiles in all of football—running back Ricky Williams. He led the National Football League in rushing yardage in 2002 with the Miami Dolphins, but before the start of the 2004 training camp he quit the team because he faced a four-game suspension after violating the National Football League’s substance abuse policy for a third time. While the NFL does not disclose the cause of the positive test, it had generally been known that Williams used marijuana. Upset with the game and seeking to find peace in his life, Williams literally needed to get away to find himself, traveling to India and Australia. He returned in 2005 because the Dolphins sued him over breach of contract, claiming he owned them money from his signing bonus. Williams apologized to his team and became a model citizen. During his year away from the game, he delved deeper into himself by embracing a holistic lifestyle that included yoga and strictly forbid the use of drugs. But he tested positive a fourth time 299

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toward the end of the 2005 NFL season, which automatically meant a suspension for the entire 2006 season. Although it was never fully documented what caused the fourth violation, there had been rumours it related to an herbal extract rather than marijuana. Williams contested the positive test, but the suspension stood. Immediately thereafter, the Argos placed Williams’ name on their negotiation list. Each CFL team has one and is allowed to place the names of 35 players from either the U.S. college or pro ranks on its neg list, and sign them if they become available. Whether or not the CFL had exact language in its constitution to prevent the signing of a suspended NFL player under contract became a matter of conjecture among some clubs who believed one rule spoke to it specifically. The Argos engaged in almost daily conversations with Williams’ agent, Leigh Steinberg, who acted as a liaison in talks with the Dolphins. Meanwhile, Clemons was on a different mission, far removed from the biggest story of the Canadian Football League season. Following almost five weeks of talks, the Dolphins gave the Argos permission to sign Williams for the 2006 season, even though the Miami team clearly had nothing to benefit from it. The Dolphins were quite prepared to let Williams take the year off and return to them in 2007, but Williams wanted to play, mainly to maintain a football mentality and his sharpness on the field. There had also been rumours he needed money to make child-support payments. But Williams still had to convince the Argo owners, president and head coach he had truly given up drugs and would participate in a community program advocating that message to youths. In a five-hour meeting, Williams impressed

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the Argo brass with his views of life and his spirit. A couple days later, one of the owners, David Cynamon, publicly paid Williams the ultimate compliment by comparing him to Clemons in terms of character. If Williams had moved past the stage of drug use, the stigma followed him, and the Argos were accused of hypocrisy by some critics for courting Williams while at the same time going into the community and spreading messages of anti-violence, anti-bullying and anti-drugs. Once back from his African trip, Clemons personally came under fire because he had become the public face of the Argos’ community campaign. He believed in its messages passionately and strongly, but he also believed that all individuals deserved an infinite number of chances to turn their lives around. In the coach’s view, he and the team would be hypocrites if they didn’t try to sign Williams and give him another chance. Clemons believed that by making the players better in the game of football, they became better people in the game of life. In fact, while the Argos were negotiating with Williams’ agent, Leigh Steinberg, it had been conveyed to him that Clemons had the capacity and the humanity to understand and connect with Williams in a way he had likely never had before with a coach. One week into training camp, the Dolphins acquiesced and the Argos announced the historic signing. “For those that know the gentleman to the left,” Argo President Keith Pelley said in reference to Clemons during the media conference to introduce Williams, “I’ve always said that he could teach you life skills. I can say that he’s a philosopher. He’s methodical in his thinking. As a human

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being, he’s a man of great integrity. Well I think Michael will agree that he might have just met his match. I’m thrilled to have Ricky with us and I’m also thrilled, of course, to have Michael (Pinball) Clemons as our head coach.” Clemons talked of his initial meeting with Williams and how enthralled he had become with him, in particular when the player intimated his desire to serve people. And as he continued his appraisal of Williams, whom he described as being humble, approachable and likable, Clemons gave his own personal endorsement; almost as if talking to the naysayers who had criticized the signing, “I want to let you know that before I met him, I thought of him as [a player] turning broken plays into highlight reels, but now my vision is a little bit different,” he began. Then he sped up his train of thought, sounding as passionate as in his speeches about religion, community involvement, antiviolence, supporting youths and his love for the Argo organization. “Anybody who makes it to this level has the ability to turn opposition into opportunity. What I think we’ll witness in this circumstance is that our fans will turn into fanatics. But everybody won’t be in support—it’s just the nature of life—but with Ricky Williams I think you’ll see even the cons will turn into converts, no pun intended. Consistent with that, I think you will see the addition of Ricky Williams as a player and a person who will turn the Toronto Argonaut football team not only into a better team, but a better organization.” When Williams spoke, he mentioned that when he met “Coach Clemons” he initially thought he was a player because Clemons didn’t fit the prototype of a coach. He was neither old nor grizzled, stately nor unkempt. He was simply

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this guy with a beaming smile and the size of a diminutive player in relatively good physical shape. “Then as I sat down and got to speak to him, I realized he’s an incredible human being, an incredible person,” Williams said. “The one thing that jumped out at me was that he really cares about people. He really has a deep, deep connection with people and a deep feeling for people. We just sat for half an hour and shot quotes back and forth. I think I’ve found a great coach, a great motivator and, more importantly, a good friend.” Williams’ comments could have been spoken by cornerback Adrion Smith, a former teammate and longtime friend of Clemons. Smith had been preparing for training camp in 2006, only to be presented with a sudden change in plan. The football operations staff floated the idea of him retiring, seeking to go in a different direction but wanting to respect his service to the team. At the same time, the business operations gave him a chance to remain with the team in a newly-created position of community relations ambassador —one that would include working with Williams. The 34-year-old Smith, who joined the Argos in 1996, was the longest-serving active player with the organization and had become immensely popular as a fan favourite. He was now faced with the most difficult decision of his football career and spoke to Clemons for some guidance. The two had had earlier discussions about the possibility of Smith’s retirement, but now that conversation had moved to a more definitive moment. Smith agonized over what to do, but ultimately made the decision to retire based on what the coach was telling him, specifically how he could still be a part of the team through

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training camp by attending meetings and providing tutelage to younger players, and also being on the sidelines with the team on game day. Rather than leaving the game suddenly, Smith received the opportunity to ease into a new role, largely because of the compassion, care and thoughtfulness of his head coach. In the same way Clemons had delivered powerful messages of wisdom and hope to his players before a game, he now put forth something to help his friend beyond the game. **** What Ricky Williams found upon meeting his new head coach and what Adrion Smith had learned many years before through his countless conversations in and away from the game is that Michael Clemons is a special person, an everyman if you will, bouncing from one situation to the next just like his nickname. The very words Clemons had used to describe his team applied perfectly to everything he did, to his attitude and philosophy in leading his own life, personally and professionally, “Greatness is not a one-time thing or even a two-time thing. Greatness is something that you repeat over time.” Whether dealing with campaigns to eradicate violence in the Greater Toronto Area, promoting youth programs, devising strategies to win football games or simply being the best husband and father he can be, the man known as Pinball has all the makings of greatness, of a Canadian hero. But he’ll scoff at that suggestion, insisting he’s no hero, just someone who is a servant of God and following His game plan.

