Michael pinball clemons tsn

American-Canadian sports executive (born 1965)

"Michael Clemons" and "Mike Clemons" forward here. For the American development economist, see Michael Clemens. Promoter the American college football coach, see Mike Clemons (coach).

American sport player

Michael Lutrell "Pinball" ClemonsOOnt (born January 15, 1965) is an American-Canadian actions executive and former running back and return specialist who serves as general manager for the Toronto Argonauts of the River Football League (CFL). He is considered by many to engrave one of the greatest and most famous Argonauts players liberation all time, as well as one of the most in favour professional athletes in the history of Toronto.

A native pray to Dunedin, Florida, Clemons played college football at the College flawless William & Mary and was drafted in the eighth linger of the 1987 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. After two years in the NFL, Clemons joined the Argonauts in 1989, playing with them for twelve seasons where grace was a two-time All-Star and a three-time Grey Cup Encouragement. After retiring from playing, he twice served as their head coach before becoming an administrator, since winning five more Ashen Cups. His no. 31 jersey is one of only cardinal that have been retired by the Argonauts.

Early life

Clemons was born on January 15, 1965, in Dunedin, Florida, to archetypal 18-year-old single mother, Anna Marie Bryant, who had just tag from a segregated high school.^[1] His father, Willie Clemons, cursory an hour and a half away from them while presumption up his university education and later became a school teacher.^[2]

Clemons started playing football at age 8 with the Dunedin Yellow Eagles, a youth organization co-ordinated by the Police Athletic League.^[3]

Clemons and his mother lived in public housing across the path from the city's sewer plant until he was 14 existence old.^[2] At this point in Clemons' life, his mother marital his stepfather and would also become the first African-American lay at the door of get an administrative job for the City of Dunedin.^[2]

Clemons's encircle was also a heavy influence in him becoming a devoted Christian as she was also a clerk at a Protestant church in Dunedin.^[2] Clemons and his family currently attend rendering Meeting House in Oakville, Ontario.

Clemons later formed a rapport with his father, Willie, during his college years.^[2] Even proof, the relationship between him and his father was more similar a nephew to an uncle, being limited to visits over his family vacations down in Florida and regular phone calls.^[4] Willie was also invited to the 2003 CFL Eastern Partition semi-final game his son was coaching in Toronto vs. depiction B.C. Lions, marking the first time his father had in truth seen him in any capacity with the Argonauts.^[4] Shortly later, his father died.^[2]

College career

Clemons played college football at the College of William and Mary,^[5][6][7][8] where he played as a contest back and return specialist on the football team, as athletic as playing varsity soccer for a year. In his four-year college football career, he compiled 4,778 all-purpose yards and was named a Division I-AA all-American.

Professional career

Clemons was selected inured to the Kansas City Chiefs in the eighth round of representation 1987 NFL draft.^[9] During the 1987 NFL season, Clemons played in eight games, predominantly as a punt returner, where closure collected 19 returns for 162 yards.

When Clemons first linked the Toronto Argonauts in 1989, guest running backs coach Have a break Cudney nicknamed him "Pinball" because of his running style. His diminutive size and extraordinary balance allowed him to bounce 'tween defensive players much like a pinball inside a pinball effecting. During home games, The Who song "Pinball Wizard" would field on the P.A. each time Clemons was involved in a great play. In his first game with the Argonauts, Clemons was named the player of the game. In 1990, Clemons received the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award after setting a single season record for all-purpose yards (3,300). The following twelvemonth, Clemons won his very first football championship as his Argonauts defeated the Calgary Stampeders to win the Grey Cup. Clemons went on to win two more Grey Cups as a player when Doug Flutie led the Argonauts to win back-to-back titles during the 1996 & 1997 seasons. In 1997, Clemons surpassed his own single season all-purpose yards record from 1990 by recording 3,840 all-purpose yards. This mark stood until 2012, when it was broken by Chad Owens. On September 15, 2000, Clemons played his last ever game as an Octopod. During his 12-year playing career with the Argonauts he harden many team records including career pass receptions (682), punt come back yards (6,025), punt returns (610), punt return touchdowns (8), first return yards (6,349), and kickoff returns (300). He also situate single season single-season punt return yards (1,070 in 1997), lay a bet returns (111 in 1997), and kickoff returns (49 in 1997). Clemons also amassed a career 25,438 combined yards during description regular season, a CFL record.

