Justin Dunk
CFL.ca
It was a long time in the making, but two of the greatest Canadian university football players have finally gotten their due.
Between them, Chris Flynn and Eric Lapointe claimed five Hec Crighton awards – two of just five players ever to win the award on multiple occasions – during their university careers.
So, it is only fitting that arguably two of the best ever at their respective positions have become the first two modern-era amateur players to gain entry into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Flynn was inducted as a member of the 2011 class on Sept. 16 and Lapointe was recently announced as a member of the 2012 induction class.
“I knew Chris Flynn was inducted this year and I thought I would have a chance at one point,” said the former Mount Allison Mountie Lapointe.
For years, the CFHOF only recognized athletes who played the pro game in our country, but after an overhaul to the Hall’s induction process, one amateur player will be recognized and inducted each year.
“They’re trying to promote football at all levels in Canada and the first step is promoting the next highest level besides pro – the university level,” Flynn said.
“I think it’s great that besides my induction and Eric Lapointe’s, the CIS is getting more exposure.”
A three-time All-Canadian at quarterback, Flynn was one of the most recognizable athletes in the country, during his playing days from 1987-90 at St. Mary’s, because of the national media coverage the Huskies and CIAU, now the CIS, received.
“One thing that helped me, besides winning three Hec Crightons, is when I first started, TSN became regular cable and they really promoted the CIAU,” said Flynn.
In those days television networks like Rogers Sportsnet and TheScore didn’t exist so sports enthusiasts tuned into TSN to get their fix. During the fall, a Canadian university football game was featured each week.
“Back then they showed lots of highlights and we were on TSN quite a bit, and that helped the CIAU, then it kind of died down for many years,” Flynn said.
“I see TheScore and TSN back covering the CIS again which is a good thing.”
Out West, Shaw TV has put CIS football on its airwaves for a number of years now and in the Maritimes, EastLink TV features AUS football throughout the fall. Meanwhile, in Quebec, media outlets are looking to snap up CIS football broadcast rights.
“I know here in Quebec there is going to be a huge fight between a number of networks because there are a lot of people that want to watch university football,” Lapointe, a native of Brossard, QC, said.
While the level of attention continues to grow, so does the quality of athletes playing university football around the country.
Since Flynn and Lapointe last suited up for their respective schools, both watch the brand of CIS football played today and immediately notice a difference.
“It’s definitely a better calibre now,” Flynn said. “It’s hard to compare eras – it has already been 20 years since I played, but I would admit that when I watch, the calibre is better now.
“I think the guys are a lot more athletic than when I was in college,” Lapointe said.
The two CIS Hall of Famers believe the commitment level of players and coaches has been a driving force behind raising the level of play on university fields across the country as well. .
“I think the coaching is a lot better. Most university programs have two full-time coaches, which certainly wasn’t the case back in my day,” Flynn said. “For example at St. Mary’s we didn’t even have a spring training camp.”
“It’s a mix of a lot of things. Yes, the coaching is better. There is certainly more quality coaches now than there were back in my day,” Lapointe said. “The major point is that guys are working out year round.”
“Now guys are practicing indoors, they have spring training camp, those things didn’t happen back in the day – guys have a chance to get better 365 days a year. It’s not only the four or five months that the season lasts that they can get better, it’s all year round.”
All the blood and sweat is proving to be worth it at two particular positions. Throughout the history of the CFL, the quarterback and running back positions have been dominated by import athletes.
Back in 1992 not even a three-time Hec Crighton award winner could get a legitimate crack at playing his natural position.
“My CFL tryouts, 1992 I tried out with Ottawa and 1993 in Toronto – both training camps I would practice at quarterback in the morning and receiver in the afternoon,” Flynn said.
Being a scrambling type quarterback it was hard for Flynn to show his improvisation skills in practice.
“I got in three plays for Ottawa,” he said. “My three plays: my first play I ran for 25 yards on a bootleg, we got a first down, then, on the next first down I handed it off and on the second down I threw a quick slant incomplete and we kicked it and that was it.”
Flynn would get cut before the Argos first exhibition game in 1993. In 1996 the Ottawa Rough Riders signed Flynn as a backup receiver, backup safety and special teamer. He would have returned the following year, but the franchise folded and no other suitors came calling.
Even though Flynn’s bid to make it as a Canadian passer in the CFL fell short, like many other accomplished CIS pivots, he sees reason for optimism now and down the road for non-import quarterbacks.
“Regardless of the CFL you can obviously tell the calibre of the CIS quarterbacks is getting better,” Flynn said. “20 years ago, maybe there were five or six pretty good quarterbacks, now pretty much every team has a pretty good quarterback.”
Since 2008, at least two Canadian pivots have been invited to the CFL’s Evaluation Camp, an opportunity to show their skills in front of professional coaches and talent evaluators.
Although, with only eight starting jobs in the CFL it is hard for any young QB, American or Canadian, to come in and beat out a veteran for game reps, but Flynn believes strength is in numbers.
“There are more and more quarterbacks from the CIS that at least have a chance to go to training camp and make it as the third quarterback,” he said.
“I wouldn’t be surprised in a few years to see a guy like Brad Sinopoli maybe getting in there and getting to start and getting a chance to play regularly.”
Unlike the pivot position, non-import running backs have gotten more run throughout the history of the CFL. During the 2011 season we have seen a slew of Canadian backs featured in prominent ball carrying roles.
Home-grown rushers like Jerome Messam in Edmonton – the Toronto native is set to become the first Canadian running back to eclipse the 1,000 yard plateau since Sean Millington rushed for 1,010 yards with the Lions during the 2000 season – Jon Cornish of Calgary and Andrew Harris in B.C. have all earned starting roles with their respective teams this year, in what has been one of the most productive seasons ever for Canadian running backs.
“There have been some great ones in the past. In any part of life, there are always people who open doors for others,” Lapointe, who enjoyed an eight-year CFL career said.
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uo;Maybe in three or five years from now there will be five or six starting.”
“I think everybody has a responsibility and their responsibility is to play well and to represent Canadian born players as best they can – I think that’s what they’re doing.”
Lapointe surely did his best to show that Canadian running backs could produce when given the opportunity. During his career, Lapointe played for three teams: Hamilton, Toronto and Montreal, amassing 2,416 yards and 16 touchdowns along the ground, but most impressively averaged 6.1 yards per rush attempt over his time in the CFL from 1999-2006.
As much as Lapointe, Flynn and all Canadians would like to see more home-grown boys earning featured roles on pro teams across the country, many believe it could just be a matter of being patient.
“I think things are changing over time. Football in Canada is improving and the athletes here are improving,” Lapointe said.
“If you look at Laval University playing against the University of Calgary, it’s almost like watching two American college teams,” Flynn added. “It bodes well for the future.”
A future that will be full of more CIS Hall of Fame inductees to be sure, and possibly even some at the highest level.
“Canadian kids will be inducted as purely Hall of Famers,” Lapointe said. “On the same level as Damon Allen and Milt Stegall because the level of Canadian football is increasing every year.”
A promise all of our home-grown talent is striving to realize.
