22 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2006 Allen set to pass way into record books Veteran QB likely to eclipse Warren Moon's career yardage mark Monday in Hamilton By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF D PHOTO COURTESY OF TORONTO ARGONAUTS FOOTBALL CLUB PASSING FANCY: Long-time Canadian Football League quarterback and local resident Damon Allen (above) will likely break Warren Moon's professional football career passing yardage record Monday when the Toronto Argonauts visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Allen is currently 165 yards short of Moon's total of 70,553. "Him being the guy who's going to break this record is more special to me because of our relationship and the fact amon Allen is 165 yards away that he's African American," Moon from becoming the most prolif- said. ""Now you're going to have two ic passer in professional foot- African-Americans up at the top of the ball history. all-time yardage leaders in professional Barring injury, the Toronto football, at a position where, as recentArgonauts' quarterback will likely ly as 20 years ago, they said we couldbreak Warren Moon's record of 70,553 n't play." career passing yards when the Argos If Allen breaks the record Monday in face Hamilton in Monday's annual Hamilton, CFL commissioner Tom Labour Day Classic. Wright will stop the "It will be an out- "Now you're going game to make a special standing moment to have two presentation to the legbecause of the person African-Americans endary quarterback, who who previously owned up at the top... at a has played 22 seasons in the record," Allen, 43, the CFL, won four Grey position where, as said Thursday in a conCups and picked up the ference call organized by recently as 20 years league's Most the Canadian Football ago, they said we Outstanding Player League. "It makes it very couldn't play." award last year. nice to be among that Moon, who retired in Warren Moon company." 2000, won't be at Ivor The Oakville resident Wynne Stadium Monday is a long-time friend of Moon's, and but plans to attend the Argos' next compared chasing Moon's passing game in Toronto on Sept. 9 for a spebenchmark to how Jack Nicklaus' cial pre-game presentation to Allen. accomplishments on the golf course The Argos (5-5) have dubbed next pushed Tiger Woods "to achieve great- Saturday's game Damon Allen Night to ness." honour his potential new record as "I think in a lot of ways, it inspired professional football's all-time passing me to be the quarterback I am today," leader. said Allen. "He really inspired me to go It's a record that's sparked conversato the Canadian Football League and tion among football pundits as to hopefully go the route he went to play whether Moon and Allen's accomplishthe position of quarterback...I think my ments can be compared, seeing as curiosity was piqued from watching Allen spent his whole career in the CFL Warren Moon." -- a league known for its wide-open Moon's 23-season professional foot- passing game. ball career began with the CFL's "I've seen guys from the NFL come Edmonton Eskimos in 1978. After six up to the CFL and not make it, I've seasons in Canada, he signed with the seen guys from the CFL come down to National Football League's Houston the NFL and not make it," said Moon. Oilers, the beginning of a 17-year stint "The games are very different, but it is in the league. football....If you've amassed those type A recent Pro Football Hall of Fame of yards, I don't care what level of footinductee, Moon says "records are ball you're playing at -- you're really meant to be broken," and he's happy accomplishing something." that his long-time friend, Allen, is the Allen said as a little boy he dreamt of See Moon page 24 one to likely do it.