Éric Lapointe (football player)
Encyclopedia
Éric Lapointe is a retired
Canadian football
player. He was a running back
with the Montreal Alouettes
in the Canadian Football League
.
A native of Brossard, Quebec
, Lapointe is an alumnus of Mount Allison University
where he played football for the Mount Allison Mounties
. While playing at the university level, he was Canada's Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Canadian, and a two-time Hec Crighton Trophy winner as Most Outstanding Player in Canada (1996 and 1998), for which he received special congratulations by the Legislature of Nova Scotia. He was also a rushing leader for the Atlantic conference and nationally. In 1996, he rushed 1,619 yards to break the record in Atlantic University Sport
. In his four years of playing, he rushed 4,666 yards, just 29 yards short of the CIAU
all-time career rushing record. Despite being eligible to play for 5 years in Canadian university football, Lapointe graduated and opted to finish his university sports career after only 4 years. He still supports the team and often can be seen at their games in Quebec.
In 2005, he was selected by Canadian university football fans as the best university football player of all time.
After graduation in 1999, Lapointe was selected in the third round (20th overall) of the CFL entry draft by the Edmonton Eskimos
but was released shortly afterward to play for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
. As part of this 1999 Grey Cup
winning team, Lapointe started for only 2 games yet finished 11th in the league with 691 rushing yards. In 2000, Lapointe was traded to the Toronto Argonauts
in a multi-player deal but languished and left the team during the 2001 off-season as a free agent
to work in the financial services industry, closer to his home in Montreal.
Lapointe joined the Montreal Alouettes
in February 2001 and played mainly as a backup for the team during the 2001-2004 seasons; during the 2005 season
he came into prominence after being named the starting running back for the Alouettes in the 93rd Grey Cup
(the Als lost 38-35 to the Esks in a thrilling overtime showdown).
Lapointe announced his retirement from the CFL following the 2006 season and is currently working as a financial analyst in Montreal.
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
player. He was a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
with the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
.
A native of Brossard, Quebec
Brossard, Quebec
Brossard is a suburban area, located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River, opposite the island and city of Montreal.Brossard is subdivided into many smaller sections. These sections are characterized by having street names that all begin with the same letter of the alphabet...
, Lapointe is an alumnus of Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
where he played football for the Mount Allison Mounties
Mount Allison Mounties
The Mount Allison Mounties is the name given to varsity athletic teams that represent Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada.The Mounties sports teams play their matches at MacAuley field which seats 2,500.-Athletics & Recreations:...
. While playing at the university level, he was Canada's Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Canadian, and a two-time Hec Crighton Trophy winner as Most Outstanding Player in Canada (1996 and 1998), for which he received special congratulations by the Legislature of Nova Scotia. He was also a rushing leader for the Atlantic conference and nationally. In 1996, he rushed 1,619 yards to break the record in Atlantic University Sport
Atlantic University Sport
Atlantic University Sport is a regional membership association for Canadian universities which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, results, and releases about those programs and events to the public and...
. In his four years of playing, he rushed 4,666 yards, just 29 yards short of the CIAU
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
all-time career rushing record. Despite being eligible to play for 5 years in Canadian university football, Lapointe graduated and opted to finish his university sports career after only 4 years. He still supports the team and often can be seen at their games in Quebec.
In 2005, he was selected by Canadian university football fans as the best university football player of all time.
After graduation in 1999, Lapointe was selected in the third round (20th overall) of the CFL entry draft by the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
but was released shortly afterward to play for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
. As part of this 1999 Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
winning team, Lapointe started for only 2 games yet finished 11th in the league with 691 rushing yards. In 2000, Lapointe was traded to the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
in a multi-player deal but languished and left the team during the 2001 off-season as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
to work in the financial services industry, closer to his home in Montreal.
Lapointe joined the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
in February 2001 and played mainly as a backup for the team during the 2001-2004 seasons; during the 2005 season
2005 CFL season
The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2005:...
he came into prominence after being named the starting running back for the Alouettes in the 93rd Grey Cup
93rd Grey Cup
The 93rd Grey Cup game was held on November 27, 2005, at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes, to decide the winner of the 2005 season of the Canadian Football League. The Eskimos prevailed over the Alouettes in a 38-35 overtime...
(the Als lost 38-35 to the Esks in a thrilling overtime showdown).
Lapointe announced his retirement from the CFL following the 2006 season and is currently working as a financial analyst in Montreal.