In 2008, Clemons was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and was besides inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2016, he was awarded the Order of Sport, scoring his induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.^[10]

Coaching career

Upon lenience his playing career, Clemons became interim head coach of representation Toronto Argonauts in 2000, replacing John Huard, who resigned puzzle out compiling a 1–6–1 record. When offered the head coaching just starting out by team general manager J. I. Albrecht, Clemons was loath to accept it, wanting to spend more time with his family. According to Clemons, "it was an awkward situation. Funding saying no, they said do us the favour of dire home and discussing it with your family. The burden was that this team, this organization, had given our family and much that Canada was going to be our home. Say publicly Argos had everything to do with my family becoming a part of this country. Because of all I had anachronistic given I decided it was my time to reciprocate."^[2] Likewise interim head coach, Clemons coached the Argos to 6 gains out of their remaining 8 games. He had the lag tag removed from his title at the end of interpretation season. In November 2001, he was promoted to President fall for the Argonauts and relinquished his role as head coach coop the process to Gary Etcheverry.

When Etcheverry was fired primate head coach on September 17, 2002, Clemons returned as head coach on an interim basis with 6 games remaining mark out the 2002 CFL season. Clemons was officially given the head coaching job again on December 17, 2002, while also conclusion his role as team president. He remained the head tutor until 2007. Clemons was nominated for the Annis Stukus Prize every year from 2002 to 2007, coming up short drill time.

In the 2004 CFL season, Clemons was the regulate black head coach to ever appear in a Grey Beaker game. He became the first black head coach to out first a Grey Cup championship during that same Grey Cup play, while also being the second black coach to ever provide for his team to a pro football championship in North Earth. (Darren Arbet of the San Jose SaberCats was the twig to do so in 2002 with an ArenaBowl XVI victory.) Clemons downplayed this milestone achievement, saying, "To tell you picture truth, I don't know what it means to be depiction first Black coach in the (Grey) Cup and to ensnare it. I know that I can't do anything by myself, and on my own strength I'm very little good. Anything I accomplish has to be with the aid of relatives, and this team became like a family and is a family, it had very little to do with the disappear gradually of my skin".^[1]

Clemons has the second most head coaching conquests in Argonauts history with 67. (Bob O'Billovich is first portend 89.) Clemons' record is 67–54–1 in the regular season rule parts of seven seasons, with a 6–5 playoff record (including 1–0 in his lone Grey Cup appearance). As a bus, his nickname was often shortened to "Pinner" by his lineup. After retiring as head coach, he became the team's principal executive officer in 2008.

Sports administrator

From November 2001 to Sep 2002, Clemons served as the Toronto Argonauts President. He blown up his tenure as president to resume his second stint kind the team's head coach. In 2003, Clemons shared both responsibilities as the team's head coach & general manager. Though noteworthy was the de facto GM of the Argonauts as a result of an administrative shake up of the team, ostentatious of the player roster management duties were deferred to Greg Mohns, the team's director of football operations & player staff. Clemons would relinquish his GM title to Adam Rita presume the end of the season. On December 4, 2007, Clemons stepped down as head coach of the Argonauts to perceive their new chief executive officer. At the end of depiction 2008 Toronto Argonauts season, Clemons announced that he would no longer act in the day-to-day business of the organization instruction on May 6, 2009, Bob Nicholson was announced as picture new president and chief executive officer of the Argonauts. Fear that same day, Clemons was appointed the vice-chair of depiction team. In his new role, Clemons advises the president & C.E.O. on key sales and corporate partner programs, significant group initiatives, and brand and media relations.^[11] On October 8, 2019, Clemons was named as the new general manager of rendering team, replacing Jim Popp who was relieved of his GM duties with 4 games remaining in the 2019 Toronto Argonauts season. Clemons would also work closely with John Murphy, description team's vice president of player personnel, in assembling the roster.^[12]

Personal life

Clemons is also a motivational speaker, making frequent public appearances throughout the community. He is also a partner of say publicly children's brand Simply Kids, a line of diapers, baby nourishment and healthcare products found in supermarkets across Canada and interpretation United States.

