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Don Matthews

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the Australian rules footballer, seeDon Matthews (footballer).

Don Matthews
Biographical details
Born(1939-06-22)June 22, 1939
Amesbury, Massachusetts,U.S.
DiedJune 14, 2017(2017-06-14)(aged 77)
Beaverton, Oregon,U.S.
Playing career
1960–1963Idaho
Position(s)Linebacker
Coaching career (HCunless noted)
1964Idaho(GA)
1965Ely HS (NV)(assistant)
1966–1968Ely (NV) HS
1969–1970Joel E. Ferris HS (WA)
1971–1972Idaho (OL)
1973Idaho (OC)
1974–1976Sunset HS (OR)
1977Edmonton Eskimos(LB)
1978–1982Edmonton Eskimos(DC)
1983–1987BC Lions
1989Edmonton Eskimos(DC)
1990Toronto Argonauts
1991Orlando Thunder
1991–1993Saskatchewan Roughriders
1994–1995Baltimore Stallions
1996–1998Toronto Argonauts
1999–2000Edmonton Eskimos
2002–2006Montreal Alouettes
2008Toronto Argonauts
Head coaching record
Overall231–132–1 (CFL)
5–5 (WLAF)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Grey Cups(5):73rd,83rd,84th,85th,90th
Awards
Records
2nd highest win total by CFL coach

Donald J. Matthews,[1]a.k.a. "the Don",(June 22, 1939 – June 14, 2017) was ahead coachof several professional football teams, mostly in theCanadian Football League(CFL). He won 231 games in the CFL, thesecond highest win total by a head coachin the league's history while leading four teams to Grey Cup victories. He was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Famein September 2011.

Early life and college

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Matthews was born inAmesbury, Massachusetts,the son of Canadian-born parents, Ida (Babin), fromTracadie,New Brunswick,and Fred Matthews, a steel mill worker fromPrince Edward Island.[2]From a large family of limited means and education, he quit high school in Amesbury after his senior season of football in 1956 and served three years in theU.S. Marine Corps.[3]

Matthews returned home and earned his high school diploma and then on the advice of a teacher, ventured west in 1960 as a 21-year-old freshman toMoscow, Idaho.Hewalked-onatIdahoas alinebackeron the freshman team;[4]he was awarded ascholarshipby varsity head coachSkip Stahleyafter his first semester.[5]He earned three letters and was a team captain in his senior season of1963,when the Vandals, in their second year underDee Andros,achieved their first winning season in a quarter century.[6]Matthews graduated from theUniversity of Idahowith a degree in education in 1964.[3][7][8]

Early career

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Matthews was agraduate assistantfor theVandalsinMoscowfor the1964season under Andros and freshman coachBud Riley.[9]Matthews then coachedhigh school footballinNevadaatElyfor four years and won a state title. He relocated toeastern WashingtonatSpokanein 1969 as head coach atFerris,where he led the Saxons to the city title in his second and final year.[10]

Matthews became a collegiate assistant coach back at hisalma materin1971as offensive line coach (later as offensive coordinator), under second-year head coachDon Robbins.[7]After an0–2start, the Vandals finished at8–3,which included an eight-game winning streak, and won theBig Skytitle. At the time it was the best record in school history, and three seniors were selected in the1972 NFL draft.Two years later, Robbins was fired following the1973season and Matthews moved to thePortlandarea. He took over a winless program atSunset High SchoolinBeavertonand won consecutive state championships in 1975 and 1976, going undefeated in his third and final year.[3]He left Sunset after the 1976 season to become aCFLassistant coach inEdmonton,Alberta.[11]

Pro coaching career

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Matthews was formerly head coach of the CFL'sBC Lions,Saskatchewan Roughriders,Baltimore Stallions,Toronto Argonauts,Edmonton Eskimos,andMontreal Alouettes.He was also head coach of theOrlando Thunderof theWorld League of American Footballin 1991.[12]

After coaching the Eskimos for two seasons, Matthews resigned as head coach just prior to the team's first preseason game on June 18, 2001.[13]

In October 2006, Matthews stepped down as head coach of the Alouettes expressing undisclosed health issues that were "affecting his ability to perform".[14]

