So here we are at the end and ultimate destination in the CFL...Grey Cup weekend. We know my Riders aren't in it and I'm not going to dwell on why or how because I believe in celebrating for the whole Canadian league.
Celebrations are going on and I am not there. Apparently 6000 others aren't either. As of Wednesday that's approx how many tickets are left available for Sundays square off. Some are saying it's because Vancouver hosted the Grey Cup only 3 years ago. Let's not forget that David Braley, who they say "saved" the CFL, owns both the BC Lions and Toronto Argonauts. Is it fair that those two cities also hosted in the last 3 years? I'm not sure about that. What I am sure of is that when the Riders aren't involved everyone loses money. We all know that the Roughriders have the strongest contingent of traveling fans in the league. IF the Riders had indeed made it to the cup we know those 6000 tickets would have easily been snapped up by Rider Nation.
So that leaves me questioning...where are all the fans of the teams who are in the 102nd Grey Cup? Where are all the Hamilton Tiger Cat fans? Where are all the Calgary Stampeder fans, who let's face it, just live through the mountains? It's not like weather is a factor in not wanting to go to Vancouver!
Many Rider fans are saying they are siding with the TiCats. I've heard how fans say they just can't side with Calgary because they whine about everything and are egotistical and then there's the whole mooning incident. I've heard others say that you 'have' to choose TiCats because of Kent Austin and how he won the Riders 2 Grey Cups. I think it's interesting how time changes things.
To me, Dave Ridgeway won the 1989 Roughriders the Grey Cup. Sure it was Quarterback Kent Austin who got the team into position so the kick could happen. But if you remember there was tandem quarterbacking that year with Tom Burgess and Kent Austin and that occurred due to injuries. Also, Austin was Head Coach for the 2007 Grey Cup winning team. I have such mixed feelings because I feel like that year was already set in motion by the previous coaching staff. The talent was already there. He just led them. I am not diminishing his accomplishments in any way, but I don't care for the green pedestal which some seem to place him on. Remember he did leave us twice.
But I'm trying to forgive the past.
A-B-C. Anyone But Calgary. Meh. I have not had the same hate on for Calgary that I had since Henry Burris left the team. I've also had a change of heart towards Jon Cornish. Yes, it's true. I did indeed make fun of him at one time. And as I've realized I probably did deserve to be blocked by his Twitter account. Heck, I block people all the time now. (mostly those pesky and often insulting Bomber fans) He probably does get a lot of verbal abuse and it is healthier to just block them and not have to deal with it than try to fight back. One of the bigger revelations, and something EVERY Rider fan forgets, is that John Huffnagel was also once a Roughrider quarterback. There is also one other very strong factor...Ron Lancaster's grandson is the Calgary Stampeders defensive assistant. AND that fact alone is what makes them a different team this year.
In the 102nd Grey Cup, this Sunday November 30th we will have two ex-Rider Quarterbacks coaching their teams to try to win the coveted prize. We will see two first year starting Quarterbacks, Zack Collaros & Bo Levi Mitchell, lead their teams in a Grey Cup ever. We will see TiCats & exRider Craig Butler try to repeat while Stampeder & exRider Jock Sanders watch from the Calgary sidelines. One thing for sure is that in my opinion, the Hamilton TigerCats will have to play intense lights out penalty free football for 60 minutes to win the game.
Even though I have chosen the Stamps as my pick to win the Grey Cup this year I have the gut feeling that IF the TiCats manage the game well it just could come down to a Justin Medlock field goal to win the game. And how cool would that be 30 years after "The Kick" by Dave Ridgeway?
Where will you be watching? I'll be huddled up in my living room around my 55 LCD LG TV fully clad in Rider green. You can take the Riders out of the game, but you can't stop the fans from representing.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014
Almost Everything
We almost had it all.
Or did we?
Nothing could compare to the 2013 season. We hosted the Grey Cup. We hoisted the Grey Cup. Everything we could imagine in our wildest dreams came true...and came true right in our own stomping ground.
