Could you hear the sound coming from the Centre of the Universe yesterday? That was the sound of a million people blowing off the marketability of this year’s Cup.
This is like a dream come true for a handful of football fans. It’s like a bonus Labour Day game. Too bad it’s in Toronto. This is the kind of thing that people in these parts have mused about forever, but never honestly thought would happen. The Bombers are still a displaced Western division team, after all.
This one’s for all the marbles. But does anyone outside of the grain belt look forward to seeing John Deeres parked all around the base of the tower?
Now I know Piper will be along in good time spouting off with some nonsense about green power or some such thing. You’ll have to forgive him - and you can feel a little bit sorry for him because he’ll be spending the rest of the winter dwelling on the cup that got away.
:: stares groggily at that bright yellow thing that wasn’t up in the sky last night when coming back from the airport to greet the Riders at 2 a.m. ::
:: puts on the tea kettle ::
Okay, I’m starting the day. I’m tired, but it’s a good tired. Plus I seem to have chilblains in my hands from waving my flag at the corner of Vic and Albert last night.
Right now, about all I can say is that this is going to be one of the best Grey Cups ever - Bombers against the Riders! Two of the teams with the best fan bases in the CFL, descending on The Big Indifference to try and wake the Torontonians up to the glories of the game.
Mrs. Piper and I will be there, way up in the upper row of [Whatever-they-call-it-this-Week] Dome.
There are still plenty of CFL fans in Toronto. Hey, if you’re looking to get rid of your tickets, I know a couple of folks in Toronto who would be glad to take them off your hands.
Now, I will admit that Toronto doesn’t get Grey Cup fever like it used to. I recall when I was younger and living in that city, it seemed to be a week-long party, capped by the game itself. Doesn’t seem like that anymore. So if you’re going, what you need to do is to wake Toronto up to the idea of a good football party. They understand the game well enough.
On a slightly different note, since neither my Eastern nor my Western team made it to the Cup, I have no idea whom to cheer for. Maybe it will have to be … Go, Refs!
I was thinking more about a drive across the border, rent a cheap motel room, and go to the local pub…
However, I’ve since found the following web-page, with some info on how Canucks stranded down south can see CFL games: CFL Night in America. They mention NESN in Boston as carrying the games.
Also, what about contacting the Harvard Canadian Club ? They might be planning on renting a hall or a pub somewhere and arranging for the game to be available - or they might know if some other group is planning on doing it.
No way! The Riders only make the game once every decade. Those tickets are under the watchful eye of the Piper Attack Dachshund, whose shrill barks whenever anyone goes near them will alert us to the risk of pilfering.
“Toronto bound, Toronto bound,
Yes it’s good to be
Toronto bound…”
I’m going to be pretty surprised if Saskatchewan doesn’t win this; the West is much stronger overall, and the Bombers have to be one of the weaker teams to ever play in a Grey Cup. Of course, I was surprised the Bombers beat Toronto, so it’s not like they couldn’t pull another rabbit out of a hat.
Still, they beat the Argos largely because the Argos don’t have a decent quarterback; when you get right down to it, Toronto lost the East final because Michael Bishop eats it. Kerry Joseph, however, does not eat it. He was picked off only eight times all year, is one of the best rushers in the league (counting running backs) and has tremendous discipline. I have a feeling he’s going to kill Winnipeg; they’ll be forced to play an extra guy in to defend against Joseph scrambling, and he’ll murder the secondary as a result.
The bookies agree with you, RickJay - they’re apparently favouring the Riders by 9 points.
Now there’s a sentence I can’t ever recall hearing before: “Riders favoured to win the Grey Cup.” Not just actually getting to play in it, but favoured. Mrs. Piper is practically bouncing with excitement.
However, I’m not sure I’d agree that the Bombers are that weak - they did hold first in the East for a considerable stretch this season - just seemed to weaken a bit towards the end.
Their real problem is that Glenn broke his arm in the Eastern Final, so Ryan Dinwiddie is up. Not that I’ve got anything against Dinwiddie, but he’s apparently never started in a professional game before. It’s every back-up’s dream for the coach to tap them on the shoulder and say, “You’re in, kid.” But how many get to say that their first start as QB was in the Grey Cup? I wonder if that’s ever happened before??
Actually, I’m not taking anything for granted - considering that the Lions were favoured to win the West, I know that an underdog team can pull it out of the hat on the day of the big game.
I like the Riders’ chances, but I respect the Bombers: Labour Day is the best game of the year, because the Bombers normally field a good team and Bombers fans make the trek to liven up Taylor Field. Having that match-up in the Grey Cup is going to be great!
It would have been even better to have the Western and Eastern nominees for Most Outstanding Player going head to head in the QB role, just to add some extra spice.
I’ll take the Riders and the points. Shit, I think I’ll plunk fifty bucks on this one. I would have taken the Riders and the points *even with Winnipeg’s regular QB. * The bookies are underestimating the difference in divisional strength, and the fact that the Bombers don’t have an answer to Joseph. Winnipeg also played very badly away from Winnipeg, while the Riders played extremely well when not in Saskatchewan.
There’s just no level of analysis I can apply here which doesn’t call for Saskatchewan to win this by 15 points or more. With a rookie in there - a huge break to the Riders’ one weakness, secondary defense - Winnipeg’s hopelessly outclassed, I think.
Good for the Riders; they’ve only won the big game twice in all their history.
Doncha just hate it when people are nice and reasonable?
Mrs. Piper and I have made it to T.O., flying out of a blizzard in Regina, and into a rainstorm at Pearson. But we’re here! Now we just have to find some way to fill in the time until Sunday…rumour has it that there might be a few Grey Cup hospitality rooms…must investigate…
