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.

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.

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! 

Who is smilingriderfan?

Pandemic.

When Covid shut down the CFL in 2020 I found myself without anything to compose blog posts about as well as a lost desire to try to keep up with everything that was going on.  Following the pandemic news and keeping safe in our bubble became the top priority and everything else took a back seat.  Well now that things are starting to feel more like what we used to call "normal" I realized I owed everyone an update on my site.

You might be a long time reader of this blog or you might have just happened upon this site from a link from social media and I thank you regardless of how you found your way to ABC Football.  In late 2019, someone reported my blog page as spam and that has created a lot of issues.  You may have noticed the address has changed.  I had to do this to be able to share my blogs on various social media platforms without getting red flagged. This really really sucked.  Over the next while, I will be updating links and hopefully restoring all the fun things I tried to offer on my blog page.  

In early 2020, I had started a Youtube channel and that as well has been dormant.  I'm going to leave everything in place but at this time I'm not 100% certain I will make videos like I had originally planned.  It's a lot of work to film and edit and if the last year has taught me anything its that a lot of things I spent time on were simply not worth it.

So that's the background on the last year but who was I before the world shut down?  Feel free to click on the About Me tab. You'll find all the necessary information there.  If you prefer the long winded version, then by all means stick with me. * smile *

This is not a blog post about how I became a Rider fan because I think I've already been there, done that, and bought all the Rider tee shirts. If you are interested, this is my Origin Story.

I grew up in Prince Albert and in 2001 moved to Saskatoon.  I took music lessons all of my teenage years and when I was 17 I began teaching piano lessons.  Music has always been a huge part of my life and livelihood.  Except for a 5 year hiatus when we moved, I've always been a teacher.  My interest in practice ebbs and flows but I strive to keep learning and being the best instructor and mentor I can be to all the students who cross my path.  I probably should have become a school teacher but...well, I didn't.

I thought I was going to be a writer.  I did a few years of Arts & Sciences...basically enough to know that I was neither good at learning in that forum and that the learning how had nothing to do with the act of actually doing it.  Now I know that I could have made different choices but things always have a way of working out and because of them I met my Husband who you may have seen me refer to as "Hubby". We celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary in December and the one thing we enjoy doing together is going to football games.

I've always been able to succeed at pretty much anything I've ever tried.  That's not me being egotistical.  It's the truth.  No one ever told me I couldn't do something.  I always felt that I was free to pursue my passions.  I play music, I bake, I travel, I draw, I snap photos.....

On a social media forum which has long become extinct I began blogging about every day life, my love of donuts and my teaching stories.  My readers ( a handful of friends ) became wildly aware around 2008-ish that a lot of my blogs were about football.  Some of those very early blogs can be found in the archives on this very page.  It became apparent that I could just write about sports and eventually my page got moved here to Blogger and eventually through a few name changes we arrive at what ABC Football is today.

This page will always be from the fans perspective and over time I think I've become more level headed and logical and less radical.  Yes, I know, crazy words from a Rider fan!   I try to not take football or myself too seriously and I think that's evident through my CFL Power Rankings.  I think we can look everywhere, especially in Saskatchewan, and be bombarded with Roughriders news from sports media people.  I try to not let what's going on around me influence my perspective.  Why try to fit in?  

Sometimes you have to excuse me.  I am the music teacher after all and that often takes precedent.  It also means you might be swamped with vague musical quotations from my current obsessions.  It might mean I don't get to write regularly because of my schedule.  I'm okay with it and I hope you are too.  I will always share my newest posts on my Twitter account, Instagram and the ABC Football Facebook page.  I firmly believe that while I am a Roughriders fan first and foremost, that is not all that I am.  I am diverse and sometimes complicated.  I can enjoy several things at the same time and remain smilingsandra or smilingriderfan or whoever I am :)

I am the administrator of ABC Rider Fans on Facebook.  The group doesn't have the big numbers that some Facebook groups do but the people who are on the page have fun.  It's not uncommon to go off topic or to joke around with each other.  We are friends.  If you've joined, you can expect Game Threads hosted by moderator John Strutt and we love it when everybody posts and shares.  You can expect CFL news while being Rider fans.  The rules are simple and easy to follow.  Search the group up and join in.

