1971 Coaching Changes

The coaching carousel looked like it might be a light season with only a few changes, but that was all thrown out the window when a single job opening caused several people to make moves. 

TORONTO STEELHEADS

It was known that Toronto was making at least a change at Head Coach with the retirement of Ronald Martin, however, it became a wholesale change when GM Howard Stinton was also let go. The decision to move on from Stinton came after RB Max Tracy met with owner Jerry Anderson about his decision about the future. Tracy told Anderson, that he would not re-sign with the team and stated that the way that Stinton had run the team did not make him feel like they could win a championship anytime soon and he was not getting younger. Tracy’s statement along with several other players that had moved on in the last couple of years, finally woke Anderson up to the issue and he fired Stinton. Anderson is not the greatest football mind, hence why he trusted the previous regime so strongly, due to their previous success, but he understands people and has listened to them. With the new job opening, there would be several candidates that jumped at the opportunity. Many of the options were looking for a job, but there were 2 names that came from other GM positions in the NAAF. GM Reginald McMahon of the Buffalo Blue Wings and GM Jon Neal of the Ottawa Royals both threw their hat into the ring. Both GMs had previously come up through the Toronto Lakers system, having both jumped at opportunities in the NAAF. The two Toronto natives both desired the opportunity to take control of a team in a city they used to call home. It left Anderson with the best decision you could have between two GMs that have had plenty of success in the NAAF. After lots of negotiation, Anderson would select Reginald McMahon as the new GM of the Toronto Steelheads. McMahon would end up signing the largest executive contract in NAAF history, earning him $142,500 over 5 years. McMahon bring an established reputation to the Steelheads, with his massive success in building the Blue Wings into the NAAF’s most recent dynasty. 

McMahon would not waste much time in looking to hire his new head coach. While some speculated that Blue Wings’ HC, Maurice Evanson, might follow McMahon to Toronto, Evanson ultimately re-signed with the Blue Wings. McMahon would go in a new direction and hire a coach who has been waiting patiently for an opportunity. He would hire Halifax Mariners’ DC, Phillip Little. Little had entered the NAAF out of his coaching position at West Mass State and has been with the Mariners’ organization since 1961. Little has slowly developed into a solid coordinator and defensive mind which McMahon hopes to capitalize on with the talent the Steelheads have on defence. The team would see a pair of new coordinators as well with Little hiring, Abraham Bachman as DC, a coach he had previously worked with and even played with. Bachman has a solid brain for defensive tactics and has been working with hybrid rules for several years now. As for OC, former Gold Stars OC Gregory Curtis would be hired. Curtis has a reputation to try new things and innovate offensively and if it catches on in Toronto could make for a dynamic offence. 

LONDON TIGERS

A disappointing season for the Tigers does see the team make a change at the Head Coaching position. Dewey Doyle’s two seasons as head coach were underwhelming, and he just didn’t seem quite cut out to be a full-on head coach, so GM Joseph Johnson elected to move on. Johnson liked hiring people he knew and trusted, hence the decision to promote Dewey Doyle from the OC position with his previous head coaching hire. He would continue the pattern here by bringing on former Tigers’ captain and Hall of Fame LB, Aengus Lynch from his DC position in Ottawa. Lynch is a very smart defensive mind that should bring a brand new set of eyes to a young, developing defence. Lynch has shown what he can do with the very strong Royals’ defence and should be a strong hire for the Tigers. Lynch did elect to keep Clifford Jacobson as DC, the same DC that coached Lynch throughout his career but decided to let go of OC Charlie Sheppard in favour of OC Edward Hines. Hines had previously worked with the Steelheads for the last 7 years and has shown a solid ability to get the offence to work to their strengths.

OTTAWA ROYALS

While many expected GM Jon Neal to return to Ottawa after missing out on the opportunity in Toronto, that would not be the case. Neal was ready for a new opportunity after 14 seasons as the GM of the Royals and had told the team he would move on regardless of whether he got the job. Ottawa was okay with the decision and would promote their head of scouting, Shawn Lester, to be the team’s new GM. Lester has been quite the scout over the years helping the Royals consistently draft stellar talent. HC Jean Matieau would also make some changes in his staff. With DC Aengus Lynch heading to London, Matieau would bring on former teammate, DL Olaf Viktorsson as the team’s new DC. Viktorsson is a very strong motivator and could maybe help with conditioning on a defence that had a lot of key injuries last season. Matieau would also find a new OC, letting Wayne Ball go and bringing on Dewey Doyle. While Matieau continues to handle the offensive tactics, Doyle should provide some great development from players, something he was good at in London. 

MONTREAL ROUGE

Montreal had another disappointing season and the team needed a major shake-up. So Owner, Alvon Martineau would clean house by firing GM Martin Gagneaux, HC Alfred Deniau, OC Louis Jonsson, and DC Jordan Sauveterre. He would end up being the one to hire Jon Neal as the new GM to take control of the team. Martineau hopes he can build on the roster and get the Rouge back to a consistent playoff team, similar to what he had done in Ottawa. As for the coaching position, Neal would end up giving Malachi Knowles a second crack at a coaching position. Knowles had previously had a 3-year stint in Louisville with a record of 10-25-1, which is not all that inspiring. However, Neal looked to both Soni Dionne of the Minnesota Serpents and Levi Bray of the Long Island Raiders as two coaches who had rough first jobs and then turned out to be two of the best coaches in the league last season. Neal hopes Knowles can learn from his first job and get the Rouge back on track. Knowles would get right to hiring the rest of his staff, bringing on DC Carrol Moss, a long-time friend and co-worker who was Knowles’ DC in Louisville, and then hiring former Rouge QB Andrew Glover to be the OC. Glover was the Rouge QB back when the team won their last McCallister Cup in 1953. He is a solid teacher and the Rouge are likely hoping he can help develop young QB Nathan Houle. 

