Hudson resident has helped build Als into powerhouse

Montreal Alouettes president Smith, who has been in the job since 1997 (with a two-year stint as publisher of a Montreal daily newspaper from 2002 to 2004), has been a key part of the management team that has made version 2.0 of the Alouettes one of the Canadian Football League's flagship franchises. The team has won the CFL's east division eight times since his hiring and appeared in five Grey Cups, winning the second of the five, in 2002. It hasn't stopped him from striving for more, though

"You're never comfortable, but I suggest that what we’ve tried to do is build a solid organization from the ground up, and I think our performance speaks for itself," he said.

No kidding. The Alouettes, after another first-place finish in 2008, will host the Edmonton Eskimos Saturday afternoon at Olympic Stadium, with the winner to play the western champion in the Grey Cup game, to be held at the Big O Nov. 23. The Alouettes bounced back from a disappointing 8-10 record and a first-round playoff loss to Winnipeg in 2007 with a 12-6 record that saw them wrap up the division with nearly a month to go in the season. The difference between last year's team and this year's squad starts with the head coach. Marc Trestman's offensive creativity and incredibly calm demeanor on the sidelines have made all the difference for this year's team.

"Coach Trestman has exceeded many people's expectations, and I think he's done a fantastic job. He's tenacious in terms of his game planning," Smith said, adding he's confident the long time between games of any real significance won't affect this Als group.

"I think Marc's doing a good job going toward the East final, and he won't let himself or the players get ahead of themselves," he said.

As for day-to-day working, Smith's Hudson roots mean he gets lots of fresh air, but it also means a lot of ground to cover to get to the Als' business offices downtown on a daily basis. He's got a plan for beating the traffic, though.

"I try to plan my commute well. If I leave my house at 6:30 a.m., I'll get to the office by 7:30. If I leave later, around 8:30 a.m., I will get to the office by 9:50. I plan my schedule so I can adjust myself accordingly."

Before he took over the Alouettes in 1997, Smith was CFL commissioner and was instrumental in getting the Baltimore Stallions franchise moved to Montreal for the 1996 season. Smith is credited by many for helping usher in a new boom era for the CFL following the troubles of the early '90s and the failed U.S. experiment.

"It's important to understand that everyone in the CFL feels they are custodians of the league and its traditions, and I am no different."

For the 57-year-old Smith, football has truly become a family business.Sons Wes (who now co-ordinates the team's Adopt-an-Alouette program) and Brad, (now on the Toronto Argonauts roster) both draw a CFL paycheque, and daughter Ashley married Alouettes import kicker Damon Duval.

"Football has given a lot to us, and I think it's definitely a family affair for us," he said.