The Rifle laid to rest

Sports figures, friends and fans came to St. Patrick's Basilica Thursday to pay their final respects to the man known as "The Rifle."

Sam Etcheverry, arguably Canada's first football superstar, died Saturday after a long battle with cancer.

He was was remembered both for his tremendous ability, and his tremendous heart.

Former player Peter Dalla Riva said Etcheverry was an icon.

"Sam did a lot of things for football here, helped put Montreal on the map," said Dalla Riva. "He did everything for football here in Montreal."

Rejean Houle, a hockey legend in his own right, admired Etcheverry.

"Sam was like an icon like our Jean Beliveau," said Houle.

In the fifties Etcheverry was one of the most dominant quarterbacks in the CFL, setting records that have yet to be broken.

Alouettes president Larry Smith says the records would be more impressive if they were complete.

"A young man that came up and was an innovator in his time, threw for 30 thousand yards in 7 years because they didn't keep stats for the other two years he played," said Smith.

"If you pro-rate it he was going to throw for 40 thousand yards when the second guy was going to throw for 14 thousand yards."

Smith deliver the eulogy, and remembered Etcheverry's mottos: When you're feeling sorry for yourself suck it up, and Always look forward, do not look back.

But Etcheverry did have a softer side, noted when he gave George Flahiff a souvenir.

"He gave it to me, I was about 16 or 17 years old," said Flahiff. "I feel so sad that he's gone. He was a man, so generous, as much as a player as I'd say outside the field."

Beyond football, Etcheverry's son Steve says he cared about his family.

"He was a good man, he was fair, he was honest, hard working, sincere, and he cared deeply about his family and his friends."

Etcheverry's casked left draped in an Alouettes flag, a fitting sendoff for a Montreal sports legend.