THE 'AZETTE • montrealgazette.(om • SUNDAY, NOVE MBER 22, 200'1 TRESTMANHAS EYE ON THE BALL "BY.focusing on even the smallest details, Als head coach makes strong in1pression" wasting valuable time at training camp teachingthemhow toline up for 0 Canada. ''The players maybe didn't understand it last yew.; but I think they now understand ali the little things that at first might not have seemed important are important," Dalla Riva said. ''They're small details, but that's what makes you a profes ional and that's what. makes you win ball games. Marv was like that, too.He took careof all the little things." Learning to line up for the national an­ louettes head coach Marc Trestman is them also left a lasting impr es ion on A great w en it comes to making first Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo, impressions. who is an American. When the Aloueties held a news confer­ "He's the first coach I've actually seen ence to introduce their new coachin Janu­ who has brought a personal side, wh ich ary 2008, Trestman's first words to the you don't often see," Calvillo told The Montreal media were: "Je m'appelle Marc Gazette's Herb Zurkowskylast year. ''Even Trestman." somethinglike standing in line for the na­ Smartmove. tional anthem to show respect. To Ameri­ But the lasting first impression I have of cans, I took itforgranted.But if notfor the Trestman came five months later, when the CFL, where would I be? Where would a lot Alouettes opened training camp. One of of Americans be?" the first things Trestman had his team Trestman also made a great first impres­ practise was how to line up properly for sion with Alouettes president LarrySmith the pregame national anthem: helmet off, whenheinterviewedfor the job. standing onthe sidelines atattention. "We interviewed Marc with seven other I wasn't the only one who took notice of candidates," Smith recalled of the inter­ what seems like a simple tiling. view process, which included team owner "For sure, I noticed that," former Alou­ Robert Wetenhall and general manager ette and CFL Hall of Famer Peter Dalla Jim Popp. "We set up a grid that had 10 Riva, a proud Canadian, recalled when I technical components and 10 management spoke with him on Thursday. ''1 don't care components, and Marc ended up scoring wherever you are ... when you are in some­ significantly higher than any of the other one else's country, you h ave to have respect candidates. So thatwas ourfirst slgnalthat for the national anthem and the flag. It's a he had a lot of traits that we were looking sign of respect, and you hope that they re­ for as a person and as a coach. turn their respect when they come to your "Fromhis first meeting, he impressed us COllltry. in terms of how he condu cted himself, "Rightfrom the start, when you watch how he asked questions, how he was hum­ how (Trestroan) handles the i eam he's ble. He wanted to learn about our game as very professional. He reminds me of (for­ opposed to tell us what he knew. mer Alouettes coach Marv Levy) so much ''We anticipated thathe would add a cer­ in his ways, all thefine details, all the little tain degree of professionalism and disci­ things that he takes care of" pline that some of our other coaches had­ Dalia Riva added that some of the Alou­ n't been able to do," Smith added. "He's ettes players were probably shaking their been excellent at fulfilling our expecta­ heads wondering why their new coach was tions, not only at doing that, but obviously PIERRE OBENDRAUF THE GAZETTE One of t he first things Als head coach Ma rc Trestman had his team practise last season was how to line up properly for the pregame national anthem. runningthe team. including last yearin Trestman's first sea­ "We always had confidencein the coach­ son. The Lions (82-43-1) are the only team ing staffs that we've bad, but Marc's just a inthe CFL with a betterregular-season little different than some of tbe other record since 2002. But the Alouettes are coaches we've had. Ittakes time to set up a one of only three teams, including Hamil­ track record, but from what be's shown us ton andWmnipeg, who haven't won a Grey so far we're justthrilledto have him." Cupinthe lastseven years. Now comes thehard part for Trestman. The Alouettes won't earn any points for He led the Alouettes to a league-best 15-3 how they line up for the national anthem record this season, but it won't mean any­ today at Olympic Stadium. But if you're at thing if they lose today's East Division the game, watch them when they do. final to the B.C. Lions, who finished the lt was one of the first steps in a two-year regularseason 8-10. journey that has taken them to this point Since their last championship in 2002, under Marc Trestman. the Alouettes have an impressive regular­ season record of 81·45 andhave been to scowan@ four Grey Cup games, l osing them all, thegazette.canwest.com .