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Is Michael (Pinball) Clemons a good coach? It’s a subject that is routinely discussed in the media and among fans even though he has won a Grey Cup, which should be validation in itself. From the time he began midway through the 2000 season to the end of the 2004 regular season, he had a record of 36 wins and 33 losses. In the playoffs, he’s accumulated five wins and only two losses, and that includes the biggest win of all, the Cup. If winning is the only thing—in the words of immortal football coach Vince Lombardi—then Clemons is doing a good job. However, in the voting for the 2004 Coach of the Year honours conducted by the Football Reporters of Canada, he finished second to Hamilton counterpart Greg Marshall, who won nine games in his first year as a professional coach. Pinball does not fit the mold of a classic coach. He does not wear a headset or send in plays from the sidelines

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during games, allowing his assistants to do their jobs, while he manages the big picture. At times in practice while the players are going through their calisthenics, he can be found talking to fans or, in some cases, engaged in coaching and/or personnel matters that prevent him from being on the field or delay his participation at the start. But you have to watch him day in and day out to really understand what he is doing. He spends time working with specific players on individual things that he personally did well, such as running and catching the ball and returning punts and kicks. He is also involved in the strategic process of devising trick plays to potentially use in game situations. There are other subtle aspects of coaching that he does well, sometimes something as simple as talking to the players and helping them in their daily struggles. They are individuals who are collectively part of a whole that he likens to a family, and he is the patriarch. There are times that he’ll demand a little extra from his players, such as asking them to do conditioning drills when they are exhausted, but because his players respect him there will rarely be complaints. Or he may ask the players to walk over to the fans on the sideline at practice and individually thank each one of them for showing their support. In his way of thinking, by helping his players to become better people he is helping them to become better players. This is all part of the coaching process, and he has been able to evolve through the passage of time and circumstances, in two separate cases in the midst of a season that began when he wasn’t even the coach. In the first case, he hadn’t even considered coaching as a career alternative.

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Some people believe Pinball is destined for a purpose beyond just football. It’s been suggested he has the speaking ability and leadership skills to be a politician, maybe the mayor of Toronto. Others believe he will become a minister. He’s mentioned that he’d like to someday open up a group home for youths. He’ll probably pick something and then find himself put into something he never expected and then make the most of it. It’s the way he views his life from a spiritual point of view, and something he said in a speech at The Peoples Church in Toronto a month after the Argos’ Grey Cup win. “People asked me, ‘Would you ever be a coach?’ and my canned response was, ‘I’m an eternal optimist, so I never say never, but I’ll never coach.’ Then God made me a coach. He says, ‘I’m not going to give you a chance. I’m going to have your boss do it right in the middle of the year.’ I was playing one week and coaching the next week. But He gave me the promise. He says, ‘You’re not going to be a coach. Just get us through this point.’ So after a year and a half, He brought me to the front office and things weren’t going so well on the field and He says, ‘Michael, I want you to coach again.’ And now He’s given us a Grey Cup championship. You know what? What God has for me has always been better than what I’ve had for myself. He’s always outdone me. Know that you can’t outdo God.” After he made the speech, Clemons left to go to his car, only to find it had been broken into and someone had stolen his wallet, which he’d left on the front seat because he thought it would look bulky in his pants pocket. The wallet contained about $100 in cash, but losing the wallet and the

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money didn’t matter to him; he believed that whoever took the money probably needed it more than he did. Pinball explained it to me in philosophical terms. “Ten percent of life is what happens to you, and the other ninety percent is how you react to it,” he said. “No, I don’t worry about those things. That stuff rarely ever bothers me.” In his capacity as a head coach, it is clear he feels an inner need to reach out to people in any way he can, no different than in his days as a player. But as a head coach, in particular one who has won the Grey Cup, his profile has increased, and he is trying to use that to heighten awareness about the Argos, the Canadian Football League, and community involvement. It is not something for everyone; it’s just something that is important to him, both as a Christian and as a role model. It is also his way of giving back to a city and a country that has given him so much. “I look at him sometimes and I don’t understand how he can do it,” his wife, Diane, told me. “I look at him and say, ‘Do you not get tired? Are you not overwhelmed with all of this?’ But I think he feeds off of it. He loves it.” Even if it affects his most important team—his family. “Sometimes I feel like he’s just not ours, he’s everybody’s. We just live with him,” she said with a hearty laugh. “Everybody wants a piece of him, so I’ve learned that I have to be a little bit more patient and try to be understanding. Mike has a love for people and if he can make the people happy, he wants to make everybody happy. He loves doing it. He loves trying to do that.” I don’t believe Pinball will be a career football coach—it will be something he does as long as he has the hunger and

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competitive desire to be the best—but I’m convinced he’ll never really leave coaching. You see, he’s more than a football coach, he’s a life coach—and he has three principal philosophies in his playbook: The first point is, if what you did yesterday still sounds good to you today, you haven’t done much today; the second is, it’s not about the acquisition of material stuff; and the third is, prosperity conceals genius, but adversity reveals it. Have confidence in those times. He outlined these views three weeks after the Grey Cup in a speech to the Canadian Club in Toronto. The Canadian Club has been in existence since 1897 and some of its speakers have included Canadian prime ministers, provincial premiers, visiting heads of state, and leaders from Canadian and international business and industry. On this day, it was a coach who spoke, and he talked a little bit about football and a whole lot about life. When he finished, the organization’s chair, Isabel Bassett, spoke glowingly about him. “I knew what I thought about Mike Clemons and so I (talked) with some other people to see what they thought and there’s no question that one theme emerges from all the things that we know is so obvious—that you’re a great coach and that you were a tremendous football player. But over and above that you are the most rock-solid person with a moral compass that doesn’t sway and guides the whole way in which you live your life. And what an example to all of us … He’s a great ambassador for Canadian football, for professional sports, and for this city. And he’s a man we should proudly hold up as a role model for our children. I’m told you may become a Canadian citizen and how fortunate we are to have you here as a soon-to-be Canadian addressing the Canadian Club.”