BUFFALO BLUE WINGS

With Reginal McMahon moving on to Toronto, the Blue Wings would turn to former Boston Independents GM, Earnest Bryan, to take on the role. Bryan is not looked at as a very strong GM, but he is still capable of keeping a team in a competitive spot which is all that the Blue Wings are looking for at this point. Bryan is also a former scout, which Buffalo hopes can translate into some youth amongst their aging core.

HALIFAX MARINERS

DC Phillip Little was hired away by Toronto, so the team had to fill his shoes. Former Steelheads’ DC, William Jennings would be tabbed for the new role. Jennings had done quite well with developing many of the talented young players on the Steelheads, and Halifax hopes that can be carried over as the team may begin a transition to a new era. 

INDIANA VICTORS

The final hole to fill was with Indiana’s now vacant OC job, due to Malachi Knowles’ second departure from the Victors. Indiana would hire, former Rouge HC, Alfred Deniau for the job. Deniau had previously worked under current Victors’ HC Urick Wilkins, during his time in Halifax and should be a solid fit within the team. 

CHANGES OVERVIEW

Buffalo
OUT
GM Reginald McMahon - Hired by TOR
IN
GM Earnest Bryan - from Scouting Department LI

Indiana
OUT
OC Malachi Knowles - Hired by MTL
IN
OC Alfred Deniau - From MTL HC

Halifax
OUT
DC Phillip Little - Hired by TOR
IN
DC William Jennings - From TOR DC

London
OUT
HC Dewey Doyle - Fired
OC Charlie Sheppard - Fired
IN
HC Aengus Lynch - From OTT DC
OC Edward Hines - From TOR OC

Montreal
OUT
GM Martin Gagneaux - Fired
HC Alfred Deniau - Fired
OC Louie Jonsson - Fired
DC Jordan Sauveterre - Fired
IN
GM Jon Neal - From OTT GM
HC Malachi Knowles - From IND OC
OC Andrew Glover - From Western New York OC
DC Carroll Moss - From Louisville State DC

Ottawa
OUT
GM Jon Neal - Hired by MTL
OC Wayne Ball - Fired
DC Aengus Lynch - Hired by LDN
IN
GM Shawn Lester - Promoted from Head of Scouting
OC Dewey Doyle - From LDN HC
DC Olaf Viktorsson - From Maine State DC

Toronto
OUT
GM Howard Stinton - Fired
HC Ronald Martin - Retirement
OC Edward Hines - Fired
DC William Jennings - Fired
IN
GM Reginal McMahon - From BUF GM
HC Phillip Little - From HFX DC
OC Gregory Curtis - From Rhode Island State OC
DC Abraham Bachman - From Haynes HC

1971 Retirements

DL William Sanderson - Ann Arbor, MI - Creator: Dan O’Mac
College: Michigan University
Drafted: 1957 - IND - Round 1, Pick 2
Teams: Indiana Victors (1957-1964), Buffalo Blue Wings (1965-1970)
Captaincy: IND - C (1959-1964), BUF - A (1970)
McCallister Cups: 3 (1966, 1967, 1969)
Awards: Defensive Player of the Year (1964), Rookie of the Year (1957), 2x McCallister Cup MVP/MOP (1966, 1969)
All-Stars: 14 (1957-1970)
Player of the Week: 9
One of the best of his generation, William Sanderson retires having been an All-Star in all 14 seasons of his career. From the moment he entered the league in 1957 as the #2 overall pick, he was a star, winning Rookie of the Year. He continued to lead the Victors through the first 8 seasons, becoming captain in 1959, his 3rd season. He would take home Defensive Player of the Year in his final season in Indiana, which was his lone win of the award. With just one year left on his contract and a desire to win, Sanderson told the Victors he was not likely to return after his contract was up. In response, the Victors would send Sanderson to Buffalo for 4 draft picks and a pair of players. Ironically, the Victors would make the playoffs the next season and Buffalo would miss. Luckily for Sanderson, Buffalo bounced back to win back-to-back McCallister Cups in 1966 and 1967. Sanderson took home the McCallister Cup MVP in 1966 and again in 1969 when Sanderson got his 3rd title. After the Blue Wings lost in the Quarter-Finals to the Victors in 1970, Sanderson officially decided that his career was done and retired. 

RB Dareion Fields - Baltimore, MD - Creator: Wallflower
College: Baltimore State
Drafted: 1958 - LI - Round 1, Pick 2
Teams: Long Island Raiders (1958-1970)
Captaincy: LI - A (1963-1966, 1970), LI - C (1967-1969)
McCallister Cups: 3 (1958, 1965, 1970)
Awards: 2x Offensive Player of the Year (1959, 1964), Rookie of the Year (1958), Playoff MVP/MOP (1964)
All-Stars: 8 (1958, 1959, 1961, 1963-1966, 1968)
Player of the Week: 10
Another all-time great at his position, Dareion Fields ends his storied career just like how it began, on top of the NAAF. The Raiders made a big move in the 1958 draft to trade up to pick #2 to select Fields. Fields made an immediate impact, completely rewriting the Raiders’ offence to be more run-heavy, taking home Rookie of the Year and capturing the McCallister Cup. Fields continued to roll on being the focal point of the Raiders’ offence, taking home Offensive Player of the Year in his 2nd season. While he would struggle a bit through the Raiders’ dark years, he was back and just as good as ever when the team went through their second stretch of success from 1964-1967. He took home Playoff MVP in 1964 to go along with his 2nd Offensive Player of the Year Award but came up short of a second title. However, the next season, the Raiders were back on top. In 1967, Fields would finally be named captain of the team. In his final few seasons, Fields started to take a secondary role as young RB, Scott Norton, started to rise up through the ranks. In his final season, Fields still made an impact as the Raiders captured a 3rd title, ending his career on top.

