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From the moment the Roughriders beat the Stampeders in the western final, I was in a panic.  I couldn't sleep.  I couldn't eat.  I couldn't think about anything but football.  I think I lost 20 pounds.

I wore green all week.  In fact, I realized I could probably wear Rider gear every single day for two weeks without running out, although some of it is rather ill fitting.  Still.

I hung my 100 Years of Pride flag up at work.  I felt awkward doing that.  In 2009, I hung a Rider sign on my classroom door.  We know how that turned out.  Monday when I arrived at work the sign had been ripped off and tossed in the garbage.  I promptly retrieved it and put it back on the door.  I told people, "The Riders need us more now than ever."

Wednesday I watched the opening of Riderville streamed live on the Riderville.com website.

Thursday I started seeing pictures of the Coaches press conference.  Corey Chamblin wore a suit.  Kent Austin was wearing a track suit.  Chamblin looked like the coach of a championship team.  Austin looked like the coach of a college team.  That might sound mean, but I expected more of him.  It doesn't matter that he had to go out to the field right after and hold practice because Chamblin had to get on a bus and drive to Moose Jaw for practice.

I could not wait for the week to be finished.  In all honesty, anything that wasn't football related is a complete and utter blur.  I just felt like it was time.  It was time to get the game going.

Sunday, game day, Grey Cup day was an incredibly beautiful day.  Man oh man, I felt such regret.  Why the heck didn't I try harder to get tickets?  Oh yeah, I know there weren't hotels available and we'd have to get a dog sitter.  But man.  We should have been there.  We went to the Co-Op for groceries instead.  I bought 3 bags of Geroy Simon Super Onion & Sour Cream chips.  They were 3 for $4.98.  Secretly I hoped Geroy would be a huge factor in the game.  I hoped that maybe he'd get 3 TD's.  Little did I know that Superman had not scored a touchdown in a Grey Cup game in his career.  Wow.

I wore the same outfit I'd worn for the Western Semi and the Western Final.  My Celebration in Ridernation tank top which I had worn to Watrous and met Dwight Anderson, Macho Harris and Jock Sanders.  I wore my grey bunnyhug.  I had to wear my hair down and my watermelon earrings.  Pants didn't seem to matter....as in colour/style etc.  I try hard not to be superstitious, but I guess I am after all.

The anxiety I had all week had reached an epic state of butterflies by game time.  The TSN pregame was amazing.  I hope someone somewhere snags a video of that Saskatchewan feature because it was so amazing and heart warming that I'd love to watch it over and over again.

Finally.  It was game time.  BRING EM OUT.  BRING EM OUT.  BRING EM OUT.  The Riders skipped the formality of player introductions and rushed out onto the field sending TSN into a frenzy.  It was hilarious on tv because for once, Rod Black aka Skater Dude was silenced!  It was exhilarating to watch the players gather and dance.

The sky shots of Taylor Field were breath taking.  Seeing the Snowbirds flyby was purely amazing.

Why the heck wasn't I there?!

I don't think I actually started breathing until the 3rd quarter.  It felt like Hamilton was going to make a comeback.  They started to see something or get something working in the 3rd quarter.  Hubby said "oh don't worry we've got this."  But I'd seen it before.  Then something miraculous happened.  Everytime the Riders offence was on the field they scored.  Let's face it.  The Riders played the way we have always wanted them too.  The way we have dreamt they could.

The Roughriders broke a record for points scored in the first half of a Grey Cup game.  Kory Sheets broke the rushing record for a Grey Cup game.  Geroy Simon got his first and second touchdowns in a Grey Cup game.  Everyone got to touch the ball.  The offense was spread around.  George Cortez was freaking amazing with his play calling.

Then we won.

The Riders won their 4th Grey Cup in 103 years of the football club.  The 101st Grey Cup held right in historic Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field.  2013.  The year of the 13th man.  Vindication.  Redemption.  What happened in 2009?  I can't remember.  It's been erased.  Once Darian Durant grasped that cup and held it over his head in celebration.....it was all true.

That.  Just.  Happened.

Bring 'Em Out

Holy Sheets, guys!  We are headed to the 101st Grey Cup!  The Roughriders in the house that Ronny and George built.  It chokes me up.  This is what we've dreamed about all our lives as Rider fans.  Making it to the big game in our very home and winning it on Taylor Field at Mosaic Stadium.

Can this get any better?

What a euphoric week.

How did we get here?  A year ago, I believe Coach Corey Chamblin, GM Brendan Tamon and President Jim Hobson planned for this.  How do you win the Grey Cup?  First you need to build a championship team and bring in players like Geroy Simon, John Chick, Ricky Foley, Dwight Anderson and so many more. Then you employ the genius offensive mastermind of George Cortez.  You hold training camp away from home, in Saskatoon aka Riderville North, where players could bond together like brothers.

Did George Cortez hold back plays?  You bet your pants he did.  I knew it all along too.  You can't show everything you've got because then all the teams know you.  You keep those plays for play offs.  That's when you pull them out of your pack pocket and make defenses jaws drop open in surprise.  You bet that's what happened when we took over and totally dominated the line of scrimmage against the Stampeders in the Western Final.  They had no idea we were coming.

Supposedly the league is criticising our players for not touching the Western Division trophy.  As elite quarterback Darian Durant said on the sidelines, "I don't want that one."  Nope we don't either!  Ridernation wants the cup!  We want the cup!