A question I get asked often is "why ABC?".  At the time, I wanted something that would come up on a Google or Facebook in an alphabetical type of search.  I also thought ABC could refer to the abc's of football and almost in a football 101 type of way.  Yes, it is also an acronym for Anyone But Calgary and that's a cool thing too but it does not mean the group/page is completely anti-Stampeders.  Not really anyway.

I am a Roughriders season ticket holder.  I look forward to gathering once again with Rider Nation in 2021.  If you see me, stop me and say hi!

I'd love to interact with you.  If there are blog topics you'd love to see me discuss then by all means let me know.  Thanks for reading and as always...

...Go Riders!

A Thrill of Hope

On Christmas Eve my husband any myself gathered around the TV to watch our church's Christmas Eve service streamed live on Youtube.  The service was largely about the true meaning of Christmas but pulled several lines from the carol O Holy Night.

A Thrill of Hope, A Weary World Rejoices.

Well I don't have to tell you how unprecedented or whatever the new catch phrase is to describe our feelings towards 2020.  Here we were back in February just looking forward to a CFL season and my Roughriders having a memorable season and hosting the 2020 Grey Cup.  

How quickly all of that faded.

Without a CFL season I turned my interest elsewhere.  We took more drives.  I took up painting.  I lost 40 pounds.  I discovered I liked free time on the weekends instead of rushing off to Regina for a game every weekend.  I discovered I really liked sitting down with a great cup of tea to relax at the end of the day.  I discovered I could bake bread.

If you'd asked me a year ago what I'd make of all this I know I most certainly wouldn't have had an answer.  Sitting here drinking my Panetone tea out of my snowman mug and still trying to be festive, I still can't put clearly into words what's gone on over the last 8 months.  We've all experienced it differently.  Both myself and my husband have been blessed to both keep our jobs and with the exception of working from home nothing much has changed.  There was a steep learning curve but I taught piano lessons online for 6 months and returned to mostly in person lessons when school resumed in September.  

Everything we've looked forward to has been cancelled and I go back and forth every day about renewing my Roughrider season tickets.  I never even got to sit in my newly upgraded seats.  Just as the song says and as the Roughriders and other CFL teams re-sign and re-negotiate with players we do see a thrill of hope.  Vaccines are rolling out and the Health Authority says that we may see a return to "old normal" by fall 2021.

When the clock strikes midnight our problems won't magically disappear but I also know that when we are finally able to gather again to cheer on our favourite teams we will rejoice.  Imagine how glorious it will all be when another touchdown is scored at Mosaic Stadium and Gainer tours the field buckled into his car while we high five all the fans around us. A weary fanbase will rejoice.

Until that time arrives, stay safe, cherish your loved ones, Happy 2021 and Go Riders Go.

Home Field Advantage

How many days has it been now since sports was cancelled?  I honestly can't remember.  It seemed so crazy at the time when the NBA season was cancelled and shortly thereafter all major sports and events followed suite.  The CFL training camps have been postponed and we are waiting word as to what will happen to the season.  The city of Toronto has banned all events until July.  It feels surreal.  It feels like we are in some kind of apocalyptic movie.  We've all found a new way of life and we continue to adapt to all kinds of isolated situations.

A few months ago my biggest disappointment was that Roughrider training camp was moved back to Regina for 2020.  

A couple of years ago I had some minor health problems.  I had two breast MRI's that year.  I won't go into details but they aren't very comfortable and if you've ever had an MRI you'll know that you cannot move while in the chamber.  What got me through was the constant visual in my head that when it was all over I'd get to hang out at training camp in Saskatoon at Griffith Stadium.  