QB Todd Baker - Toronto, ON - Creator: Wallflower
College: St. George
Teams: Toronto Steelheads (1964-1970)
Captaincy: TOR - C (1964-1970)
McCallister Cups: 0
Player of the Week: 1
Todd Baker’s time in the NAAF was limited, having only spent the final 7 years of his career in the league after playing the first 10 in the Ontario Football Union. Baker was easily the best QB in the OFU during his first 10 years, leading the Toronto Lakers to many championships. When he arrived in the NAAF, Baker made an immediate statement, helping the Steelheads to the playoffs in their first season. He then led them to the top of the West Division in their second season. They would make a 3rd playoff appearance in a row the next year, however, the team was never able to win a playoff game in all 3 attempts. After those first 3 seasons, Baker’s play started to decline. Behind a league-worst O-line in 1967, the Steelheads would finish dead last. Luckily, Baker bounced back in 1968, leading the Steelheads to another playoff appearance, although much of the credit could go to star RB Max Tracy’s MVP season. Baker was pretty pedestrian over his final 2 seasons. This past season, Baker, unfortunately, suffered a severe injury which cut his season short. It was during the recovery process, that Baker decided that it was the end of his career and officially decided to leave the game. Baker was a very solid player during his time in the NAAF, even if he probably won’t be looked at as an all-time great. 

HC Ronald Martin - Toronto, ON
Teams: Toronto Steelheads - HC (1964-1970)
Record: 41-43-0
Playoff Record: 0-4
McCallister Cups: 0
Awards: Coach of the Year (1964)
With Todd Baker’s retirement, it wasn’t a surprise to a lot of people that there would be a few retirements coming from the Steelheads organization. In fact, Head Coach, Ronald Martin, noted in his retirement conference that he was going to retire once Baker had decided to. While many may give both Todd Baker and RB Max Tracy a lot of credit for the Steelheads’ steady stream of success, Martin was a key factor. Martin’s ability to get the best out of a team that, in most seasons, looked like a bottom-half team on paper, was next to none. He consistently outperformed the team’s expectations and always found ways to win games they never had any business winning. His ability to adapt to the new hybrid ruleset was also rewarded when he took home Coach of the Year in his first season in the league. While he was never able to pick up a win in the postseason, he still had a very respectable career in the NAAF and a great one in the OFU. 

OL Graham Chambers - Moncton, NB - Creator: ZO82
College: Maine State
Drafted: 1957 - BOS - Round 1, Pick 9
Teams: Boston Independents (1957-1970)
Captaincy: BOS - A (1965-1970)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1961)
All-Stars: 9 (1959-1967)
Player of the Week: 10
Chambers was drafted 9th overall by the Boston Independents in 1957. The selection proved to be a great one as Chambers would develop into a franchise O-lineman. The eventual, 9-time All-Star would be a physical presence on the Boston line for 14 seasons. He would help the team capture a McCallister Cup in 1961. In 1965, he was named Alternate Captain, a title he would hold until the end of his career. Chambers was a great leader and teammate, always being a consistent anchor on the line, making him an all-time great at the position.

S Johnny Berger - Elgin, IL - Creator: DireBear
College: Rockefeller
Drafted: 1957 - LOU - Round 2, Pick 11
Teams: Louisville Thunder (1957-1970)
Captaincy: LOU - A (1964-1969)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1962)
All-Stars: 7 (1960-1964, 1966, 1967)
Player of the Week: 8
Berger became one of the best safeties in the league after being selected 11th overall by the Thunder. During most of his career, Berger was often right there with S Garet deVale as the best in the business. Berger would be a 7-time All-Star in his career, which includes 5 straight All-Star seasons from 1960-1964. He would help the Thunder capture a McCallister Cup in 1962. In 1964, Berger was named Alternate Captain, a title he held until the 1969 season. His leadership was always about leading by example, as he was one of the hardest-working players on the field at all times. Berger would spend his entire career with the Thunder, being a nuisance to many QBs over his 14 seasons in the NAAF. Shortly after retiring, Berger announced that he had partnered up with former Boston Independents Kicker Johnnie Berg, to open a burger restaurant called “Johnny Burgers”. 

DB Jackson Miles - Kitchener, ON - Creator: Wallflower
College: Kitchener-Waterloo Provincial
Drafted: 1957 - LDN - Round 2, Pick 18
Teams: London Tigers (1957-1970)
Captaincy: LDN - A (1964-1969), LDN - C (1970)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1960, 1963)
All-Stars: 6 (1959-1964)
Player of the Week: 6
DB Jackson Miles decided he wanted to join the NAAF over the OFU during his college years when his hometown of Kitchener was hosting the Ontario Tigers. Miles had a dream to play pro football in his hometown. His dream would come true immediately when the Tigers selected him 18th overall in 1957. Unfortunately, Miles only got to play for his hometown for a single season as the Tigers moved to London, ON in 1958. While Miles had resentment towards the team for moving at first, he grew to understand and really enjoy the Tigers organization. On the field, Miles continued to bloom as the team’s top corner. He would be a 6-time All-Star and eventually put on the Alternate Captain badge in 1964. He would even get the chance to be Captain in his final season in 1970. Miles helped the Tigers win both of their 2 championships in 1960 and 1963. Miles also continued to return to his hometown of Kitchener and do some charity work. He also helped the Tigers set up a bus system that would get to Kitchener to bring fans down to London to watch games during the season. Miles hopes to return to Kitchener after playing to help build up the youth football program. 

