The Monday (Evening) Goalie

Welcome to the CFL off-season.

Today's column was delayed because of travel arrangements coming back from Calgary, and the need to come to grips with Saskatchewan's 28-27 Grey Cup loss to Montreal at McMahon Stadium.

Nobody's over it yet. Nobody's sure how to deal with it. And there's a good chance we never, ever will.

Those who were around in 1976 tell me this is the same feeling as that Grey Cup loss to Ottawa. Some say it's worse.

I don't know, but it sucks!

It's so bad that those who hate us are even emailing in offering their condolences. It was THAT painful of a loss for this franchise.

Here are some thoughts on the Monday after:

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Sunday's Riders-Alouettes Grey Cup was the most-watched show on TSN ever. Details of the ratings numbers are in the post below.

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It was loud at McMahon on Sunday, but not as loud as Regina.

I don't know if it was because of stadium configuration or what, but Mosaic Stadium is louder with 16,000 less people than were there Sunday.

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Said the cab driver as he was racing me around the McMahon Stadium parking lot three hours before game time:

"Everywhere you look is green, green, green!"

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The Alouettes estimated they had 1,000 of their own fans at the game.

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The Riders know who's the guilty party for being the illegal 13th man on the field on Montreal's first game-winning field goal attempt.

But they're not saying.

And they tell me it's not Jason Armstead.

Does someone lose their job over this? In the NFL they would. I don't know about here.

Maybe the Regina media will be able to dig it out of them Tuesday morning at the team's final get-together.

**UPDATE -- you'll see in the Comments section below that TSN's Dave Naylor has "outed" the player he feels is responsible for the penalty.

I'm not entirely certain he's correct.

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Sorry I couldn't post photos from the welcome home at Mosaic Stadium.

Our plane landed at Regina Airport just before 3:00 and I had to get to school for a pickup so I missed it all together.

I'm sure it was a somber affair.

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In THOUSANDS of game broadcasts over the years, I have NEVER seen a team so devastated after a game.

Never. It's to the point where I hope I never see it again.

Today, the look on the players' faces was completely blank. They looked like zombies wandering around the Calgary Airport. The usual jokes, kibitzing and chat wasn't there.

Everybody just stared straight ahead.

Ken Miller's right; they'll be forever scarred over this loss.

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BUT, it's also a learning lesson. It's an obstacle on the way to get back to the top of the mountain.

Hey, the Alouettes have suffered many of these over the years but they overcame and are quite rightfully are on top.

The Riders will be back in the dance many times in this new decade which begins in 2010.

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Once the 46,020 fans filled McMahon Stadium on Sunday, everybody's cell phone crapped out.

So after calling the first half on the Corus Radio Network across Canada, I wandered down to the Riders' sidelines. It's a place I haven't been for 11 years and I forgot how chaotic it is. Maybe too chaotic.

Anyways, it turns out Carm Carteri texted me late in the game saying "we've discussed it in the booth and we want you to call the final 3:00 since the Riders will win."

I never got that text till after the game.

Can you imagine? CAN YOU IMAGINE??

I don't know what I would've said, but I might've sworn. But I'm definitely GLAD I didn't get that text in time.

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Montreal Alouettes broadcaster Rick Moffatt is also the Voice of the Montreal Canadiens so he took heat from the Habs for missing their Saturday night game.

"You're saying this football game is more important than ours?" the hockey team poked at Rick.

He's in a constant tug-of-war just like me and it's brutal.

Heading down to the USA for a couple Pats broadcasts Friday and Saturday was stressful but it afforded me the chance to get some much-needed rest rather than doing God-knows-what at Grey Cup.

But I don't think I'll do it again. All the stress hit a breaking point Sunday night when I got hit with a nasty sleepwalking episode.

I'm not 25 anymore. I don't know how long I can continue to do this.

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I'd like to personally thank four people who went out of their way to make sure I could get from Spokane to Calgary Sunday in time for the game:

- Travel agent Tom Bellamy of Carlson Wagonlit Travel

- Pats coach Curtis Hunt, who was afraid I'd get stalled in the U.S. on the biggest travel day of the year, so he was figuring out alternate plans and arrangements for me.