My husband had to travel to Toronto for eye surgery.  It was a two week trip.  At the beginning of it we attended a Roughriders versus Argonauts game at BMO Field.  While the game was prior to the surgery it made the trip so much more endurable when we got to start it off that way.  We engaged with fans and Torontonians and it made our hearts full.

I've seen on ABC Rider Fans (not a plug - just my experience) posts from members saying 'thank you for this group because it's helped me through cancer treatment'.  Most recently a member said thank you for continuing to bring fans together when I posted the weekly Sunday Funday post which I actually had hesitated in doing for a few weeks.  I mean - we all know what we are doing on Sunday now, right.  

Football gets us through a lot of things in life.  We form groups and communities.  We wear our Roughriders and CFL colours everywhere we travel.  We share, rejoice and commiserate.  What are we left to do when our event isn't there anymore.

We adapt.  

No the CFL news articles aren't there for us to banter over anymore but teams are finding new ways to reach out.  There's colouring books and activity books where families are encouraged to post and share their work.  Quarterbacks are challenging each other to online games.  Fans are going to remember which teams were there for them when it mattered most and fans will reciprocate with their loyalty. 

For myself you'd think a profession such as piano teacher would mean I am out of a job.  Not so.  In the course of 24 hours I went from in person lessons to teaching via Skype.  I retained nearly all of my students and I am so thankful that they are able to continue with me and I can share the music with them.  My husband works from his basement office.  We are blessed to still have jobs in a time when so many others won't.  

I may not have the football at the end of the covid tunnel but I know we will get through this too.  When football is ready for us - we will be ready for it.  

Won't it be glorious when Rider Nation can gather at Mosaic Stadium once again.  Just 30,000 of our closest friends...shoulder to shoulder...cowbell in hand.

I can almost hear the noise.

This is the time when home field advantage matters most. For now, STAY HOME.  We can beat this if we stay apart.  Stay apart so we can be together again soon.  

A Throw Back Blog: Hello Goodbye

The following is a blog published in May 2016.  I began by talking about how busy the season was and I begin now by saying all those busy events are now in question as we fight this global pandemic.  I don't want to go on about that, but I want to give football fans some brightness in what might be some dark days.  

 

So share with me...your memories of Taylor Field...your first memories of Mosaic Stadium and any other happy things about being a Roughrider fan or CFL fan in general.  I think we all need it right now.

 

HELLO GOODBYE

 

The end of May signals two events for me in my life. It's the SAM music festival which for many of my students is the culmination...Grey Cup if you will...of their piano music year. My reward for successfully navigating the four day event is that Roughrider Training Camp starts at the end of it. Finally, the off season is over, the new regime has rebuilt our team and Rider fans can finally move on from 2015. Just as I tell my piano students, if you can make your audience feel something, whether good or bad, during your performance you will be more memorable. They may not recall the notes but they will recall the emotions you evoked. The same can be said for Roughrider fans. We've ridden the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. We've run the gamut of emotion and that etches deep memories in the fabric of Rider Nation.

I was asked yesterday about my memories at Mosaic Stadium. 2016 is the final year at Taylor Field at Mosaic Stadium before the Saskatchewan Roughriders move into their new digs at “new” Mosaic Stadium. Being as big of a fan as I am, it haunts me that I wasn't at the 2013 Grey Cup. Why? WHY? Wasn't I there? I try to tell myself that it was too cold the week before and we didn't know what the weather was going to do. Then there was the question of accommodations and oh yeah, Hubby and I didn't have tickets.

* Sigh *

What I know for sure is that on that single night in November 2013 The House on Piffles shined and glittered like no other stadium in the league. The aerial shots on TSN were breathtaking. Winning the 101^st Grey Cup on our own turf was magical. From the Bring 'em Out ditching of the player introductions to the final snap, Darian Durant led our team to glory under the lights before those colourful seats and 44,710 weeping fans.