DB Kelly Kirkland - New Haven, CT - Creator: Captain Mort 3D
College: Haynes
Drafted: 1957 - IND - Round 2, Pick 12
Teams: Indiana Victors (1957-1970)
Captaincy: IND - A (1959-1964, 1970), IND - C (1965-1969)
McCallister Cups: 0
All-Stars: 6 (1958, 1961, 1962, 1964-1966)
Player of the Week: 3
Kelly Kirkland arrived in Indiana in 1957. While he was never as physically gifted as most players, he made up for it with his smart play. Often making great plays using his anticipation and knowledge of the game and their opponent. It make Kirkland a great leader for the team, which is why he was named Alternate Captain in 1959 and eventually Captain in 1965. Kirkland became a fan favourite in Indiana with his kind and optimistic personality. He also was pretty good at his job, being a 6-time All-Star and one of the brightest spots on the Victors during their early struggles. Despite his decline in the last few seasons, Kirkland stayed on in a smaller role, helping where he could to give Indiana a couple of cracks at the McCallister Cup. They were unsuccessful in getting a championship, but Kirkland will still be remembered as a local legend. Many expect Kirkland to take on a coaching role down the line. 

WR Cedric Peterson - Ottawa, ON - Creator: Wallflower
College: Rideau
Drafted: 1958 - PRO - Round 1, Pick 8
Teams: Providence Gold Stars (1958-1968), Ottawa Royals (1969-1970)
McCallister Cups: 0
All-Stars: 4 (1961, 1964, 1965, 1967)
Player of the Week: 2
Peterson grew up idolizing WR Allen Atkins of the Ottawa Royals. One of the best WRs in the team’s history. When he entered the draft, there were many scouts seeing the similarities in playstyle to Atkins which led to the Gold Stars selecting Peterson 8th overall in 1958. Peterson would go on to become Providence’s top receiver for many seasons, building strong chemistry with QB Connor O’Rourke. Throughout his career, Peterson was known as a guy you couldn’t leave one-on-one, because he would win that match-up almost every time. It would be hard to count how many times he made highlight catches over defenders purely on how frequently it happened. Peterson’s play would earn him 4 All-Star seasons. He would only get one crack at the McCallister Cup during his time in Providence in 1963, which the team could not bring home. After 11 seasons with Providence, and following the retirement of QB Connor O’Rourke, Peterson asked the team if he could be traded to the Royals to fulfill a dream of wearing purple and gold. The Gold Stars agreed and sent Peterson to Ottawa for a 4th round pick. Peterson had a limited role in Ottawa, but still had a pair of TDs. He did get one last crack at the McCallister Cup in 1969 but again fell short. Peterson retires from the game, mainly from his limited playtime, and doesn’t exactly know what he will do next, but some suspect TV may be in his future. 

DL Richard Blunt - London, ON - Creator: Scratch
College: London
Drafted: 1958 - LDN - Round 1, Pick 6
Teams: London Tigers (1958-1968, 1969-1970), Toronto Steelheads (1968)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1960, 1963)
All-Stars: 3 (1962, 1964, 1968)
Player of the Week: 1
A local fan favourite, Richard Blunt, has decided to call it a career. The London native got the opportunity to play in his hometown right out of college when he was picked 6th overall by the Tigers in 1958. Blunt’s well, blunt personality, was very direct, but seemed to play well with the coaching staff led by Roy Aguirre. Aguirre shared his very blunt and straight-to-the-point nature, so the two got along well and Blunt would grow quickly into a cornerstone on the defensive line. Blunt was an important piece in the Tigers’ run of championship appearances between 1959 and 1963. He would be a 3-time All-Star throughout his career, one of a few players that had an All-Star season that was split between 2 teams. In 1968, Blunt was traded midseason to the Steelheads as Toronto hoped to make a push in the playoffs. The Steelheads were unsuccessful, and after the season, Blunt’s contract was up so he promptly returned to London to play out the final years of his career. Blunt was very direct in saying he would be a farmer following any questions regarding his plans after his career. 

OL Forrest Green - Sault Ste. Marie, ON - Creator: Scratch
College: Michigan University
Drafted: 1959 - LOU - Round 2, Pick 17
Teams: Louisville Thunder (1959-1964), Long Island Raiders (1965-1970)
McCallister Cups: 3 (1962, 1965, 1970)
All-Stars: 3 (1962, 1964, 1968)
Player of the Week: 1
Green was a very interesting O-lineman coming out of college with an abnormally long wingspan that allowed him to cover more area with his blocking. Some scouts didn’t know what to make of it which is probably why he slid a little in the 1959 draft, but after the Thunder saw the opportunity to trade up, they took Green with the 17th overall pick following a trade with Providence. Turns out, it was a great decision from the Thunder who landed a 3x All-Star who would help the team capture a championship in 1962. In 1965, the Pittsburgh Blacksmiths would select Green in the expansion draft, however, he would never play a game as he was traded at the draft to the Long Island Raiders. The Raiders needed help on their O-line and Green turned out to be a great fit, helping them win a title in his first year with the team. Green would play out the final 6 seasons with the Raiders, winning a 3rd McCallister Cup in 1970, capping off his career on top. 

OL Gregory Farrell - Kingston, ON - Creator: Wallflower
College: Dominion
Teams: Toronto Steelheads (1964-1970)
Captaincy: TOR - A (1967-1970)
McCallister Cups: 0
All-Stars: 3 (1964, 1965, 1966)
With the retirement of QB Todd Baker, several other Steelhead stars were finally hanging up their cleats as well. OL Gregory Farrell, also joined by WR Edmund Landry and DL Allen Barrera, called it a career with their long-time teammate. Like Baker, Farrell only played 7 seasons in the NAAF, but he made an impact, being a 3x All-Star. He also served as one of the Alternate Captains over the course of his final 4 seasons. Farrell's position was often on Baker’s blindside which was on purpose as Baker trusted Farrell more than anyone he ever played with, and a low-pressure rate from Farrell shows exactly why. 

