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The coaching change people have been clamouring for has finally occurred, but it’s unlikely many of us had the name of Jacques Chapdelaine in the office pool.

But this is the way the Alouettes conduct business. Jim Popp has been a wonderful general manager for two decades, but never has enjoyed particular success as a head coach, going 23-39 overall dating back to 2001. Chapdelaine, meanwhile, was hired last winter as the receivers coach and special assistant to offensive co-ordinator Anthony Calvillo, himself entering his first full year in that position, when their roles, clearly, should have been reversed.

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So at least the Als have corrected that oversight, Chapdelaine now becoming Calvillo’s boss, teacher and mentor. That Chapdelaine goes from a position coach to the man in charge matters little at this point, just as it doesn’t matter the Als’ two assistant head coaches – Kavis Reed (special teams co-ordinator) and Noel Thorpe (defensive co-ordinator) – were passed over in the selection process. Thorpe, for his part, should be getting accustomed to this lack of respect from the organization, so often has he been overlooked.