In May 2008, Matthews was announced as an advisor to theJeff Hunt-led group's conditionalOttawa franchise.[15]

Don Matthews returned to Toronto on September 9, 2008, as the interim coach for the Argonauts, after they started the season with a 4–6 record.[16]In that press conference, Matthews revealed that the major health reason that caused him to step down as head coach of the Alouettes was ananxiety disorder.He also went further to say that he had been prescribed to some medication and the anxiety attacks are now under control.[17][18]On October 31, 2008, he resigned from the Argonauts a day after the conclusion of the Argonauts2008 regular season,which saw the Argos fail to win a game in the eight games under his leadership and finishing out of the playoffs for the first time since the2001 CFL season.[19]

Matthews was selected for induction in the Builder category into theCanadian Football Hall of Fameon February 10, 2011.[20]

On November 5, 2012, Matthews announced he was battling cancer and therefore would not be able to participate in any of the festivities for the100th Grey Cupin Toronto.[21]

The Montreal Alouettes announced on July 30, 2014, that Matthews had joined the team in a coaching consultant role for the second consecutive year.[22]

Coaching records

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Don Matthews holds several head coaching records:[23]

  • MostGrey Cupappearances (9 – tied)
  • Most Grey Cup wins (5 – tied)

He also has an additional five Grey Cup titles as defensive co-ordinator of theEdmonton Eskimos.

CFL head coaching record

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Source:justsportsstats.com
Team Year Regular season Post-season
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Result
BC 1983 11 5 0 .688 1st in West Division 1 1 Lost inGrey Cup
BC 1984 12 3 1 .800 1st in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Finals
BC 1985 13 3 0 .813 1st in West Division 2 0 WonGrey Cup
BC 1986 12 6 0 .667 2nd in West Division 1 1 Lost in Division Finals
BC 1987 8 6 0 .573 1st in West Division – – (fired)
TOR 1990 10 8 0 .556 2nd in East Division 1 1 Lost in Division Finals
SSK 1991 5 6 0 .455 4th in West Division – – Missed Playoffs
SSK 1992 9 9 0 .500 3rd in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals
SSK 1993 11 7 0 .611 3rd in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals
BAL 1994 12 6 0 .667 2nd in East Division 2 1 Lost inGrey Cup
BAL 1995 15 3 0 .833 1st in South Division 3 0 WonGrey Cup
TOR 1996 15 3 0 .833 1st in East Division 2 0 WonGrey Cup
TOR 1997 15 3 0 .833 1st in East Division 2 0 WonGrey Cup
TOR 1998 9 9 0 .500 3rd in East Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals
EDM 1999 6 12 0 .333 3rd in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals
EDM 2000 10 8 0 .556 2nd in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals
MTL 2002 13 5 0 .722 1st in East Division 2 0 WonGrey Cup
MTL 2003 13 5 0 .722 1st in East Division 1 1 Lost inGrey Cup
MTL 2004 14 4 0 .778 1st in East Division 0 1 Lost in Division Finals
MTL 2005 10 8 0 .556 2nd in East Division 2 1 Lost inGrey Cup
MTL 2006 8 6 0 .571 1st in East Division – – (stepped down)
TOR 2008 0 8 0 .000 3rd in East Division – – missed playoffs
Team totals
BC 1983–1987 56 23 1 .700 4 West Division
Championships		 4 3 1 Grey Cup
TOR 1990, 1996–
1998, 2008 		49 31 0 .613 2 East Division
Championships		 5 2 2 Grey Cups
SSK 1991–1993 25 22 0 .532 0 West Division
Championships		 0 2 0 Grey Cups
BAL 1994–1995 27 9 0 .750 1 South Division
Championship		 5 1 1 Grey Cup
EDM 1999–2000 16 20 0 .444 0 West Division
Championships		 0 2 0 Grey Cups
MTL 2002–2006 58 28 0 .674 4 East Division
Championships		 5 2 1 Grey Cup
Total 231 133 1 .633 11 Division
Championships		 19 13 5 Grey Cups

