Former Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo, now the team’s offensive coordinator, would not have experienced the same love affair with Montreal without Larry Smith’s tenure as team president.
“To be honest, when I arrived in Montreal I didn’t have the same understanding of the significance of the Alouettes’ return to the Canadian Football League. When I started playing here, I felt the need to get involved in the community and the main reason is Larry Smith,” concluded Calvillo, who will be honored this Saturday evening at halftime of the game at Percival Molson Stadium, on on the verge of his future induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
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Originally from California, Calvillo was just 25 years old when he joined the Alouettes in 1998. He is now 51 years old and has been associated with Montreal for more than a quarter of a century. Calvillo is well established with his family in the metropolis, speaks French and now has Canadian citizenship.
Anthony Calvillo, 1998. Photo Alfred Lanctot / Archive / Le Journal de Montréal
“Larry emphasized the need to build a good relationship with fans,” Calvillo said. I remember a lot of school visits in the off-season. It was fascinating to see Larry put all his energy into these events. He often even did push-ups in front of the students…
“These visits helped create this organization and thus develop football in Quebec, because when I arrived football was not such an important sport for Quebecers. The Alouettes’ involvement in the community made the construction possible. For me, Larry Smith must be proud of this legacy because football is now strong in Quebec, largely thanks to the return of the Alouettes.
A valued environment
Calvillo’s success on the field hasn’t necessarily hurt the movement, as he helped the Alouettes win the Gray Cup three times in 2002, 2009 and 2010.
“The impact I had in this city is probably part of it, but what Larry Smith did for this organization probably more broadly enabled me to stay here after my playing career,” he said. agreed with the former quarterback. And even during my career, there was an environment where a lot of players, whether local or American, stayed in Montreal all year round.
Ultimately, Calvillo liked the Montreal area enough to make a life there. Hats off, Larry!