Wally BuonoB次元官网网址檚 final year in the Canadian Football League kicks off this week, and between SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 season-opener and his final game, there will be no shortage of attention paid to the man.

Words will be written in newspapers and on websites across the country; the talking heads on the leagueB次元官网网址檚 television broadcasts will wax poetic B次元官网网址� and rightly so B次元官网网址� on the legacy that Buono leaves after nearly 50 years in the league, and as he heads into the home stretch, there are bound to be in-game tributes to the man in stadiums from Vancouver and Calgary, where he coached for decades, to Montreal, where he grew up and later played for the Alouettes, winning two Grey Cups in the 1970s.

The 68-year-old South Surrey resident, however, doesnB次元官网网址檛 have much time for victory laps.

Instead, he has a game to prepare for.

B次元官网网址淭o me, itB次元官网网址檚 business as usual,B次元官网网址� Buono told Black Press Media in late-May from Kamloops, the host site of the LionsB次元官网网址� training camp.

B次元官网网址淲hat happens next week, next month, next year, for us isnB次元官网网址檛 relevant. For us, whatB次元官网网址檚 relevant is today. For me, itB次元官网网址檚 just always about the next practice, the next game, the next thing. You canB次元官网网址檛 focus on anything beyond that.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 my last (year), but I donB次元官网网址檛 necessarily feel any different, and I shouldnB次元官网网址檛.B次元官网网址�

Regardless of whether Buono feels any different heading into his last season on the sidelines, much has indeed changed for the Lions.

Last November, it was announced that Buono B次元官网网址� who had been the teamB次元官网网址檚 general manager since 2003, and held the dual coach-GM role for all but four of the last 15 seasons B次元官网网址� would give up front-office duties, and Ed Hervey, former Edmonton EskimosB次元官网网址� GM, . Buono B次元官网网址� who had hinted at retirement in recent years B次元官网网址� decided to stay as coach for one final season, to help ease the transition into a new regime.

So far, the transition has been a smooth one, Buono said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a big deal, really. The only thing thatB次元官网网址檚 different is that if we have to bring a player in, or deal with a suspension or that kind of stuff, Ed will ask my opinion and keep me informed, but I donB次元官网网址檛 have to deal with it,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淪o itB次元官网网址檚 been a little bit easierB次元官网网址� you can focus more on coaching, on the players. ItB次元官网网址檚 still about coaching for me, and about trying to build the best team. And I really like what Ed has done, and I like the players weB次元官网网址檝e brought it.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� RELATED:

This yearB次元官网网址檚 training camp did have one unique twist, as well, Buono acknowledged. Because it was his final one, his wife, Sande, his four children and six grandchildren joined him in Kamloops for the teamB次元官网网址檚 annual Fan Fest weekend.

B次元官网网址淲e had a nice family picture taken, they had lots of fun. Would I do that every training camp? Probably not but I just thought because it was my last, we wanted to do it and it worked out great,B次元官网网址� he said.

Prior to joining the Lions in 2003, Buono was the head coach of the Calgary Stampeders for 13 seasons, and an assistant coach for a few seasons before that. In total B次元官网网址� between playing and coaching B次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檚 been involved in the CFL for 46 years. He has five Grey Cup victories as a coach to go with his two as a player, and is the winningest coach in league history. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

And while heB次元官网网址檚 unsure what retirement may bring B次元官网网址� he joked with a Black Press Media reporter in 2016 that heB次元官网网址檚 coached as long as he has because B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just not that into golfingB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� Buono said there will be a time and place for such thoughts.

That time is not now.

The LionsB次元官网网址� first regular-season game of the season is Saturday when theyB次元官网网址檒l host the Alouettes at BC Place. And Buono is focused solely on returning his team to the playoffs after a disappointing showing last season that saw the team finish with a , and a 1-6 mark over the final two months.

B次元官网网址淔ootballB次元官网网址檚 a funny game. Last year, we lost six close games, and the year before, we won those games,B次元官网网址� Buono said.

B次元官网网址淭his year, IB次元官网网址檓 hoping weB次元官网网址檒l win them again, and if we do, weB次元官网网址檒l be in the hunt, in the playoff run. And when you get there, anything can happen.B次元官网网址�

馃帴 "One thing I will definitely say is Jonathon will be our starting quarterback. He's going to be better prepared this week." on his plan for the quarterbacks in Saturday's regular season opener with Montreal 馃挭

B次元官网网址� BC Lions (@BCLions)

The LionsB次元官网网址� record this season B次元官网网址� good or bad B次元官网网址� will have little to no effect on BuonoB次元官网网址檚 CFL legacy, though he admits that itB次元官网网址檚 his goal to end things on a positive note. So much so, in fact, that heB次元官网网址檚 told media on a few occasions that he may be willing this season to take a few more chances on the field if it might help his team get a win.

B次元官网网址淎t times, my legacy as a coach has been to be very conservative, butB次元官网网址� if we have to take some more chances, maybe letB次元官网网址檚 take them. That can sometimes give the players more confidence, too because they know youB次元官网网址檙e going to put the ball in their hands and expect them to succeed,B次元官网网址� he said.

That said, donB次元官网网址檛 expect Buono to lead the league in third-and-long gambles.

B次元官网网址淚 wonB次元官网网址檛 be going nuts. I may just occasionally surprise people, howB次元官网网址檚 that?B次元官网网址� he laughed.

Though still loathe to look too far ahead, Buono does expect his final game to be an emotional one, and heB次元官网网址檚 quick to point out what the CFL has meant to him, reaching back to his days as an Alouette.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had an excellent run in the CFL B次元官网网址� 46 years plus B次元官网网址� and itB次元官网网址檚 been a pleasure to work in this league,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淎s much as people talk about what IB次元官网网址檝e given the CFL, I feel like IB次元官网网址檝e been given that much more.

B次元官网网址淪o, the last game of the year, is it going to be tough? I would think it will be, but between now and then I donB次元官网网址檛 think we need to get too focused on whatB次元官网网址檚 to come.B次元官网网址