So I am a couple of days late in posting my blog celebrating the riders big win – and really what else am I going to blog about. I won’t go into detail on the game, or what my favorite part of the game was, as that part has been fully dissected, but I will instead talk about what this win seems to mean to this province.
I have heard it about 300 times in the past few weeks, that the Riders have the best fans in the world, that we support this team like no others, that we made Grey Cup weekend in Toronto. I can’t really comment about what it was like in ’89, but I think this championship seems to be more about the fans than any other championship I have ever seen before in any sport.
I haven’t seen an interview with any person, player, coach in which they haven’t said how happy they are for the people of Saskatchewan. Even Troy Westwood, maybe the most hated Bomber of all, said while he was crushed by the loss, he was happy for the people of Saskatchewan…not for the Riders, but for the people…the fans.
It just seems that this year the fans were the story even more than the team. It started with the sellout pre-season games, then the impressive attendance through the first part of the season, then there was the now infamous black-out/torrential downpour game in which thousands of Riders fans endured an hour delay and soaked clothing to some back out an cheer like never before as the riders came back to beat the…who was it again- doesn’t matter. There was the game in which we got hit by a freak hail storm, which only made everyone more excited during a cold - somewhat boring game in October. There was the home playoff game in which the fans of Saskatchewan finally got to witness a playoff game in Regina after a twenty year drought. And the fans mad that game unforgettable, never have I been in a place with that much energy and excitement. The section I was sitting in didn’t sit down the whole game….not once. Next big thing was the win in BC, where not only was the green and white well supported in the stands, but 2000 people showed p at the airport at 1:30 in the morning to welcome the boys home.
And finally there was the Grey Cup. Thousands of people from Saskatchewan flicked to Toronto to attend the festivities, and thousands more adopted the Riders and there team and the Green and White fans were talked about all week on the coverage leading up to the game. In Regina you couldn’t find anyone who wasn’t talking about the game all week. Everyone in this province was not a Rider fan, (even if they didn’t know what a first down was). House parties were thrown, sports bars were overflowing, and when the clock hit zero’s, the city went crazy. Thousands upon thousands of people hit the streets, everyone with a smile on their face (despite the -20 weather). Albert was lined with Cars from almost the south right to the north, people hanging out of their cars, sitting on roofs, running down the middle of the road giving out high fives. I never saw one person looking to take advantage or cause damage, people we just thrilled to be in that moment. And it continued to the rally Monday at Mosaic Stadium, when 8000 crazy ass rider fans braved the -34 weather to welcome the team back from Regina (I was not one of then).
I guess what I am getting at is that in a way this wasn’t about the team. Really the riders didn’t play that well in the payoffs. Well the defense did, but offensively we were less than outstanding, but it seems like finally nothing could stop us fans from getting the championship that we have waiting so long for. I don’t want to take too much away from the team, as Ken and the boys have done something very impressive, and I hope this turns into a dynasty, but this main story line remains the fans and our support of our beloved football team.
I watch a lot of sports, and while teams often make reference to there great fans, the fans are never the story themselves, but in the case of Saskatchewan, we were what made this grey Cup 2007 such a memorable time. For the first time in a long time it seemed this province was finally in total agreement on something, and that is that WE LOVE THE RIDERS.
7 comments:
Who left the full green beers on the table?
Quiet you fool, they could be ours!
Mwooohahahahaha....
I don't think there was a drop of green beer left in that place. Peewee drank them all.
How about the crazy people running around with no clothes!
and those rider prider shots of scope? It was like mint chocolate ice cream in shooter form, only better and made of liquid booze.
all green beer for peewee. It tastes so much better when it's green and you've just won a grey cup.
Sorry to rain on your parade Brody. I was in Calgary during their 2004 Cup run. The fans were a HUGE story there too. The RED MILE was famous in the second round. I cant imagine what it was like in the 4th round. AND IN CALGARY TOO, their were lots of half time fans jusmping onto the wagon just like in riderville. That city was unreal, so dont think that the RIDERS are an exception.
Actually pec I almost made a point of that in my blog. But I hate the flames so i didn't. Plus most of the fans were just slutty girls.
Rather than ugly middle aged men that make up 'rider nation'?
I'll take the slutty girls showing their junk over the 75 year old grandma in the caravan who could barely lift her rider flag any day of the week.
Just because you hate the flames (as we all do) doesn't mean you have to hate their fans.
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