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| Wally Buono as a player with the Montreal Alouettes. Source: https://www.cflapedia.com/ Players/b/buono_wally.htm (May be subject to copyright) |
So, in many ways the end was the beginning in the 1980s for Wally Buono.
The end
As the 1980s opened, Wally Buono was finishing up his playing career, which spanned from 1972 to 1981, including two Grey Cup victories in 1974 and 1977. He had first come to my attention the first full year I watched football when his Montreal Alouettes played the Calgary Stampeders. He was playing linebacker, but what caught my attention was that he punted too.
As the 1980s opened, Wally Buono was finishing up his playing career, which spanned from 1972 to 1981, including two Grey Cup victories in 1974 and 1977. He had first come to my attention the first full year I watched football when his Montreal Alouettes played the Calgary Stampeders. He was playing linebacker, but what caught my attention was that he punted too.
Further research revealed he played double duty for awhile, and never missed a game in his 10 seasons in the CFL. By the time he retired in 1981, he had recorded 11 career interceptions with a career high of four in 1978, and eight career fumble recoveries. His career punting totals were 525 punts for 21,070 yards and a 40.1-yard average. His longest punt was 90 yards and he recorded 16 singles.
The beginning
After retiring in 1981, Buono was hired in 1983 as an assistant coach with the Montreal Concordes, who were essentially another incarnation of the Alouettes.
After retiring in 1981, Buono was hired in 1983 as an assistant coach with the Montreal Concordes, who were essentially another incarnation of the Alouettes.
He joined the Calgary Stampeders in 1987 under new head coach Lary Kuharich. He would remain an assistant through 1989, then things changed dramatically.
Kuharich moved to B.C. to become head coach of the Lions. Eerily, it would be something Buono himself would do in 2002.
In his place stepped Wally Buono as the new head coach of the Calgary Stampeders. The league would never be the same.
Immediate impact
As the 1990s started, Wally Buono served notice things would be different in Calgary. In his first year prowling the sidelines for the Stampeders, Buono compiled a record of 11 wins, six losses and one tie, to finish first in the West Division for the first time since 1971. They would lose the Western Final, but the next year, after finishing second in the West, they advanced to their first Grey Cup in 20 years. The year after that they would win their first Grey Cup in 20 years.
As the 1990s started, Wally Buono served notice things would be different in Calgary. In his first year prowling the sidelines for the Stampeders, Buono compiled a record of 11 wins, six losses and one tie, to finish first in the West Division for the first time since 1971. They would lose the Western Final, but the next year, after finishing second in the West, they advanced to their first Grey Cup in 20 years. The year after that they would win their first Grey Cup in 20 years.
And the Stampeders were off.
Coaching excellence
Wally Buono would go on to win three Grey Cups with Calgary in 1992, 1998 and 2001, and be named coach of the year in 1992 and 1993. He moved on to the B.C. Lions where he won two more Grey Cups in 2006 and 2011, and was named coach of the year in 2006 and 2011. In 2009, he passed Don Matthews as the winningest coach in CFL history. He would finish with a total of 282 career wins, 165 losses and three ties.
Wally Buono would go on to win three Grey Cups with Calgary in 1992, 1998 and 2001, and be named coach of the year in 1992 and 1993. He moved on to the B.C. Lions where he won two more Grey Cups in 2006 and 2011, and was named coach of the year in 2006 and 2011. In 2009, he passed Don Matthews as the winningest coach in CFL history. He would finish with a total of 282 career wins, 165 losses and three ties.
Parting thoughts
The 1980s were very much a decade of transition for Wally Buono. At the outset, he was finishing up a playing career that took him to five Grey Cups in 10 years, and be exposed to a lot of experienced and knowledgable football people. Perhaps the most notable was Marv Levy, his coach in Montreal, who would go on to coach the NFL Buffalo Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances.
The 1980s were very much a decade of transition for Wally Buono. At the outset, he was finishing up a playing career that took him to five Grey Cups in 10 years, and be exposed to a lot of experienced and knowledgable football people. Perhaps the most notable was Marv Levy, his coach in Montreal, who would go on to coach the NFL Buffalo Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances.
He would also utilize the strengths and experience of former players, most notably his longtome Montreal teammate Chuck McMann who followed him to Calgary and B.C.
Buono would serve an apprenticeship first with the Montreal Concordes then the Calgary Stampeders, before closing out the decade ready to embark on what became a prolific and profound coaching career.
It was the 1980s that prepared him for the success ahead.
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