Friday, December 2, 2022

CFL Advent Calendar


Fridays around here are either for football or flashbacks and sometimes it's both!  I've had a flood of ideas recently and I was thinking about a post I wrote called
 CFL Subscription Club on ABC Football.  The entire blog is talking about how you can subscribe to all kinds of services to bring you monthly boxes of anything from food to underwear and my argument was why doesn't one exist for the CFL?  Well, since it's Christmas, this got me thinking, (by the time you read this I'll already be into my advent calendars) why doesn't a football, a CFL in particular, advent calendar exist?

Well, likely because no one in marketing has thought of it.

* crickets * - CFL marketing department probably.

Imagine, as Grey Cup hysteria winds down, that you could purchase a CFL advent calendar.  24 days of CFL football items behind little doors of some kind of football themed box.  Hey, I can't have allll the ideas now, can I?  I'm not talking about big ticket items, but I know for a fact that the Roughrider Store has pins, stickers, tattoos, earrings, keychains, Christmas ornaments and likely other small items which would tuck very nicely into a decorative box.  December 1st you scramble over to your CFL advent, peel back the door and reveal...

With my luck it would be a Blue Bomber pin.

Every person who purchased an advent calendar would end up with a nice collection of memorabilia from all 9 CFL teams.  The items could be traded on social media and Facebook groups.  Fans could wear their items to events for the upcoming season. 

"Hey, where did you get that cool Gainer pin?" 

"Oh, it was in my CFL advent calendar!"  

The entire Christmas Countdown calendar would culminate in day 24 where there could be a coupon to be redeemed in team stores!  Then every fan could flock to their local team CFL store on Boxing Day to purchase an item of their wildest dreams.

* sigh *

My little green Roughrider heart swells with the thought of it.  Let's face it, there hasn't been much for us Rider fans to be excited about this last year.  It's too late for this year of course with Christmas already a couple weeks away, but hey, CFL get with it - get with the times.

Something like this could be marketed for the countdown to the 2023 CFL season and debuted during training camp and then the 24th door of the calendar would coincide with the home opening weekends...

...but I'm just the ideas person.  Just a fan.  Just a girl writing little ol blogs - wishing there was something football related to go with her tea and jam Advent Calendars.

Monday, July 11, 2022

I Don't Even Know You Anymore

 Everyone has one.

No, not that!  An opinion, silly!  Yes, everyone across the CFL has big time opinions on the last round of CFL games and especially what happened in the Roughriders Redblacks game.

What happened you ask?  Well, if you're the one soul who doesn't know and hasn't chimed in here is what happened.  Very late in the game Garrett Marino tackled Jeremiah Masoli low and chaos ensued.

I'm not here to rehash everything because I'm sure you can cruise the internets and find everything out.  It was the twist.  It was the celebration.  It was previous plays.  It was the history.  Blah blah blah.  Regardless of what it was and how you viewed it - it happened.  There's nothing we can do about any of it.

It's in the leagues hands now.

...which, by the way, they seem much more anxious to assess the situation than a few others - "ahem, cough cough Simoni cough cough".

I admit, personally, my initial reaction was one of  "ohmygoodness, he needs to be gone" but after some time the shock wore off and after a few days I've evolved.  I really don't want Garrett Marino gone from the Roughriders team.  I never want to see someone lose their job.  I will never advocate for that unless they've been caught doing something illegal.  Now, if you're looking for people to be reasonable social media isn't the place to see it.  I know that.  The outpouring of pure rage though is mind blowing.  I've called it a witch hunt on ABC Rider Fans because I really don't know another way to label it.  I've seen Hamilton TigerCats fans delving into college social media accounts and sharing things about previous behavior.  I've seen Jeremiah Masoli's mother posting what could almost be seen as threats.  I've seen Farhan Lalji reporting and in my opinion, leading the mob on the subject.  Anyone who dares to even show a shred of Roughriders support, we/they are immediately shut down.  No one wants to hear another perspective.  There's only support for suspensions, firings, fines, bans etc etc.

Like what the heck?  

I don't even know this CFL fanbase anymore.

I especially don't know Rider Nation anymore.

I really don't understand how or why things have changed so drastically.  The fanbase I used to know went to bat for it's players.  We defended them.  We weren't the ones leading the charge to get them released.  Maybe you find that stance foreign and so be it if you don't like what I'm saying but if we don't support our own players on our own team who is going to do it?!  Other players have come out in support and it's highly unlikely they would if the allegations are true.  Why is everyone so quick to call it all lies?  Nothing is to be believed anymore.  It's sad.  Very very sad.

I'm just a girl over here writing a blog.  I drink tea.  I love music.  I watch football every week.  I don't expect you to agree.  I don't expect a following.  What I'm asking of everyone is to be fair and reasonable in their assessment of the Roughriders and Garrett Marino.  We are messing with someone's livelihood here so please, check your emotions and words.  A raving lunatic on social media is no different than a player pumping the air as he's escorted from the stadium or a CFL Head Coach storming the bench of the opposition.  