If 2013 was the year all our dreams came true then 2009 was the ultimate nightmare. It's true to some extent that the 2013 Grey Cup win was redemption for losing in the unspeakable fashion that my Riders did in 2009 however, nothing can erase the bitter taste and sickened stomach as I recall kneeling on the living room floor praying for that kick to go wide...again. The next day was cloudy and insanely quiet. I stopped at a nearby Tim Hortons on the way to the music academy where I rolled my eyes at a poor fellow sporting an Allouettes jersey who obviously had lost a wager. I silently swore I'd never teach that song again. When I arrived to my classroom my Roughriders poster had been pulled off my door and tossed on the floor. Emotions were the lowest of lows but in true Rider Pride fashion it didn't stop fans from welcoming the team home to Mosaic Stadium. Darian Durant returning home cupless, broken hearted and devastated yet swearing to be Grey Cup contenders again was inspiring misery.

When you go to a football game at Taylor Field/Mosaic Stadium it is a total experience. Tailgating is a real thing where there are barbeques in the backs of pick up trucks, fans wandering in 'get ups' from watermelon helmets to green Spiderman outfits. It's a meeting place for fans who have connected on social media. It's a type of congregation. The house on Piffles of Roughrider worship under the retired numbers of the players who we continue to honour. If you haven't been to a game you absolutely must. No questions. It's heart pounding, messy, and exhilarating fireworks as Gainer rides around the field after a touchdown to the ear splitting chants of On Roughriders.

Seriously, go before you can't.

I am too young to know what Taylor Field was like when Ronnie and George made their mark. I was a stupid Grade 12 student and didn't appreciate Kent Austin enough in 1989. I wasn't there when Bon Jovi, Rolling Stones or AC/DC played Mosaic. I made absolutely sure that I was there to see Sir Paul McCartney. Imagine! One of the Beatles coming to Saskie to play a concert! Mind blowing! I've never attended a concert that made my jaw drop open in disbelief and left me feeling so incredibly loved and positive. I'll never forget Mosaic Stadium lit with thousands of tiny lights for Hey Jude or the eye popping fireworks of Live and Let Die.

I remember a time in the province of Saskatchewan when concert events didn't come here. People fled green pastures for Alberta oil fields. Lot's of musicians, if they came to Canada on tour only went to Toronto or Vancouver. It seems like another world now because we are attractive to CFL players who not only want to play here but live here. The province attracts business and promotes a sense of community. The Roughriders and Saskatchewan go hand in hand. Football is something that binds together neighbours and citizens right down to Premier Brad Wall. “How are the Riders doing?” It's something we can all discuss while waiting in line at Timmies or around the water cooler. It's also why we are picked out in crowds world wide. We are green, proud, this is where we come from and this is what Rider Nation represents and that's why it's so fitting that SASKATCHEWAN is embroidered in the very fabric of every new Adidas jersey.

It's What We're Made Of.

So how did I answer that question about memories at Mosaic Stadium? The season opener of 2015 was against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Darian Durant was back after his shoulder injury on labour day the previous year. Excitement was at an all time high. Everyone was hopeful. This was supposed to be a great group of players. We wanted them to get on track and get to that Grey Cup again. It was awesome to feel the elevation and leadership when Doubles took the field. It sounded right to hear the “black any choice” of his voice over the hush of the crowd. Then the unthinkable happened and Darian Durant went down with what we now know as an Achilles injury. “Something's wrong.” I said to Hubby. “Oh no oh no oh no. He's hurt.” And with that the stadium fell to pin dropping quiet.

I wish I had remembered anything else. This isn't exactly a happy memory. I could have recalled the preseason game against the newly expanded Ottawa REDBLACKS when it was their home game so the Riders were on the visitors bench. I could have remembered Labour Day 2015 and the massive card trick that changed from BRING 'EM OUT to the Canadian Flag. No, I mentioned our doomed seasons with Darian Durant's injury instead. It's because of the roller coaster emotion and that's what I remembered most.

