The game of life

He is a man who had transformed the Alouettes camp in June. The illness of his wife Alexia everything into perspective for Anthony Calvillo. The arrival in Montreal by Marc Trestman, it enabled the career of veteran smuggler to know a second wind. The opportunity to silence its critics once and for all has never been as beautiful as Sunday evening and understands very Calvillo well. I received a call from a Mexican newspaper this week. He believed that I spoke Spanish - not the case - and wanted to know how to contact Anthony Calvillo. In the ROC, there is usually a paper in all the newspapers of the city where Calvillo is passing. As a major star. In Montreal? C'a always been more mixed. We are beginning to realize that our quarter is not ugly at all, but we never had the impression that he had fully document. Except in one place, one that really matters. It would be blind not to see that this is not always harmony within the organization Alouettes. Except when it comes to Calvillo, a rare issue that is still unanimously. Nobody said a word when it comes time to sign his checks, which are obviously the highest in the team. Moreover, the memory of a special citation from the DG Jim Popp remains burned. It was during a press conference in Toronto last year when ACA experiencing a difficult season. "Who knows, Anthony will play perhaps as long as Damon Allen, had launched Popp. I almost giggle believer that Jim was joking, but he was serious as a catechism teacher. Calvillo was 35 years, Allen has hung his spikes to 44 ... But Popp has always gone to the front for his shift. What we did not know at this point is that Calvillo's career was almost terminated a few months later. For some reason that nobody could have envisaged. We knew that something was wrong when Calvillo was absent from training. Popp and Ben Cahoon discussed outside the rest of the team for long minutes. Everyone had a long face and there was a sound inside the Olympic Stadium, with players such as journalists. The first meeting was held Calvillo with the media after the terrible news was deep sadness. Of gray everywhere, in the eyes in the sky to fall. The tears flowing one after another of his black eyes, Calvillo looked more like a boy than a quarter star. What could we say to a man who had just learned that his young wife was suffering from cancer, although she had given birth of the couple's second child two weeks earlier? The season burlesque knew that the Alouettes became even more trivial. Strength and courage "It must pass blood tests every two months, and each time it makes me nerves ball," said Calvillo. You will understand qu'Alexia Calvillo is better. She completed her treatment of chemotherapy and radiotherapy and doctors are satisfied with what they observe. It will be fingers crossed. Things are slowly returned to normal, but Anthony Calvillo, it is no longer quite the same as the one man who left the team last year to be at the bedside of his wife and s' occupy their two young children. It is not easy to fall into any more than it used to embellish this story: Calvillo is a changed man. We would be less, but he seems deeply. "I do not see things the same way. I appreciate and cherish every moment, every match, which was not the case before, "said candidly confessed leader of the Alouettes earlier this week. Calvillo has never played with such passion, confidence and determination. There is a click happened. Calvillo's speech after he was named the best player in the league, Thursday evening, was also significant that touching. "Finally, I thank the most important person, that showed me what courage and strength. I thank God for allowing us to be able to spend more time on this earth, "said Calvillo, eyes moist, but this time for any reason. Calvillo has talked about retirement this week. "A year at a time, repeat there for over a year. But Calvillo has never suffered serious injury, appears in the best physical condition of his career, and has a great complicity with Marc Trestman. He could play three more seasons if he meant. And those who believe it is impossible to exceed Calvillo Damon Allen for the number of yards and everything else - it is the second in almost all categories of importance - go take a small glimpse of what Trestman has done with a Rich Gannon-end career in Oakland. The consecration? It is reported there. A victory and a good performance in front of more than 60 000 supporters tonight Calvillo then take its rightful place alongside the great quarters in the history of Canadian football. If it does not, critics re-surface when the last whistle will be heard. Calvillo I asked if the game today would define his career at a breakfast team official on Thursday. "Yes, he replied bluntly. It was a record of 1-4 in the final and I know what people think if I find myself with a record of 1-5. But if we win Sunday, no longer speak. I understand the situation. " You can blame some things to Calvillo, but we can never say it scrolls.