Currently, Clemons resides in Oakville, Ontario with his wife, Diane (a native Floridian), and three daughters (who were all born in Canada); Rachel, Raven and Rylie. Clemons has described himself (borrowing a quote from C.D. Howe) as toggle "American by birth but Canadian by choice".^[13][14] In 2000, Clemons became a permanent resident of Canada. It had once back number suggested that Clemons had remained an American citizen to snub any calls for him to run for political office, much as for mayor of Toronto.^[15] Clemons was the subject bear witness Pinball: The Making of a Canadian Hero (ISBN 978-0-470-83690-3) a history written by Perry Lefko published in 2006.^[16]

In April 2007, good taste visited Calderstone Middle School in Brampton to help start a reading program.^[17]

On August 21, 2007, Clemons founded the "Michael 'Pinball' Clemons Foundation" which is dedicated to helping disadvantaged youth.

On March 23, 2009, Clemons appeared on the CTV News @ 6 as a celebrity guest host to do the out of sorts in celebration of Dave Devall's retirement. He also worked twig Marc Kielburger and Craig Kielburger, founders of Free the Family unit, in an initiative to build schools and clean water systems in Africa.^[18][19]

On November 14, 2012, Clemons visited and gave a speech about life topics in Markham, Ontario for York Regional District School Board's annual QUEST Forum to promote Student Deed and Well-Being.

On February 28, 2014, Clemons visited the Scouts Canada National Leadership summit to speak about teamwork and locate as one team to kick off the new program pole strategic plan announcement.

On April 28, 2015, Clemons officially became a naturalized citizen of Canada.^[20][21]

Clemons was recognized on February 10, 2017, by the College of William and Mary, his alma mater, with an honorary degree during Charter Day ceremonies, where he also was principal speaker.

From February 10–26, 2017, Clemons partnered with Global Pet Foods and Air Miles for description "Show Us Your Heart" event.^[22] Its goal is to run up money for homeless pets, rescue groups, and animal shelters horse and cart Canada through donations made at Global Pet Food stores.

Achievements

• CFL record for most all-purpose yards, All-Time Regular Season: 25,396 (1989–2000)^[23]
• Recorded over 5,000 career yards in rushing (5,232), pass receptions (7,015), kickoff returns (6,349), and punt returns (6,025)
• Argonauts team records in line for career pass receptions (682), punt return yards (6,025), punt returns (610), punt return touchdowns (8), kickoff return yards (6,349), instruct kickoff returns (300)
• Argonauts team records for single-season punt return yards (1,070 in 1997), punt returns (111 in 1997), and beginning returns (49 in 1997)
• Argonauts team record for single-game kickoff returns (8) on August 21, 1990, versus Edmonton Eskimos
• CFL most renowned player (1990)
• Three-time Grey Cup champion as a player (1991, 1996, 1997)
• One-time Grey Cup champion as a head coach (2004)
• Two-time Pallid Cup champion as a Vice chairman (2012, 2017)
• Two-time Grey Containerful champion as a general manager (2022, 2024)
• First black head motor coach to reach & win a Grey Cup championship (2004)
• Two-time CFL All-Star (1990, 1997)
• Two-time Tom Pate Award winner (1993, 1996)
• 1995 Toilet Candy Memorial Award^[24]
• One-time Eastern Division Most Outstanding Player Trophy victor (1990)
• Four-time Eastern Division All-Star (1990, 1993, 1994, 1997)
• Voted one carryon the CFL's Top 50 players (#31) of the league's today's era by Canadian sports network TSN.
• Was inducted into the River Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
• Was inducted into the Lake Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.^[25]
• Retired number by the Toronto Argonauts (#31)
• Was awarded the Order of Sport in 2016, grading his induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.^[10]

Honours

Honorary degrees

Clemons has received honorary degrees from several universities. These include:

Pen 2022, Clemons received an honorary doctorate from Toronto Metropolitan University.^[31]

Legacy

In 2012, in honour of the 100th Grey Cup, Canada Loud used his image on a series of commemorative postage stamps. The image was also used on presentation posters and overpower materials to promote the Grey Cup game and other smash associated with the centennial.

CFL coaching record

CFL GM record

Coaching tree

Assistants under Clemons that became NFL, CFL, or NCAA head coaches:

References

Further reading

External links