We might not remember how Park de Young and Park Hughes came together to form Taylor Field. The memories of Ken Miller in red curling pants fades over time as will the pain of the 13^th man. As we know the opening refrains and dynamic endings of anthems past, the middle parts become blurry, but those middle parts are where the life of Rider Nation happens...where bridges and next verses are composed. We find ourselves in a sweet evolution chorus of saying goodbye to Old Mosaic while waving hello to the New...

...And I can't wait for more memories to be made.

My First CFL Game

"Write about your very first CFL game", he said.

"It was Calgary.  Darian spent the game looking at the sky.  The end."  I said.

Ok.  So maybe it wasn't quit like that but it sure seemed a lot like that.

Picture it.  The year was 2010 and we had decided to go on a road trip to Calgary.  Hubby lived there for a while and jumped at the chance to see his old 'stomping grounds'.  

Here is a major issue.  It was 2010 July 24th to be exact and even though that was only 10 years ago I didn't have a smart phone and if I took pictures they aren't on any computer I own now.  I have zero proof of this trip.  I'm sure there's a USB stick somewhere I haven't checked...

We had borrowed my dad's GPS which took us on a tour of Acme Alberta.  I'll never forget.  This is the point at which we realized the GPS was of no use to us at all.  The highway goes straight passed Acme but the GPS decided we should drive through it instead.

* face palm *

Just outside Calgary the sky grew very dark and before you knew it us and all other traffic was pulled into ditches as hellish hail plummeted around us.  My car was fairly new.  I don't know how it came out unscathed but it did.  Cars in Calgary didn't fair as well.  The car lots located near our hotel and McMahon Stadium had giant dents in them.

We spent the week taking in all the sights of Calgree - we went to the zoo where my favourite attraction was the dinosaurs and not actual animals.  We went shopping because stores like Sephora weren't in Saskatchewan yet. We ate at Big T's. One thing was apparent, Rider fans wore their colours everywhere which seemed to bewilder Calgarians because we were asked everywhere we went if there was a game or something.

We stayed in a hotel across the street from McMahon stadium and we had really only booked for 3 days so when we went to extend our stay there were no rooms available however the staff said they'd work something out.  We were upgraded to a suite.  Wow,  and at no additional charge to us.  There was a continental breakfast and every morning Hubby would go down and return with waffles or "wobbles" as we've since coined them.  You see the machine to make them had to be rotated hence the wobbling part.  It's weird how some things stick with you.

So here's the thing.  I really had no idea that tail gating was a real thing.  I hadn't given it much thought.  I guess I figured it was something you saw on tv because...well, tv.  So when we treaded over the walkway to McMahon Stadium and I saw what was going on I was flabbergasted...shocked...amazed...thrilled.

It was a super hot cloudless day.  It was so hot in the stands that the fellow sitting in the next row with all the body paint gradually sweating down his body had to leave and shower.  I don't remember the score but the Riders lost.  Darian did indeed get sacked a lot.  There was no relief.  That was until a miniscule cloud floated over the stadium and for a few brief seconds we were shaded.  We trudged back over the pedestrian walk way.

But wait there was evidence.  I've found a very bad video which I had posted on my old youtube channel. Here it is with brand new commentary...

How Cody Fajardo Saved Rider Nation

We aren't that far removed from the days when Darian Durant would step back after calling "black 182" and let a ball fly.  I wrote in those days about the feelings I had once he was recovered from his injuries and the sense of dread that would befall the stands at Taylor Field when he'd have to come out of the game.  The sense that 'well there goes this game' as someone relatively unknown would come in and the Riders would lose again.

Since then the Riders had Zach Collaros and while we all were hopeful that he'd be the right guy he never really caught on with fans.  I don't know why exactly.  I saw him interacting with fans at camp just like any other player would.  For some reason we felt detached.  I think that's why when he moved on to the Argonauts (where he didn't play a snap at all) and then the Bombers all of Rider Nation wished him luck.  We just didn't wish him THAT much luck.

Even the two of us in my household declared the 2019 Roughrider season over.