Guess what?  Social media isn't real life and even though I'm administrator of a really great Facebook group I know fully well that the people working today and shopping today don't care about this at all.  Let's hope we can all move on and put this behind us as well because there will no doubt be something new to be outraged about by Friday.

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Around the Slurpee Machine


It took a few days but the sun finally came up Sunday after the Saskatchewan Roughriders loss to the Montreal Alouettes.  It finally came up because it's been raining more or less constantly since my city saw bizarre flooding in various parts since last Monday.  "Sandra, I saw someone swimming to their car!" a high school piano student told me before laughing hysterically.  

If anyone looked like they were drowning, it was my Riders.  Ufdah, my mother in law would say.  Nothing went right Thursday night.  Nothing.  I mean, they didn't even win the coin toss.  It was that bad.  There's probably not much that I could say that hasn't already been said.  What the heck, let's rehash it anyway.

I want to be clear - these are not excuses.  More of a timeline of events.

My Roughriders had played Saturday in Edmonton.  They arrived back in Regina about 3am Sunday morning.  Monday was a rest day.  Tuesday was practice and although I wasn't there so I really don't know, I have my doubts that it was anything more than a walk through and meetings.  Wednesday was another travel day.  Game day in Montreal Thursday.

There was no way a team could be victorious against another team who actually was rested and had a full week to game plan and practice.  * shrugs *

I saw a comment on one of the Roughriders Facebook posts saying that they're professional athletes and they should have been able to play regardless of the schedule.  Sure, the schedule is the schedule and there's not much that can be done about it - EXCEPT, at the league level why are they doing this to teams in the first place?  Does anyone stop and think, geez that's a quick turn around.  Maybe not.  Maybe that commenter is correct.  Using this theory, what will it be like for a team to play on the west coast and then, whenever the Maritimes finally gets a team, turnaround in a short week and play on the east coast.

While we're at it - do we really like Thursday night games at all?  We don't even have a Thursday night football song anymore.  Where did Long Live the Night or that Relationship Goals guy go?  Poof.  I know in Rider Nation, we HATE Thursday night games especially at home.  They're too hard to get to after working all day and then we have to work the next day so most of us can't go anyway.

The only highlight of Thursday night CFL football is the sponsor.  7-11  Back in another lifetime, Hubby and I always went to the 7-11 on the corner of 22nd Street and 2nd Avenue in Prince Albert for nachos.  It's not there anymore.  Word around the slurpee machine and through the Twitter grapevine is that in Toronto the 7-11 has Argonauts collectable travel cups for your drinks!  Wait, or do they?  Steph (@shuds16) has been on the hunt in Calgary and hasn't found Stamps cups.  Jamie the Pot Stirrer (ABC Football Mod) stopped in another 7-11 location in my old stomping grounds and the staff hadn't even heard of these cups.  Good grief.  We have this potentially really cool thing for fans to get into collecting the cups aaaannnnd we can't find them.

The CFL - so close yet so far away.

How very Canadian eh.

So my Riders get a chance at redemption this Saturday July 2nd when the Gary Stern promoted Al's visit Mosaic Stadium.  Shaq Evans now has a fractured ankle and while the Riders have lot's of depth at WR who will they slot in as his replacement?  Dan Clark's replacement was thrown to the wolves Thursday but how will Logan Bandy improve after a full week of practice?  Will Cody still have the leg brace?  Will the players finally get the message about penalties and hold each other accountable to get them under control?  Will Jason Maas improve his offensive play call or keep waiting until the 3rd quarter to adjust?  Even Kaare Vedvik will be under the microscope since even his performance wasn't safe from scrutiny on the Post Game call in shows.  Nothing made me laugh harder when I heard people upset with the kicker.  After a complete team collapse - no one was safe.  Even poor Creepy Gainer might get the stink eye of judgement this week.

One thing is for sure.  The Saskatchewan Roughriders have learned a hard lesson.  I will be watching closely to see how they respond.

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Welcome Back CFL

It's been a while.

We've made it.  We've finally made it.  The CFL season is upon us and all the drama of the CBA and pandemic and whatever other crisis seems to be behind us.  I've had a busy spring and lot's of drama of my own so I am more than prepared to dive into this 2022 season of Roughrider football and there's plenty to look forward to after all.

My Saskatchewan Roughriders are hosting the 2022 Grey Cup.  They were originally scheduled to host in 2020 and...well, we all know what happened there.  That certainly doesn't mean they are favourites to win by any means.  In fact, Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans, who have just received replica Grey Cup rings, are licking their chops and calling for a threepeat.  GAG.  Don't get me wrong.  There are a couple really great Blue Bomber fans out there and while I know there are bad fans in every fanbase across the league, there is something about these blue and gold fans that just grate on my last nerve and gets under my skin like no other.