WR Piers Key - Naperville, IL - Creator: ThisIsFine
College: Michigan University
Drafted: 1959 - LOU - Round 1, Pick 6
Teams: Louisville Thunder (1959-1966), Ottawa Royals (1967-1970)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1962)
Awards: Rookie of the Year (1959)
All-Stars: 2 (1961, 1962)
Player of the Week: 3
Key entered the NAAF as a big player that can make catches in tight coverage. Many figured he would be an excellent redzone threat because of this. He was pretty good by the endzone, but he mainly became a catch machine bringing in receptions all over the field. He was drafted 6th overall by the Thunder in 1959. During his first season, Key made an impact with 5 total touchdowns, picking up Rookie of the Year. He continued to be a favourite target of QB Leonidas Dumont through the early stages of his career, having his best seasons in 1961 and 1962, earning All-Star nods in both years. In 1962, he would capture his lone championship ring with the Thunder. In the later half of his career, Key didn’t live up to the same level as the All-Star seasons, but he remained a key piece of the Thunder offence. Following a disappointing 1-11 season in 1966, Key left the team and joined the Ottawa Royals. He would spend the final 4 seasons of his career with the Royals and ended up being great in more of a supporting role. He enjoyed his time with the Royals and is expected to still be involved with the organization following his retirement.

WR Alexei Dubois - Quebec City, QC - Creator: Darknes
College: St-Laurent
Drafted: 1960 - IND - Round 1, Pick 1
Teams: Indiana Victors (1960-1964), Boston (1964-1968), Louisville Thunder (1969), Toronto Steelheads (1970)
McCallister Cups: 0
All-Stars: 1 (1967)
Dubois will, unfortunately, always carry the label of being a draft bust. He was drafted with the #1 pick of the 1960 draft by the Indiana Victors. Dubois had a solid first season, bringing in 4 touchdowns, but that seemed to be his ceiling. The next few seasons he could not eclipse the 4 touchdown mark, while WR Ed Edwards, who was selected with Indiana’s 2nd round pick that year, grew into the #1 WR. During the 1964 season, Dubois was traded to Boston. Dubois would finally break the 4 touchdown ceiling with 5 in 1964. He continued to improve with his 4 and a half seasons with Boston, eventually having a 10-touchdown season in 1967, earning him his lone All-Star season. Dubois remained a solid WR until he was selected in Minnesota’s expansion draft. Dubois never signed with the Serpents, so he ended up landing in Louisville instead. His more limited role in Louisville saw his number plummet. He only lasted there one season before heading to Toronto for his final season. In the end, Dubois still had a respectable career, but the stench of being the #1 pick in the draft will always leave the question of what could have been of the top WR. At least he is on a short list of players that have scored touchdowns for 4 different teams. 

Other Notable Retirements
WR Edmund Landry - Peterborough, ON - College: Dominion - Creator: Wallflower
Teams: TOR (1964-1970)
DL Hubert Tessier - Montreal, QC - College: Majeure Montreal - Creator: Wallflower - Drafted: 1959 - MTL R2 | P13
Teams: MTL (1959-1970)
OL Wally McRose - Wilmington, DE - College: Baltimore State - Creator: QCS - Drafted: 1960 - LI R2 | P15
Teams: LI (1960-1964), PIT (1965-1970)
TE Tobias Lindholm - Rochester, NY - College: Western New York - Creator: Darknes - Drafted: 1960 - BOS R3 | P27
Teams: R.BOS (1960-1961), BOS (1962-1970)
S Randall Graham - Toledo, MI - College: Michigan University - Creator: Captain Mort 3D - Drafted: 1958 - OTT R2 | P12
Teams: OTT (1958-1968), LDN (1969-1970)
RB Rashed Smith - Brooklyn, NY - College: Brooklyn Metro - Creator: Wallflower - Drafted: 1961 - PRO R2 | P11
Teams: PRO (1961-1968), HFX (1969), LOU (1970)
QB Terry Bourbon - Kennebunkport, ME - College: Maine State - Creator: ThisIsFine - Drafted: 1957 - BOS R2 | P13
Teams: R.BOS (1957), BOS (1958-1959), WOR (1960-1961), LI (1962-1963), PRO (1964-1969), TOR (1970)
*I mainly wanted to highlight Terry Bourbon because I looked at his starting history and he lost all 10 of his first 10 starts before finally winning his last 2. He joins QB Andrew Sexton as the other QB to lose their first 10 starts.

1971 Design Changes

Ottawa Royals

The Royals have made a minor adjustment to their look by removing their white socks and using their purple socks for both home and away.

Halifax Mariners

The Mariners have joined the Blue Wings and the Victors in using a white facemask. 

Calgary Predators

Owner Tyler McNeil has announced that the new name for the Calgary team will be the Calgary Predators. While McNeil has said he isn’t completely sold on the team name, he felt it was the best name that still linked back to the team’s previous brand while being different enough from the London Tigers. The move may also have been to appease the Calgary fans, who certainly have a stronger connection to the “Tigers” name. 

Overall, the brand doesn’t change much, just replacing “Tigers” with “Predators” in the wordmark and the removal of the very rarely used “T” secondary logo. The Jerseys only see the stripes moved down the sleeve slightly removing the small white stripe on the cuff of the sleeve, and allowing the TV numbers more room to breathe.