Cody Fajardo was completely unknown to us when Jeremy O'Day signed him in 2019 Free Agency.  All it took was once Kerry Joseph-esc play when Cody put it all on his own back and ran the ball into the endzone for a touchdown knocking the orange cone down in the process.  That one play changed the projectory of that game and the 2019 Roughrider season and the entire outlook for the club.

How did he do it?  With a sprinkle from Jesus of course.

How was he going to celebrate?  A Carnival corndog.

Sure it's easy to say he saved us all one corndog at a time but there's a lot more to it than a little catch phrase or a box of snacks.  For once, instead of feeling the dread of 'here we go again' Cody actually succeeded in scoring.  He scored a touchdown, got the win and gave every Roughrider fan hope.  Hope can be a dangerous thing.  Hope is contagious.

Even on Thursday March 12th, when all the worldly news was bleak, Cody shared an Instagram story which got shared in ABC Rider Fans and immediately boosted all the moral of those visiting the page.

He's welcomed new Roughriders signed in Free Agency.  He's congratulated Grey Cup Champions and those players on his team and others who have been given all star awards.  Cody Fajardo is an all around great guy and very much seems like one of us.  To me he also has some sort of familiar 1989-esc feeling to which we all know is charming and lovable. 

But I don't think I really need to hype him that much.  His actions speak for themselves.

Pogo Corndogs are on sale at the Co-Op $5.99 a box this week.  It feels like a good time to stock up.  Step away from the toilet paper though *wink*

The Grey Cup Logo Gets My 👎

Long before Randy Ambrosie started his cross country popularity tour the logo for the 108th Grey Cup in Regina was unveiled.  It's green.  Is it anything special and unique?  Definitely not.  In fact, it is literally interchangeable with the 107th Grey Cup logo and possibly even the 106th as well.  

This is a side by side comparison of last year & this year. 

Randy Ambrosie was in Regina on "Randy's Roadtrip" which I think is his attempt to connect with fans in every CFL city.  While in Regina, which apparently had 200 in attendance, he talked about the state of the league and promoted his global dream CFL 2.0.  He also helped to promote the Grey Cup festivities for 2020.  The Grey Cup will be held all in one area so it's completely accessible to fans and for the first time ever will be free to attend.  An understated part of the announcement is that it will also include the League of Legends tournament.  If you talk to someone who partakes in this - it is HUGE.  

So let me take a step back here for a second.  My Grey Cup tickets (which I've chosen not to purchase) were $400 each.  That means for myself and my husband to attend the game it would cost $800 and that's with the $25 discount the Roughriders gave season ticket holders.  Let me contain my excitement.  So the Grey Cup festival better be free in my opinion.  Who can afford all this?

Stack a hotel room, gas or flight dollars and food expenses on top of that too!

The province stands to make a gopher hole full of tourism money.

The fangirl in me says "but Sandra it's all worth it if the Riders win at home again." It could be yes.  Celebration in Ridernation was amazing on so many levels.

That logo.

I tend to keep my eyes on the merchandise the Roughriders and CFL produce.  Several seasons ago I posted a blog which went semi-viral about the sizing of merchandise and the quality of it all.  I know that since that time great strides have been made and the merchandise has really improved with new sponsors coming on board.  However, does this new Grey Cup design make you want to rush out to the nearest Rider Store and buy it all?  It doesn't for me.  I mean it's green and I'm sure it will sell regardless but I'm afraid to say - it's boring.  If it's only fractionally different than the last 2 designs why do I need it?

Oh and how much does that green Grey Cup merch cost?  The most inexpensive tee shirt is $30.  Want a zip up ladies sweater?  That's $104.  Would you pay that much for a sweater in any other store?  Likely not.

We know that Roughrider merchandise sells.  Slap that logo on a loaf of bread and we will flock to the store for it.

Let's also remember that the Riders recently closed stores in Saskatoon.  To get this merchandise you'll have to go to the new store at Midtown Plaza or order online if you don't live in Regina.  Why are they closing stores?  That doesn't seem like a good thing for the team with the greatest spread of fans does it.

