CFL fan on target with $1 million kick
Source: Toronto Star

Brian Diesbourg got one kick at a million dollars tonight and made the best of his opportunity when his 50 yard boot sailed through the uprights during a halftime contest at the Argos-Ticats game.

With the Rogers Centre crowd cheering him on, Diesbourg counted his paces back from the ball, paused, took aim and unleashed a near-perfect kick to win the million-dollar prize.

"It's kind of, wow, when I put it through, it's sweet. This is awesome," a jubilant Diesbourg told TSN right after the kick.

"It's unbelievable," Diesbourg said afterwards. "When it left my foot I was hoping it went left because I just missed the first three to the right.

"On the last kick, I purposely kicked it to the left hoping it would even itself out and it did."

"I was just worried about putting it through the uprights," he said. "I'll need some time to think about what I'm going to do with the million dollars."

Things started out badly for the 25-year-old Diesbourg, however. He missed his first attempt from 20 yards then his next two attempts, from 30 and 40 yards respectively, also sailed wide right despite being long enough.

"I think I'll aim a little left," joked Diesbourg before attempting the $1 million kick from the 50-yard line.

Almost from the time he kicked the ball, Diesbourg appeared to know it was good. Well before the ball sailed through the uprights, the mechanical engineer from Belle River, Ont., threw his arms in the air to signal the $1 million prize was his.

Players standing on the sidelines erupted in jubilation and the crowd of 40,000 saluted him with cheers and a standing ovation.

What makes Diesbourg's feat even more remarkable is that most CFL kickers would find it difficult to make a field goal from that distance.

Among the Argos offering congratulations was kicker Noel Prefontaine, who worked out with Diesbourg on Wednesday.

"For him to miss the first three and to come back and hit the last one is unbelievable." Prefontaine said. "I think he's going to get a trial (with a CFL team)."

Earlier this week, Diesbourg made insurance company executives who were underwriting the prize nervous when he made five of eight attempts from the 40-yard line and two from 45 yards outs at the Argos practice facility.

Overall, he put 17 of 33 attempts between the uprights.

"He did a great job and I think he has a chance to kick that 50-yarder," an impressed Prefontaine, the Argo kicker who was giving Diesbourg pointers, told the Star's Rick Matsumoto.

Under contest rules, Diesbourg has not been allowed to practice for tonight's kick except for yesterday's half-hour session with Prefontaine.

And that workout was closely monitored by an insurance company representative, who halted the practice at 1:37 p.m., precisely 30 minutes after it began.

Diesbourg, who had his name drawn randomly from nearly 200,000 entries in a contest on TSN's website sponsored by Wendy's, appeared unfazed by the media horde watching him during practice and said he felt "pretty good."

The mechanical engineer from Belle River, Ont., said how to approach the ball was the most important tip he got from Prefontaine, who has booted two 50-yarders this season.

Asked how he planned to spend the $1 million if he makes the kick, Diesbourg said he'd have "no trouble with that."

"Kicking this 50-yard field goal is what I've got problems with right now."