Game Day Cookies

Everyone is talking about who got cut from the roster and how sad it is and all that stuff.  Yes, I feel bad for those guys like Eddie Russ who are great people but as we know, it is part of this crazy sport that we love.  So.....What better to soothe an achy heart than baking?  You will need a snack for game day after all.

I bought my football cookie cutters at Michael's.  I was just there on the weekend and they don't have them anymore.  But I know that you can also order them from Amazon.com or I'm sure a bunch of other online sources.

When I made these cookies, I must confess, I used the Betty Crocker mix.  I know.  I know.  Shameful.  If you have the time my Mom's Sugar Cookie recipe is much better.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (or margarine or shortening0
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients.  Form into a roll, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

Roll out and use cookie cutters.

Bake at 350*C for approx. 8 minutes.  This recipe makes approx 5 dozen cookies.

The Betty Crocker mix makes considerably less.

I also took a short cut when it came to frosting the cookies.  Yeah.  I bought it too.  But you can get great tasting frosting in ready to decorate tubes at your local grocery store.  I like to shop at the Co-Op.....you know because of all the other game day treats like.... Geroy's Super Cream & Onion Ripple Chips.

So once you have your green and white frosting.....because why would you need any other colours? ..... you can decorate the cookies.

Mine turned out pretty great!

Green & White Day 2013

 Technically, they were calling it Riderville North Fan Fest Day.  It's all part of the 101st Grey Cup festivities, however, the Riders do usually travel this way for a special day of autographs and practice.

Last year it rained.

This year it rained cats and dogs.

Does it matter to Rider Nation?  Not one single bit.

Hubby and I arrived a good half hour early.  We stood in line for about 45 minutes.  Unfortunately, due to the conditions the Riders only had 'select' players signing autographs and they were in a tent.  The lineup to see them could have wrapped all around the track at Griffith Stadium.  As one of my Tweeps mentioned I just wish someone would have told us it was hopeless. 

Gainer walked down the line entertaining kids.

 I managed to make it to the tent and had my specially purchased green nerf football signed.  I had wanted to meet Geroy Simon and have him sign it but he was taken away to get ready for practice.  *disappointed face*  But, happily, I did get to meet Dwight Anderson who, strangely enough, was seated beside Weston Dressler.  Weston didn't appear worried about his eyes at all.

Dwight Anderson, Weston Dressler & Chris Getzlaf

A little farther down the line I managed to talk to Ricky Foley and Kory Sheets.  I mentioned to Kory that I'd talked to him on Twitter the night before.  "For real?" he said.  Then he asked my twitter name and he said he actually remembered me.  <swoon>

We stood around for a little while waiting for the scrimmage to start but it was raining heavy again.  Many did stay.  I felt since, I had attended the two previous practices it wasn't necessary. 

That wraps up my week of Rider Training Camp and Fan Day.  This week some of the practices are held at the SaskTel soccer centre and due to work, I can't attend the afternoons at Griffiths.  Work always gets in the way of fun doesn't it?!

My 2nd Time at Rider Training Camp

I wasn't sure what I was going to wake up to today.  It was partly cloudy and turned out to be a beautiful morning.  The practice this morning was later.....taking place at 9:45 at Griffith Stadium.  It allowed me to get my beauty sleep which I needed after baking a big batch of cookies for the team last night.

Oh I had you at cookies, eh?

I made my very favourite cherry milk chocolate chip cookies.  I was done at 11pm and had them packaged in a festive green container complete with football napkins.

I wore my new Rider shirt.  I bought a mens shirt at the Rider Store at the Circle Centre Mall yesterday.  I have two ill fitting plus sized Rider shirts.  I compared the mens to the ladies and they were the same measurements and the mens was $10 cheaper!  I may never buy womens clothing again.

Yeah.  Right.

Oh and I wore my green sneakers today.

I sat in almost the same spot as on Tuesday. 

Photo courtesy Murray McCormick

I did chat with the same fellow I talked to on Tuesday.  Today he wore a green fuzzy hat.

Rider fans are, if anything, stylish.