1971 NAAF League Meetings

MERGER DEAL WITH WFU
Before any other conversation could occur within the league meetings, Mark Livingston of the Wolves presented the NAAF with their desire to further their partnership into a full merger. The conversation moved quickly as both leagues certainly saw the benefit of a permanent arrangement, especially with a Kansas City expansion still up in the air. The details of the deal would be worked out over the course of the meetings as both sides saw it as a great opportunity to make some changes to the league as a whole. Eventually, they would have a final proposal which the league voted on. The new deal passed convincingly, as the NAAF officially entered a new era with 18 full members of the league.

NAAF Changes
The new deal brought a plethora of new changes to the NAAF, and how its season would function. Below is a list of the biggest changes:

The former WFU teams will remain with Minnesota in the West Division, making the 1970 division alignment a permanent situation. 

14 Games: The upcoming season will see the regular season schedule grow from 12 games to 14 games. This includes the same 8 games against their division with an additional game against each other division (3 per division). 

Minimum Wage Increase: With the addition of 2 more games, the minimum wage will increase from $7,500 to $10,000, with the potential to increase if league revenues continue to rise as well. 

Rookie Deal Increases: Further bonuses for higher draft picks will also take place over a player’s 3-year rookie deal, more details are to be ironed out at a later date, but an immediate boost will apply to all current players. 

Mackenzie Cup: While the WFU teams still wanted to have a dedicated game to compete for the Mackenzie Cup, the rest of the league was not as happy about the playoff format from last season, Minnesota specifically who had to play a much stronger opponent in Vancouver than they felt if they got to play (8) Ottawa. While Norman Mackenzie of the Rangers proposed an option of the top 2 former WFU teams making it and competing for the cup, again the league didn’t like the idea as if it was used last season the Winnipeg Falcons would have made the playoffs at 5-6-1, while Ottawa and Louisville miss at 7-5. In the end, the decision would be that the Mackenzie Cup will be awarded to the highest-finishing WFU team during the regular season. 

Beyond those specific changes, the WFU teams will also be included in the 1971 draft. Players out of Western Canadian Schools will also be able to easily apply/declare for the NAAF draft. The NAAF and the Western Canadian schools will also be working together to start to make the transition to hybrid rules come the 1972 college season.

With the WFU teams now included, here is the 1971 draft order:
1 - Calgary
2 - London
3 - Regina
4 - Halifax
5 - Montreal
6 - Toronto
7 - Edmonton
8 - Winnipeg
9 - Boston
10 - Louisville
11 - Ottawa
12 - Providence
13 - Buffalo
14 - Minnesota
15 - Indiana
16 - Pittsburgh
17 - Vancouver
18 - Long Island

Also, all former WFU players are now able to become full members of the NAAF and receive the benefits of being member players in the league. This will also allow the new teams to easily sign and trade with the rest of the NAAF. 

CALGARY NAME CHANGE
The last thing that was touched on was that the league wasn’t super stoked about having two teams with the Tigers' nickname. Tyler McNeil was more than willing to make a change to the name for Calgary, having not been overly attached to the Tigers name that the team has had for many years before he became the owner. 

ACFL

HAMMERS IN TROUBLE
The Blacksmiths set the mark for the best attendance numbers in Pittsburgh for the first time in a while. Their competitors, the Pittsburgh Hammers have continued to see attendance decline. Another part of the Hammers’ organization was in decline, and that was the investors. The Hammers for a long time have had a collective group as ownership. The group had previously included current Blacksmiths’ owner William Braddock, but just like Braddock who eventually pulled out for the opportunities in the NAAF, other investors have been jumping ship. The ACFL has had to start to step in and help the failing organization from going belly up. However, with more and more investors pulling out, the league is now the majority owner. At this point, the league is going to be looking for a new ownership group to take on the team, and they certainly will not stop at the city limits, meaning the end could be in sight for a historic franchise. 

POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP WITH SOUTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
With the NAAF’s temporary agreement with the WFU that was agreed to last offseason, the ACFL was quick to find a response. Their response was to head south and begin talks with the Southern Football League about a potential merger. The 6 Southern teams and the league have shown interest in a partnership, especially to help grow both leagues to start to compete with the NAAF appearing to pull away a little from the rest. An agreement has not been officially made, but many expect by next offseason, the two leagues will have something set in stone. 

1971 WFU Meetings

Prior to the NAAF’s annual league meetings, the 5 WFU owners would meet for their own meetings to discuss any changes or proposals they wanted to present to the NAAF. Several proposals were thrown around for changes, especially about how the Mackenzie Cup could be awarded next season, but before they got too far, Vancouver owner, Mark Livingston stepped in with a big proposal. 

Livingston went over many of the positives from the WFU’s partnership with the league in the first season. The biggest being the national TV revenue which the WFU was unable to secure themselves in recent years due to the NAAF’s rise. All teams also saw a rise in revenue with some ticket price increases and with many more casual fans being brought in by the NAAF’s reputation and brand. He also added that he, himself appreciated the increased competition within the league which certainly raised the bar for his team, however, he pointed out that the competition will only lead to the rest of the teams growing in interest. He finished his statement by suggesting that the WFU should explore a more permanent merger with the NAAF. 

The rest of the owners nodded at the positives of their first season as temporary members of the NAAF. However, more hesitancy was shown by Edmonton Rangers’ owner, Norman Mackenzie. Mackenzie still was very attached to the league that his father had built and had his reservations about the league’s potential “demise”. 

