MONTREAL -- For a second year in a row, the Montreal Alouettes will start the
CFL season with a new head coach.
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Bob Wetenhall announced Monday that Tom Higgins will be the clubs new head
coach. The former Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders bench boss replaces
general manager Jim Popp, who took over on Aug. 1 when the inexperienced Dan
Hawkins was fired only five games into the 2013 season. Wetenhall made it clear
in a statement that he did not want Popp, who is considered one of the CFLs best
GMs but has a career 16-20 record as a coach, to continue in both jobs. "As Ive
expressed to the media in recent weeks, I wanted to continue with the formula
which has brought us the success weve enjoyed these past 17 years -- having a
full-time head coach and a full-time general manager to fill each of these
positions," said Wetenhall. "The criteria we established was to find an
individual familiar with the CFL; someone with success in that position and a
background as a position coach. In addition, we sought an individual with a
record for moulding and delivering championship teams. "In Toms seven years as a
head coach he won three division championships along with a Grey Cup, and twice
earned recognition as the CFLs coach of the year. His head coaching record of
72-53-1 speaks for itself. We welcome Tom to the Alouettes family." Popp had
made no secret of wanting to continue coaching, but Wetenhall put out a
statement recently saying candidates would be interviewed. A year ago, the
Alouettes waited until Feb. 19 to name Hawkins, a former U.S. university coach
with no experience of the Canadian game. He was 2-3 when he was fired with the
team in disarray. Popp, the Alouettes GM since they returned to Montreal in
1996, took over as coach for the third time in his career and went 6-7. It
marked only the second time since 1996 the team had a losing record, matching
the 8-10 mark Popp put up in his only full season as head coach in 2007. It hurt
that starting quarterback Anthony Calvillo was lost for the season in August to
a concussion. This time, the team waited five days longer to name a new coach
and came up with Higgins, who stepped down in December after five years as the
CFLs director of officiating. Higgins did not even get introduced at a press
conference. The club said "time constraints and personal obligations" prevented
bringing him to Montreal for the announcement, but that he will talk to the
media Tuesday on a conference call. He takes over a team that will not have CFL
all-time passing leader Calvillo as its starter for the first time since 2000.
Instead, 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and young prospect Tanner Marsh
are pegged to replace the retired future Hall of Famer. Higgins, who will turn
60 on July 13, led the Eskimos to 13-5 records twice and won a Grey Cup in 2003
in his four years with the club. He had a 28-25 record in three seasons in
Calgary from 2005 to 2007. "Tom has worked with and tutored many of the CFLs
finest quarterbacks -- Doug Flutie, Henry Burris and Ricky Ray, to mention a
few," said team president Mark Weightman. "His expertise will be invaluable in
the development of Troy Smith and Tanner Marsh." Higgins has spent 23 years in
various CFL jobs, including a stint as GM in Edmonton. A native of Woodbridge,
N.J., and a former linebacker and defensive tackle, Higgins played for Calgary
and Saskatchewan in the 1970s. Popp replaced Rod Rust as coach at the end of the
2001 season, but gave way for Don Matthews the following season. He stepped in
again when Matthews left for health reasons in 2006. Marc Trestman, now coach of
the Chicago Bears, coached the club from 2008-2012, winning two Grey Cups.
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made by the hall on Friday, March 14. She joins Switzerlands Denise Biellmann
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Todd Dunivant Jersey .Y. -- Phil Jackson lost
out on his preferred coach, but hes working hard on keeping his star player.The
New York Islanders have traded forwards Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Peter Regin to
the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2014 fourth-round pick. Bouchard has appeared in 28
games with the Islanders this season, scoring four goals and adding
five assists. The 29-year-old will report directly to the Rockford IceHogs of
the AHL. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer once his
one-year, $2 million deal elapses. Bouchard was selected eighth overall at the
2002 NHL Entry Draft bby the Minnesota Wild, where he played the first 11 years
of his NHL career.
Jose Villarreal Jersey. Bouchard has 110
goals and 356 assists in 593 career NHL games. Regin, 27-years-old, scored two
goals and seven points in 44 games with the Islanders this season. He signed a
one-year, $750,000 deal with the Islanders prior to this season. In 222 career
NHL games with the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders, Regin has 21 goals
and 41 assists. The Islanders retained 50 per cent of each players salary.
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