Trestman has successful trail to follow

History is on football coach Marc Trestman's side as he makes the move from Montreal to the Windy City, from Olympic Stadium to Soldier Field and from the professionalism and stability of quarterback Anthony Calvillo to the . . . well, to Jay Cutler.

Trestman, the highly respected coach of the Montreal Alouettes for five seasons, during which he won two Grey Cups and was a contender every year, was named head coach of the National Football League Bears in January, replacing Lovie Smith.

Pressure? About 10 times greater in the NFL than the Canadian Football League. Expectations? When the coach you're replacing is coming off a 10-win season, the expectations are close to unrealistic. Media? From perhaps a dozen media members following your team, the number will now be in the hundreds. Money? Trestman goes from being one of the highest paid coaches in the CFL in the $300,000 to $400,000 range to an average head coaching salary in the NFL - somewhere around $3 million per annum.

Trestman's arrival in Chicago is not exactly akin to moving up from a Pop Warner team. He has extensive coaching experience in the U.S., including 17 years in the NFL - the highlight being when he served as offensive co-ordinator and QB coach with the Super Bowl Oakland Raiders of 2002.

As for history being on his side, we invoke the names of Blue Bomber legend Bud Grant and the Alouettes' Marv Levy. Both had successful head coaching stints in the CFL and went on to NFL success, too; Grant leading the Minnesota Vikings to four Super Bowl titles and Levy the same number of Super Bowl appearances (without a win, however) with the Buffalo Bills.

It's fitting that Trestman, the author of a book titled 'Perseverance: Life Lessons on Leadership and Teamwork', would rely so heavily on perseverance to finally achieve his goal of becoming a head coach at the highest level of the game. Now, if the 'leadership' and 'teamwork' parts also work out, there could be some 'super' times in the years ahead around Chicago.

Brad Dickson of the Omaha World-Herald: "President Obama played 18 holes with Tiger Woods. Just think, a man who has devoted his entire life to golf. And then there's Tiger."

President Obama, to KGO-TV, on why he and Tiger Woods made a perfect golf pairing: "He knew that I wasn't a big threat to his world ranking, and I knew that I better keep my day job."

Comedy writer Jim Barach: "Phil Jackson says the Lakers are running the wrong offence. Kobe Bryant agrees. Why are there four other people on the court?"

Barach again: "Former Texas Ranger Josh Hamilton says that Dallas isn't really a baseball town. Of course, he says that after moving to Anaheim where the most popular hat in town has mouse ears."

R.J. Currie of sportsdeke.com: "There's been talk Manitoba curler Mike McEwen suffered a concussion. A follow-up MRI of his head showed Jeff Stoughton inside it."

Headline at SportsPickle.com: "Latest cheque from 'Linsanity' copyright nets Jeremy Lin $1.37."

Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: "The 12-40 Charlotte Bobcats have a better chance of winning: a) the NBA playoffs; b) the Westminster Dog Show."

NBC's Jay Leno, after Pope Benedict XVI cited physical problems for his surprise resignation: "Apparently it's an old football injury from throwing all those Hail Marys."

Perry again: "Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been ordered to pay more than $1 million a year in alimony and child support. Even worse, he's still stuck with full custody of A-Rod."

Mike Bianchi of the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel, on NASCAR lovebirds Ricky Stenhouse and Danica Patrick: "In true racin' fashion, I'm thinking Stenhouse got Danica a heart-shaped box of chocolate-covered lug nuts for Valentine's Day or maybe a dozen long-stemmed socket wrenches."

Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: "FIFA says they will use goal-line technology at the 2014 World Cup. Now if they can just get experienced actors or drama teachers to judge flops."

Hough again: "Tampa Bay DE Da'Quan Bowers was arrested at La Guardia airport after police found a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag. Jeez, what was he thinking? Trying to get traded to the Bengals?"

Bianchi again: "Does the winner of the Westminster Dog Show get a beef-and-lamb gravy shower?"

Leno again: "Lent has officially began. Do you know what the Lakers are giving up for Lent? The playoffs."

Another one from R.J. Currie: "Competing in the recent Canadian Scotties curling championship: Jennifer Jones of Manitoba with four titles, but also six-time champ Colleen Jones of Nova Scotia. How tough is curling? Even the Joneses can't keep up with the Joneses."

TNT's Conan O'Brien, on speculation that the next Pope could be the cardinal from Boston: "If he gets the job, he'll be the first Pope to make you kiss his 2007 World Series ring."