Kory Sheets & Jock Sanders

So.....what was really interesting about practice today was that it was a walk through.  I didn't really know what that meant.  The coaches were miked up and the players didn't have pads.  It was much easier to follow today and I have to admit more fun to watch because I could see and understand the strategy better.  The players looked more relaxed even if they were working on following direction and placing themselves or running the correct route.  Then I realized at one point it seemed that what was going on was actually very much like choreography. 

When the practice was over I hustled  over to the entrance.  I was toting my cookies after all.  The female security guard took pity on me and said that if I promised not to hassle anyone I could stand at the end of the water table and see if a player would take them from me.  So I did.  The first guy didn't look impressed.  Then another guy [not a player but a water guy maybe] said he could take them into the lockers for me.  YAY!  Then another player over hearing the exchange spoke up and said "for real?"  I thought that was funny.....because it would be really sad if I didn't have cookies!  I didn't recognize him or see his number :(  I hope he got a cookie.  I profusely thanks the security guard.  She said, "well, I wasn't going to steal your thunder."  :)

I left a pretty happy camper.

Things I Learned at Training Camp

My sparkly sneakers....just chillin' in the stands.

 I am a surprisingly nice person at 6:55am.  I hustled around and got ready for my first experience at Rider Training Camp.  As I was later told by a curly-green&white-wig wearing fellow, the ladies gotta represent.  I dropped Hubby off at work and treated myself to a Timmies breakfast sandwich and cafe mocha before heading to Griffith Stadium.  I arrived about 8:30 after hiking from the parking lot off Preston, which if you didn't know, is free.  But don't park there because then I won't have a spot!

I sat on the 55 yard line.

After snapping a few photo's with the Canon Rebel, I quickly realized we need a better zooming lens.  I've reviewed pics and need to fix and crop and such.  The other thing is that I am sooooo out of practice and easily distracted.  The team would break off into practice groups and I found there was so much going on I didn't know which way to look.  I am a girl after all.

Greg Carr.  Holy doodle is he a tall boy.  I saw him get a nice grab.  Anyone else would have had to jump and leap.....or get a step ladder, while he just reached up like it was no biggie.  Chris Getzlaf looked good.  I saw him get a few nice short passes.  I saw Geroy Simon drop a few and I saw the coach not let him get away with it.  Taj Smith was notable. I thought Robb Bag looked like a beast.  He looked good and healthy.  Where is his Co-Op Game Day cereal, huh?  I think the big story is Weston Dressler.  He played all out.  All or nothing.  Go hard or go home.

Also heard another receiver went home today.  He wasn't cut.....just went home. Yamon Figurs was his name.  Apparently, he was supposed to be very promising.  We will never know.

I enjoyed watching Kory Sheets and Jock Sanders.  I think there's something brewing there.

The snap calls have changed.  They seemed more 'american'.  Instead of the familiar "1-81, 1-82" they were replaced with words.  After hearing them all morning, would you believe I can't remember them now?  Ugh!

I was surprised by the media.  Some are dressed in suits while some look like they want to be rock stars.  It was an interesting mix.  I think the real rock star was Rod Pederson, who came to the fence and chatted with some fans.  He spoke with them for a really long time.  I thought that was really cool for them and for him to take the time to do it.

I had a moment of panic when a media crew started interviewing fans in the stands.  I thought "I'm not prepared!  I didn't think of anything witty to say!"  But they didn't talk to me in the end.  Whew!

At the end of practice, Scott McHenry came over and talked to the same fans who Rod Pederson had spoken to.

I'm somewhat glad that practice ended when it did because it was getting really hot.  At 8am it was only +4 and I'm sure it was 20 by the time practice was done and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.  Later in the day, I realized I was actually sun burnt on my neck/chest area.  I wear spf 30 with titanium dioxide for a sun allergy.  Weird, I know, but even more weird to get a sun burn.  Oh and only I have the talent for getting the lovely tan line of my rider necklace.

I was happier than a June bug to go to practice this morning.  I'm not sure I'll make it back this week.  But I have big plans to go to Green & White Day on Saturday at Griffith Stadium at 2pm.  They're having an autograph session!  The excitement in Riderville North never ceases!