Except Stampeder fans.  Yeah, some of those fan interactions are "fun" too.  I had one last week call me to my face a Gopher Lover.  Well, sir, there is no other team in the CFL I'd rather align myself with other than the Creepy Gainer led green and white.  So yeah, I'm a Gopher Lover.  I wear my pride whenever I can.  I honestly think he was just jealous and likes to try to get a rise out of me.  I did point out his QB threw a number of picks in the Stampeders preseason showing last week.

Anyhow, one fan who is terrific and we lost back in April was Tony Bryce.  Many knew him as AmericanCFLFan on Twitter.  Tony was a lovely man.  He was an Argonauts fan but honestly he just loved CFL football and many things related to Canada including the Blue Jays and Raptors.  He was proud of his Redblacks flag which had his name printed on it and his other CFL gear.  He often said he tried to like the Roughriders but the fans were just too much for him.  Every day Tony would send me a greeting and check up on me and I'd do the same for him.  We shared a friendship across countries and often shared our love of recipes, baking, cooking shows and travel especially to New York City.  I knew back in April when he was suddenly missing that something had gone wrong. I found out he'd suddenly taken ill and passed away.  It's taken me several weeks to put together these words in this blog because even though I never knew him personally I was glad to have come across him on social media.

We've lost a lot these past couple of years.  Some have lost friends and family members.  My family has lost three. There's no doubt the CFL fanbase will have changed.  In our current climate gas prices are constantly increasing and new choices are constantly having to be being made.  I hope I'm wrong but I don't see a lot of sell outs this year and you bet the Roughriders who have a record of sell outs will be criticized for low attendance.  Heck, they already were in preseason.  

Here are the things I'd rather talk about.  Will the Riders have a running game?  How will Andrew Harris perform as an Argo?  Bo Levi wasn't the QB last year who we've seen in the past - will he regain his stature?  How many sacks will surfing Charleston get?  

I'm not into making predictions of who will end up in Regina in November but my little green heart sure hopes it's my Saskatchewan Roughriders.  Let's make it a memorable season.  Let's enjoy the ride.  Even though I won't be at the game Saturday you can bet I will be repping my team Saturday (and most days honestly).  After all, once the CFL season begins there are no other colours in the wardrobe except for green and white. 

As always, Go Riders! 

Friday, March 25, 2022

Renew or Not to Renew

There was a gasp around the room.

I looked around to see shocked faces.

I had just told everyone that I had decided to not renew my roughriders season tickets. It's true and it was not a decision I took lightly. We had until February to make a firm decision and while l absolutely loved attending games at the beautiful Mosaic Stadium we ultimately decided this was the best scenario for me and my husband.

Yes it makes makes me sad.

Why Sandra why? I want to say first and foremost that covid and the whole pandemic actually had little to do with it. We had attended most home games last season and felt it was important to support our riders during that time. We really enjoyed our seats in the stadium and the fans around us were fantastic. Last season I never felt unsafe being in a crowd and the product in spite of the whole situation was good. What I did feel was the digital tickets are a pain but then add in having to show my identification and vaccine status as well at the time just added to extra stress that l just did not want to deal with. I know that all restrictions are now lifted so it isn't exactly the same, but it definitely was a factor in us wanting to travel to games.

At the time and because I could not attend the late season games in 2021 I evoked the Covid promise the Roughriders had for season ticket holders.  I cancelled the remainder of the season and got a refund while preserving our seats.  With the money we got back, we bought a tread mill.

Remember when gas was 40 cents a litre in the summer of 2020? Good grief. Now we are looking at $1.78 and that might not be so bad for a couple like us but when you are looking at driving from Saskatoon to Regina several weekends in a row you start questioning whether it’s worth it. There are options I suppose to car pool or the Rider bus which goes to games but it’s nice to be your own chauffeur and go on your own timeline.  Is the price of gas going to interfere with your travel plans in 2022?  How will this impact those traveling from destinations farther than Saskatoon?  All good questions I think.

I'm not going to lie that attending an entire season of CFL home games is a big commitment.  When you don't live in the host city as I've stated above there's lot's of time involved in getting there.  For us, it's an entire day.  Many fans don't live in Regina and Rider fans are known for travelling far and wide to attend games.  You work Monday to Friday (if you're lucky) and then spend a whole day getting to the game and getting back home.  Just like that the weekend is shot.  Some games, especially those 8pm starts means us diehard fans get home at 2 or 3am.  That meant, for us anyway, that most of the next day is exhausting.  It's something that the Covid shutdown of 2020 taught me, my time is more valuable than I used to think it was.  Yes, being at a home game at Mosaic Stadium is amazing and nothing beats Bring Em Out but there's something to be said for staying home and watching on tv and preserving the rest of the day.  When you combine several weekends in a row all summer/fall long it's something I am no longer prepared to do.