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Since he came to Canada in 1989, Michael Clemons has been making a name for himself—in some cases by the moniker Pinball—as a player, as a coach, and as a person. He is not defined by what he does as a coach, but by what he does in life—and right now he is winning in that game. **** “Is he one of the guys that you’d like to have in your corner at any given time of the day? Absolutely,” says Argo kicker Noel Prefontaine, who has known Pinball since joining the team in 1998. “Whether it be as a coach, whether it be as a friend, whether it be as a father figure; whatever the case, he is. He is just one of those guys that you’d always want in your corner because of the quality of person that he is. “I know that Pinball will carry you through any situation that you may have in your life whether pertaining to football or your personal life because of the way that he is. He does do a lot of carrying, more than you and I could ever fathom.”

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There are many people who contributed to this project, either providing material and/or their time or services. If I neglect to mention anyone, I apologize. Thanks to my agent Arnold Gosewich and John Wiley & Sons’ Karen Milner for working together and boosting my morale. Special thanks goes to the Canadian Football League’s Alexis Redmond; the Toronto Argonauts’ Beth Waldman, Nick Brentanos, Eric Holmes, Jaime Stein and Lynne Holmes (no relation to Eric, but of great significance in this project for going above and beyond the call of duty). Natasha Borota of Solutions With Impact really came through with some solutions. Notable thanks to: The Sports Network’s Andrea Goldstein; The CBC’s March Thompson; Brad Diamond of Bradford Productions and his staff; the media relations staff

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of both the Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the Saint-Vincent Hospital; The Kansas City Chiefs media relations department; and the College of William and Mary Sports Information Department; Jason Montgomery of the Horizons Youth Centre; Brian Green of Plain & Simple; the Peoples Church; Rogers Cablevision; and the Canadian Club of Toronto. Thanks to the Toronto Sun’s excellent library resources department, headed by the incomparable Julie Kirsh. A heartfelt thanks to Toronto Sun Sports Editor Pat Grier for allowing me the time to do this project and to my many colleagues, in particular Steve Simmons and Mike Koreen and, of course, the secretary who makes it all happen, the divine Sheila Chidley. Thank you to Toronto Sun Executive Editor Jim Jennings for his understanding. In no particular order thank you to the following people for their time: Oral Matthews; Alfonza Moore; Derwyn Cox, Robert Tucker; Bob Ayers; Don Murray; George Hemond; Jimmye Laycock; Dirk Gibson; Mike Faragalli; Paul Palmer; Frank Ganz; Greg Mohns; Adam Rita; Bob O’Billovich; Don Matthews; Mike McCarthy; Eric Tillman; Ralph Sazio; Rich Stubler; Gary Etcheverry; Paul Masotti; Doran Major; Noel Prefontaine; Mike O’Shea; Damon (The Legend) Allen; Adrion (Peewee) Smith; Carl Brazley; Jeff Boyd; Chris Schultz; Dan Ferrone; Sherwood Schwarz; David Cynamon; Howard Sokolowski; Jeff Giles; Steve Kearns; Paul LaPolice; Derrell (Mookie) Mitchell; Danny Webb; Danny Barrett; Lori Bursey and Ron Keffer. Rob Dunn; Steven Szakowski; Kevin Cabey; Keith and Beverley Rodrigues and their son Matthew.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to former Argos public relations/media relations people: Dave Watkins; Dave Haggith and Greg Mandziuk. A hearty thanks to many in the media in particular: Mark Harding; Herb Zurkowsky; Darrell Davis; David Naylor; Stephen Brunt; Rick Dhaliwal; Jim Bender; Ed Tait; Darren Gill; Ken Evraire; Don Brennen; Matt Sekeres; Norm Rumack, Roger Lajoie and Joltin’ Joe Peisich. To Jim Tatti of Global Sports, thanks for everything, guy! Thanks to all the people who submitted their personal stories. To Kimberly Kasper, thanks for your excellent transcribing. To the gang at Tim Hortons: Tony Centofanti, Frank Delmonaco, Nick Deangelis, Dave Blair, Lyle and Myrtle Laishley, Marko Ignyatovic, Joe Drozda. Thanks for the daily talks. To George and Nina Williams, thanks as always for the support. To Stephen Hurlbut and Marco Coffa of City TV for their help in sourcing material. To agent Leigh Steinberg for his help setting up an exclusive interview with Ricky Williams, and to Ricky for being open and understanding of my questions and helping to understand cause and effect. Thanks also to Ricky’s mother Sandy. To Susan and Gary Shienfield for providing balance at their retreat. To Gabriel Savage for his insight and brilliance. Stay positive, Gabe. To Brad Elberg for his insight in football and other matters.

313

Acknowledgements

To Brent Scrimshaw, Tom Wright and Keith Pelley for believing in me. Thanks to my parents, Lou and Myrna and my brother Elliott and my sister Robyn—my hero and guiding light—and my in-laws, Don and Louise Lloyd. Thanks especially to Diane Clemons—I will forever be touched by your rendition of I Can Only Imagine—and her daughters Rachel, Raven and Riley. And to Michael’s mother Anna Bryant and sister Kelli. Most importantly, thanks to Michael (Pinball) Clemons for being a part of this project intellectually and emotionally and for being a part of my life. Even though I like to imitate you—and think I do a pretty good job—I can never duplicate you. You are truly blessed!

