Week Five

Here we are at the end of July and I am in full summer vacay mode and the CFL is heading into week 5.

Well, week 5 for the Riders.

This season is a weird bazarro world.  Not only are last years bottom dwellers of the Western Division now leading the league, but, because of this being an expansion year, we have a rotating bye week.  Some have discussed that it's hard to get on a roll when your teams bye week falls in week 2 or 3.  The media talked lots of a down week and "what are they lacking" in their broadcasts.  I thought that for the Riders the bye week would serve as a reset after playing 3 games ending in 1 win and 2 losses.  I think I was right because going into the bye week the bandwagon had a bit of leg room for the Rider faithful as people and media panicked, but the week off gave players time to reconnect, get their mindset right and come back with drive and determination.

During the bye week, I had the pleasure to stand in line at the new Co-Op store at the Circle Centre Mall in Saskatoon with hundreds of other fans to see Riders Quarterback Darian Durant.  We arrived a half hour early and the line up was already to the end of the magazine isle.  Poor bewildered grocery shoppers had no idea what was going on and just stared.  I took my two Darian's DariO cereal boxes to be signed.  They were empty.  We ate all the cereal.  I didn't see anyone else in line with cereal boxes although I saw anything ranging from Grey Cup jerseys to footballs.

My Hubby wasn't going to go with me.  I was going to go alone, but he couldn't help himself and donned his Grey Cup Champion tee shirt.  See I had to go...I missed training camp and didn't get any signatures this year, which is a routine for me as I've got four other signed footballs.  We even missed our annual voyage to the Watrous Co-Op customer appreciation days where Taj Smith and two other Riders went this year.

I never know what to say.  Something goofy always comes out of my mouth.  I wish I could have told Darian that I've believed in him since I met him in 2009.  But I didn't.  He gratiously signed my cereal boxes and poised for a picture.  Then I wished him good luck against Toronto and I saw his eyes light up.  And I knew.  I knew that he had this.  All the stuff the media says about aprehension and players not meshing and all that stuff went out the window.  I knew whatever it was that plagued them before was gone.



Then Saturday the Riders beat the stuffings out of the Argonauts. 

Oh how I love a good thrashing!  Remember how Ricky Ray was the #1 quarterback in TSN's Top 50 CFL players?  Well I shouted "TAKE THAT!" as Tearius George smashed into him and forced a fumble.  It felt so good!  Let's face it...it's how we always want the Riders to play.  Close games are exciting but my heart (and my fingernails which get chewed off every game)  can't take it!  No, I want a good old fashioned thumping!

So now the Riders are heading to Ottawa and I will be in a place where I won't even be able to chant "HEEEENNNRRRYYYYYY".  I am going into a wifi free zone for five days.  Not only wifi free, but very low to zero connectivity and (*cries*) I won't even be able to watch the game or listen on radio.

The horror!

But you know what?  I will still represent with all my little green heart has in me.

You can take the girl away from the Riders, but you can't take the Riders out of this rabid fan girl.