- Sportscaster Peter Watts of CHQR Radio in Calgary, who offered to be waiting for me at the Calgary Airport once I arrived in order to get me to the stadium as quickly as possible.

- And Spokane Chiefs G.M. Tim Speltz who came by my booth Saturday night and offered whatever tips he could since he's made that milkrun from Spokane to Calgary, through Seattle, a million times.

It's great to have friends like this.

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Some guy wrote in yesterday saying the 2009 Roughriders pulled the province together and I couldn't agree more.

And the popularity of this team across Canada is positively staggering. It's a lot of fun being a part of it and I've learned it's not just Saskatchewan's team anymore.

On my layover in Seattle Sunday morning, there was a young couple sitting across from me. She had a black Rider bunny-hug on.

I asked them where they're from and she said Edmonton. I said "so why are you a Rider fan?"

She just shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

Later I got up to go to the washroom and asked them if they'd mind watching my stuff.

He said, "you trust us?"

I said "that /=S=/ logo is the international sign of good people. Yes I trust you."

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Have a great week and thanks for reading.
RP

HUGE Grey Cup TV Numbers

Toronto, ON (November 30, 2009) - It was a GREY CUP classic and now it's a GREY CUP record.

More Canadians watched the GREY CUP Sunday night on TSN and RDS than ever before.

Preliminary overnight data from BBM Canada confirms that 6.1 million viewers watched Sunday night's thrilling CFL championship game - making it the most-watched GREY CUP ever* as well as the most-watched telecast of the year in Canada**.

More than 14 million Canadians, or nearly 43% of the country's
population, watched the game in whole or in part.

An incredible 8.35 million viewers were watching the broadcast at 9:49 p.m. ET on TSN and
RDS as Montreal kicker Damon Duval converted his second game-winning field-goal attempt as time expired.

The combined TSN and RDS audience for 2009 GREY CUP surpasses the previous combined Grey Cup audience high of 5.2 million set in 2002 by
16%.

TSN's GREY CUP audience of 5.087 million becomes the highest audience ever recorded for the network, surpassing the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship Gold Medal game that attracted 3.7 million viewers on TSN
earlier this year. RDS' French broadcast attracted over one million viewers.

Home

Nightmare

CALGARY - The Montreal Alouettes are Grey Cup champions.

Damon Duval's 33-yard field goal with no time left capped a
fourth-quarter rally from a 10-point deficit in a 28-27 win over the
Saskatchewan Roughriders.

A failed field goal attempt moments earlier was negated by a
Saskatchewan penalty for having too many men on the field, and Duval didn't make a mistake on his second chance.

Avon Cobourne ran for one touchdown while Anthony Calvillo
connected with Ben Cahoon for another to set up the comeback.

Montreal trailed 14-3 at the half and 20-10 after three quarters.

Calvillo threw a T-D pass to Jamel Richardson while Damon Duval
booted another field goal and a single for Montreal.

The Alouettes avoided a sixth loss in seven Grey Cup appearances
over the past 10 years.

Darian Durant threw for one touchdown to Andy Fantuz and ran for another for Saskatchewan, which was seeking a second Grey Cup in three years.

Luca Congi added four field goals and Louie Sakoda added a single
for Saskatchewan.

(The Canadian Press)

The View From The Broadcast Booth At Grey Cup

On Field Pregame

Pregame Rider Staff Huddle

MADE IT!

....BECAUSE I ALWAYS DO!!!

NOW C'MON RIDERS, FINISH THE JOB AND BRING THE CUP BACK WHERE IT BELONGS!!
RP

Seattle

9:15am Sask time. Making my way back.
RP

Sunday Sports

The 97th edition of the Grey Cup goes today in Calgary. The Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders will play for Canadian Football League glory. The Riders are back in the Grey Cup after winning the '07 contest in Toronto. Montreal is making its seventh appearance in the CFL title game since 2000 but looking for just its second win over that span.

Kickoff is at 5:30pm Sask time on TSN and the CKRM Rider Radio Network.

