VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Baltimore's Mike Pringle couldn't break the reign of Calgary quarterback Doug Flutie, but teammates Shar Pourdanesh and Matt Goodwin were big winners in the Canadian Football League awards program last night at the Orpheum Theatre.
Flutie took an unprecedented fourth straight Most Outstanding Player Award, beating out Pringle, 33-19, in the voting by the Football Reporters of Canada.
The 1984 Heisman Trophy winner threw for 5,726 yards and a league-record 48 touchdowns for the Stampeders this season. A year ago, he was a unanimous choice as Outstanding Player.
"I feel like I'm supposed to win it now," Flutie said. "It's the same attitude with football, and it's not as much fun now."
Pringle broke CFL records for rushing (1,972 yards) and yards from scrimmage (2,414). Baltimore was 8-0 when he rushed for 100 yards.
"You can't compare one position to another," Flutie said. "Mike has done everything in his power to help his team."
Asked if he was disappointed by the verdict, Pringle said, "No, I'm playing Sunday.
"I did everything I can do . . . 28 yards shy of 2,000. I don't know if I could have done any more. I played through injuries. The bottom line, I'm here Sunday, playing for the Grey Cup and ring. That was my goal at the start of the season."
Pourdanesh, one of the blockers who helped Pringle break Willie Burden's 1975 mark of 1,896 yards, was a one-vote winner for the Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, beating Calgary guard Rocco Romano.
"Last year, the NFL said I was nothing more than an average college player and I believed them," said Pourdanesh, who went undrafted by the NFL and was cut by the Cleveland Browns.
Born in Tehran, Iran, Pourdanesh gave up only two sacks and five hurries at left tackle during the regular season.
Goodwin, meanwhile, was named the Most Outstanding Rookie. beat place-kicker Carlos Huerta of the Las Vegas Posse.
"I was real nervous," Goodwin said of his big night. "I concentrated on not falling off the stairs and not dropping the trophy."
The league brought in Goodwin's mother, Kathryn Goodwin, for the awards ceremony.
Goodwin made 54 tackles as a linebacker. On special teams, he blocked four kicks and scored three touchdowns.
Edmonton linebacker Willie Pless was voted the top defensive ++ award, beating out defensive end Tim Cofield of Hamilton.
Winnipeg slotback Gerald Wilcox (111 catches for 1,624 yards) topped Edmonton linebacker Larry Wruck as the Most Outstanding Canadian.
Baltimore was the only team with more than one winner last night.