We want the cup in the name of Sir Earl Grey.  Even if he thought he was donating a hockey trophy.  The story I recall is that he heard about Sir Stanley donating a cup and he wanted to do the same thing.  Well, Sir Grey, I am so glad this happened. What a beautiful cup she is.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are hosting the 101st Grey Cup at Mosaic Stadium.  Our home.  The visiting team?  The Hamilton Tiger Cats.  They finished second in the east and beat the defending 2012 Grey Cup champions the Toronto Argonauts to get to the cup.  The Hamilton head coach is ex-Rider and coach Kent Austin.  Kent Austin quarterbacked the Roughriders in the 1989 Grey Cup win and he coached the Riders to the 2007 Grey Cup win.  His banner hangs on our stadium.  The Hamilton quarterback is Henry Burris, also an ex-Rider, who left us when he was going to be demoted as quarterback.  There are several other ex-Riders on the TiCat team: Andy Fantuz; Luca Congi.

But hold the Grey Cup train!  Our offensive coach, quarterback whisperer, George Cortez is the Hamilton ex-head coach.  Our linebacker, although now injured, Rey Williams was dismissed in the off season.  He has a huge chip on his shoulder.  Our head coach, Corey Chamblin was a defensive coach not all that long ago with the TiCats.

This will be the last big hurrah for Taylor Field.  We are building a new stadium for 2015.  Mosaic is a wonderful old girl.  I hope she gets to party like she's never before.

There are all kinds of storylines here.

This week is going to go fast and yet drag along at the same time.  Game time is 5pm Sunday.  I plan on savoring each moment.  I plan on wearing green all week.  It's going to be crazy.  And I am ready!

BRING 'EM OUT!  BRING 'EM OUT!  WE WANT THE CUP!!  WE WANT THE CUP!!!!

Go get it boys.

Football Friday

The question is not "will the Riders do it" but, "how will the Riders do it."  

1.  The Roughrider have to play a mistake free football game.  No penalties and no stupid plays.  The team who makes the least amount of mistakes will win.  That means, no silly pass interference calls [who knows what that is anymore anyway], no roughing calls and no interceptions or turnovers.  The Riders have to play the cleanest game of their lives.

2.  There is no debate this time around about Cornish versus Sheets.  You know I'd vote Sheets any day of the week and twice on Sunday.  Sheets set a goal for himself and the whole team rallied to help him out.  He is a clear motivator.  Cornish has trouble keeping his pants up and is only concerned with himself and how he's "the best".  The guy who puts this silly topic out of their mind and performs will come out the winner.

3.  Gainergate.  In 2006, Gainer was banned from the west semi final in Calgary.  Riders won 30-21.  It was announced today that Gainer will not be making this trip.  It was not mentioned that he was banned or forbid from attending.  I think this is a good omen.

4.  In 2010, Jerrell Freeman won us the game.  Times have changed and Jerrell Freeman is a beast with the Colts.  However, we do have John Chick who makes me weak in the knees every time he walks across my big screen tv.  It could come down to the best defense or a big defensive play.

5.  The last time Regina hosted the Grey Cup was 2003.  Mike McCullough was drafted that year.  The Roughrider season ended 11-7.  Our Quarterback was Kevin Glenn who is the started for the Stampeders this Sunday.  Our coach was Danny Barrett.  The Edmonton Eskimo's went on to the Grey Cup to defeat the Montreal Allouettes.  Interesting that the talk is Danny Barrett might be in the running for the Eskies new Head Coach. 

Those are my thoughts for the day!  I'll see you on the flip side.....Monday.  When the Roughriders are Western Division Champions.  Go Riders Go!

Eighteen

Eighteen.

The number of CFL games in a season.

Where did the time go?

We spend the off season yearning for football and then poof it's all over.  Well, nearly.  In case you missed it, my Saskatchewan Roughriders are in the play offs.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

It would have been nice to go into the playoffs with some momentum.  But we didn't.  I think that has something to do with people feeling a little blaise about the whole thing.  The team was so dominant during those first eight games.  Where did that spark go?  I don't know.  I don't have the answers but I certainly hope the Roughriders coaching staff does.  I hope that they've been holding back.  I did even hear Sportscage's Rod Pederson comment a few weeks ago about seeing practice and seeing things that would make our jaws drop open.  I hope so, Roddy!

I'm disappointed in the whole Cornish - Sheets debate.  It was a media thing.....pitting them against each other.  In my mind the best back will be the one who gets to hoist the Grey Cup.  What happens in the regular season is nice, but getting that cup is the real prize.

Nine Roughriders were named to the All Star Team.  There were several names on there that made me cheer.  I've been a big supporter of Darian Durant for years now.  I was so happy to see his name on the list.  Also Dwight Anderson.  I know people don't care for him.  I love his passion.  I love the commradery he brings to the team.  He was terrific when I met him.  He liked my Party in Ridernation tee shirt.

Okay so this Sunday is the West Semi Final.  The Roughriders get to host it.  I've heard plenty of complaining about ticket sales.  I think the problem is all the extra Grey Cup seating.  Usually the game would be sold out.  With all the extra seating and it being winter now.....people aren't jumping to buy tickets.  Fans also aren't really sure which Rider team will show up.  Personally, I think we've got this.  I feel the butterflies but that can be a good thing.  I just know that the hype doesn't seem to be there.  I'm not seeing the people wearing the colors on game day.  I'm not seeing or hearing people talking about it.  The Riders need to win this game and then I'm sure everyone will be honking their horns and gearing up.

One thing I know for sure.....I'm not ready for this season to be over.

Go Riders Go!  Let's tame those Lions!