It would be Ed Morrissette, the Winnipeg Falcons owner, that stepped in next. Morrissette pointed out that in the last decade of the WFU’s existence, the league had not grown at all. The attendance was not growing, they could not get stronger TV coverage, and talent was harder to come by. During this time, the NAAF and ACFL only continued to grow in every way. In just one season under the NAAF umbrella, the WFU saw its first financial growth in a decade. A growth that cannot be ignored. Morrissette continued on with a final statement, “Sure, the WFU could take what they gained from the NAAF in a year, but they would essentially be throwing in the towel and giving up the teams’ biggest opportunity to grow. We could do that, but we are just putting ourselves at further risk of falling apart. I think we only have one choice. We have been floating out in the ocean with no help in sight for far too long. Right now we have one of the best, strongest and most trustworthy groups that can help us. We cannot turn away. We. Will. Drown.”

Morrissette’s words rang in the room. The silence was held for a few minutes before Norman Mackenzie spoke. “I think we have something to vote on.”

Morrissette nodded and took charge again. “All in favour of moving forward with a permanent merger proposal with the NAAF raise your right hand.”

Morrissette raised his hand.

Livingston raised his hand.

Calgary Tigers’ owner, Tyler McNeil, raised his hand. 

The group turned towards the other two, Norman Mackenzie and Bill Kingsley (Regina Wheat Kings). 

Kingsley raised his hand.

Mackenzie hesitated but then raised his hand.

A unanimous decision was made and the group started to put together a proper proposal to be presented at the NAAF’s meetings in Ottawa. 

1970 Award Winners

Most Outstanding Player - QB Charles Lemieux - Buffalo Blue Wings
Charles Lemieux takes home the second MVP/MOP award of his career. His play on the field was excellent yet again, earning him a 4th All-Star nod. He also led the league in passing yards, something that he had yet to do in his career. A great year for the QB that I don’t think many would argue against being the best in the league at the moment. Lemieux’s win also continues the trend of the Central (formerly West) Division being the holder of the MVP/MOP award with 11 of the last 12 winners being out of the division. Only S Garet deVale from Montreal breaks up the run that started with QB Riley Kiernan with the Tigers in 1959.

Playoff MOP - DB Rutherford Winters - Long Island Raiders
For the first time since 1965, the Playoff MVP/MOP is the same as the McCallister Cup MVP/MOP. Winters had a great playoff run being a steady shutdown corner for a Raiders defence that was able to shut down several strong offences throughout their playoff run. Winters also earned a Player of the Week nod in the Quarter-Finals. 

Offensive Player of the Year - WR Casey Coleman - Louisville Thunder
Coleman had to step into a big leadership position this season and he certainly rose to the occasion having a career year with 16 touchdowns. Coleman was finally let off the leash and could show the incredibly high ceiling he has had since being drafted 9th overall in 1963.

Defensive Player of the Year - LB Kurt Warlock - Providence Gold Stars
Warlock was the definitive winner for DPOY earning a large majority of the votes. His MOP-level season looked a lot like the years that LB Scotty Williams terrorized defences in the 1950s. The former 2nd overall pick is continuing to rise up as the centrepiece in the Gold Stars’ defence that is likely to be making waves in the years to come. 

Special Teams Player of the Year - K Ryan Perch - Buffalo Blue Wings
Perch takes home the Special Teams Player of the Year award for the first time in his career. Perch joins DB Lauri Hayha as the only non-Canadian/American players to take home an award during their career. The overall battle for the award was a close one with Perch winning the award by 1 point.

1970 Kicking Points
1 - Ryan Perch BUF - 109 Points
2 - Nimrod Handsworth LDN - 108 Points
3 - Sterling Brooks VAN - 107 Points
T4 - Thomas Standberry EDM - 104 Points
T4 - Vic Greatwood TOR - 104 Points

Offensive Lineman of the Year - OL Charles Creighton - Edmonton Rangers
The inaugural OLOY is Charles Creighton. Creighton is also the lone WFU player to take home an award this season. His play on the line to set up a very sturdy run game from the Rangers was a big factor in Creighton taking the award this season. 

Rookie of the Year - LB Ricky Wildgoose - Louisville Thunder
Wildgoose becomes the 6th #1 pick to take home ROY. Wildgoose didn’t have an above-average year or anything, but he was consistently being a contributor right from the start showing that he has a very strong floor before he likely takes a massive step forward in the coming seasons.

Coach of the Year - HC Soni Dionne - Minnesota Serpents
The closest vote ended up being the Coach of the Year with Soni Dionne and Tommie Warner coming down to a single vote. In the end, Soni Dionne would win his second consecutive COY award, joining Dannell Willis and Peter McDuffin as the others to complete the feat. Dionne continues to impress with the Serpents having a league-best 10-2 record in just their second season bringing his regular season record as a head coach with Minnesota to 18-6. 

Breakout Player of the Year - WR Tracy Driscoll - Buffalo Blue Wings
Another close vote saw WR Tracy Driscoll take home BPOY. Driscoll is the 3rd Blue Wing to win the award, joining QB Charles Lemieux and WR Zachariah Pembroke. Driscoll’s explosiveness, which was on full display this season, kept the Blue Wings’ offence as fresh as ever and one of the best in the league again.

53rd McCallister Cup Host - New Providence Stadium - Providence, RI - Capacity: 65,450
The 53rd McCallister Cup will be heading back up to Providence. The league’s largest stadium will host its 3rd Cup, the first two happening in 1953 and 1964. 

