Wally Buono

Pasquale "Wally" Buono (born February 7, 1950) is a Canadian ex-football coach currently working as the vice president of football operations, alternate governor and the former head coach of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and one of the most successful head coaches in league history.

He has spent 22 years as head coach of the Calgary Stampeders and the Lions, which is tied for the most seasons coached all-time.

Born in Potenza, Italy in 1950, Buono moved to Canada in 1953 with his family.

He became interested in football after playing pick up games as a youth in Montréal-Nord, Quebec and being encouraged by CFL all-star Al Phaneuf, a Christian who was coaching a youth football team at one of Montreal’s parks (who invited Buono to join the team.) Soon after, he began playing minor football in Montreal, Quebec.

Buono attended Idaho State University and was a linebacker for the ISU Bengals.

He returned to Canada and played 10 seasons with the Montreal Alouettes as a linebacker and punter, appearing in 152 consecutive games, not missing one in his career.

Calgary finished with the most wins in the CFL for the first time since 1967.

Calgary defeated Edmonton in the final game of the regular season to clinch first place in the West Division for the first time since 1971.

Calgary would lose the West Final at home to Edmonton 43-23.

Calgary qualified for the Grey Cup for the first time since 1971, but ultimately lost to Toronto 36-21.

Calgary beat Winnipeg 24-10 in the Grey Cup, the team's first Grey Cup win since 1971.

Buono was named CFL Coach of the Year for the first time.

Long before coaching Buono was a linebacker and punter for 10 seasons with the Montreal Alouettes, appearing in 152 consecutive games, not missing one, and in five Grey Cup games between 1972 and 1981, winning two in 1974 and 1977.

Buono's post-season coaching record is 23–17, with five Grey Cup victories in nine appearances.

He appeared in five Grey Cups between 1974 and 1979, winning two in 1974 and 1977.

This was Calgary's first meaningful win in Edmonton since 1980.

In 1982, after his retirement as a player, Buono served as a coach with the Montreal Junior Concordes.

From 1983 to 1985, he was an assistant coach with the Montreal Concordes, and then in 1986 with the Montreal Alouettes.

From 1987 to 1989, Buono served as an assistant coach with the Calgary Stampeders under head coaches Bob Vespaziani and Lary Kuharich.

In 1990, Buono was hired as Calgary's head coach by Stampeders president Norman Kwong.

In 1991, Calgary finished second in the West, defeated the BC Lions in the Semi-Final, and beat Edmonton in the West Final in Edmonton.

He won the Grey Cup championship in 1992, 1998 and 2001 as head coach of the Stampeders and in 2006 and 2011 as head coach of the Lions.

He won the Annis Stukus Trophy as the CFL's Coach of the Year four times, in 1992, 1993, 2006, and 2011, second only to Don Matthews, who had five.

In 1992, Buono added General Manager to his title.

In 1993, under Buono's leadership, Calgary started 10-0, and finished 15-3.

Calgary was hosting the Grey Cup, but the Stampeders ended up losing the West Final at home to Edmonton, who would go on to win the Grey Cup.

Buono was named CFL Coach of the Year for the second time.

Going into the 1994 season, Buono's Calgary teams had never lost a regular season game before August 1.

In game 1 on July 8 in Saskatchewan, it looked like this streak would continue as Calgary held a 21-0 lead going into the third quarter.

However, Saskatchewan scored 22 second half points, including the winning touchdown on the last play of the game.

Despite this setback, Calgary finished 15-3, and scored a league record 698 points.

Calgary's season would end much like it started, when BC came to Calgary for the West Final, and scored the winning touchdown on the last play of the game.

BC would go on to win the Grey Cup.

In 1995, perennial outstanding quarterback, Doug Flutie, suffered an injury.

In his absence, Jeff Garcia emerged, and helped guide Calgary to another 15-3 season.

Calgary would come up short in the Grey Cup, losing 37-20 against the Baltimore Stallions, the first American team to win the Grey Cup.

On September 19, 2009, Buono became the CFL's all-time winningest coach when his Lions beat the Toronto Argonauts 23–17, giving him 232 regular-season victories, passing Don Matthews.

He retired in 2011 with a CFL record 254 regular-season wins as head coach, to focus on duties as general manager for the Lions.

In 2016, Buono came out of retirement to coach the Lions again through the 2018 season.

In the final home game of the 2018 season, Buono was honored with the Bob Ackles Award as he was retiring from football with the most wins as a coach.