I seem like I'm whining here and yes well I am.  I just remember all too well how the city of Saskatoon spent tax payer money to come up with “rRemai” and I hope the same isn’t true for the CFL logo.  I love that my team and province get to hold this event once again.  I'd love it even more if the Roughriders can repeat their 2013 at home win.  We all have to wait and see if that comes to fruition.  I know one team would love to spoil our fun.  Meanwhile, the pressure is on.

I Watched an XFL Game & Here's What Happened...

If you're a follower of this blog page then you will remember I was challenged in a YouTube comment to watch an entire XFL game to see what all the hype is about.  So I did and here's what happened.

Spoiler:  I watched an XFL game.

I set my PVR so that I could watch last Saturday's match up between Houston and Tampa Bay.  It was on at 4PM Saskatchewan time on abc (no relation).  

That evening I settled in to put my feet up and watch the game.  My expectations were high.

I guess I chose the most CFL XFL game I could have.  At first mass confusion ensued.  It was like I was watching the Montreal Alouettes versus the Oregon Ducks.  The Houston Roughnecks were the team in red, white and blue.  The Tampa Bay Vipers were in green and white.  To add to my confusion (and I did know this but had forgotten) Marc Trestman is the Head Coach of the Vipers meaning he's coaching the green team.  Jaime Elizondo is the Offensive Coordinator while Jerry Glanville is the Defensive Coordinator.  So on the Vipers we have an ex Alouettes Head Coach, and ex Redblacks coach and an ex TiCats coach.  That's not all though because on the opposite sideline stood June Jones ex Ticats coach as Head Coach of the Roughnecks and there were a few ex CFL players in the lineup such as kicker Sergio Castillo.

Needless to say I was hooked because of all the CFL relatability.  The TV shots even looked similar to a CFL game.  The XFL does have some gimmicky rules but then it has to doesn't it because it needs something to be able to hold our attention and compete with the NFL which according to some is the best football in the world.  

I found myself cheering for the green team.  I mean that's only natural right.

My cheering for a great catch brought my husband back into the room for a replay.

I really really (did I say really?) liked the camera's in the booth during the reviews and they said every call was automatically reviewed.  WOW.  This seems like it's a huge effort to always make the right call and it's revolutionary to be able to hear and see the review happen and the referees discuss it.  This aspect is fantastic.  I didn't find it slowed the game down at all.

The thing was that initially I liked what I was watching but the excitement was short lived.  After half time I got bored.  The Vipers were losing and apparently aren't a very good team because they haven't won a game yet.  My attention drifted to online conversations and I channel surfed. 

What I didn't like was the television commentators refused to discuss anything CFL related at all.  Apparently in the bio's of Trestman, Jones and Glanville there's a blank space where their CFL time existed.  What's up with that?  How can you be trying to inform viewers about something but leave out key information like where these men have been working the last few years?

I didn't watch the following game.

Please don't take this commentary as I want the XFL to fail.  That's not the case.  I want to like it but the truth is that I don't have a connection to the teams outside of these two which I happened to watch in Week 3.  I would be likely to watch these two teams again.  I would be likely to watch a game if I happened upon it on tv.  I can't say that I'd honestly go out of my way to make sure I watched every game in a week.

What I do know is that attendance is declining over the 3 weeks and so is television viewership.  I also know that is to be expected with anything new.  It will be interesting to continue to follow the numbers.  If the decline continues, regardless of the money Vince McMahon can inject into the XFL, we know what will happen.

As I've said before - if you like it then by all means support the XFL and watch all the games.  Who am I to say you shouldn't?  I was asked to watch a game and I fulfilled that promise.  I was asked because I wrote a blog and posted a video discussing whether the new league is a threat to the CFL.  I remain that it isn't.  Please feel free to check out The CFL vs XFL: Should We Feel Threatened?

Don't take my word for it.  Check out the games yourselves and form your own opinions. Here is the TV schedule for the rest of the XFL season.