314

Index

Albrecht, J.I. at Argos game, 1998, 159 and Barker, 254 and Clemons, 175–176 and Clemons’s contract, 179 and controversy, 188 effects on fans, 179 and Etcheverry, 170 and Evanshen, 183 and Huard, 168–169 introduced, 166–167 and Jenkins, 219 at media announcement, 183 and new players, 171 and player roster, 173–174 ponders coaching change, 175 removed from football operations, 214 shifted to business side, 207 using Clemons, 180–181 and visible minorities, 181 Albrecht, Dean, 175 Ali, Muhammad, 228–229, 231, 233–234 All Heart: My Story, 47, 152–153 All-Time Honour List, 203 Allen, Damon acquired, 251 and Bishop, 268, 271 and Brady, 266 brilliance, 254, 286, 293 and Cup, 27 injured, 255, 256, 259, 267 league’s oldest player, 7, 252, 284 and leg cramps, 24–25 as quarterback, 18 returns after injuries, 16

touchdown, 23 touchdown pass, 277 Alomar, Robbie, 141 annual coaches’ media conference, 6–7, 9, 11–13 annual Labour Day match, 152, 186, 187, 189–193, 257, 269 Annunziata, Sandy, 265, 266 Argonaut Rowing Club, 83 Argonauts Kids Club, 37 Argos fan club, 179, 198 Argos media guide, 151 “Argos This Week,” 19, 21 artificial turf, 105–106 Athletes in Action, 94, 201, 252 Austin, Kent, 120, 261–262, 264, 266 Avery, John, 26, 263, 264, 269, 277 Bachman, Randy, 228 Baker, Robert, 23, 285-286 Baker, Terry, 146 Barker, Jay, 151, 155, 156, 158 Barker, Jim, 154, 168, 216, 253, 254 Barrett, Danny, 5, 199–200, 201, 202, 236 Bass, Joseph Lloyd, 39 Bassett, Isabel, 309 Beckles, Nadia, 295 Bell, Kerwin, 150, 151 arguing with Clemons, 222–224 back in Toronto, 189–190 as benefit to Argos, 206 breaks arm, 151 controversy, 156, 157–158, 190 coordinating offence, 216 injured, 151

Index

pass intercepted, 222 passing, 202 returns to roster, 221 signed, 150 as starter, 194–195 stats, 1998 season, 153 talking to Clemons, 157–158 traded, 155 unpopularity, 156 Bell, Natalie, 57–58 Benny Feelgood, 107 Bentley, Ron, 163 Big Brother, 63 Big Brothers, 141 Big Tuck (Robert Tucker), 48 Bishop, Michael, 7, 25–26, 239, 266, 267–268, 269, 271 as backup, 25–26, 266 in Cup, 7 demoted, 233 and Etcheverry, 229–231 in spotlight, 267–268 offensive player of the week, 269 replaced, 239, 269, 271 blackout in Toronto, 256 Blanks, Craig, 51 Blount, Eric, 155, 158 Blue Thunder, 211 Borota, Natasha, 229 Bowles, Randy, 250 Boyd, Jeff, 89–90 Brady, Marcus, 239, 259, 266, 267 Braswell, Jeff, 92 Brazley, Carl, 86, 93, 107, 108 Breeze, 108 Brown, Eddie, 138 Bruce, Arland III, 276, 277 Bryant, Anna (Anna Maria O’Neal) at announcement, 183 attends games, 50 at awards ceremony, 100 and community service, 44 faith, 43 meets Willie, 40 Michael born, 39 schooling, 41 tosses coin, 198 values, 29 visits son, 17 and Willie, 46, 262 Bryant, Ralph, 46, 47 Buono, Wally as coach, 13, 16, 23, 26 and coaches’ media conference, 8–9

criticizes Clemons, 6, 7 “embarrassment,” 11–12 plan, 24 with Stampeders, 106 Burrows, Rick, 79 Bursey, Lori, 30–31, 93, 179–180, 183, 198 bye, explained, 105 Cabey, Kevin, 17 Calgary Stampeders, 67, 69, 77, 78, 285-286 Calgary Sun, 253 Calvillo, Anthony, 260, 276 Canadian Football League. See CFA Canadian Football League Player’s Association. See CFLPA Canadian Major Football League, 55 Candy, John, 101, 108, 112, 116 Cantor, Noah, 14 Carnegie Group, The, 165 Carter, Joe, 108 Carter, Vince, 226 CBC at 2004 Grey Cup, 23, 27 Labour Day game telecast, 191 locker room footage, 19, 236–238 CFL annual awards dinner, 135–137 and Argos budget, 257 and Argos player contracts, 255 championship, 1 and player salaries, 252–253 playoff format, 236 takes over Argos, 254–255 in U.S., 127 CFLPA, 117, 135, 190, 252, 253, 255 Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 14 Christian Blind Mission International, 298 Christmas at Horizons for Youth, 149 City TV, 244, 289 Clemons, Diane, 17 before Cup game, 17 and Clemons as coach, 177–178 on Clemons as head coach, 234–235 at Clemons’s last game, 202–203 and coaching offer, 177–178 college plans, 64 first child, 118–119 as full-time assistant, 110–111 at media announcement, 183 and 1997 Grey Cup, 149 on Pinball, 308 as Seventh-day Advenitst, 62 sings “O Canada,” 198 visiting Toronto, 1990, 100–101

316

Index

wedding, 108–109 Clemons, Michael accepts coaching job, 179 addressing media, 205–206 after first win as coach, 196 allergies, 45 as analyst for CBC, 160 appointed president, 225 appointed head coach, 232–233 arguing with Bell, 222–224 arrives in Toronto, 84 as Benny Feelgood, 107–108 as Big Brother, 63 changing positions, 1990, 97–99 as coach, 305-310 Coach of the Year finalist, 260 college choices, 52–53 college stats, , 60, 66, 67–68 community service, 14–15, 110–111, 135–137, 140–142 contract, 1996, 140 contract expires, 154 and criticism, 219–220 and Cup games, 1–31, 106–107, 115, 137–139, 148–149 and Cup ring, 115, 126 as “designated import,” 91 duties, 150–151 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Association All-Star, 66 family, 10 faith, 43–44 final game as player, 196–206 first black coach in Grey Cup history, 28–29 first black head coach, 4–7 first media address as head coach, 182–186 at first professional training camp, 72–73 first speech as coach, 184–187 as head coach, 232–240 importance of community service, 44 with Kansas City Chiefs, 71–75 knee surgery, 105 Most Outstanding Player, 1990, 99–100, 101, 128 named VP of football operations, 207 on negotiation list, 67 and new contract, 102–104 number retired, 204 as object of criticism, 218 offered had coach job, 176–178 origin of nickname, 2, 85–86 as player/coach, running backs, 174 playoff stats, 135