Previous McCallister Cups in Providence
1953: MTL 22-14 PRO
1964: BUF 20-17 LI

1970 All-Stars

WEST ALL-STARS
QB Kevin Westwood VAN (1)
RB Gary Hubbard EDM (1)
OL Charles Creighton EDM (1)
OL Phillip Caron EDM (1)
OL Elias McCarren MIN (2)
OL David Brewington VAN (1)
OL Claude Balderson WPG (1)
WR Terry Upshaw WPG (1)
WR Keshawn Johnston VAN (1)
WR Sebastian Dassler MIN (1)
TE Johnny Temple VAN (1)
DL Albert Sullivan MIN (1)
DL Steven Montgomery EDM (1)
DL Pete Gingers REG (1)
DL Damien Battles CGY (1)
LB Garrett Roberts MIN (1)
LB Claude Clarke WPG (1)
LB Brett Pride REG (1)
DB Jayson Klyde MIN (1)
DB Chris Berrymore REG (1)
S Nick Palmer VAN (1)
S Gérard LaCroix MIN (1)
K Sterling Brooks VAN (1)

CENTRAL ALL-STARS
QB Charles Lemieux BUF (4)
RB Jasper Dickerson BUF (1)
OL Erik Nelson PIT (4)
OL Jean Baptiste Francois PIT (1)
OL Elias McCarren MIN (1)
OL Jean-Baptiste Desjardins IND (7)
OL Emil Jennings LDN (6)
WR Casey Coleman LOU (3)
WR Tracy Driscoll BUF (1)
WR Jake Abbredezzi IND (1)
TE Jesse Butler PIT (1)
DL William Sanderson BUF (14)
DL Mo Kahn LDN (1)
DL Aaron Henderson LOU (2)
DL Arthur Bradshaw PIT (3)
LB Marshall Langenbrunner IND (5)
LB Patrick Hamilton PIT (1)
LB Randall Lambert BUF (2)
DB Neville Falkner IND (10)
DB Zed McLaughlin PIT (2)
S Charles Clerk TOR (2)
S Mathieu Cazenave BUF (1)
K Ryan Perch BUF (2)

EAST ALL-STARS
QB Nathaniel Braddock BOS (5)
RB Reggie Whitehead BOS (2)
OL Gary Bies LI (3)
OL Tommy Reynolds OTT (1)
OL Kane Warwick HFX (2)
OL Elliot Barrett MTL (2)
OL Bradley Clark MTL (1)
WR Taylor Karis MTL (7)
WR Shane Steadman HFX (4)
WR Justin Palmer PRO (1)
TE Luiss de Brands OTT (2)
DL Wayne Baxton HFX (8)
DL Dallas Breaker LI (1)
DL Bartolo Cruz PRO (2)
DL Newton Dalton PRO (1)
LB Kurt Warlock PRO (2)
LB Byron Turner BOS (3)
LB William Washington II LI (6)
DB Rutherford Winters LI (3)
DB Lamar Brown MTL (1)
S Marc Bellecourt OTT (3)
S Tom Parrish PRO (1)
K Woody Woodstock BOS (1)

1970 League Leaders
*Yardage is not tracked, but this is roughly where I think the players would be based on whether teams were more likely to be pass-heavy or run-heavy

Passing Touchdowns
1 - QB Tom Applewhite IND - 28
2 - QB Buck Murphy LOU - 27
3 - QB Charles Lemieux BUF - 25
4 - QB Louis Vaughn PIT - 24
5 - QB Drake Young OTT - 21

Passing Yards 
1 - QB Charles Lemieux BUF
2 - QB Buck Murphy LOU
3 - QB Tom Applewhite IND
4 - QB Louis Vaughn PIT
5 - QB Drake Young OTT

Rushing Touchdowns
T1 - RB Gary Hubbard EDM - 15
T1 - RB Joe Rivers - 15
3 - RB Reggie Whitehead BOS - 14
T4 - RB Jasper Dickerson BUF - 12
T4 - RB John Drexel CGY - 12

Rushing Yards
1 - RB Reggie Whitehead BOS
2 - RB Gary Hubbard EDM
3 - RB John Drexel CGY
4 - RB Jasper Dickerson BUF
5 - RB Joe Rivers WPG

Receiving Touchdowns
1 - WR Casey Coleman LOU - 16
T2 - WR Tracy Driscoll BUF - 13
T2 - WR Jake Abbredezzi IND - 13
4 - WR Taylor Karis MTL - 12
5 - WR Terry Upshaw WPG - 10

Receiving Yards
1 - WR Tracy Driscoll BUF 
2 - WR Casey Coleman LOU
3 - WR Jake Abbredezzi IND
4 - WR Taylor Karis MTL
5 - WR Justin Palmer PRO

Interceptions
1 - DB Neville Falkner IND - 9
T2 - DB Rutherford Winters LI - 8
T2 - DB Zad McLaughlin PIT - 8
4 - DB Aquilio Ruiz LOU - 7
T5 - DB Chris Berrymore REG - 6
T5 - S Charles Clerk TOR - 6 

Forced Fumbles
1 - LB Brett Pride REG - 7
2 - LB Kurt Warlock PRO - 6
T3 - LB Herb Landry EDM - 5
T3 - LB Frank St. John EDM - 5
T3 - DL Wayne Baxton HFX - 5
T3 - LB Claude Clarke WPG - 5

Sacks
1 - DL Bartolo Cruz PRO
2 - DL Dallas Breaker LI
3 - DL Wayne Baxton HFX
4 - DL Arthur Bradshaw PIT
5 - DL Lucas Kipling MTL

Tackles
1 - LB Kurt Warlock PRO
2 - LB Marshall Langenbrunner IND
3 - LB Byron Turner BOS
4 - LB Garrett Roberts MIN
5 - LB William Washington II LI

Field Goals
1 - K Nimrod Handsworth LDN - 29
2 - K Vic Greatwood TOR - 26
3 - K Sterling Brooks VAN - 24
T4 - K Woody Woodstock BOS - 23
T4 - K Thomas Standberry EDM - 22