2014 never stood a chance. No matter how we tried to keep the pieces of the puzzle the same...they wouldn't fit. We lost players to free agency. We lost players to injury. We lost hearts in the stands. On and off the field we just couldn't get things gelling. Maybe it was Grey Cup hang over. The feeling, drive and determination was not there as it had been. Then when the unthinkable happened and our franchise quarterback, Darian Durant, went down it devastated us more than any of us wanted to let on.
*SIGH*
It was within reach. We made it to the play offs by a hair. In the end, we just couldn't do it no matter how much we willed Kerry Joseph to do it for us. Thinking about it now, maybe we put more pressure on him than he was able of handling in the circumstances. I am heartbroken for him. His words of criticism cut and no one should have to bear that. We wanted him to "Kerry us to the Cup" but it wasn't going to be the stuff Disney movies are made of. Especially when we had all the glory last year.
So what's next? Well some are calling for firings and big shake ups. I'm not about that at all. We all learn from losses. Some will say 'what do you know, you aren't a player' and that's true. I've always felt that my career choice of piano teacher was similar in many aspects to coaching and playing football. I teach the fundamentals. I give you the skills to play. Sometimes there are concerts, exams and festivals. There are winners and losers. I've seen winners lose and previous losers win. Losing is a good thing. It builds character and it motivates. My students who have experienced both come away smarter, fine tuned and better prepared. It's the same for football. This loss as painful as it feels now will serve us in 2015.
None of the logic makes it easier does it? The fact is the lockers will be cleaned out, changes will be made in the off season and a new team will emerge from training camp. Our community will gather to support them all clad in our newly pressed green jerseys, hats and face paint. Our voices will go hoarse from cheering. Our hopes will once more rise. It is the way of Rider Nation.
Hold you head high. Reflect with happiness. Know that we had almost everything.
Or did we?
Nothing could compare to the 2013 season. We hosted the Grey Cup. We hoisted the Grey Cup. Everything we could imagine in our wildest dreams came true...and came true right in our own stomping ground.
2014 never stood a chance. No matter how we tried to keep the pieces of the puzzle the same...they wouldn't fit. We lost players to free agency. We lost players to injury. We lost hearts in the stands. On and off the field we just couldn't get things gelling. Maybe it was Grey Cup hang over. The feeling, drive and determination was not there as it had been. Then when the unthinkable happened and our franchise quarterback, Darian Durant, went down it devastated us more than any of us wanted to let on.
*SIGH*
It was within reach. We made it to the play offs by a hair. In the end, we just couldn't do it no matter how much we willed Kerry Joseph to do it for us. Thinking about it now, maybe we put more pressure on him than he was able of handling in the circumstances. I am heartbroken for him. His words of criticism cut and no one should have to bear that. We wanted him to "Kerry us to the Cup" but it wasn't going to be the stuff Disney movies are made of. Especially when we had all the glory last year.
So what's next? Well some are calling for firings and big shake ups. I'm not about that at all. We all learn from losses. Some will say 'what do you know, you aren't a player' and that's true. I've always felt that my career choice of piano teacher was similar in many aspects to coaching and playing football. I teach the fundamentals. I give you the skills to play. Sometimes there are concerts, exams and festivals. There are winners and losers. I've seen winners lose and previous losers win. Losing is a good thing. It builds character and it motivates. My students who have experienced both come away smarter, fine tuned and better prepared. It's the same for football. This loss as painful as it feels now will serve us in 2015.
None of the logic makes it easier does it? The fact is the lockers will be cleaned out, changes will be made in the off season and a new team will emerge from training camp. Our community will gather to support them all clad in our newly pressed green jerseys, hats and face paint. Our voices will go hoarse from cheering. Our hopes will once more rise. It is the way of Rider Nation.