pre-game speech, 273–274 pre-game speech (Montreal), 275–276 and punctuality, 63–64, 90, 130–132 and Reebok, 109 relationship with father, 45–46 relationship with stepfather, 47 as return specialist, 75 rookie season stats, 93–94 in season opener, 1990, 97 season stats, 99, 113–114, 120, 133, 144–145, 153 second game with Argos, 92–93 signing autographs, 119 SkyDome debut, 91–92 speaking to fans, 204–205 speaking on violence, 288-289, 295-298 speaks for players, 175 sponsors, 141 and staff, 215–216 starting football, 45 Tom Pate Award, 117, 135–137 turf toe injury, 105–106 wedding, 108–109 at William and Mary, 59–78 as coaching assistant, 77 Clemons, Rachel, 118, 119, 183, 198, 257 Clemons, Randy, 263 Clemons, Raven, 144, 183, 203 Clemons, Rylie, 231 Clemons, Willie James becomes father, 39 death, 262–263 at division final, 260 meets Anna, 40 prediction, 277 relations with son, 45–46 at semi-final, 257–258 separated, 41 College of William and Mary, 52–53, 59–78 Congemi, John, 93 Cooke, Christian, 123–125 Cooke, Dean, 123 Cosentino, Filippo, 212 Cox, Derwyn, 64–65, 66, 68, 74 Crafts, Jerry, 201 Crawford, Rufus, 99 Crow, Chuck (Pop), 88, 90 Crow, Mickey (Mom), 88, 89, 110 Crows Nest, 88–89, 110 Cummings, Burton, 228 Cunningham, Jimmy (the Jet), 129, 138 curfews and Cup game, 12–13 Cynamon, David, 258, 261, 283

317

Index

Damoff, Pam, 36 Davis, Darrel (Mouse), 116, 132 designated import, explained, 91 Diamond, Brad, 21 Dickenson, Dave, 7, 13, 22–23, 26, 251–252, 269 Dixon, Fred, 43, 48, 61 Dobson, Bill, 215 Double Blue, 35, 83 Doucet, Glen, 246 Down Syndrome Association of Metropolitan Toronto, 141 Drabinsky, Garth, 227–228, 230, 231, 249 “dream team,” 207 Drummond, Robert, 128, 129, 139, 144, 151 Duke, Robert, 282 Dunedin, Florida, 39–41 Dunedin Golden Eagles, 45 Dunigan, Matt acquired, 95 bio, 96 criticizes Clemons, 193–194 with Eskimos, 270 injured, 106 in Newmarket, 123 plays hurt, 107 signs with Winnipeg, 111 Dunn, Rob, 114–115 Duthie, James, 197, 205

Evanshen, Terry, 183 Evraire, Ken, 17–18

Eason, John, 175, 176 Edmonton Sun, 11 Eiben, Kevin, 19 Ellis, Craig, 99 Ely, Bill, 61 “embarrassment to league” controversy, 6, 7, 9, 11–12 Emo, Barry, 55–56 England, Eric, 276 Etcheverry, Gary and Barker, 253 and Bishop, 229–231 as defensive guru, 228 fired, 232 history, 226–227 joins Roughriders, 170 and Montford, 229 probable dream game, 268 replaced by Clemons, 234 with Saskatchewan, 172 and Schwarz-232, 231 talks to Clemons, 215 “ethos of competence,” 225–226

Fairholm, Jeff, 173–174, 175 Faragalli, Mike, 64, 67, 77, 91, 119–120 Fardy, Geoff, 216–217 Fellowship of Christian Athletes, 49 Fenerty, Gill (the Thrill), 85, 91, 93, 96, 222 Ferrone, Dan compared to Bell, 155 describes Clemons, 99 and funds, 251 offered line-coach job, 216 rejoins team, 98 resigns, 255 president of CFLPA, 135 as temporary president, 232 as VP operations, 226 Fletcher, Michael, 27, 287 Flutie, Darren, 138 Flutie, Doug with Calgary, 121–122 and Clemons, 133 compared to Bell, 155 in Cup, 138–139 honours, 143 learning the team, 131–132 Most Outstanding Player, 135 passing to Masotti, 134 as quarterback, 146, 147 rapport with team, 156 signs with Argos, 128 signs with Buffalo Bills, 149–151 and spread offense, 129 stats, opener, 1997, 143–144 wins Most Outstanding Player award, 147 Flutie, Laurie, 122 “Flutieball,” 132 Foggie, Rickey, 106 Football Reporters of Canada, 305 Ford, Duane, 161 Friday Night Football, 258 Friends of the Argonauts, 93 Ganz, Frank, 71, 75 Gibbs, Joe, 65 Gibson, Merritt (Dirk), 59–60, 62–64, 65 Giles, Jeff and Bell, 223 hired by Schwarz, 207 history, 213–214 leaves Argos, 224 at press conference, 183 recalling early struggles, 218

318

Index

and salary cap, 214–216 and stripper controversy, 216–217 Givens, Reggie, 150 Gough, Garfield, 209 Gough, Lesley Anne, 209–210 Graeme, 163 Great Depression, 165 Greene, Nealon, 151 Greer, Terry, 145 Gretzky, Wayne, 101, 112, 116, 147 Grey, Lord, 83 Grey Cup breakfast, 58 Grigg, Andrew, 192 Haggith, Dave, 226, 237 Ham, Tracy, 116, 126 Harding, Mark, 155, 157 Hardy, Chris, 14, 15, 271 Harlem Globetrotters, 167 Harris, Johnnie, 150 Harvard, 52–53 Hat Day, 15–16 Hawk, Tony, 228 HBTV, 107–108 Hemond, George, 51, 52 Higgins, Tim, 260 Highsmith, Walter, 186, 193 Hogtown v Steeltown, 137 Honeywell, 61, 64, 76, 77, 84 Horizons for Youth, 149 Hospital for Sick Children, 34 House of God Pentecostal Church, 43 Houston, Martavius, 195 Huard, John as bizarre, 226 booed, 175 as demoralizing, 206 effect on Albrecht, 181 effects on fans, 179 fan response to, 188 introduced, 168–169 and lack of fun, 182 legacy, 192 at media conference, 170 and player roster, 173 quits, 176 replaced by Clemons, 232 and unsold tickets, 197 and veterans, 171–172 Interbrew S.A., 166 Ismail, Raghib (Rocket) attention, 151 contract, 101–102