***To the Roughriders who are reading this blog today, coach Curtis Hunt asked me to wish you good luck today in the Grey Cup on behalf of the entire Regina Pats Hockey Club.
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For me, I got the most important hurdle of the day out of the way, and that was to not miss my 4:10am PT wakeup call here in Spokane, Washington.

Now it's off to the airport to go through Seattle and then into Calgary for the Grey Cup broadcast. I'm due to land at 12:55pm, and we go to air at 2:30.

I'll let you know how I make out.

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The Regina Pats concluded their six game west coast trip with a 4-0 loss at Spokane. The Pats went 4-2-0 on the swing.

They don't play again till Saturday when they host Brandon.

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It was cap night in Pittsburgh, and Sidney Crosby did the appropriate thing. He had his fourth career hat trick and added two assists as the Pittsburgh Penguins dumped the New York Rangers 8-3.

The Penguins won for the fourth time in their last five games.

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The Vancouver Canucks jumped quickly on an injury-ravaged Oilers team that played the night before. Christian Ehrhoff, Alex Burrows, Mason Raymond and Daniel Sedin scored in the first 8:25 to pace the Canucks to a 7-3 victory over Edmonton, which lost at home in overtime to the Sharks on Friday.

Eight Edmonton players were absent due to injuries or illness.

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Nicklas Backstrom scored the only shootout goal on Washington's third attempt to give the Capitals a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

Elsewhere, the Ottawa Senators lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Boston Bruins. Michel Ryder scored the lone goal in the tiebeaker for Boston's sixth straight win over the past two seasons against Ottawa.

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Jamie Lundmark scored the shootout winner as the Calgary Flames edged the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. The Flames have points in their last nine consecutive games.

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Queen's University has won its first Vanier Cup since 1992. The Gaels defeated the Calgary Dinos 33-31 in Quebec City to win the Canadian university football championship. Queen's trailed 25-7 at the half before scoring 26 unanswered points. Calgary fell short in its quest to win its first Vanier Cup since 1995.

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Vince Carter scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half after getting four stitches to rally the Orlando Magic to a 100-98 victory over the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks. Carter missed a majority of the first half after needing stitches for a cut lip when he was inadvertently hit in the face midway through the first quarter. Dwight Howard added 25 points and 20 rebounds for Orlando.

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Tiger Woods and his wife were not available to speak to state troopers for the second straight day. The couple asked that police return Sunday to try to clear up questions about how he crashed his SUV into a neighbour's tree early Friday morning. The
investigation is ongoing.

(With files from The Canadian Press)

Chiefs 4 Pats 0

SPOKANE -- The Regina Pats were unable to finish off their west coast trip on a winning note as they fell 4-0 to the Spokane Chiefs in front of over 7,000 fans in the Spokane Arena.

The Pats didn't have the zip they displayed over the prior five games, although they did outshoot the Chiefs 10-7 in the first period. However Spokane's Tyler Johnson gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead with his 15th goal of the year 11:05 into the game.

Redvers, Saskatchewan's Kenton Miller made it 2-0 Spokane in the second, and a pair of goals by the Chiefs' Steve Kuhn and Ryan Letts in the third period put the game away.

Pats coach Curtis Hunt goalie Dawson Guhle with five minutes to go and his team down 3-0, but Letts' empty-net goal snuffed out any chance of a Regina comeback.

MOLSON 3-STARS: 1) Spokane goalie James Reid 2) Miller 3) Johnson. Taylor Toyota Hardest Working Pat: Dawson Guhle.

STATS: Spokane outshot the Pats 28-22. Regina was 0/2 on the powerplay and 6/6 killing penalties.

Regina went 4-2 on the west coast trip and remained in the mix in the East Division coming home. With the loss, their record dropped to 15-13-3.

Their next game is Saturday in the Brandt Centre against the Brandon Wheat Kings at 7:00 on 620 CKRM.

