By: Don Campbell
Chris Milo says he has his mentor in his ear every time he runs onto the field, paces off the yardage, gets himself into position, then slowly takes that one final look at the uprights before lowering his head and attempting a field goal.
So who better to ask about the Ottawa REDBLACKS new place-kicker and punter than the mentor himself, CFL legend Don Sweet?
Sweet, now 67 and a retired teacher in Vancouver, dabbles in coaching professional kickers in addition to up and coming kids in Grade 11 and 12 who might want to make kicking a profession.
And Sweet does have credentials unlike any kicker in CFL history: two times a Grey Cup winner with the Montreal Alouettes, three times the Most Valuable Canadian in the Grey Cup game and holder of the alltime record for most points in a Grey Cup game with six field goals, one single and three converts for 22 points in the “Ice Bowl” in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium in 1977.
Its worth noting that in the record-setting performance, REDBLACKS head coach Rick Campbell was all of six years of age and watching from the seats that day as his dad Hugh’s Edmonton Eskimos were being demolished 41-6.
“(Milo) is probably hearing me tell him get through the kick, follow through and believe in your swing,” said Sweet, of his protégé, who will make his REDBLACKS debut Friday night in front of a sellout crowd at TD Place against, ironically enough, Sweet’s former team for whom he holds the franchise record of 1,342 points. “ If you miss, you miss. It happens. But know that you always gave it your best shot.
“You have to eliminate the fear factor. You can’t be standing there on the sidelines thinking your team has to get it to the five-yard-line for you. Or that you have to be inside the 40.
“Eliminate the fear factor. I try and get them believing in themselves. They have to get to the point where they breath and relax and don’t tighten tighten up. And then find that common swing (with your leg) and just repeat it.”
Milo, a native of Montreal, replaced international kicker Delbert Alvarado during the REDBLACKS bye week after Alvarado kicked a game-winning field goal in overtime against Calgary and went 11-of-14 on field goals attempts in the early going.
Milo not only changes the roster ratio. He also gives the REDBLACKS the chance at a kicker who can handle both kicking and punting duties and be here for years.
At least that’s the plan in a profession where a kicker is only as good as his last attempt.
“When you don’t produce, you end up sitting on your couch,” said Milo of being released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders July 6 after four seasons, two of which could be termed outstanding, the other two more average.
“You get a little shot of reality when you’re sitting at home seeing your buddies going to work.
You get to wondering what’s next?
“There’s no guarantees in life. You just keep on praying and keep the faith.
“(Getting cut) was a factor of a lot of things but I never lost the confidence I had in myself. I know I ain’t going to be perfect in this profession. But I’m going to try and be.”
Milo was selected 30th overall in the 2011 CFL draft out of Laval and No. 30 just happens to be the uniform number he will wear with the REDBLACKS.
As a rookie, he spent the first five weeks of the season on the practice roster before being activated and he was good on 22 of 26 field goal attempts for an outstanding success rate of 84/6, including a longest of 49 yards.
The future seemed bright and that Regina would be home for many years for he and his wife Veronique and German shepherds Boss and Stella.
But call it a sophomore jinx or whatever but 2012 did not go according to plan though he did kick a 50-yarder before injury ended his season.
Milo bounced back strong in 2013, good on 46 of 52 attempts (88.5 percent), including another 50-yard boot before slipping off some last season, his success rate dropping to 71.4.
“We’re not going to worry about the past,” said Campbell. “This is all about a fresh start for (Milo).
“We have friends around the league who have worked with him or seen him and they really like him. He’s a very competent kicker who has shown he can do it.”
And that’s all Milo wants . . . another chance.
Upon losing his job in Regina, one of his first calls was to REDBLACKS general manager Marcel Desjardins, boasting “If I come there, I’ll be there for the next 10 years at least.” Desjardins needed a few weeks to ponder that one.
He also fielded a few calls from REDBLACKS quarterback Henry Burris asking when he was getting to Ottawa.
“I had to tell Henry it’s not my call,” said Milo, who did have a 20-yard field goal and six converts to earn a Grey Cup ring in 2013. “But this year, what happened, happened. The support I had from family and friends who reached out was great.
“I mean we had a house in Regina, both had good jobs and figured we would be there a long time.
“But I’m still young and Ottawa’s a great city. And this is where I want to be.”
And his teacher is only a phone call away. Most of Sweet’s pupil’s call on game day to give him an idea of the field and weather conditions. Then he passes on his advice before tuning in to watch.
“(Sweet) is a legend in this league,” said Milo. “He’s been there and done that.
“We have developed a great relationship and I have him in my ear.”
