Doug Brown, the face of the Blue Bombers, decides to make his retirement official

It's no particular surprise that Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Canadian defensive tackle Doug Brown isn't returning for the 2012 CFL season. Brown established that he was likely to retire in the buildup to the Grey Cup, and as he told Yahoo!'s Ian Denomme after that game, the Bombers' loss there was even tougher to take because of its finality. Still, as The Winnipeg Sun's Kirk Penton writes, Brown is set to make his retirement official Wednesday at a Bombers' press conference, and that's well worth noting. Brown's career is memorable from many angles, including his decade-plus of dominance at a position traditionally reserved for Americans, his consistent production, his NFL success, his willingness to talk about just about anything and his outspoken advocacy on player safety and concussions.What might be the most interesting aspect of Brown's career is how he spent all 11 of his CFL seasons in Winnipeg, though, and how he became the face of the Bombers' franchise in the process. Brown was still playing at a high level in 2011 and was named an East Division all-star, so he does leave a substantial hole for the Bombers to fill on the gridiron, but he may leave an even bigger void off the field.

When most people think of a football team, it's the offensive superstars that tend to come to mind first. The quarterbacks tend to get the most attention, followed by running backs or perhaps a star receiver, and that makes sense because of how frequently they're mentioned during broadcasts and in game stories. Defensive players tend to be more anonymous, and defensive tackles in particular can have a tough time drawing positive attention; their job produces a few highlight-reel sacks, but many more plays involve them just battling it out with opposing offensive linemen to try and stop a running back or put pressure on a passer. Thus, you wouldn't think of a defensive lineman as likely to become the most recognizable player on a team. That's what happened with Brown over much of the last decade, though, particularly the last few years, and that shows how special of a player he was.

Some of Brown's name recognition in Winnipeg can be chalked up to longevity, but that's hardly the whole story. Few players spend their entire CFL career in one city, and given the player movement common in this league, many don't even last longer than a couple of years in one town. Brown's eleven years of service to the Bombers made him a consistent, continual presence. He wasn't always the biggest name on the team, particularly when guys like Milt Stegall and Charles Roberts were in their prime, but he never faded into the background either, and he was one of the few bright spots during dismal seasons for the team, such as the 2010 campaign. It's worth noting that longevity has to be earned, too; as we've seen this offseason, many long-tenured team veterans can be quickly cut loose if someone else seems more promising. Brown not only managed to stick around past the years where many vets are ditched, he continued to be one of the Bombers' stars and one of the league's best defensive tackles. He also made a huge impression in his community off the field, and that matters too.

Brown did a lot for his team over his career, but his contributions to the entire league should be remembered too. Much like another Canadian defensive lineman retiring after 11 CFL campaigns with one team, B.C.'s Brent Johnson, Brown helped to establish that non-import players could not only fill traditionally American positions, but dominate in those roles. A seven-time league all-star and an eight-time divisional all-star, Brown also picked up the league's Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 2001 and the Reebok Best Move Award in 2009, and he was a key part of the Bombers' runs to the Grey Cup game in 2007 and 2011. With Canadian talent on the rise, it seems likely we'll see more non-import stars, but guys like Brown paved the way for the new crop. Brown also made key contributions for his fellow players through his work with the CFL Players' Association, and his outspoken comments on player safety likely helped motivate some of the progress the CFL has made on concussions. His regular newspaper columns in The Winnipeg Free Press have always been a good read, too, and they've helped to get a player's perspective out there on numerous league issues. The CFL's going to miss Doug Brown, both on and off the field.