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He became the winningest coach of all time in the Canadian Football League and capped an exemplary career with a remarkable sleight of hand in 2011, pulling a Grey Cup out of the ether after an 0-5 funk to start the season.

Then, Wally Buono gracefully retired from coaching, handing off the ball to Mike Benevides, the man they called “Little Wally,” since he had been schooled in the black arts of the trade like a favoured son.

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Now, four seasons later, Buono is back, his return to coaching greeted, by some, like the second coming of a football messiah. The 60-month interval since he last addressed his team at the opening of training camp will end Sunday morning in Kamloops, when the Lions begin their 63rd year of football operations.

“It’s not just like getting on a bike again and finding you can still do it,” Buono admits. “It’s not a regular year. It’s a critical year. Am I aware of that? Yes. Does that change anything? No. It’s always been about trying to be a winner, I believe.”