Friday, December 31, 2010

Flory reflects on the Als' evolution, Giffin looks to the future

For Montreal guard Scott Flory, it may be yet another Grey Cup, but that doesn't mean he isn't excited. Flory's been with the team since 1999 and is entering his eighth Grey Cup week, but he said at the Alouettes' media lunch Thursday that he still has the passion he had in his first Grey Cup week in 2000.

"I'm approaching this one with the same seriousness and same intent to win as I did with the first one in my second season in 2000," Flory said. "It's a personal drive. It's part of a standard of excellence within this organization that's something that's really been ingrained from the top down."

Flory said Montreal's been so successful over the years because of a philosophy that values continuity and stability.

"We have a core of guys, we fill in the pieces around them and try to create something special in our locker room, and we've done that," he said.

That philosophy of continuity has remained over time, but the Alouettes' identity has changed. As I wrote Wednesday, this is no longer the party-crazy 2002 team Arash Madani profiled brilliantly this week. Flory agrees with that.

"That team, back in '02, we were all a bunch of mid-20s kids, all kind of from the same place," he said. "This team, we've got a lot more married guys, family guys. Each team takes on its own dynamic. It's definitely a different vibe and that doesn't make it any better or any worse."

The Alouettes have won two of their eight Grey Cup appearances this decade, the 2002 one under head coach Don Matthews and last year's victory under current head coach Marc Trestman. Flory said Trestman has played a significant role in this team's evolution.

"Marc has really brought such a different dynamic than Don Matthews," Flory said. "He brings a real serious approach to our locker room, but it's not without fun. He is as detailed as a guy there is. He cares, he's got passion, he's such a smart man and real personable. What he's done with our team in the last three years since he's arrived, how he's got guys to buy in and really have success has been remarkable. He's a great coach."

Flory said that doesn't necessarily make this team better than previous ones, though.

"I can't compare teams," he said. "That's something maybe for when I'm done, but I'm not going to compare because each team is so unique and so different. Each year has such a different vibe. Every year I've been in this league, it keeps getting better. We just keep forging on and keep trying to have some success."

Flory may be 34 and a 12-year CFL veteran, but he isn't contemplating retiring yet.

"I have no intentions of retiring. I love football and I care about this league too much. I'm having too much fun doing it. I'm still young."

Facing the Riders is déjà vu for Flory in more ways than just a reprise of last year's Grey Cup. He was born in Regina and played CIS football for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. However, his thoughts are more on his current team these days.

"I'm proud of this team for being here," he said. "We have an opportunity on Sunday to do something special."

The other notable story from the lunch came from Alouettes' fullback and special teams player extraordinaire Mike Giffin (pictured, left, with former Laval quarterback Benoit Groulx and former Bishop's/current B.C. Lions running back Jamall Lee). After a tremendous CIS career at Queen's (where I covered him back in my Queen's Journal days), Giffin went to Montreal last year and initially struggled to find playing time. He also battled injuries and was hurt most of Grey Cup Week last year, but managed to play in the game and hurt himself again.

This year, Giffin has bounced back and become one of the league's top cover men on special teams, finishing second in the league with 22 tackles (oddly enough, the man he's behind, Toronto's Bryan Crawford, is also a former Queen's running back). He may be taking on another Queen's grad Sunday on special teams, as this year's top draft pick Shomari Williams has shone all year for Saskatchewan. Giffin had some interesting thoughts on his comeback, among other things:

"I feel great this year," he said. "Everything's coming together well. I feel a lot more comfortable out there on special teams, I feel like I've done a great job so far, and I hope it continues in the playoffs."

Giffin still follows his former team at Queen's. The reigning Vanier Cup champion Golden Gaels went 3-5 this season and fell to McMaster in the first round of the OUA playoffs. Giffin said that was disappointing to see, but somewhat expected considering their rebuild.

"They lost a lot of starting players, and especially to lose their quarterback in [Danny] Brannagan, it must have been a rough year," he said. "I'm sure they'll bounce back in years to come."

Brannagan, Giffin's former backfield mate at Queen's, wound up with Toronto this year and actually got into their final game against Montreal, making him the first Canadian quarterback to take a snap for the Argonauts since Frank Cosentino did it in 1969. Giffin said it was terrific to see Brannagan doing well, even on the other team.

"It was great, actually," he said. "It was nice to see a Canadian out there at quarterback. I'm sure everyone's been talking about it. He actually got his first couple of reps against us so it was awesome to see him out there on the sidelines."

Giffin's excited about the recent announcement that the Vanier Cup will be held in conjunction with the Grey Cup next year, a development he thinks will bode well for the CIS game.

"All the Grey Cup fans are in town, so I'm sure they'll have a great reason to go to the game," he said. "It's going to be great."

Giffin's optimistic about the state of Canadian talent in the league at the moment, and he thinks it's only going to get better. He thinks Montreal and Saskatchewan's success using Canadians in key roles will cause other teams to follow suit.

"That's the blueprint," he said. "That's what you've got to do to build a successful team in this league."

Angelina Jolie Erica Leerhsen Angela Marcello Paz Vega Rebecca Mader

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