From the Vault: A 2009 Blog Flashback

Earlier this week I began thinking about what my blog posts were like back in 2009.  I know I wrote about my beloved Roughriders but the issue is that back then I wrote on a blogging platform that no longer exists in any form.  I briefly tried out another site which I didn't care for either and eventually landed on Blogger.  I tried to transfer the important things in an attempt to save what I thought were my good stories.  Today I found this from 2009 Training Camp and beyond entitled: The Tale of the Wes Cates Shirt.  Enjoy.

The thing about Wes Cates #20 is that he is a triple threat. He can carry the ball, he can catch the ball and he can block so his quarterback has time to throw the ball. His skill and versatility amazed me when he came to the Roughriders in 2007 from the Stampeders. But this isn’t really a story about the Columbus, Ohio native…..its about what has become known as “the Wes Cates shirt.”

I didn’t have anything to wear to Green and White Fan Day 2009. The only store that sold Roughrider merchandise back then was the hot tub place on the corner of Idylwyld and 22^nd Street here in the City of Bridges. It was a Friday that I stopped there to make a purchase and stock was limited. I chose a green [naturally] shirt with the Rider logo on the front trimmed in black and white.

My first official Roughrider shirt. I was very proud.

Perhaps…..too proud.

The next morning I was getting ready and waiting for Hubby and going about my business. I was already clad in my brand-spanking-new-shirt when thirst struck. We had purchased a flat of pop that consisted of orange, grape, cream soda, and root beer. I bent over the package on the kitchen floor and used the scissors [clearly a mistake] to cut an opening in the plastic so that I could remove my desired flavour. Disaster struck. My scissors punctured a hole in one of the cans as I had tried to remove it and the soda sprayed all over my brand-new-official-never-before-worn Roughrider shirt.

DOH!

I think I cried. I think I stomped around. I took off my beloved shirt and sponged off the front as best as I could and used the hair dryer to dry the spots. Hubby said he couldn’t see any visible spots. It was going to be okay.

Off we went to the Fan Day at Griffiths Stadium. Hubby was wearing his Andy Fantuz jersey but with the mob surrounding him…..we were never going to get an autograph. It was the

same story for Weston Dressler. This was Darian Durant’s first year as starting quarterback and he stood all alone. I approached him and asked for a picture. He quietly obliged. Next we got a picture with Gene Makowsky, who nearly had to crouch down to my 5'3” level. Then I stood in line to see Wes Cates. He was the only one to put his arm around me like we were old pals getting a picture taken. I was slightly smitten. From that point on this particular Roughrider shirt has been coined “my Wes Cates shirt.”

The tale doesn’t end there. For every time I wore my Wes Cates shirt the team performed well…..really well in fact. Then it came to my attention that if it met with an unfortunate accident, such as a spill, on game day we would in fact win. I’m not really superstitious but you can’t ignore occurrences like that!

Last fall when we played the Stampeders in the Western Final the shirt met with such an accident. The Stampeders were an exceptional team in the 2010 season. They were the team to beat. I wasn’t entirely sure we could do it and I have HUGE Rider faith. I don’t know what was on our menu for supper but I do recall that the salad dressing was almost empty so I had tipped it so all the dressing would pour when I was ready. Wouldn’t you know it? It burped extreme ranch dill dressing all over the front of my Wes Cates shirt. It was a giant globbed mess. The Riders went on to win in over time 20 – 16.

I wore the shirt for the first pre-season game this year but not the second.

The shirt does not lie.

This season (2010/2011?), Wes Cates’ position may be challenged by back-flipping Hugh Charles or newcomer Brandon West but no matter what…..come game day…..July 3^rd I will be clad in my West Cates shirt to cheer my team, the green and white, on to victory and if I happen to spill a little something-something down the front…..well, we are all the better for it.

It's 2019 and I no longer have this shirt.  As with everybody and as time passes our bodies change and the washing machine becomes vengeful and shrinks out clothes.  I'm pretty sure I donated the shirt to the Salvation Army as I go through out closets a few times a year.  Someone somewhere has this shirt and it would only be fitting that they also have a beverage accident this Sunday November 17th when the Saskatchewan Roughriders take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Western Final for the first time since 1972...when I was merely 2 months old.  I was probably dribbling down my clothes then too.  * wink *

GO RIDERS.