Widger, to the Point of Suggesting He's the Second Best Outside Linebacker in the World
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Widge r: No- 2 andtrying harder High tributes have been paid to Mike Widger, to the pOint of suggesting he's the second best outside linebacker in the world. It's enough to make a guy go into showbusiness. Widger "bumps" Ottawa's Tom 'Pullen, a Illegal move this season. Jack Gotta was playing host to the media mob after a tough game between the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Alouettes a couple of years ago . There was nothing of his torical significance crossing lips until Gotta, in that sedous way he had, mentioned that he had spot ted a flaw in Milke Widger. This may not have been his torical but it was certainly signifi cant. Mike Widger, All East-now, later to be AU-Canadian line backer, with a flaw? What flaw, Mr. Gotta? Let's hear more about this. Does he cave in under triple cov erage? Do his feet get tangled when he crosses over to another zone? Let's hear it Jocko! "Well, it's not really much," hedged Jocko as he does when he goes into hiscon act. The mob was alert, as it closed in on the scoop, eyes gleaming, ears pointing and pencils poised, urging him to con tinue. " It's something I never noticed before," admitted Gotta as he fixed his audience with that wide-eyed, honour-bright stare that usually precedes a hearty guffaw, " but today it suddenly struck me that once in about every two or three years, Widger plays a bad game." 48 He has the pass-coverage against the tight ends. "Tyrone Walls-he's good, and Muller in Toronto Gabriel in Hamilton. They're the good ones. They're tall kids." WIDGER: The master of the put-on game any special rapport on the field for settled back comfortably in his enemy players. He doesn't bother chai r and guffawed heartily as his yacking with them . "I don't talk too audience was left wiping egg off its much on the field," he says. collective face. One of his primary duties as out Later, in a more serious vein, side linebacker is to turn in the Gotta adm itted there was more sweeps. Who are the good block truth than fiction to what he said. ers he has to contend with? He considered Mike Widger a "Most of them are pretty good." paragon of consistency at the dif He also has pass-coverage du ficult outside linebacker post, an ties on the outside, mostly against observation in which he has been tight ends. Who are the good joined by many another astute ones? football observer. " That Walls in Edmonton, he's J .1. Albrecht, for instance, good. Tyrone Walls. That Toront.o claimed Widger is the. best outside end is pretty good too, I forget his linebacker in Canada and maybe name. Oh, Muller. Peter Muller. the second best in all the world. And the fellow in Hamilton, uh, Chris Hanburger of Washington Gabriel. They're good ones. Redskins might be faster, said Al They're tall kids." brecht, but Widger is right behind. J.I ., of course is prejudiced. He dug Mike out of Virginia Tech and About turning in the sweeps, he brought him into Montreal. had second thoughts on the block ing and figured that Toronto's Bill Symons was a good blocking back Alouette coach Marv Levy has and that Ottawa's Jim Evenson his own appreciation of Mike. "I was as tough a man to tackle as make a I ist before each game of there is in the league. several players I want to talk to in pa rticular, to make sure they're Mike is one of the new mob that ready . Widger is one of the players swept into Montreal in 1970 with who's never on the list. He's always such audacious success, trans ready ." forming a team that had won only two games a year earlier into a It's a good thing someone talks Cinderella-like Grey Cup cham about Widger because Mike ap pion . There are only six othe~s parently doesn't believe in sel~ besides Widger from that team stili promotion, unless it involves ~IS on the premises-Peter Dalla Riva, business enterprises such as Wid ger Casting, or the Mike Widger Marv Levy claims Widger never Football School He doesn't have needs priming to be up for a game. contin ued 51 Buono (39), Ah You (62) and Wi dger turn the play to the inside. Te rry Evanshen, Gene Gai nes, in Hamilton. Then last season Mike also hopes to develop Don George, Barry Randall and Kosmos was in Hamilton and Ot something lasting out of the Mike Sonny Wade. tawa, Smear was in Toronto, and Widger Football School for young Wfdger and fellow-Alouette Widger made it all the way, finally, sters wishing to learn the finer Charlie Collins were voted AII to All-Canadian status. points of the game. Eastern Conference that season, As a full-time resident of Mont "There is obviously a market for but when next year rolled around, real, Widger hopes to pavetheway such a school ," said Widger. "It Gor! ins was in a Saskatchewan for post-football livelihood with should be good for me, for the AI Roughrider uniform and Widger some business ventures, including ouettes and for football. There will was the only Alouette linebacker Widger Casting Ltd ., a modest be no head-busting. We want to who didn't make All-Eastern Con start in show business. He keeps a show the kids fundamentals. The ference. Steve Smear and Mark list of potential actors and ac only contact will be light." Kosmos were voted to the jobs. tresses, with photographs of them, . One year later Widger was back which makes it easier for the film In other words kids, do as Mike on theall-star roll and Kosmos was people to locate talent. says, not as he does .• 53 .