Wally Buono Pasquale " Wally " Buono ( born February 7 , 1950 ) is the general manager , vice president of football operations and alternate governor of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League , and one of the most successful head coaches in league history . He spent 22 years as head coach of the Calgary Stampeders and the BC Lions , which is tied for the most seasons coached all - time . On September 19 , 2009 , Buono became the CFL ' s all - time winningest coach when his Lions beat the Toronto Argonauts 23 - 17 , giving him 232 regular season victories , passing Don Matthews . He retired with a CFL record 254 regular season wins as head coach . Buono ' s post - season coaching record is 22 - 16 , with five Grey Cup victories in nine appearances . He won the Grey Cup championship in 1992 , 1998 and 2001 as head coach of the Stampeders and in 2006 and 2011 as head coach of the Lions . He won the Annis Stukus Trophy as the CFL ' s Coach of the Year four times , in 1992 , 1993 , 2006 , and 2011 , second only to Don Matthews who had five . Early years and playing career . Born in Potenza , Italy in 1950 , Buono moved to Canada in 1953 with his family . He became interested in football after playing pick up games as a youth in Montreal - Nord . Soon after , he began playing minor football in Montreal . Buono attended Idaho State University and was a linebacker for the ISU Bengals . He returned to Canada and played 10 seasons with the Montreal Alouettes as a linebacker and punter , appearing in 152 games . He appeared in five Grey Cups between 1972 and 1981 , winning two in ' 74 and ' 77 . Coaching career . Calgary Stampeders . Shortly after his retirement , Buono landed an assistant coaching position with the Montreal Concordes ( which the Alouettes had been renamed following a bankruptcy and an ownership change ) in 1983 . In 1987 , he moved to Calgary and worked with the Calgary Stampeders under Larry Kuharich until 1990 when he was hired as head coach by Stampeders president Norman Kwong . Buono served as head coach of the Calgary Stampeders for thirteen years ( 1990 – 2002 ) , amassing a regular season record of 153 - 79 - 2 , with eight first - place finishes , including five straight from 1992 to 1996 , and missing the playoffs only once , in 2002 . The Stampeders went to six Grey Cup games under Buono , winning three in 1992 , 1998 , and 2001 , and losing three in 1991 , 1995 , 1999 . He left the franchise as its most winningest coach in terms of victories and championships . BC Lions . Buono left the Stampeders in 2003 and was hired as head coach and general manager of the BC Lions prior to the 2003 season . In the first five seasons under Buono ( 2003 – 2007 ) , the Lions went 62 - 27 - 1 in regular season play , with five straight playoff appearances , four straight first - place finishes ( 2004 – 2007 ) , and two Grey Cup appearances : a 27 - 19 loss to the Toronto Argonauts in 2004 , a 25 - 14 victory over the Montreal Alouettes in 2006 . His teams went through a slight downturn for the following three seasons , including two that were sub . 500 . His team returned to prominence in 2011 after they once again finished first in the west division and followed it with a 34 - 23 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 99th Grey Cup at home . He announced his resignation as head coach of the Lions on December 5 , 2011 to focus on his duties as general manager . Style . Buono is often credited with developing some of the best CFL quarterback s of his era , such as Doug Flutie , Jeff Garcia , Dave Dickenson and Travis Lulay . He is known as one of the best offensive minds in league history . Wally Buono Award . The Wally Buono Award was established in 2003 by The Saint Bernard Pass Charitable Foundation for the purpose of recognizing Canada ' s top junior football player . The award is a national award . Recipients must prove their athletic and leadership ability on the field as well as a high level of leadership within their community . The Saint Bernard Pass Charitable Foundation is the Swiss based foundation of Christina Saint Marche . The winners of the award are as follows :