Inside the CFL: Wally Buono receives well-deserved honours in Calgary

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on August 1, 2024.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

he most glorious 12 years in the history of Calgary sport came between 1990 and 2001 when the Stampeders finished first seven times, made it to the Grey Cup six times, winning it all on three occasions.

The architects of that tremendous football dynasty were Wally Buono, Roy Shivers and Stan Schwartz.

On July 21, the native of Potenza, Italy became the 50th member to be enshrined on the McMahon Stadium Wall of Fame.

The legendary “China Clipper,” former great Edmonton running back and Stampeder GM Normie Kwong got it all started. When the 1989 campaign ended, his coach, the Quixotic Lary Kuharich, left in the middle of the night for a job with B.C., Kwong eschewed a famous coach to run his team, turning instead to assistant Wally Buono. It was a stroke of genius.

Before he began his first year as a head coach, I asked him if he had any major concerns going into the season. He laughed and exclaimed, “Yeah, me! Young guys do make mistakes. But I have old wily guys around me to pull me out of the fire.” He was being modest. Buono knew exactly what he wanted to do the moment he took over. That was the first time I sat down and talked with him.

Although he didn’t know me from Adam, he was open and friendly and forthcoming. He still is. Over three decades he taught me a lot about football and life.

His numbers are impressive. Over his 13 seasons as Stampeder head coach, his record was regular season 153-79-2, playoffs 12-6, Grey Cups 3-3. Successors associated with him, Tom Higgins, John Hufnagel and Dave Dickesnon have won 209 regular season games and three Cups. He won 101 more games in B.C. and two Grey Cups. He is the winningest head coach in CFL history. His five championships tie him with Hugh Campbell, Frank Clair and Don Matthews for most ever.

His job was made more difficult because of the three-ring circus atmosphere provided by flamboyant owner Larry Ryckman and later Michael Feterick, the California cardboard box manufacturer who bought the team so his son could play quarterback, and when Wally wouldn’t go along made it clear he wasn’t welcome.

Buono will tell you Schwartz and Shivers were critical to his success.

Super scout Shivers discovered players like Allen Pitts, Kelvin Anderson, Alondra Johnson and Jeff Garcia, all on the Wall of Fame.

He was a father figure to black players. While Buono had his player’s backs, he was somewhat aloof, believing he would be more objective that way. In 1985, Medicine Hat’s Stan Schwartz became the team’s vice president and GM, administration, keeping the franchise alive during the fall of Rykman’s financial empire. His rock-solid reputation for honesty allowed the team to move into new ownership. Schwartz was appointed president in 1996. At one point Stan and Wally met the payroll with their personal credit cards.

Coaches are considered great because of championships. Probably the best Buono team ever was 1992, led by Doug Flutie that beat Winnipeg in the Grey Cup. They won again in 1998 over Hamilton, after five frustrating seasons, one they had to win. Buono’s final Grey Cup with Calgary was 2001 when they came from third place to upset the heavily favoured Bombers.

I remember more vividly talking to him after losses. Of his seven first-place finishes, he lost the Division Final five times. “We played in four Western Finals,” he said after the 1994 loss to B.C. “Two we lost. We should have won all four. The tragedy of our sport is the fact that you play one game to get to the next step and sometimes that isn’t the game you are at your best.”

He was too conservative in losing the 1991 Cup to Rocket Ismail. In 1995, Baltimore special teams beat him, in 1999 vs. Hamilton, his quarterback Dave Dickenson played with a shattered shoulder.

What made him a winner? He hired excellent assistants. He was the boss who clearly defined roles and expectations and held everyone accountable. While always trying to be fair, he was tough when needed. Wally was and is a man of integrity. He relied on his Christian faith to guide him in his life decision-making. And, he really knew his football X’s and O’s.

Congratulations, my friend!

Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 52 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.