Avon Cobourne Seeks Redemption Against His Old Team in the CFL Playoffs

Photograph by: Mike Cassese, Reuters, Postmedia News

  For years, Avon Cobourne played for the Montreal Alouettes helping to lead the team to two Grey Cup titles along the way. The now 32-year-old is WVU's all-time leading rusher, and has been one of the best running backs in the CFL over the past several years.
  During this last CFL offseason, Cobourne found himself as a free-agent, but wished to remain in Montreal after having a baby and buying a house. The Alouettes had different ideas and offered Cobourne a contract that he would not accept. The Alouettes also went out and signed former Green Bay Packer running back Ahman Green in the midst of this.
  Cobourne took the hint and quickly signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. His departure from Montreal was not amicable. Cobourne was offended by the Alouettes offer, and them subsequently trying to sign his replacement. Ahman Green did not make it out of the CFL Preseason with Montreal.

  Cobourne is known for his trash-talking, and when he left Montreal, he did not mince words.

“Obviously, when somebody doesn’t want you, you feel like you have something to prove.”

  Now the CFL regular season is over, and Cobourne continued to play at a high level for the Tiger-Cats. He finished 4th in the league in rushing with 961 yards, 3rd in yards from scrimmage with 1,420, and tied for 5th in touchdowns with 8. When Cobourne rushed more than 10 times in a game, the Tiger-Cats were 8-3. When he failed to reach 10 carries, the team had an 0-6 record.
  This Saturday, Cobourne and the Tiger-Cats play the Alouettes in the East-division semi-finals. Cobourne has a chance to show his old team that they were wrong in letting him go, and he wants the ball in his hands.

“I’m hoping we do get the run going — and it’s not just me it’s the o-line and the coaches calling the plays — because, if that happens, we have a better chance to win the game,” Cobourne said.

 “I did want to play them first because they’re a veteran team and they would be better coming out of a bye,” Cobourne said, noting his new team has two wins over his old one this season. “We have the blueprint, we’ve done it twice and they’ve been beat the last couple games. If we emulate what we’ve done before, we can win.”

And if that win comes, it will surely be sweet redemption for Cobourne.