Hold you head high. Reflect with happiness. Know that we had almost everything.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Football & Social Media
Social media is a powerful thing isn't it? I don't think I really understood until I got going on Twitter. You can tweet your happyness or despair and people respond. It can be wonderful and it can be terrible all wrapped up in one big bow.
This week activity on Twitter exploded with the excitement surrounding Quinn Magnuson's "unofficial" CFL Twitter Awards. If you haven't voted...and why the heck not? Get over there and do it now....or stay and read *wink* The fun started when everyone tried to get all the football clubs to follow them. I found myself reaching out to all the CFL teams and appealing for follows. Some did. Some didn't. I think everyone made new friends in the process and had a few chuckles.
I followed Henry Burris. Proof I can get over pretty much anything.
I even tweeted "I had a better chance of being followed by Jon Cornish than by the Sskroughriders" after being followed by many of the other teams. You see...I am blocked by Jon Cornish. I have and never will harass the guy. There is no denying he is a great running back. I'm sure he does take a lot of crap from fans and no he shouldn't have to deal with it. It's his right to block or mute if he wants to.
In my defense, I was merely mentioned in a tweet in which people were blocked.
All Rider Nation really wanted was an apology for the Moon Over Mosaic incident.
It's just a little suspicious at the amount of Rider fans who seem to be blocked. But I won't dwell on it.
Meh.
Take Darian Durant...last season he was fined by the CFL for his tweets regarding defending himself to someone not only harassing him but his family as well. What was he to do? Blocking may have been easier. But no matter because all Rider fans quickly came to his defense and the hashtag Dariansfault was born.
We are out there on the loose. We can tweet anything and anyone we want. I was overjoyed the few times I interacted with Kory Sheets and then when he recognized me in person...well...<faints>. I've also been the victim of harassing too. I've had to block people. I've had to block fellow Rider fans and other CFL fans too. Why do we think we can say anything we want to on social media? Why when there is such a media presence saying don't bully does it continue to happen everywhere? Why can't we just be kind to each other?
*shrugs*
As I said, this week has been a ton of fun but we are on the eve of the semi final games and tempers will probably flair. The BC Lions became the crossover team and play the Montreal Allouettes in the eastern semi final. The Saskatchewan Roughriders were able to stay in the west and play the Edmonton Eskimo's in the western semi final. I've predicted that it will be the Als and Riders to advance. This time tomorrow night we will know.
All season there has been a quarterbacking issue. Montreal had to go out and find a quarterback. Lulay was back for about 10 minutes before being injured again. Darian Durant was injured in the Banjo Bowl. The Eskies seemingly had a good guy in Mike Reilly until he was plagued by an unknown ankle injury. The mind games have been played in the west. The rosters are set. If our own Riders veteran QB Kerry Joseph can win this game it will go down as a legend. I think he can.
This may be the end of the season for two teams. I hope fans stay calm. I hope no manure is dumped. I hope everyone can look for the silver linings.
And.....
.....Go Riders Go!
This week activity on Twitter exploded with the excitement surrounding Quinn Magnuson's "unofficial" CFL Twitter Awards. If you haven't voted...and why the heck not? Get over there and do it now....or stay and read *wink* The fun started when everyone tried to get all the football clubs to follow them. I found myself reaching out to all the CFL teams and appealing for follows. Some did. Some didn't. I think everyone made new friends in the process and had a few chuckles.
I followed Henry Burris. Proof I can get over pretty much anything.
In my defense, I was merely mentioned in a tweet in which people were blocked.
All Rider Nation really wanted was an apology for the Moon Over Mosaic incident.
It's just a little suspicious at the amount of Rider fans who seem to be blocked. But I won't dwell on it.
Meh.
Take Darian Durant...last season he was fined by the CFL for his tweets regarding defending himself to someone not only harassing him but his family as well. What was he to do? Blocking may have been easier. But no matter because all Rider fans quickly came to his defense and the hashtag Dariansfault was born.