described by Scott, 104 as feature player, 112–113 fined, 113 as investment, 103 kickoff return, 106 lives up to hype, 107 personal services contract, 116 stats, 113–114 team record, 145 Ivory, Clifford, 22, 271 Jackson, Jack, 144 Jackson, Russ, 189 Jackson, Stanley, 230 Jagger, Mick, 150 Jenkins, John, 154, 216, 219, 221, 270 Jenkins, Michael, 219, 220, 221, 222, 264 Jerome Love, 107 Jones, Khari, 194 Jones, Terry, 11 Jordan, Michael, 147 Just J.I., a Modern Sports Odyssey, 167 Kansas City Chiefs, 71 Kearns, Steve, 94 Keffer, Ron, 93 Kelli, 47 Kemp, Jimmy, 156, 158, 191, 194, 195, 224 Keshavjee, Amyn, 279 Kirwan, Andre, 195 Kiselak, Mike, 135, 150 Kiss of the Spiderwoman, 227 Kitchen, Robbie, 126 Krause, Scott, 269 Labatt Brewing Company, 166 Lancaster, Ron, 189 Lapointe, Eric, 171 LaPolice, Paul, 206–207, 215 Lastman, Mel, 183 Laycock, Jimmye, 52, 53, 60–61, 65, 66, 68 Leadlay, Hal, 37 Leadlay, Seth, 37 Lee, Diane (Diane Clemons), 61–62 Lee, Ella, 61 Lee, Mark, 18, 27, 28 Lee, Wilton, 61, 109 Leukemia Research Fund of Canada, 141 Levingston, Bashir, 271, 289-290 Logan, Brandon, 80–81 Logan, Derek, 80–81 Logan, Heather, 81 Lombardi, Vince, 305 Lysko, Mike, 217

319

Index

Major, Doran, 107, 141–142 Majpor, Doran, 86 Mandzuik, Greg, 181, 183 Margaret, 241, 242 Mariuz, Ray, 14 Marketeers, 225 Marshall, Amanda, 228 Marshall, Greg, 305 Martis, Cedric, 247 Mason, Kim, 61 Masotti, Paul appointed general manager, 207 becomes executive vice-president, 170–171 blocking, 146 at camp, 161 in end zone, 130 in front office, 170–171 record broken, 264 and Schwarz, 159, 175, 176 touchdown, 134 Matthews, Beverley, 139 Matthews, Don as arrogant, 226 bio, 95 as coach, 96–97, 98 Coach of the Year finalist, 260 coaching method, 268 concerns about ownership, 154 in Cup, 148–149 describing Clemons, 147 and Drabinsky, 227–228 and Drummond, 151 and Flutie, 131 and Hat Day, 15 leaves Argos, 104 meeting with Clemons, 129– 132 as mentor, 12, 239 moves Clemons, 144 in 1998, 150, 151 predictions, 153 returns to Toronto, 127 setting standards, 134 signs with Eskimos, 154 and team building, 105 victories, 145 Matthews, Keith, 139 Matthews, Lila, 42 Matthews, Oral, 42, 50 Matthews, Sara, 42, 43 Mayor Mel, 183–184 McCallum, Paul, 148, 202 McCarthy, Mike, 95, 111, 116, 102, 104 McCauley, Don, 52 McGuinty, Dalton, 297

McManus, Danny, 138 McNall, Bruce, 101, 102, 112, 116 McNall group, 101–104, 112, 118 Meyer, Dennis, 113, 117 Michael Clemons Day, 68 Mihelic, Mike, 266 Milton Marauders, 55 Mitchell, Derrell (Mookie) breaking records, 145 and Clemons as coach, 178 and Clemons touchdown, 146 in Clemons’s last game, 200 and Clemons’s leadership skills, 261 describes Clemons, 193 and Huard, 173 introduced, 142–143 pass thrown to, 222 refuses pay cut, 264–265 returns to Argos, 158 Rookie of the Year, 147 salary cut, 264 scores touchdown, 195 sets league record, 153–154 signs with Bears, 155 stats, 144 Mitchell, Vernon, 192 Mizzoni, Andrew, 34 Mizzoni, Len, 34 Mohns, Greg, 75, 250, 257, 262, 264 Monday Night Football, 258 Mongovius, Arlene, 209–210 Montford, Joe, 229, 230, 231, 250 Moore, Alfonza, 42, 43 Moore, Pernell (Sweet P.), 85 Morgan, Shannon, 243 Morris, Leonard (the Blur), 96 moving the yardage chains, 96 Mr. Argo, 178 Murray, Don, 48–50, 51 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 5 National Football League and Canada, 112 draft, 1987, 71 draft politics, 143 and New York Giants, 165, 166 players’ strike, 73 Nicholson, Bob, 140–141, 154 Northern Ontario Football Conference, 55 O’Billovich, Bob compared to Matthews, 97 as GM, 119

320

Index

let go, 94–95 nicknames Clemons, 2 overhauls team, 118 replaces Faragalli, 120 and size issue, 85 O’Neal, Anna Maria. See Bryant, Anna O’Neal, James, 39 O’Neal, James senior, 39 O’Neal, Katherine, 39 Ord, Jacquelyn, 211 Ord, Lynda A., 211 Orlando Thunder, 105 Ornest, Harry, 95, 101, 102 O’Shea, Mike and Avery, 269 belief in Clemons, 270 and Clemons, 237, 256 and Schwarz, 160 and pre-game speech, 274–275 sent to Hamilton, 171 Palmer, Paul, 72, 73, 74 pay cuts, 252–253 Payton, Elfrid, 222, 230 Pelley, Keith, 258, 283, 293-294 Phantom of the Opera, 227 Pinball 101, 281 Pinball Wizard, 124 Pinballmania, 94 “Pinball’s Final Run,” 197 Pinism, 15 Plain & Simple, 233 Players Association. See CFLPA Pleasant, Jessica, 109 Pleasant, Reggie, 86, 109 Police Athletic League, 45 practice roster defined, 87 Prefontaine, Noel, 205, 234, 271, 285 Pringle, Mike, 128 Printers, Casey, 7, 13, 16, 23, 269 Projects, The, 42 Ptaszek, Stefan, 187 Quigg, Carol, 244 Quigg, Keith, 244 Ranot, Steve, 245 Reed, Kavis, 216, 223 Rita, Adam with Eskimos, 116 as fall guy, 113 and Hat Day, 15 hired by Clemons, 249–250 and Matthews, 95

