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Show WednesdaySp0 s Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011 Page 7 Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com Passing AGGIE GREAT ANTHONY CALVILLO (NO. I 3) shown above drops back to pass during a 1993 win over Brigham Young University in Logan. Photo courtesy USU Athletic Media Relations COMBINED NEWS SERVICES The Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes quarterback and Aggie great Anthony Calvillo entered Monday night's game against the Toronto Argonauts needing 258 passing yards to break pro football's all-time passing record. In the final drive of the third quarter, Calvillo dropped back and ripped a pass to receiver Jamal Richardson for a 50-yard touchdown. The bullet to Richardson eclipsed the CFL's Damon Allen's former record of 72,381 yards set in 2007. The milestone was overlooked by Richardson, who tossed the ball into the crowd, but the lucky fan returned the ball to its rightful owner. The man who is third on that list? Just for the record: Brett Farve. Canadian Football League Commissioner Mark Cohon stopped the game to honor veteran Calvillo with a trophy adorned with the ball that made his record possible. Calvillo is widely regarded .. as the best quarterback no one has ever heard of. The 39 year-old's storied career is impressive. Calvillo has thrown more touchdown passes than John Elway and has more passing yards than Dan Marino. He has broken three records in the 2011 season alone, all of which were previously held by Allen. Calvillo still has four games to go. It may be hard to believe Calvillo started his professional career with a parking lot tryout for a struggling CFL expansion team called the Las Vegas Posse. Calvillo's career began south of the border at USU in 1992 after a two-year stint at Mount Sac Junior King College. He lead the Aggies to their first and only ever bowl victory in 1993 — a 42-33 win over Ball State University in the Las Vegas Bowl. In '93 he was the last Aggie quarterback before Diondre Borel to beat Brigham Young University. His career as an Aggie also includes a duo of school records. Calvillo tallied 3,260 yards of total offense in his senior season and finished two games with five touchdown passes. Last spring Calvillo returned to campus for the first time in 17 years to be honored at a USU basketball game for his lasting achievements. Calvillo's CFL career includes three Grey Cup victories — the Canadian Super Bowl — with the Alouettes. He passed Allen for the passing record and also knocked Allen out of first for most career completions. Calvillo was also awarded as CFL's most outstanding player three times in his career. The 39-year-old has been tested off the field as well. In 2010 Calvillo was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He also took some time off in 2007 to support his wife in her own battle with the disease. Calvillo has said he is not sure whether or not he will return to the CFL next season but Cohon urged Calvillo during Monday's 10-minute celebration to keep playing for a few more years. In theKnow • Calvillo broke Damon Allen's passing record • Calvillo was MVP of the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl Aggie roughstock rider shines MEGAN BODILY staff writer USU RODEO'S KEN LYM said he hopes to represent the Aggies at the College National Finals Rodeo this season. CODY GOCHNOUR photo Ken Lym may seem like the average Aggie Shuttle Bus driver, but he is in fact not. As Utah State's only roughstock rider, the senior ended the spring rodeo season sitting on top of the saddle bronc leaderboard in the Rocky Mountain regional standings. The agriculture education major was also an avid wrestler and football player in high school, but growing up in Fort Bridger, Wyoming, riding broncs is not just for sport, it's a way of life. Lym saddled up five years ago learning the ropes of riding broncs from his ranching family. "Growing up I always broke a lot of colts," Lym said. "You learn to ride and how to handle yourself on the horse. When you get put on a saddle bronc it is a different type, but the horse still goes up and still goes down. It still bucks." The saddle bronc originated from the actual task of breaking a horse for the purpose of riding and uses a modified saddle — without a horn, for safety reasons — and stirrups that swing freely to give the cowboy more movement to spur the horse. The rider also uses a bronc rein, a cotton woven rope attached to a halter. The rein provides the cowboy with balance and leverage to time the horse while bucking. While saddle bronc is considered rodeo's classic sport, it differs from the other roughstock and rodeo events because points are not just earned by making the eight-second buzzer alone but also on how appealing the judges feel the ride looked. Lym said saddle bronc is more of a technique event. "There is a lot of finesse and timing than anything else," Lym said. "If you get in time with the horse and everything hits just right, it's like sitting in a rocking chair — just sit back and have fun." Before getting on a horse, Lym said he visualizes in his mind what a perfect ride would look and feel like. As soon as the chute opens, the horse is turned loose, and, Lym said, everything is about riding on instinct. "When you are on a horse you don't have time to think. It is a reaction," Lym said. "If you have time to think, you are bucked off." Learning to ride saddle bronc horses takes hard work and patience above all else. Lym's wife Jessica said he has a lot of perseverance. "Ken is such a hard worker," Jessica Lym said. "It is hard for him to give up, and I don't think he ever has in his life." During the summer of 2010 Ken Lym sustained a season-ending injury when he broke his foot and tore his medial collateral ligament while riding in the amateur rodeo circuit. The injury forced him to start his collegiate rodeo season later than he planned. "I'm never nervous that he will get hurt," Jessica Lym said. "That is just part of the game." Saddle bronc is also dangerous because it can be a hard event to practice. With only limited stock supplied by local contractors and limited training grounds, Ken Lym said he practices every other week. When livestock is not available, Ken Lym said he uses a spur board made out of plywood that See SADDLE BRONC, Page 8 |