Spokane Arena

Spokane Arena

Coach Miller Saturday's Comments

From the Leader Post Rider Rumblings blog:

Can you talk about dealing with all the distractions?
“First of all, our team has been tremendous at dealing with distractions. Certainly, there has been a lot of distractions going through the week. I just reminded them that there will be distractions that they will face the rest of this day. In our meetings and practices, they’ve been focused, motivated and really efficient with their work, so I’m really proud of how they’ve prepared themselves.’’

How has Darian’s week been?
“He has practised well. He’s highly motivated. I might have to dial him down a little bit for the rest of this day.’’

Do you notice a bit of a change in his demeanour from last week to this week?
“One of the things that’s different about Grey Cup week is that we are together all day long every day. Most of the time, when we’re at home, we’re together for meetings and practice and then we’re away from each other. We see each other more and maybe we see more nuance in players during this week than at other times. Maybe it’s more like training camp. He has been calm and focused and prepared very well.’’

Do you have a good feeling? Can you get anything like that from a walk-through?
“As you noticed, our walk-throughs are pretty low-key, but the men are really focused. The ones who spoke today had a very solid, sound message for the rest of the players. I have a good feeling about it, yes.’’

You mentioned that a couple of players addressed the team. Who were they and what was the message?
“Chris Szarka talked to the offensive group this morning just about his personal history with football and about how this opportunity is here before him and before us and before the young players. Gene Makowsky spoke again at the end and he just kind of capsulized and galvanized, really, everybody’s focus to what this is going to mean to this group, not just this week or next week, but maybe in 10 or 15 or 30 years when you reflect back. On the very first night that we were in town, I went out to eat. I had hardly sat down and a person came up to me and said, ‘Coach, I’m such-and-such. I won a Grey Cup in 1984.’ It’s an immediate bond. It’s that kind of feeling. Our players, and particularly our experienced players, know the importance of this — not just the importance now, but how it’s going to make them feel as they reflect back on it in five, 10, 20 years.’’

What about you? What would it mean to you to win a Grey Cup as a head coach?
“It would be absolutely marvelous — a dream come true.’’

With your leaders sending messages this week, how much does that help you because you have such a busy week during Grey Cup?
“It helps me a lot. My son happens to be here. He came in today from California and he happened to talk about that. We talk about the leadership in our coaching staff — how they are tremendous leaders in their own right in doing the football work, and then the leaders within the team. It’s a tremendous outpouring of leadership from people who don’t normally get recognized for that leadership in a general way.’’

You talked yesterday about platooning Darian Durant earlier in the season and that he took it as a direct challenge. Is that why you did it? Did you want to see how he responded?
“It really wasn’t set up as a challenge. It was set up as an opportunity for both (Durant and Steven Jyles) to play. Darian, in a couple of games, hadn’t started all that well. I thought that if he started in the game and wasn’t doing as well as I would like for him to do, it might help him just to see from the sideline and see what the opponent was doing. So it’s from that perspective as opposed to goading or trying to use it as a motivation tool. I couch it as an educational experience — really, a way to get them to understand and see better.’’

Your team has talked about being an underdog, but can you play that card too much?
"You still want to believe that you’re a championship team. “We aren’t playing that too much. Certainly, everybody has said we’re underdogs. Statistics, scores and everything would say that we’re underdogs. On the other hand, the thing we’re saying is, ‘Listen, this is one game. This is one game for all the marbles.’ History doesn’t matter. Stats don’t matter. When we tee it up and kick it off tomorrow afternoon, it’s a football game between two really good football teams and we’re going to give them everything they want and more.’’

Grey Cup Parade Photos From Jeff Armstead

RIDERS HOMECOMING

The Saskatchewan Roughriders will return home to Regina on Monday afternoon and are inviting fans to greet them at Mosaic Stadium upon their arrival. 

Fans are asked to be at the stadium by 2:30 pm with the team expecting to arrive on the field at approximately 3:00 pm.

Admission is free and the program will consist of player and coach speeches along with a 2009 highlight video.

Statement From CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon

Calgary, AB -- (November 28, 2009) -- "At its meeting earlier today, the Canadian Football League Board of Governors instructed the league office to work with the Toronto Argonauts to provide a detailed report on the feasibility of the city of Toronto's BMO Field for CFL football. The Board was assured this work will be undertaken as quickly as possible."

