The Province from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 63

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2009 CFL THEPR0VINCE.COM I SPORTS I A63 Alls lock yp classv Itresftman for ftw lire years MONTREAL The announcement Thursday that Montreal Alouettes head coach Marc Trestman had signed a two-year contract extension through 2010 was not really a surprise. The shocker came when Bob Wetenhall (the owner who was brilliant enough to sign Trestman in the first place) revealed that the team had begun talking to Trestman about an extension during the last offseason and reached an agreement with the coach "a few weeks into the season." That would be several months ago, so why wasn't it announced until now? "We kept it under wraps," Wetenhall said, "because Marc didn't want to do anything that would distract attention from the team." Said Trestman: "I wanted to do what was best for my family, but I didn't want to draw attention to myself. It's incredibly exciting for me. I love our players, I love going to work each and every day. In 30 years of coaching, I've never enjoyed it more." That pretty much tells you all you need to know about one of the classiest individuals remain in this city.

The CFL may not pay as much as the NFL, but the Alouettes are, from top to bottom, the Cadillac of CFL organizations. As Trestman pointed out, you can't win without the players, and Popp acquires those players more consistendy than any GM in the league. Trestman also mentioned that when he and Wetenhall first reached an agreement when he came to Montreal, Wetenhall told him "when the season is over, I'll expect you to go home and I don't want to see you again until May 31." For a genuine family man like Trestman, that means a lot. With the Alouettes, Trestman is able to spend half the year rising before 4 a.m. and heading straight to work.

But the rest of the year he can, as he put it, "take the garbage out and drive my daughters to school." Wetenhall was quick to suggest he'd never seen an individual quite like Marc Trestman. "He's really that humble," Wetenhall said. "This is no act. He's the real deal. The complete opposite of Don (Matthews)." Canwest News Service in the sport of football.

Another coach might trumpet his extension to the skies. Not Trestman. HemadeonhonelongstatementThurs-day and that was when he took 10 minutes to thank everyone from Wetenhall to team president Larry Smith, GM Jim Popp, his players, the fans of the Alouettes, this city and this province. And he thanked every one of his assistant coaches by name. This is a man who has put up a record of 26-10-0 during his first two years in the CFL, including a franchise-record 18-3 this season.

He has taken his teams to the Grey Cup both seasons and won it, in unforgettable fashion, this year. But talking to him, you would think he had been the water-boy. When he was asked whether he was thinking now that he might be able to become a legendary coach in the CFL, Trestman would say only "as far as I'm concerned, the way is open only as far as my flight back to Raleigh." That is a key to his success. He focuses on the task at hand and leaves all the speculation and peering into the future to others. There are plenty of reasons for Trestman to Montreal's Marc Trestman will be sticking around a few more years.

canwest files I The Province I ytfSil Bombers coach charged with assault WINNIPEG Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike Kelly was arrested Thursday morning and charged with assault and harassment following a domestic dispute. Police in Bridgeport, responded to Kelly's home in the Philadelphia area just before noon local time. The other person involved in the incident is Andrea Peterson, Kelly's former girlfriend. Police said she had a cut on her lip, redness on her neck and a small cut on her finger. Police said Kelly also had some bruising on his face.

Kelly was released on his own recognizance. Kelly was reached by the Winnipeg Free Press on his cellphone but did not offer comment, simply saying, "I can't talk right now," before hanging up. The Bombers fired Kelly later Thursday, citing the team's poor ey in the bank and nearly $5 million in its rainy day fund. "I am very appreciative of the time I have been able to spend with this organization and extremely proud of the progress which has been made since the turn of the said. Jim Bell, the team's vice-president of finance and administration, is taking the presidency on an interim basis, while the board conducts a search for Bauer's replacement.

Winnipeg Free Press the offence, we looked at some of the incidents that have happened outside but surrounding the football club and came to the conclusion that it would be in the best interest of the club to move forward in this different direction," Hildahl said. Canwest WINNIPEG Winnipeg Blue Bombers president CEO Lyle Bauer has resigned from his post. Bauer has been with the Canadian Football League club in an executive position for 1 0 years. The team made the postseason in seven of 1 0 seasons with Bauer in charge and twice they -went to the Grey Cup, losing both times. He took over the franchise in 2000 with it nearly $5 million in debt and on the verge of bankruptcy.

The club now has mon- performance on the field. Blue Bombers chairman Ken Hildahl told reporters that the decision to relieve Kelly of his responsibilities was not related to Kelly's arrest earlier in the day in Pennsylvania. "We looked at the on-the-field performance of the team and mm CPS Boating Course January 12th or 14th, 2010 14 weeks PS ECP pi c3 4jbic- 1 $285 per person 2nd person sharing course materials $185. For course details and to register visit us at www.vpsBOAT.com For more info call 604-816-8576 VANCOUVER Includes Federal Gov't POWER SAIL Pleasure Craft Operator's SQUADRON Card (P.C .) exam msmm.