Personal

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Matthews' mother, Ida, was afrancophonefromTracadie, New Brunswick,while his father, Fred, was fromPrince Edward Island.Had currentCanadian nationality lawsbeen in effect in 1939, Matthews would have become a Canadian citizen under the principle ofjus sanguines,but separate Canadian citizenship was not enacted until 1947 and was not extended retroactively to anyone born outside the country prior to 1947. In 2004, Matthews became a naturalized Canadian citizen.[24]

Matthews had three sons and six grandchildren. He lived inBeaverton, Oregon,with his wife Stephanie and stepson Blaze.[25]

After a long 5-year battle with cancer, Matthews died on June 14, 2017.[26]

See also

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References

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  1. ^Rogers Digital Media."The life and legacy of the incomparable Don Matthews".Sportsnet.ca.RetrievedJune 18,2017.
  2. ^Bill Beacon (October 20, 2004)."Matthews chooses to become citizen".The Globe and Mail.RetrievedJune 18,2017.
  3. ^abcPortland TribuneArchivedFebruary 15, 2010, at theWayback Machine- A new game plan for famed coach - 2010-02-11
  4. ^"Vandal babe standouts".Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1961. p. 154.
  5. ^Blanchette, John (February 9, 1983)."Things are not so shaky for Don Matthews anymore".Spokesman-Review.Spokane, Washington. p. C1.
  6. ^"Football".Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1964. p. 255.
  7. ^abGo Vandals.com- lifetime achievement - Don Matthews - accessed 2011-10-22
  8. ^Lawton, James (January 15, 1983)."Matthews has travelled a long, tough highway".Vancouver Sun.British Columbia. p. E1.
  9. ^"Football".Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1965. p. 252.
  10. ^"Ferris coach takes post as aide with Vandals".Spokane Daily Chronicle.(Washington). January 29, 1971. p. 15.
  11. ^"Don Matthews, local and legendary football coach, dies at 77".OregonLive.com. June 16, 2017.RetrievedJune 18,2017.
  12. ^"Orlando Thunder History".Worldleagueofamericanfootball.com.RetrievedJune 18,2017.The Orlando Thunder was a member of the World League of American Football from 1991 to 1992 (known as NFL Europe from 1995 onwards). The team played their games in the 70,000 seat Citrus Bowl, and was coached by Don Matthews in 1991 and Galen Hall in 1992...
  13. ^"Don Matthews steps down".Canadian Football League.June 18, 2001. Archived fromthe originalon January 1, 2003.
  14. ^"Als coach Matthews resigns".CBC Sports. October 4, 2006.RetrievedOctober 31,2008.
  15. ^Brennan, Don (September 12, 2008)."Hunt: Matthews inspired by Kilrea".Ottawa Sun.Archived from the original on July 14, 2012.RetrievedSeptember 12,2008.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. ^"Argos fire Stubler, bring back Matthews".CBC Sports. September 9, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 9,2008.
  17. ^"Hamilton's online newspaper | Today's Spectator stories".TheSpec.com.RetrievedJune 18,2017.
  18. ^O’Connor, Joe (October 29, 2008)."Argos' Matthews winning battle with anxiety".National Post.Canada.RetrievedOctober 31,2008.[permanent dead link]
  19. ^"Matthews quits as Argos coach".CBC Sports. October 31, 2008.RetrievedOctober 31,2008.
  20. ^"Canadian Football Hall of Fame announces Class of 2011," Canadian Football Hall of Fame & Museum, Thursday, February 10, 2011.ArchivedJuly 6, 2011, at theWayback Machine
  21. ^"Don Matthews battling cancer".Calgary Sun.RetrievedNovember 6,2012.
  22. ^"Don Matthews, Turk Schonert join Alouettes as consultants | Metro News".Metronews.ca. July 30, 2014.RetrievedJune 18,2017.
  23. ^"Hall of Fame Builder: Don Matthews. Inducted in 2011".Canadian Football Hall of Fame. 2011.RetrievedJune 18,2017.
  24. ^"Alouettes hammer Renegades at the Big O".CBC News.October 23, 2004.
  25. ^Canada (July 19, 2013)."Legendary coach Don Matthews 'making a comeback'".The Globe and Mail.RetrievedJune 18,2017.
  26. ^"Legendary CFL coach Don Matthews dead at age 77".CBC News.June 14, 2017.
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