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RECORD
BREAKER (DARREN FLUTIE)
On Thanksgiving Day October 14, 2002 Darren Flutie had 967 reasons to be thankful because on this day he became the CFL’s top receiver in history surpassing Allen Pitts on the most receptions chart in league history. Darren entered the league with the B.C. Lions in 1991 and played a few years in Edmonton before calling Hamilton his home five years ago. He is a class act both on and off the field and is well respected by teammates, players and fans from all around the league. Many of his receptions have came from the hands of Danny McManus (have played together for 10 years) and it is without a doubt the two of them will walk into the Hall of Fame in the near future. Darren is leaning towards retirement at the end of this season putting an end to a remarkable career but many fans and players are hoping he changes his mind so we can all enjoy his talents for one more season. It was our pleasure to chat with Darren after his record-breaking performance to discuss his past, present and future.
I am glad it is over with as it was a slight distraction to the team throughout midseason as every game everyone was talking about it. But I appreciate the record and the congratulations I have received from the fans, players and coaches around the league. I was surprised by all of it but I really do appreciate it.
I have been fairly consistent and durable throughout my career. I tried to get better year in and year out and I am always trying to prove myself. Later in my career I have tried to use my experience more than my athletic abilities that have helped. 3. Many of your receptions have come from the hands of Danny McManus. Can you explain the relationship you two have shared and its importance on and off the field? I
have a very respectful relationship with Danny on and off the field. I respect him as a player and a person and
I hope he feels the same way. We have
a lot of shared football experiences that helps on the field. 4. You have faced many defenders in your career. Who would you say is the toughest defender you have faced? I
have respect for all players. You have
to be good to play at this level so it is hard to single out one or two
people. I played against Gerald
Vaughn early in my career that was very tough. Recently, Harold Nash in Winnipeg has been tough to play
against. When he started in Montreal
I looked forward to playing against him but I certainly do not now. Those two stick out in my mind right now,
but there are a lot of good football players that I have seen and played
against. 5. What is the toughest stadium to play in? I
always thought Hamilton was tough.
The field and the weather make it a tough place to play. Winnipeg and Regina are probably the two
toughest places because of the fans and atmosphere. These two places are the hardest as a visitor to play in. 6. This year you have experienced a few injuries, your team has only won one game on the road yet is almost unbeatable at home and overall the offence has been very inconsistent. How frustrating has this year been for you as a player? It
has been somewhat frustrating offensively this year. However, it has been encouraging to see
the younger guys play well. Tony
Aikens has had a great year and Tony Miles is playing well which has helped
us out a lot. Many of us have been
banged up this season which is not an excuse. But Danny has been hurt, myself, Troy Davis and Archie. So I will say it has been frustrating at
times. 7. There have been many rumors throughout this season that your brother Doug may come back to the CFL and you will play one more year with him. Care to comment on this situation? It is
just rumors. I am just hoping to be
able to walk away at the end of the season.
Maybe come January or February I will start thinking about football
again. Right now I am leaning towards
retirement but I do reserve the right to change my mind. 8. Last end with some fun questions. What’s your favourite type of music? I
like classic rock. The Eagles, Lynnrd
Skynnard and other classic rock bands like that. 9. How about the Flutie Brothers? No,
not yet. Not at all (laughs). 10. Favourite pregame meal? I
don’t eat pre-game meals. Guess I
caught you off guard with that (laughs).
Favourite meal though is pizza or really any meal I get to eat with my
wife and kids. 11. Your idol? Jack
Nicholson without a doubt. 12. Final question. 2002 Grey Cup Champions will be the………. Hamilton
Tigercats. I
guess even the greatest receivers drop the ball once in awhile. Unfortunately for Darren the Tigercats did
not even make the playoffs but he did have another great year and has had an
amazing career. Thanks for all the
memories Darren and hopefully we will see you on the filed in 2003. |
TIGERS LAIR READY TO ENTERTAIN AT GREY CUP This
year for the first time Hamilton will host a Hospitality Suite at Grey Cup in
Edmonton. Their suite is known as the
Tigers Lair and will be open on Friday and Saturday from 4pm to 1am at The
Inn On The Seventh. During these two
days there will be a DJ, cheerleaders, pep bands, 50/50 draws and the first
ever CFL Trivia Challenge called “What’s My Yardline” where fans will have
their CFL knowledge tested for cash and prizes. The Tigers Lair group has been working very hard all season to
make this one of the more exciting Grey Cup parties in history and guarantees
an enjoyable time for all Canadian football fans. There will be many Canadian football celebrities in attendance
along with numerous amounts of merchandise and collector items to be one in
many events. For more information log
on to www.TigersLair.com
and enjoy the following interview conducted with founder of the Tigers lair,
Christa Chamberlain. 1. What is the Tigers Lair? The
Tigers Lair is a fan based organization dedicated to promoting Hamilton
Hospitality and good will at the Grey Cup to a potential audience of 100 000
people. 2. How did the Tigers Lair come about? After
attending our 5th Grey Cup in Montreal and seeing all of the loyal
Hamilton Tigercat fans with no place to call home we decided it was time to
give them a home. We talked to the Cats
and got their official support and endorsement and took it from there. 3. You have had great support from the team. Where else have you received support and sponsorship? Well,
our biggest supporters are from the Hamilton Tigercats themselves. Locally, we have support from Beam Reach
Communications who have designed our web page. Also, smaller businesses such as Hutches and Buddy’s Restaurant
have offered discounts to our members.
Port International has donated money and we are currently working with
the City Of Hamilton for some support. 4. What type of fundraising efforts is in place? Our
primary fundraiser is our membership program. For $25.00 you get a t-shirt
and a discount card for businesses in the city. Also, we had a B.B.Q. to kick off the C.F.L. season where
pretty much the full Hamilton Tigercat roster attended as well as the mayor
and tones of entertainment. We
recently held the Graffitti Revival dance, which was a great success, and we
held numerous away game series events where fans met at local restaurants to
cheer on the Cats. We also ran a
great bus trip to the Argo/Cat game at Skydome. 5. What can one expect when attending the Tigers Lair this year? We
have a ballroom rented in the Inn On The Seventh for Friday and Saturday from
4pm to 1am. We will have a DJ, the
Saskatchewan Roughrider Pep Band will play both nights at 9:30 and we will
have cheerleaders from various teams perform along with other acts from CFL
cities. We will be holding a 50/50
draw each night as well as a CFL Trivia Challenge where the winner will
receive a cash prize plus other items to be announced. There will also be many door prizes to be
handed out including various Tigercats and CFL merchandise. It is
apparent that the Tigers Lair will be an event one will not want to miss at
Grey Cup and will be worth the trip to stop in and check out what is going
on. |
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