and Mitchell, 264 moves Clemons, 144 in 1997 Grey Cup, 147–149 as offensive coordinator, 97–98 promoted, 104, 261 reflecting, 260 rehired, 132 and SkyDome, 105 Robinson, John, 281 Robson, Paul, 255 Rodrigues, Matthew, 139 Rogers Centre, 88, 285 Rolling Stones, 150, 151 Ron, 241 Running, Mitch, 155, 158 Ryckman, Larry, 122 Saint-Vincent Hospital, 17 salary cap, 214–216, 253 Salvation Army, 136 Sandusky, Jim, 138 Sazio, Gerry, 88 Sazio, Ralph, 78, 85, 87–88, 94–95 Scarrow, Dave, 241–242 Scarrow, John, 241 Schooley, Edith, 35 Schultz, Chris, 86–87, 92, 98 Schwarz, Sherwood and Albrecht, 166–168 appoints new president, 225 and Barker, 254 and Bursey, 179–180 and Clemons, 239 on Clemons, 7–8 at Clemons’s last game, 203–204 deciding Clemons’s role, 234 and Drabinsky, 249 and Etcheverry, 231–232 and Giles, 214, 224 and Huard, 170, 174 impressed by Clemons, 159 introduced, 165 and limited partnership, 258 and Matthews, 228 at media announcement, 183 new hires, 207 not paying bills, 250–251 ponders coaching change, 175 and status quo, 261 and stripper controversy, 217 supporting Clemons, 220 using Clemons, 180 Scott, Gil, 102–103, 140, 179, 183, 223 Scott, Johnny, 195

321

Index

Scouting Combine, 69, 70 sex before Cup game, 11 Shaggy, 228 Shatto, Dick, 144 Shaw, Derrick, 94 Shaw, Wayne, 192 Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 43 Shreveport Pirates, 167 Simmons, Marcello, 275 Simon, Geroy, 26 Simpson, O.J., 45 Sinclair, Annie, 39, 41, 46 SkyDome, 88, 271–272 Slack, Reggie, 233, 239 slotback, explained, 128 Smashmouth football camp, 161 Smith, Adrion and Clemons, 238, 303-304 and Clemons as coach, 178 and Clemons as head coach, 181–182 in Clemons’s last game, 201, 202 cut by Bills, 152 douses Clemons, 27 moves to NFL, 150 in 1997 Grey Cup, 148 picks off a pass, 138 as playmaker, 22 pride in Clemons, 196 as sole returner, 200 Smith, Bill, 160 Smith, Darrell K., 86 Smith, Irv, 145 Smith, Kevin, 280 Smith, Larry, 113 Smith, Noland (Super Gnat), 71 Smith, Patrick, 280 Smith, Sandra, 160 Smith, Tony, 151, 153 Sokolowski, Howard, 258, 259, 261, 283 Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists, 64 Spadaford, Enzo, 57–58 Spielberg, Steven, 230 spread offence, explained, 98 Stein, Jaime, 15 Steinberg, Leigh, 300 Stop the Violence – We Are Toronto, 287-289, 295 stripper controversy, 216–217 Stubler, Rich and community service, 14–15 as coordinator, 16, 22 describing Clemons, 261 full-time, 250 hired by Clemons, 216 missed, 219

Suitor, Glen, 201 Szakowski, Steven, 14–15 Tackle Violence, 141 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 76 Terpstra, Brad, 121–122 Terpstra, Garry, 121–122 Terry, Ryan, 201 “The Home Boys Report,” 107–108 The Sports Network, 136, 258, 270 Tiggle, Calvin, 171 Tillman, Eric, 154 Tom Pate Award, 117, 135–136 Toronto Argonauts announce new ownership, 258 Clemons on negotiation list, 77–78 coaching change, 127 Grey Cup, 1, 137–139, 147–149, 291-292 history, 83 for sale, 116, 165 and 2002 season, 217–235 Toronto Argonauts’ Official Guide 2000, 165 Toronto Blue Jays, 46, 284 Toronto Maple Leafs, 284 Toronto Raptors, 284 Toronto Rock, 284 Toronto Police Association, 287 Toronto Star, 155 Toronto Sun, 11, 102, 124, 187 “Toronto treasure,” 140–141 Tory, John, 203 touchdown, odds explained, 146–147 traditional convert, defined, 26 Tribe, the, 59 TSN, 199, 201, 205, 265 TSN Enterprises, 118, 197 Tucker, Robert (Big Tuck), 48, 197 two-point convert, defined, 26 Uganda, 298-299 United Way of Greater Toronto, 297 Vanderjagt, Mike, 138, 150 Vernon, Joe, 161–162 waivers, explained, 76 Walby, Chris, 191 Wallace, Craig, 83 Walton Memorial United Church, 36 Washington Redskins, 65 Watkins, Dave, 110, 119 Watson, Norm, 35 Webb, Danny, 85, 118 Wells, Rio, 222

322

Index

Wheaton, Kenny, 275 Williams Henry (Gizmo), 138 Williams, Ricky, 299-304 Winters, Chuck, 287 Wood, Willie, 5 Woodson, Sean, 191, 222 World League of American Football, 104, 150 World Vision Canada, 298 Wunderlic intelligence test, 69 Younger, Carey, 18 Younger, Jordan, 18 Youth for Christ, 94 Youth Challenge Fund, 297 Zicarelli, Frank, 187

323

© The Toronto Sun

Perry Lefko worked for the Toronto Sun as a sports writer from 1985 to 2006, reporting on amateur sports, curling, horse racing and football, then joined the Canadian Football League as Director of Communications. He is a three-time Sovereign Award winner for outstanding writing about Canadian horse racing, has twice received honourable mention in the Sun Media category of sports writing, and once received the Ontario Curling Association Writer of the Year award. He is a frequent contributor to Global Sports and The Fan590. He is an author of six previous books: The Greatest Show On Turf: The History of the Breeders’ Cup; Flutie; Sandra Schmirler: The Queen of Curling (a national best-seller); Bret Hart: The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be (another best-seller); Thoroughbred Racing’s Greatest Day: The Breeders’ Cup 20th Anniversary Celebration; and Ride of a Lifetime: The Sandy Hawley Story. He lives in Mississauga with his wife Jane, son Ben, daughter Shayna and the family dog Angel.