National Post Grey Cup Preview

Grey Cup Game Day
National Post
Sat Nov 28 2009
Page: S4
Section: Sports
Byline: Sean Fitz-Gerald
Source: National Post

MONTREAL VS. SASKATCHEWAN

McMahon Stadium, Calgary

Tomorrow, 5:30pm Sask Time

TV: TSN

Radio: CKRM Regina, CJWW Saskatoon, CJGX Yorkton

OFFENCE

Montreal scored 600 points on offence over the course of the regular season, which is nearly as much as the Toronto Argonauts (706) have generated over the last two seasons combined. And any confusion over whether that means the Alouettes are just that lethal, or whether the Argos are just that terrible should have been answered last Sunday, when Montreal torched the B.C. Lions 56-18 in the East Division final. Anthony Calvillo tied a singlegame CFL playoff record by throwing five touchdown passes, with two each going to Jamel Richardson and Brian Bratton. The Alouettes averaged 33.3 points a game in the regular season, almost a full five points more than the Roughriders (28.6), who tied for the second-most effective offence.

Edge: Montreal

DEFENCE

No team allowed fewer points than the Alouettes (18 a game), a team with an ability to torment a quarterback with unrelenting pressure, but one that can also grind a running game into the turf. Montreal defensive end John Bowman finished in a three-way tie for the league lead in sacks, with 12, and shares the line with veteran bookend Anwar Stewart (pictured below), finalist for the CFL's outstanding defensive player award. Saskatchewan's John Chick won the award, and anchors an inventive defence that has been crafted by Gary Etcheverry. Saskatchewan held Calgary to 17 points in the West Division final, but Calgary is not Montreal.

Edge: Montreal

SPECIAL TEAMS

Return specialist Larry Taylor and kicker Damon Duval monopolized the three special teams positions on the CFL's All-Star team earlier this month. Taylor, a 5-foot-5 sparkplug who materialized from the ether in Montreal last year, was named the CFL's outstanding special teams player on Thursday night for a year in which he returned two punts and one missed field goal for a touchdown. Duval led all kickers in scoring this year, with 242 points over the regular season, including a seven-field goal performance in Toronto that left him one shy of the singlegame CFL record.

Edge: Montreal

COACHING

In just his second CFL season, Marc Trestman led Montreal to a franchise-record 15 wins, essentially cementing first place in the East Division before Labour Day. Low-key with an obvious attention to detail, Trestman has created an environment where surprises are limited and preparation is cherished. This is his second straight Grey Cup appearance, coming amid speculation an NFL team may try to poach him over the winter. That same cannot be said for Ken Miller, but only about the NFL rumours. Miller clearly has a hold on his team, guiding it to the first West Division regular season title in three decades.

Edge: None

INTANGIBLES

It started early, and happened quickly. At some point Wednesday, green became the dominant colour among football fans roaming the streets and, by some point Thursday, it just seemed to become the dominant colour, period. Saskatchewan residents have been migrating to Alberta for generations in search of work, but it seems unlikely the invasion has ever been this obvious or loud. The 97th Grey Cup will be held tomorrow at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, but it will unquestionably be just like another home game for Saskatchewan. History might also lean green, with the Alouettes battling the ghosts of playoffs past, primarily the franchise's 1-5 record in the big game since 2000.

Edge: Saskatchewan

PREDICTION

Montreal 32, Saskatchewan 25

Grey Cup Parade Underway In Calgary

Photo courtesy Devin Heroux

Welcome To Spokane, Washington

We arrived at 4:00am PT right after the Pats' 4-2 win at Everett.

Grey Cup Pride In Jamaica

"Hey Roddy, it's one half of the doublemint twins here...

I am in Jamaica right now on my honeymoon while Chris Winkler and the crew are ripping it up at Riderville. Hoping to catch the game at Margaritaville.

Rider Pride Jamaica-wide !!!!! 

Craig Veale"

Riderville Photos From Jeff Armstead

Pats 4 Silvertips 2

EVERETT, WASHINGTON -- Jordan Eberle's natural hattrick led the Regina Pats to a 4-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips in front of 5810 fans in Comcast Arena Friday night.