We are out there on the loose. We can tweet anything and anyone we want. I was overjoyed the few times I interacted with Kory Sheets and then when he recognized me in person...well...<faints>. I've also been the victim of harassing too. I've had to block people. I've had to block fellow Rider fans and other CFL fans too. Why do we think we can say anything we want to on social media? Why when there is such a media presence saying don't bully does it continue to happen everywhere? Why can't we just be kind to each other?
*shrugs*
As I said, this week has been a ton of fun but we are on the eve of the semi final games and tempers will probably flair. The BC Lions became the crossover team and play the Montreal Allouettes in the eastern semi final. The Saskatchewan Roughriders were able to stay in the west and play the Edmonton Eskimo's in the western semi final. I've predicted that it will be the Als and Riders to advance. This time tomorrow night we will know.
All season there has been a quarterbacking issue. Montreal had to go out and find a quarterback. Lulay was back for about 10 minutes before being injured again. Darian Durant was injured in the Banjo Bowl. The Eskies seemingly had a good guy in Mike Reilly until he was plagued by an unknown ankle injury. The mind games have been played in the west. The rosters are set. If our own Riders veteran QB Kerry Joseph can win this game it will go down as a legend. I think he can.
This may be the end of the season for two teams. I hope fans stay calm. I hope no manure is dumped. I hope everyone can look for the silver linings.
And.....
.....Go Riders Go!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Dream It
I don't know if many of you remember that right after the preseason I said I'd eat my Rider flag if Keith Toston wasn't The Guy.
I lied.
I didn't eat it. Good thing too because we finally saw him start against the Stampeders. He looked great. I like the speed he has. The problem is that I now really like Allen too and I love how Messam can be a threat too. Do I dare say that Toston might be Next Year Guy?
No matter what, I miss Kory Sheets at RB like crazy.
I'm really tired of a couple debates going on around the water cooler these days. The first being 41 year old Kerry Joseph. Ugh. It feels like that's his complete title now. Forty-One Year Old Kerry Joseph. *eye roll* You know what? I love it. Who says life ends at age 40? If a guy is in shape, can still take the reps, and throws darts and threads needles like KJ showed us in the last two games...then BOOYAH! Wow. The Kerry Joseph has played amazing. Let's drop the age. It doesn't matter anymore because his playing and mentality has totally changed the focus on the team...motivated everyone and made this rabid fans jaw drop every time he throws down field. Wow. And also if you don't believe that Joseph could lead the Riders to a playoff run and possibly a legendary Grey Cup repeat...then we don't want you on the bandwagon.
You have to believe. You HAVE to.
And to those of you who are making our 9-8 record a big deal... I say to you... 1989. Riders were 9-9 in 1989 and won the Grey Cup in a much similar situation as the team is in this year. Two quarterbacks...Burgess and Austin. A dream season. It could happen again.
The other topic is will or will not Darian Durant play again or in the play offs. I am soooooooo tired of all the sports guys talking about this. What I know from following Darian's career is that he has tremendous heart and emotion for the Riders. I think it's killed him standing on the sidelines watching the team falter. I know it would if I were him. I also know he's not letting the media see everything. I'd bet my signed Dario's box if he was not already throwing at home or in the back yard or in the locker room. Sure, we want Darian to be safe. It would be horrible if Doubles returned too soon and got re injured. It would be a Lulay situation. But how can he not try?
Then OHEMGEE he threw a few balls at practice Monday. My Twitter notifications lit up like my neighbors already displayed Christmas tree. What I want to see for now, is for Kerry Joseph to start and throw Darian in for short yardage situations. Just having Darian dress would be an amazing boost for Rider Nation.
How did you like the snow Monday? Felt a little like playoff weather didn't it? I admit that the feeling of dread in my stomach didn't last for long when I reflected on this time last year. In fact, I got a little excited. I got play off butterflies. It was fantastic.
