TORONTO — Five Canadian football icons and a pair of distinguished builders will join the hallowed halls of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (CFHOF) and Museum in 2024.
Three of the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) all-time receivers in Weston Dressler, S.J. Green and Chad Owens, will be joined by cornerback Marvin Coleman and defensive end Vince Goldsmith in the Player Category. To be added in the Builder Category are coaching legend Ray Jauch and one of Canada’s greatest proponents of touch football, Ed Laverty, who will be inducted posthumously.
“The Class of 2024 has shaped our game beyond record books and accolades,” said CFHOF Executive Director Eric Noivo. “They are heroes to young football players and athletes; they are tremendous leaders who have shared their invaluable time and vast knowledge; they are steadfast champions who helped expand our game to reach more people and more communities.
“On behalf of every Canadian football fan and the Hall of Fame selection committee, it is my incredible honour to congratulate and celebrate the Class of 2024!”
The Class of 2024 will be officially inducted in an evening ceremony on Friday, September 13. Ticketing information will be announced soon. The Hall of Fame Game will be played on Saturday, September 14 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats hosting the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
The media wing of the CFHOF will welcome two new members this year: the CFL League Office’s Associate Vice-President of Football Analytics, Steve Daniel, whose extensive knowledge and historical data serve as the backbone of media members’ coverage of the league since 2005, and one of the country’s most prominent sports reporters and a fan-favourite fixture from the CFL ON TSN, Farhan Lalji.
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum, located on the fourth floor of Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, operates as a non-profit registered charity. Since 1963, it has been home to more than 80,000 Canadian football artifacts, ranging from equipment and trophies to photos and videos, spanning the rich history of the game.
CANADIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2024
Coleman’s career spanned ten season (1994-2003) and 166 games with Calgary and Winnipeg, earning nine Divisional All-Star nods and three CFL All-Star selections. As a defensive back, he tallied 28 interceptions – six of which resulted in touchdowns – and 538 tackles. As a dynamic returner, he still sits fourth all-time with 5,211 punt return yards, in addition to his 11,545 kick return yards and 13 touchdowns (six defensive returns and seven kick returns).
The product of Central State University made four Grey Cup appearances, capturing the iconic trophy in 1998 with the Stampeders.
Dressler made an immediate impact in the CFL, taking home Most Outstanding Rookie honours with 56 receptions for 1,128 yards, and 1,014 punt return yards. His career 715 catches are good for 13th all-time and his 10,026 yards rank 17thin league history. The former North Dakota Fighting Hawk tallied 65 touchdowns, including five via kick returns.
Over 11 seasons (2008-2018), Dressler played in 161 games for Saskatchewan and Winnipeg. The four-time West Division All-Star and two-time CFL All-Star appeared in two Grey Cup championships, capturing Canadian football’s ultimate prize in 2013 in front of his Roughriders’ home crowd.
Goldsmith entered the CFL in 1981 and notched 17 sacks to earn Most Outstanding Rookie and a nod as a CFL All-Star. Over a 10-season career (1981-1990), he played in 163 contests to total 130.5 sacks, ranking eighth all-time; in 1983, the former Oregon Duck collected a career-high 20. Across a consistent career, he went on to register 10-or-more sacks on eight occasions.
Goldsmith played for Saskatchewan, Toronto and Calgary, earning a trio of Divisional All-Star selections. He emerged victorious in his lone Grey Cup appearance in 1989 as his Roughriders defeated Hamilton.
Green pulled down highlight reel catches for 13 seasons (2007-2019) and 170 games with Montreal and Toronto. At 10,222 receiving yards, he is one of 18 players to surpass 10,000, and his 716 receptions are 12th all-time. He notched 30 career 100-yard games and collected 60 touchdowns.
The native of Fort Worth, Texas, is an eight-time Divisional All-Star and a two-time CFL All-Star. He is a perfect three-for-three in Grey Cup championships – winning twice with Montreal (2009 and 2010) and once with Toronto (2017).
After two seasons as a running back with Winnipeg, Jauch suffered an injury that cut short his promising playing days. He transitioned to coaching in the college ranks before returning to the CFL with Edmonton; after four years as an assistant, he was promoted to head coach in 1970. He went on to assistant and head coaching roles with Saskatchewan from 1991-1995, before becoming an offensive consultant with Toronto in 1999.
Over 14 seasons at the helm, he amassed 127 regular season victories – ranking sixth all-time – while guiding his teams to 11 playoff appearances. He captured his lone Grey Cup in 1975 with Edmonton and was named Coach of the Year in 1980.
The amateur football landscape in Ottawa would not be what it is today without the leadership and dedication of Laverty. As President of the Ottawa Nepean Touch Football League, he was instrumental in shaping the foundations of the game across the region. Under his guidance, the league became a trailblazer for diversity in football, offering divisions for men, women and co-ed teams. The organization grew exponentially through his tenure, growing from six teams to hundreds of clubs.
Laverty served as President of the Ontario Touch Football League for over a decade and he was crucial in establishing Touch Football Canada. Beyond his work in the game, his lasting legacy as a prominent community builder earned him induction into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
Laverty is being inducted posthumously after passing away in 2017.
Owens holds the distinction of being the third player in CFL history to lead the league in receiving yards and combined yards. That historic 2012 campaign saw the University of Hawaii alum set the professional football record for combined yards in a single season and earn the Most Outstanding Player award, before capturing the 100th Grey Cup in Toronto as a member of the Argonauts. Owens went on to become the first professional football player to tally at least 3,000 combined yards in three consecutive seasons.
Over a 105-game career spanning nine years (2009-2017) with Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton and Saskatchewan, The Flyin’ Hawaiian was named a Divisional All-Star five times, a CFL All-Star on four occasions, and the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player in 2010 and 2011. He sits No. 8 in league history in kick return yards (10,309) and No. 10 in combined yards (16,698).
CANADIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME MEDIA WING – 2024 INDUCTEES
STEVE DANIEL
Daniel has been a mainstay of the CFL since 2005, when he joined the BC Lions after 11 years in the NBA with Portland and the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies. He has established a new direction for the CFL’s team and player statistics, both current and historical, creating the league’s first comprehensive database to provide media members and the CFL with real-time, in-game access to all new analytics. This depth of information has helped re-define reporting and broadcasting of Canadian football. As part of the CFL’s Football Operations Team, Daniel leads the development of systems that report on the quality of Canadian Football in support of the Rules Committee, of which he is a contributor and member. Daniel joins Greg Fulton as the only CFL staff members to be inducted into the Hall.
FARHAN LALJI
Farhan Lalji has covered an array of sports since joining TSN in 1997, but his passion has always been football, from the grassroots level to the CFL and the BC Lions. The Simon Fraser University alumnus has won multiple awards for his reporting, and for his leadership in the community and as head of the BC Secondary Schools Football Association. As a high school football coach for over 30 years, Lalji has launched programs at New Westminster Secondary School and the Royal City youth program. He has coached more than 100 players who have advanced to the collegiate ranks. At the time of his induction, he had covered 21 Grey Cups, 15 Super Bowls and 11 College football championships. As the Vancouver Bureau Reporter for TSN, Lalji continues to provide game night and weekly reports on the CFL with his unique insight and keen understanding of the game.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