Craig Hartsburg's Silvertips got out to a 2-0 lead in the first on goals by Shane Harper and Chris Langkow, but Regina's Cody Carlson scored a powerplay goal with five seconds left in the period to make it a 2-1 game.

Eberle tied it up at 8:55 of the second with another powerplay goal and it was 2-2 going into the third. Jordan made it a 3-2 game 3:42 into the final period and then with the Everett goalie pulled, he completed the hattrick with nine seconds left. The Silvertips poured it on over the final twenty, outshooting Regina 20-7, but Pats goalie Damien Ketlo slammed the door.

With the win, the Pats leapfrog Moose Jaw into third in the WHL East Division and they are now 4-1 on this six game west coast trip. It'll conclude tomorrow night at 9:00 in Spokane on 620 CKRM.

MOLSON 3-STARS: 1- Eberle (3-1-4) 2- Weal (0-3-3) 3 - Heemskirk (36 saves). Taylor Toyota Hardest Working Pat: Colten Teubert.

STATS: Regina outshot Everett 40-36 while going 3/5 on the powerplay and 8-8 killing penalties.

Right after the game, the Pats bussed to Spokane to get ready for Saturday night's tilt.

Live From Everett

What's Up At Grey Cup??

There's my home for the night --> the broadcast booth at Comcast Arena in Everett, Washington.

Last Huddle Of The Year

I'd give my right arm to know what Coach Miller said right there.

Photo courtesy Devin Heroux..

We Got The RCMP On Our Side

"Rod,

Depot had a Rider pride day today in support of Habitat for Humanity.
For a minimum donation you could wear your Rider green. All money is going to support the Mountie house. Here is a picture of some of us out at the firearms range.

Go Riders!!!!

Scott Shorten"

Typical

Excellent

"Hey Rod, 

Here is the staff of the DQ Grill and Chill on the corner of Sask Dr. and Elphinstone.

Sheldon Jones"

Love it. That's the DQ right by Taylor Field.

Who can top that?

More Rider Pride In The Mailbag

"Hey Rod,
I would like to give many thanks to the St. Mary's Grade 5 and 6 students for showing their Rider Pride, and HUGE thanks to Mme. Vany for changing her art class to do this. 

Man, you can't believe the amount of green in that school today, right down to the Kindergartens! 

Go Riders
CZR"

How about some photos from Regina?? I hear it's totally Green & White!

sportsline@620ckrm.com
RP

Snow in Calgary

Grey Cup Notes

REASONS TO WATCH TSN'S GREY CUP PREGAME SHOW

‬‪
TSN celebrates the glory and the grandeur of the Grey Cup with a series of special features throughout the day during the GREY CUP SUNDAY pre-game show on November 29, beginning at 1 p.m. ET leading up to the 2009 GREY CUP.

CFL ON TSN's Brian Williams and CFL Insider Dave Naylor explore the compelling stories behind some of the leagues greatest milestones and achievements.‬

In one feature, Williams examines one of the greatest Grey Cup games ever played in league history – the 1989 GREY CUP, with the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 43-40 on Dave Ridgway's game-winning field goal.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Roughriders' come-from-behind Grey Cup win, Williams sits down with Ridgway in an exclusive interview at his private residence in Southern Indiana and takes a look back at the big game.

The feature also includes interviews with some of Ridgway's former teammates, including Kent Austin, TSN's Glen Suitor and former Hamilton Tiger-Cats Mike Kerrigan and kicker Paul Osbaldiston. This is Ridgway's first interview regarding the game since he was not in attendance for the official 20th anniversary celebration in Saskatchewan earlier this year.

Another feature pays tribute to the CFL fans in Calgary, as Williams looks back at the 1948 Grey Cup, when 250 passionate Stampeders fans took a train from Calgary to Toronto and set the benchmark for all Grey Cup week celebrations to follow.

Williams explores the lore that surrounds the 36th Grey Cup, which includes stories of square dances and chuckwagons at Union Station and men on horseback inside the Royal York Hotel.