So lets talk playoffs. West or East? Well, we did the west last year. I like our chances against eastern teams much more. I don't think travel or time change is a factor anymore. The division doesn't matter because without a home playoff the Riders travel anyway. Since the time changed last weekend traveling east is only an hour different now. I'd rather have to play the TiCats or Argo's or Allouettes for that matter, than confront the Eskimo's or Stamps. Can you imagine the story lines that would/could be written? No team has successfully advanced to the Grey Cup through a cross over. Saskatchewan Roughriders Eastern Division Champions. Imagine that?! Crazy eh?
I love it.
Darian Durant had a dream last year. He heard in his dream Cuthbert & Suitor announcing the Riders as 2013 Grey Cup Champs. Maybe he can dream again....
..... and the Saskatchewan Roughriders are your REPEAT Grey Cup Champions.
Think it. Dream it. Do it.
I lied.
I didn't eat it. Good thing too because we finally saw him start against the Stampeders. He looked great. I like the speed he has. The problem is that I now really like Allen too and I love how Messam can be a threat too. Do I dare say that Toston might be Next Year Guy?
No matter what, I miss Kory Sheets at RB like crazy.
I'm really tired of a couple debates going on around the water cooler these days. The first being 41 year old Kerry Joseph. Ugh. It feels like that's his complete title now. Forty-One Year Old Kerry Joseph. *eye roll* You know what? I love it. Who says life ends at age 40? If a guy is in shape, can still take the reps, and throws darts and threads needles like KJ showed us in the last two games...then BOOYAH! Wow. The Kerry Joseph has played amazing. Let's drop the age. It doesn't matter anymore because his playing and mentality has totally changed the focus on the team...motivated everyone and made this rabid fans jaw drop every time he throws down field. Wow. And also if you don't believe that Joseph could lead the Riders to a playoff run and possibly a legendary Grey Cup repeat...then we don't want you on the bandwagon.
You have to believe. You HAVE to.
And to those of you who are making our 9-8 record a big deal... I say to you... 1989. Riders were 9-9 in 1989 and won the Grey Cup in a much similar situation as the team is in this year. Two quarterbacks...Burgess and Austin. A dream season. It could happen again.
The other topic is will or will not Darian Durant play again or in the play offs. I am soooooooo tired of all the sports guys talking about this. What I know from following Darian's career is that he has tremendous heart and emotion for the Riders. I think it's killed him standing on the sidelines watching the team falter. I know it would if I were him. I also know he's not letting the media see everything. I'd bet my signed Dario's box if he was not already throwing at home or in the back yard or in the locker room. Sure, we want Darian to be safe. It would be horrible if Doubles returned too soon and got re injured. It would be a Lulay situation. But how can he not try?
Then OHEMGEE he threw a few balls at practice Monday. My Twitter notifications lit up like my neighbors already displayed Christmas tree. What I want to see for now, is for Kerry Joseph to start and throw Darian in for short yardage situations. Just having Darian dress would be an amazing boost for Rider Nation.
How did you like the snow Monday? Felt a little like playoff weather didn't it? I admit that the feeling of dread in my stomach didn't last for long when I reflected on this time last year. In fact, I got a little excited. I got play off butterflies. It was fantastic.
So lets talk playoffs. West or East? Well, we did the west last year. I like our chances against eastern teams much more. I don't think travel or time change is a factor anymore. The division doesn't matter because without a home playoff the Riders travel anyway. Since the time changed last weekend traveling east is only an hour different now. I'd rather have to play the TiCats or Argo's or Allouettes for that matter, than confront the Eskimo's or Stamps. Can you imagine the story lines that would/could be written? No team has successfully advanced to the Grey Cup through a cross over. Saskatchewan Roughriders Eastern Division Champions. Imagine that?! Crazy eh?
I love it.
Darian Durant had a dream last year. He heard in his dream Cuthbert & Suitor announcing the Riders as 2013 Grey Cup Champs. Maybe he can dream again....
..... and the Saskatchewan Roughriders are your REPEAT Grey Cup Champions.
Think it. Dream it. Do it.
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