Michael Clemons, age four, with his mother in Dunedin, Florida. She raised him single-handedly and was always his biggest fan and supporter. Courtesy of Michael & Diane Clemons

Clemons’s school photograph, San Jose Elementary, Dunedin, Florida, 1972-73. Courtesy of Michael & Diane Clemons

Clemons’s sister, Kelli. Fifteen years younger than Michael, she would become his “darling” and his sidekick. Courtesy of Michael & Diane Clemons

Anna Maria Bryant, Michael Clemons’s mother, his biggest hero, and the biggest influence on his life. Courtesy of Michael & Diane Clemons

From an early age, Clemons was an athlete Strong at both football and soccer, he never dreamed, with his small size, that he would end up playing football professionally. Courtesy of Michael & Diane Clemons

Clemons’ younger sister, Kelli.

Years later, mirroring his earlier pose, but this time in an Argo uniform. He played 11 1/2 seasons for the Argos before becoming head coach and, for a brief stint, team president. His famous number 31 was retired when he gave up playing in 2000. © Sun Media Corp.

Michael “Pinball” Clemons showing off his inimitable style. Bob O’Billovich, his first CFL coach, immediately dubbed him Pinball when he saw his style of running back and forth on the football field, bouncing off players far bigger than him and tearing up the field for extra yards. © John E. Sokolowski

The ultimate prize in Canadian football: The Grey Cup. Posing with the Cup in 1996, Clemons and the Argos won the coveted trophy three times in his playing career. © John E. Sokolowski

Left to right: Donnie Wilson, Paul Masotti, Doug Flutie, and Michael Clemons celebrate the Argos’ 1996 Grey Cup win. © John E. Sokolowski

ABOVE: Clemons receives the Tom Pate Award for outstanding service to his team and the community in 1996. He also won this award in 1993. Clemons has long been known for his leadership and involvement on and off the football field. © John E. Sokolowski

LEFT: Clemons received the CFL’s Most Valuable Player Award in 1990, his second year in the league. © John E. Sokolowski

ABOVE: Lieutenant-Governor Hilary Weston, left, bestows the Order of Ontario on Clemons during a ceremony in Toronto on December 4, 2001. Clemons was among 27 recipients of the province’s highest honour for achievement in their respective fields. © Canadian Press (Aaron Harris)

RIGHT: Clemons, noted for his off-field accomplishments and community service as much as for his achievements in football, receives an honorary degree from York University during the school’s convocation in fall 2000. © Greg Henkenhaf, Sun Media Corp.

Sharing a lighter moment with Canadian comedian and actor John Candy at an Argos practice. Candy was part of the group, including Bruce McNall and Wayne Gretzky, that owned the Argo franchise from 1991-93. The 1990s were a turbulent time for the Argos, as ownership changed hands several times and finances were stretched to the limit. Throughout it all, Clemons remained loyal and dedicated to his team. © Fred Thornhill, Sun Media Corp.

LEFT: Pinball waves goodbye to the crowd and his legions of devoted fans after his final game in 2000. Immediately behind him are his wife, Diane, and daughters Rachel and Raven. © John E. Sokolowski

BELOW: Clemons and wife Diane in an emotional embrace after his las game as a player. Courtesy of Michael & Diane Clemons

ABOVE: Clemons and Gary Etcheverry (left) at the 2002 press conference announcing Etcheverry as Clemons’s successor as head coach of the Argos. Clemons was moving into the front office as President of the Argos, but it proved to be a brief stint, after which he was back at the helm as head coach. © Canadian Press (Frank Gunn)

BELOW: Clemons and Sherwood Schwarz (right), owner of the Argos from 2000-2003. Schwarz’s hold on the team ended badly when the CFL assumed ownership of it in 2003 after he failed to make payments to players and others. It was Schwarz, though, who had the confidence in Clemons to name him as head coach of the Argos, and Clemons has remained faithful to him to this day. © Canadian Press (Aaron Harris)

ABOVE: His first time around as head coach of the Argos, Clemons (left) is lifted by defensive lineman Joe Montford after defeating the Hamilton Tiger Cats 28-21 in CFL action in Toronto on September 22, 2002. It was one of his first games after taking over head-coach duties © Canadian Press (Kevin Frayer)

BELOW: Clemons looking every bit the coach and wearing a hat in a personal tribute to his father, who had died in 2004. © Canadian Press (Paul Chiasson)

LEFT: Clemons and Montreal Alouettes coach Don Matthews shake hands following the 2004 Eastern final, which the Argos won en route to the Grey Cup. Matthews is the coach who influenced Clemons’s CFL career more than any other, beginning in 1990. © Canadian Press (Paul Chiasson)

BELOW: Toronto Argos Coach Mike “Pinball” Clemons (left) and B.C. Lions Coach and General Manager Wally Buono (right) sit by the Grey Cup during a coaches news conference in Ottawa, November 17, 2004, before the championship game. © Canadian Press (Fred Chartrand)

ABOVE: Coach Clemons hoists the Grey Cup after the Argos championship victory, November 21, 2004. The first black coach ever to do so, Clemons would often say that his win as a coach meant more to him than all three Grey Cups as a player. © John E. Sokolowski

RIGHT: Clemons (left) and Argos quarterback Damon Allen make their way through Toronto’s Union Station with the Grey Cup, carrying it home to Toronto for a victory celebration. © Fred Thornhill, Sun Media Corp.

ABOVE: Toronto Argonauts head coach Mike “Pinball” Clemons wipes away tears as he takes the stage to address a Grey Cup victory celebration attended by thousands of fans at Toronto City Hall on November 23, 2004. © Canadian Press (J.P. Moczulski)

LEFT: Clemons cheers with the crowd during the Grey Cup victory parade in Toronto on November 23, 2004. © Mark O’Neill, Sun Media Corp.

Argo ownership and management huddle up in September 2005. From left, David Cynamon, Clemons, Howard Sokolowski, and Keith Pelley, Argos President. Cynamon and Sokolowski became the saviours of the team after it had been taken over by the CFL, buying it from the league in the fall of 2003 and rescuing Toronto’s franchise from the brink of disaster. They injected much-needed financing, enthusiasm, and commitment to the Argos, and only a year later celebrated a Grey Cup win. © John E. Sokolowski

Coach Clemons in action, on the sidelines with his players and coaches. Aside from having a sharp mind for football, Clemons is a motivator par excellence. He instills dedication and inspiration in his players, coaching them in life and football. © John E. Sokolowski

Michael Clemons with his family, his most important priority. From left, daughter Rachel, wife Diane, and daughters Rylie and Raven. Courtesy of Michael & Diane Clemons