PLAYER #88 - LARRY UTECK (1974-76)

Football is a tough game, but it might not be as tough as the new game Larry Uteck is involved in, namely the one played in the political arena.

For the past three years, Uteck has been a city councillor for the south-end of Halifax, Nova Scotia, a city where he is more famous for being the head coach of the St. Mary's Huskies university football team.

"It's a bit different than what I'm used to," said Uteck. "You have to take a circuitous route when you're in politics."

With his political ambitions, and the fact he has been the Huskies athletic director as well for the past two years, Uteck is quite the busy guy these days. A family man with wife Sue and children Luke and Cain, Uteck is still involved in coaching the football team, which he has done for the past 14 years, a period that has seen his team win numerous AUAA championships, as well as three Atlantic Bowls and three Vanier Cup appearances. Unfortunately, his Huskies never won the national championship, having lost 52-23 to Calgary in 1988, 24-21 to Saskatchewan in 1990 and 31-0 to Queen's in 1992.

Born in Thornhill, Uteck joined the Argonauts as a defensive back and punt returner out of Wilfrid Laurier in 1974. He played halfback, and even a bit of cornerback in his early days in Double Blue, which in these days in rare for a Canadian.

"There's not as many, that's for sure," said Uteck, a former speedster who ran in the OFSAA high school 200 metre finals. "I seemed to lose my speed awfully fast, though. Now I look like a defensive tackle."

After three years with the Argos, Uteck moved over to Montreal, where he had his best years on a powerful Alouette squad, which included a Grey Cup championship in 1977. He finished off his playing career with the Ottawa Rough Riders in the early '80's, and then got going on his coaching career.

"I got a little bit from everyone," said Uteck, in answering to which coach he might have emulated the most, having played for the likes of Marv Levy, Leo Cahill, Joe Scannella and Russ Jackson. "We try to be very aggressive defensively, the old style football players."

Uteck has spent the past 14 years of his life in Halifax, which followed a stint in Collingwood, Ontario from 1978-82, where he farmed and renovated houses in the off-season while playing for the Alouettes. Being as much a Maritimer now as anyone else, and getting involved in the political process there, it had to be asked if Halifax ever will get a CFL expansion team, which has been rumoured for many years.

"I don't think it ever would, we're a different kind of town," replied Uteck honestly, not sounding like a politician. "(Halifax) is very supportive of university athletics, but I don't think it's ideal ground for a CFL team."