Dein erstes Forum » Maybe what the Alouettes need now is a man of action. T

SHERBROOKE, Que. - Meet Dan Hawkins - hes loud and friendly. "Ma fee ahh aushway!" he shouts happily following the fourth day of Montreal Alouettes training camp. Its some kind of French, and the man from Idaho wouldve bellowed it as loud on any corner along Rue Sainte-Catherine if he could. "Accouchée," says Alouettes communications director Charles Rooke, quietly. "Accouchée!" Hawkins says quickly. "OK, Im getting there, Im trying to work on it" A long time ago, Vince Lombardi said: "Confidence is contagious, so is lack of confidence." Hawkins is not like the austere, granite-faced Green Bay Packers head coach. He has a bright, oval face, and ostensibly two expressions: smiling and smiling wider. And he hasnt won two Super Bowls. "Ma...fille... a...accouchée" Hawkins says slowly, acting as if he cant hear Rooke take him gently through each syllable. "Yeah, Im a grandpa. I had another grandchild today. "Big news of the day." What you need to know, less than a week into his professional and CFL head coaching career, is that Dan Hawkins is an uncomplicated man, who shares Lombardis fondness for uncomplicated creeds. "Quit trying to win, just be a winner," is what Hawkins is telling the Alouettes — his team — now. Montreal general manager Jim Popp has always recruited from unconventional places. Hawkins helped make Boise State relevant in NCAA football a decade ago, then wasnt as successful at Colorado State. His record as a college head coach is 112-61-1. His record as a professional head coach is 0-0-0. That number will be scrutinized far more intensely than Anthony Calvillos age — hell be 41 in August — because Marc Trestman refined NFL quarterbacks — Bernie Kosar, Jake Plummer and Rich Gannon — before leading the Alouettes to back-to-back Grey Cups. Hes parlayed those accomplishments into the top job with the Chicago Bears. The last few years Hawkins worked as a college football analyst for ESPN. So, what has he learned halfway through his first week as a professional head coach? "Youre a professional, right?" Hawkins says, narrowing his eyes, but without a hint of agitation. "So would your boss or your supervisor treat you any different — I would hope not — if you were an intern or you were getting paid? "I mean, these coaches are professional, so Im coaching coaches as well. Youre always picking things up. I think the biggest thing — for me and these guys — you certainly know things about [players] on film, but all I told them is all we know is what we know." That sounds like coach-speak — all cleverly tied words. Dont talk about leading, coach, just lead. And in the middle of the central Quebec countryside — something off J. E. H. MacDonalds easel — Hawkins breaks the green calmness with a bit of West Coast volume. "Here we go, here we go, here we go!" he shouts as he runs here and there. The sound cuts through the wind and rolls over the hills. Blink and the man in the red cap is behind the quarterbacks near the far end zone. Blink again, hes there pacing around the running backs. Blink, there he is, this time between the tackles before a special teams drill. He shouts and moves his arms, and his players follow. Give this man the football. It is the kind of energy Edmonton head coach Kavis Reed has too, but it has been sharpened over nearly 20 years in the CFL. Conversely, if Hawkinss energy and passion is undressed and transparent; he just wants his players to reveal the same. "Until you see a guy play and perform consistently out here and do it, you build that trust of Yeah OK, youre that player and see him turn it on and turn it off successfully," the coach says. "Then youre going OK he is that player...and you do the same thing in college really." One of the few times Hawkins stands still is when scuffles flare. Rookie defensive back Michael Parker takes exception to a tackle from slotback Jamel Richardson, and all fall silent as the two broad men curse and grab at one another. They are separated quickly, but the intensity bubbles over. Teammates sneer and hoot at each other. Bodies slam together, harder and harder. Running back Brandon Whitaker says someone pulled him from behind during a scrimmage, sticking his right knee in the turf, irritating the scar tissue of his surgically repaired right knee. "I know it is a long season, and I told the guys, Im not stupid, Im really not, and you cant do this everyday, you cant. It is ludicrous, Hawkins says. "But when we go, we have to be able to go, that is what I asked of them, and they did it. I think nothing good happens without passion." "He just loves what he is doing and you love playing for a guy like that," Whitaker says. "He is the boss." Hawkins has to be. Decisions in September and October are hard to prepare for in June, but there is one challenge that might be unavoidable: What if there comes a situation where he has to pull Calvillo – still, and forevermore, the most important Alouette — out of a game, because... "Because, what?" Hawkins asks. Fill in the blank. "[Calvillo] is going to be smart with us, whether it is his play or his body or the plays or the people and all that kind of thing. Who knows? Maybe hell again outlast another coach." Maybe...but Hawkins is not a promise-maker, not a dreamer, not a planner; hes apparently climbed mountains, ran with bulls, swam with sharks. The tangible is what matters. Consecutive home playoff defeats over the last two seasons, and perhaps an increasing reliance on a thoroughly prepared playbook, have diminished some of aura of dominance that has emanated from the Alouettes for over a decade. Remember: "Quit trying to win, just be a winner." In the opening nights of training camp, Hawkins showed Calvillo and other players footage of 11-team NBA Champion Bill Russell. "You say, OK quit trying to win, just be a winner, Well who are the winners? What do they do? You can study the losers as well because you can learn from them, but what do the great ones [do]? That is why I dont read a lot of fiction, because Im trying to go: What did [an actual person] do? And what can I learn from him? And what can I pass on to the guys? To me, that is how I put together that whole game plan." Maybe what the Alouettes need now is a man of action. The rookie pro learning drill to drill, too, running around the field, missing only his own pads and cleats. If he had a tether in his hand, he wouldve pulled 80-odd, massive men with him. "I dont know the exact word to put for it, but it is definitely exciting," says Whitaker. "When we sit in meetings we get excited. We see the ball going down the field, the runs...it is just little details that weve got to continue to work on." Its infectious isnt it? "It definitely is, and it rubs off on everybody. Everybody is excited about it." Rod Langway Jersey Large . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. Custom Rod Langway Jersey .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. http://www.customcapitalsjersey.com/ . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Wholesale Custom Capitals Shirts . Ryan Garbutt had a goal and two assists as Dallas snapped a six-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Cheap Capitals Jerseys . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks looked headed for a seventh straight loss and more disappointment at home. Then Welington Castillo brought smiles and relief.The catchers three-run homer in the eighth inning rallied Arizona to a 6-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.Castillo ripped reliever Hunter Stricklands 2-1 pitch into the stands in left field with one out. The Giants led 5-3 going into the inning, but starter Jeff Samardzija and reliever Josh Osich each put runners on base.I just was waiting for something over the plate and close to me that I can put a good swing on it, Castillo said. It means a lot, especially here at home.Strickland (3-1) replaced Osich and gave up the games biggest hit.I tried to throw a two-seamer, left it over the plate and it didnt move. I would say he got the best of it, Strickland said. I was trying to throw it in. I was trying to get a ground ball.Jake Barrett (1-0) earned his first major league win in relief and Brad Ziegler got his 17th save of the season.Brandon Crawford and Mac Williamson hit back-to-back home runs to give the Giants a 5-1 lead in the fourth. Williamsons blast flew well over the 413-feet sign in left-center field and off the bottom left corner of the Chase Field video board.The Diamondbacks avoided their longest losing streak of the season.Its huge. It flips the whole thing around, manager Chip Hale said. We got the one pitch from Strickland and did some damage to it.Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt made a diving stop and putout to end the game with a runner on first for the Giants.That is one we let get away, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.The Giants scored their first three runs in the second inning. Buster Posey walked, took third on a single and scored on a fielders choice when Diamondbacks shortstop Jean Segura threw wide to home plate for an error after fielding Williamsons grounder.Recent callup Ruben Tejadas first hit and RBI as a Giant came one out later, on a single to drive in Crawford. Then Samardzija grounded to Segura, who bobbled the ball and could only get one out to allow Williamson to score.Patrick Corbin doubled and scored in the fourth thanks to teammate Michael Bourns hustle. Bourn beat out what looked to be an inning-ending double-play grounder at first base, allowing Corbin to score from third.Castillo and Chris Herrmann doubled in runs in the fifth -- Herrmanns drive close to being a home run to right-center field -- to cut the Giants lead to two.Hale was ejected before the top of the seventh inning, arguing with home plate umpire Brian Knight soon after Herrmann was called out on strikes.ddddddddddddIt was Hales second ejection of the season.ITS A BOYDiamondbacks infielder Nick Ahmed is on paternity leave after the birth of his first child, a son. Ahmed left Fridays game before it ended to be with his wife Amanda, and could return to the team by Monday.The Diamondbacks made a roster move to replace Ahmed before Saturdays game, recalling reliever Enrique Burgos from Triple-A Reno.RETURN IMMINENTDiamondbacks outfielder Rickie Weeks Jr. is expected to return from bereavement leave on Sunday, at which time the team will make another roster move to add him, Hale said. Weeks has been away from the team since Thursday.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: OF Denard Span got another day off due to neck stiffness but could be back by Sunday. ... OF Hunter Pence (hamstring strain) took on-field batting practice Saturday. Hes been on the 15-day disabled list for a month. ... Starting pitcher Matt Cain was scheduled to throw 45 pitches in a minor-league game Saturday as he returns from a hamstring strain. ... INF Ramiro Pena (ankle) was available for pinch-hitting duty Saturday. ... 2B Joe Panik (concussion) is still resting and is eligible to return Tuesday.Diamondbacks: Hale said ace Zack Greinke felt better during Fridays game, and the team has yet to decide whether to place Greinke on the disabled list with a left oblique injury. Greinke was expected to undergo a scan Saturday to determine if he has a strain. Greinke could pitch as soon as next weekend if all is well and can still be named an NL All-Star, but may not pitch in San Diego. ... OF David Peralta and OF-IF Chris Owings, both on the 15-day disabled list, are moving closer to being able to play in games. They could be back in action after the All-Star break, Hale said. OF Socrates Brito (fractured toe) is also close to returning from the DL.UP NEXTGiants: Sundays scheduled starter is Albert Suarez (3-1, 3.83 earned run average), who is in the rotation in place of Cain. Hes done such a great job in whatever role weve put him in, Bochy said.Diamondbacks: Sunday starter Robbie Ray (4-7, 4.69 ERA) is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA in two starts against the Giants in his career. He is averaging 10.42 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, which is in the top 10 in the NL. ' ' '