By Rita Mingo
Calgary Herald

Though he didn’t technically join the Calgary Stampeders until Wednesday, Tony Missick rode the highs and lows of the 2010 Canadian Football League season from afar.

“I actually caught a couple of games,’’ he said. “I knew what was going on and I was rooting for the guys, like I was part of the team. When they had that short losing streak, I felt bad and I stopped watching, because I thought maybe I was bad luck.’’

The missing piece to the Stamps’ coaching puzzle has been placed, with the announcement Missick has been added to the staff as defensive backs coach for the 2011 season. He replaces Corey Chamblin, who left this past week to become Hamilton’s defensive co-ordinator.

Missick joins Chris Jones (defensive co-ordinator/assistant director of player personnel), Dave Dickenson (offensive co-ordinator), Mark Kilam (special teams), Cornell Brown (defensive line), Kris Sweet (offensive line), Pete Costanza (receivers), Mike Gibson (running backs) and Brent Monson (linebackers/conditioning) on John Hufnagel’s staff.

The Atlanta-based Missick was a guest coach with the Stamps in training camp and it didn’t take the 42-year-old long to see what this team was all about.

“It seemed like a family,’’ he said. “Guys were close, not standoffish. I thought, ‘these guys are happy and they get along’ and it’s good to be a part of something like that.

“They have a great facility, the food was outstanding . . . it’s first class all the way.’’

Hufnagel spoke enthusiastically about his new staff member.

“When we bring in guest coaches, hopefully they’re people who at some point in time would be interested (in coming to Calgary),’’ said the Stamps head coach and GM. “Tony was one of those. I observed his approach, his communication skills and the energy he brings to practice, as well as his knowledge. He’s that much further along, knows the defence and understands the different personnel.’’

Missick has spent the bulk of his coaching career in the Arena Football League, as head coach in Cincinnati and Norfolk as a defensive co-ordinator. Most recently, he was the assistant head coach and linebackers coach at Saint Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Va.

He isn’t terribly familiar with coach Hufnagel, but knows where he stands.

“Pete Costanza told me as long as you’re loyal and you work hard, he’ll always be fair. And being a coach, there’s nothing you want more than to be treated fairly.’’

Missick, out of the University of Kentucky, played a single season in the National Football League with the Philadelphia Eagles and five campaigns in the Arena league.

New to the CFL game, he does like one aspect.

“There are only three downs,’’ he joked, “not that many opportunities for the other team to score. And the end zone is as big as the arena field!”