Montreal Alouettes head coach Marc Trestman speaks to reporters at a news conference announcing his contract extension Thursday, December 17, 2009 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan RemiorzRyan Remiorz/The Canadian Press
The mantra coach Marc Trestman has adopted for the 2010 Montreal Alouettes is that they cannot repeat as Grey Cup champions because the team is not exactly the same as the one that captured the title last year.
It sounds like hair-splitting, but the idea is to keep them humble and hungry for another shot at the Cup, even if the squad has hardly changed from the one that went 15-3 and edged Saskatchewan in the final.
The CFL has not had a repeat champion since the Toronto Argonauts in 1996 and '97. Before then, it hadn't been done since the Edmonton Eskimos ran off five in row from 1978 to '82.
So the official answer to the question the Alouettes have already been asked countless times since training camp is that this is a whole new season and, while Montreal may have won in 2009, this year's group can't take for granted it will win again in 2010.
And that's why the notion of a "repeat" is banned from the locker-room.
"Nope, there's no repeat because we don't have the same team," rush end Anwar Stewart said with a big grin, before admitting, "Coach Trestman told us all the things to say, but it makes sense.
"You can't repeat if we have different guys. But the new guys we have, we want to bring along and show how we practise and how we prepare each day because we'll need everybody."
There were only a handful of changes to the starting lineup of a team that has impressive depth on both sides of the ball and continues to be led by veteran quarterback Anthony Calvillo, who is coming off his second straight CFL outstanding player award.
Snapper Bryan Chiu retired, but his replacement, former guard Paul Lambert, is a seasoned veteran who has backed up at centre for eight years, while Luc Brodeur-Jourdain has been groomed to move in at guard.
Everyone else is back on the offence that led the CFL with 600 points scored, including slotbacks Ben Cahoon, Jamel Richardson and S.J. Green, receivers Brian Bratton, Kerry Watkins and Danny Desriveaux, running back Avon Cobourne and fullbacks Dahrran Diedrick and Kerry Carter.
On a defence that held opponents to a league-low 324 points, tackle Keron Williams and Canadian cornerback Davis Sanchez both left, so Jermaine McElveen has moved inside to the tackle spot and Stanford Samuels, a veteran who hardly played last year due to injuries, could start in Sanchez's spot. If not, backup De'Audra Dix may get that job.
Otherwise, rush ends Stewart and John Bowman and tackle Eric Wilson are back, as are linebackers Diamond Ferri, Shea Emry, Chip Cox, Ramon Guzman and Walter Spencer, defensive backs Mark Estelle, Billy Parker and Jerald Brown and safeties Etienne Boulay and Mathieu Proulx.
The biggest question involves kick returns, as Larry Taylor left for the NFL. Impressive newcomer Tim Maypray could take that spot, or returnee Brandon Whitaker.
So, while it isn't exactly the same team, it must not look any easier to beat for the other seven clubs.
The Canadian Press