Williams also sits down with Alberta lieutenant-governor Norman Kwong, who reminisces about his journey to Toronto on the train as an 18-year old fullback with the Stampeders.

Naylor examines the growing number of young men from immigrant families playing grassroots football in Canada, with an increasing number of these players making it to the CFL. Naylor speaks to Canadian football scouts, who suggest that the ethnic communities are enhancing the growth of the sport in the Canada.

TSN then takes a close look at Saskatchewan defensive end John Chick to find out how he maintains his high level of play in the often violent sport of football despite wearing an insulin pump to control his type-1 diabetes.

In another GREY CUP SUNDAY feature, TSN follows Blue Rodeo members Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor as they return to their Toronto high school to relive their days as members of the school's football team. Blue Rodeo will perform during the Pepsi Max Halftime Show as part of Sunday's big game on TSN.

In addition, GREY CUP SUNDAY includes two documentaries titled ROAD TO THE GREY CUP, chronicling how the Roughriders and Alouettes made their way to this year's championship game.

GREY CUP SUNDAY also features seven vignettes that follow recent Grey Cup champions, as they take the coveted championship trophy to schools, hospitals, their hometown and even home for Christmas.

As well as a Brian Williams sits down with CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon to examine some of the league's key issues.

----

The 2009 Grey Cup Festival events are well underway and organizers are prepared for the return of the Safeway Grey Cup Festival Parade on Saturday, November 28th.

Hollywood actress and Calgary's own Elisha Cuthbert will be the Grand Marshall of the Safeway Grey Cup Festival Parade which is set to kick off at 11am sharp.

The Canadian star of the hit television series "24" and over nineteen Hollywood movies has returned to Calgary this weekend to host the Parade and will appear at various other Grey Cup events throughout the weekend.

"We are delighted that Elisha accepted the position of Grand Marshall of the Safeway Grey Cup Festival Parade," said Malcolm Kirk, chairman of the 2009 Grey Cup Festival Committee. "Elisha has been here for a few days already and is extremely excited to bring excitement to the citizens of Calgary."

The Safeway Grey Cup Festival Parade will start sharp at 11am on Saturday on a route that will start on 6th Ave SW and Macleod Trail, will head down to 2nd Street SW on to 9th Ave SW and will finish at Olympic Plaza to celebrate the 97th Grey Cup Championship and Festival.

Fans are encouraged to take in the Calgary Herald Family Fan Fest at Olympic Plaza following the parade where live entertainment and other programming including the CFL and NHL alumni game will run throughout the day.

Spectators are encouraged to take transit and secure their position early as thousands are expected to attend.

The Grey Cup Festival parade will feature more than 80 entries and nearly 1800 participants, including marching bands, floats, Olympic and Paralympic athletes as well as live musical performances. Entrants from Alberta and across Canada, including cheer squads from most of the CFL cities, will be represented.

The Parade will also include a display performance by the CFB Moose Jaw Snowbirds.

Awards Photos...

Courtesy Jeff Armstead. The guy in the pink shirt is Als receiver Jamel Richardson.

Commish

Blog Email

"Hi Roddy,

Here's a shout out to my cousins in Killam, AB.  The Petremans (originally from P.A.)and the Stewarts will have their "Gainer" out on the streets and partying hard afterwards.

Kelly Markwart"

2009-11-21 (143).jpg

"Hey Rod,

I was in Rome during the west final and visited the 'Mouth of Truth' (pictured) the day before the game. Legend has it that when you stick your hand in the mouth and tell it something, if it is a lie your hand will be bitten off.

I told the mouth that the Riders would beat Calgary on the weekend. My hand did not get bitten off, therefore I knew the Riders would be victorious.

Bring home the Cup!

Friday Rodservations

CALGARY -- Grey Cup week peaks today and I'm headed out of town.

This blog post comes to you from departure gate C21at the Calgary Airport as I get set to fly to Seattle to catch up with the Regina Pats for two weekend broadcasts (tonight in Everett and tomorrow in Spokane) before returning to Calgary Sunday at 12:55pm in time to call the Riders in the Grey Cup nationally.