In the provincial budget it was also announced that sporting and entertainment events would now be included in the 6% PST.  This doesn't come in until October 2022 so if you've already paid for your Roughrider season tickets it won't have any impact on you this year.  It will going forward though.  Perhaps now is the time to lock in your tickets for the 3 year VIP offer the Riders have and you'd likely want to get the balance paid now too.  Will this affect attendance in the future?  We will have to wait and see.

None of this means I am not a fan.  In fact, I think this decision allows me to be a better fan and better at keeping all my pages up to date like I used to.  Work, travel, games, blogging, etc etc is hard to keep up with when you're never home to actually write anything down!  I've found that when I had the pressure to "I need to write about Saturdays game" it was really REALLY hard to find the inspiration to do it and hence we've had such a long long break where I haven't shared anything.  It's a part of something I've really missed.

So after we considered all the different aspects and pros/cons of Roughrider CFL season tickets I responded to the January 25th email which stated the deadline to renew season tickets for the early bird pricing was February 1st.  

"Hi.  I hate having to make the decision because I've really loved having season tickets and have enjoyed the entire experience however, I will not be renewing my season tickets."

I received this great response.


So there it is.  Decision final.

Now, when does Training Camp start?  Will it be in Saskatoon again?  Us Rider fans are waiting patiently.



Thursday, January 20, 2022

Spilling The Tea

So I was sitting here dreaming of the summer days and sipping on a tumbler of Watermelon Oolong iced tea when it hit me.

Not the watermelon of course because for one they are rather elusive in Saskatchewan in January.  No what hit me was that one of the major things I changed in my life during this pandemic was drinking tea. 

๐‘†๐‘Ž๐‘›๐‘‘๐‘Ÿ๐‘Ž ๐‘กโ„Ž๐‘–๐‘  ๐‘–๐‘  ๐‘Ž ๐‘“๐‘œ๐‘œ๐‘ก๐‘๐‘Ž๐‘™๐‘™ ๐‘๐‘™๐‘œ๐‘”. 

Er, yes I know, but if we don’t have a bit of fun in our lives then what’s the point. 

So as a Saskatchewan Roughriders fan it’s only fitting that I enjoy Watermelon tea, but gosh, what flavours would or should fans of other teams enjoy?

Well you’re in luck because I’m going to tell you. 

Remember when the BC Lions donned the orange and white uniforms? I called them the Creamsicles. I’m not sure if other people did but I did on several occasions. The Dollar Tea Club has a Creamsicle flavoured tea. How do they do it I don’t know but when steeped and then poured over ice…yum yum. No need to run down the street after the ice cream truck. 

What is the Montreal region known for? Well smoked meat sandwiches of course.  As far as I know there aren’t any smoked beefy teas and if there were I don’t think they’d be very popular.  What do we do? Drink a cup of broth? No no no.  What other items smoke or maybe toast? Marshmallows do! David’s Tea has a wonderful Toasted Marshmallow tea which is reminiscent of sitting around a summer campfire holding your marshmallow on a stick trying to get just the perfect brown colour without it catching fire and falling off.

Here are a few other suggestions for CFL related team tea drinks…

Toronto Argonauts Frosty from Bird and Blend. Sadly this tea is seasonal so it’s not available right now but it does boast a beautiful blue hue when steeped.

For the Hamilton Tiger Cats I did consider a liquorice tea since that’s the flavour of tiger tiger ice cream but then I stumbled across this flavour and well…it’s only right to honour Tim Horton’s in some way.  Donut Herbal tea from Tea at the White House

Ottawa Maple Chai Sticky Buns from Desserts by Deb This flavour is also sold out but Desserts By Deb has so many mouth watering flavours that I’m sure when she’s back from holidays the store will be stocked with something every beaver tail craving would adore  

Winnipeg Blue Bombers should no doubt be Blueberry Pancakes from David’s Tea.  This tea is fantastic.  It doesn’t really steep up blue but the flavour is insanely good…just like that Bomber defence.  Let’s just hope with their recent signings they don’t leave too many Quarterbacks pancaked on the ground.

Calgary Stampeders could be several flavours including Smores Chai but I’ve gone with a Valentine favourite Red Red Velvet Cake from David’s Tea.  It is a black tea with red and white sprinkles.

Edmonton Elks was a no brainer. Prancers Punch from David’s Tea fit the bill but don’t waste time trying this one out. It’s also from the Christmas collection of flavours and will soon be gone.

Have any suggestions for me? I know most fans probably enjoy other drinks but having tea for me is a source of relaxation in these strange times.  It was fun putting this together and thinking about which team suited which flavours.  Hope you enjoyed it too!