Courtesy Vancouver Province:

The scenario that is coveted by Wally Buono and the one which plays out may be different.

But it is only triggered by a win over the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday, which would be the 232nd of his CFL coaching career and put him above Don Matthews and all others.

The coach of the B.C. Lions would like to think he can control everything else that occurs in the days leading up to his next victory. He will repeatedly try to downplay the significance of the pending achievement. He will try to stick to his usual rituals.

But he will not likely be successful, regardless of whether the record-setter comes this week or in the future. So all he is asking of his players, besides coming up with an effort that matches the one turned in by the Lions to post a 19-12 win at B.C. Place Stadium last Friday, is a simple request. A medical one at that, too.

Buono knows all too well about the traditional Gatorade shower which is usually bestowed upon coaches in the waning moments of a significant achievement.

“Just make the water warm,” he said. “[The shower] is fun, but it does take your breath away.”

How Buono would know about a Gatorade shower, at least during his Lions stay, is hard to figure.

His players were not afforded the chance to celebrate by dumping liquid on their boss five years ago. With an assist from former defensive line coach Richard Harris, the head man avoided the early shower near the end of the Lions’ win over Saskatchewan in the 2004 West Division final.

Good thing. Days later, Buono told his coaches he was about to undergo triple-bypass heart surgery.

That hasn’t prevented Buono from engaging in a few other little habits he knows he probably should cease in the years which have passed. Those rituals might have to be overlooked soon as well.

He’ll admit to consuming the occasional glass of red wine and taking a long pull on a Montecristo cigar, but mostly only after home games in the privacy of his patio at home.

Should he reach the top of the coaching pile in a city where he played for 10 seasons with the Alouettes, well, some traditions just might have to be altered for one night.

There may still come a day when he will talk more candidly about the significance attached to the next victory. He has gone from a youth wanting to be a hockey player growing up in Montreal to one of the most respected members of his profession. Oddly, as he points out, he is also the only CFL coach who does not wear a headset during games.

Yet there are still times when he asked himself how he ever got this far.

“Many a day I’ve said I’ve fooled a lot of people,” he said.

“When I took over in Calgary I was asked once ‘Why have you been able to do what nobody else in the city has done in coaching?’ I said ‘I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I have a lot of people praying for me’. God says ‘Everything I give is good.’ If winning is a gift, it’s a gift.”

The Als would be of the opinion that Buono has already had one present this year in the form of a blown call late in last week’s game. CFL director of officiating Tom Higgins admitted that off-field game officials took too long to inform referee Murray Clarke of a clock review request which wiped out the game-tying touchdown run by Avon Cobourne.

Montreal president Larry Smith said on Monday he would like to take away Buono’s gift, as the Als plan to protest the contest.

It is plays like the Cobourne run which quickly snaps Buono back into focus, for as much as he will he cajoled into talking about the good times growing up in the north end of Montreal this week there is still a game to be played and much more work to be done.

“I don’t think we’re off the hook after [last week],” he said. “Go back to Montreal and beat them again. I know they’re a good team and if we both play well, why can’t we do it again?

“Maybe this time they won’t get a couple of lucky breaks and we don’t give them 150 yards on blown [pass] coverages, or get a high [punt] snap for a touchdown.”

Buono didn’t envision those two scenarios which took place last week against Montreal. No way he can predict what happens after his next victory either.

HEAD TO HEAD: Career CFL coaching records of Don Matthews and Wally Buono

MATTHEWS

B.C. 56-23-1

Toronto 49-31

Saskatchewan 25-22

Baltimore 27-9

Edmonton 16-20

Montreal 58-28

Total: 231-133-1

BUONO

Calgary 153-79-2

B.C. 78-38-1

Total: 231-117-3

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