This trip to the States has been called "ridiculous", "crazy", "unforgivable" and "dangerous to your health" by my friends the past few days but duty calls and the Pats need me.

Besides, there's nothing going on football-wise between now and the game anyways. Friday and Saturday are all about the fans and the party.

I don't need to be around for that. I don't like crowds to begin with.

As for Grey Cup photos, my boy Jeff Armstead will feed me some throughout the weekend to give you the "Grey Cup feel".

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As for calling the game Sunday across Canada, I get the first half of the game.

Initially I was told it would be the second half -- which would've been tremendous -- but on Tuesday it was confirmed I'll get the first.

I'm not sure why the switch, but Cindy thinks it's because I chirped the guy about wanting to do the whole game, or none at all.

Oh well, that's how I felt at the time so I gotta live with it.

It's no biggie. I've seen grown men stamp their feet and whine like babies over this broadcast over the years and I swore I'll never be one of them.

However I'd have prefered a coin toss to decide it rather than some guy saying "I feel it's what's best for the broadcast".

Life goes on! Nobody's dying here.

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Okay as for the game itself, here are some quick thoughts:

I've picked the Riders to win because I always do. In fact I think I told the Leader Post the Riders would win 31-30.

But if they should lose, here's why....

They can lose this game and their season will still be a success. They finished first, Darian Durant joined "the big four" of CFL quarterbacks and coach Miller could still win Coach of the Year.

However if Montreal loses, their season is a colossal failure. They know it, we know it, everybody knows it.

Spending time with them yesterday, I got a sense of a team who's hungry, and still very angry over losing to Calgary in their own park last year.

They've been to six Grey Cups this decade and have just one win.

They're the old dogs and the Riders are the new kids on the block.

The Als were laughing, holding and posing with the Grey Cup yesterday throwing superstition to the wind.

That scared me. They know they don't need luck.

They fully intend to kick the Riders' ass on Sunday.

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We'll have a home crowd going for us at McMahon Stadium, and we'll also see what type of pregame speech Ken Miller can come up with to make these boys want to run through one more wall for him.

I'm not selling the Riders short just yet. Marc Trestman's pregame speech was paltry and vanilla compared to John Hufnagel's firey address last year at Grey Cup in Montreal.

Tick, tick, tick. We're getting closer to kickoff.

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Trestman pulled Carm aside yesterday and asked him to apologize to Darian Durant on his behalf for calling him "Damien" twice on Wednesday.

He said he was operating on one hour of sleep and wasn't "with it".

Carm said he would but it won't matter.

Darian's peeved about it. He told the media he wasn't, but he told me privately that he is.

Let's play the "disrespect card" to the hilt. More fuel to the fire.

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10,000 watermelons have been delivered to Calgary grocery stores because of the demand by Rider fans.

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It'll be +11 Celsius at game time Sunday, and +2 by the end of the game.

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Saw Henry Burris on Off The Record last night saying Rider fans should show respect to the Stampeders.

Hank, ENOUGH!!

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One more thing:

I've been getting scathing reviews for playing up the "Calgary Hates Saskatchewan" thing this week.

Well guess what? Those naysayers can shove it.

I've been hearing this stuff against my province and our people ever since I lived here and I'm done with biting my lip.

It's NOT good-natured ribbing. What they're saying is cruel, and we don't say those types of things about them.

Saskatchewan and the Riders are on top now.

Deal with it!

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You'll see in one of the photos above what my travel bags are for this trip. A briefcase and a napsack.

So, I don't have room to bring people merchandise back.

Nor can I get people tickets to the game.

You'll have to try someone else. Sorry!

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Press Box Sports Bar Friday buffet:
Turkey and stuffing
Honey glazed ham
Cabbage rolls
Southwest chicken strips
Scalloped potatoes
Shepards pie
Mixed veggies
Pizza buffet
Rice pudding

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Talk to you from Seattle. I'll be on CHQR 770 Calgary and 630 CHED on the Rutherford show this morning if anyone cares to check it out.

Later Skater,
RP