2013 Grey Cup: Hamilton vs. Saskatchewan - rooting for?

[TheLionKing]

Aren't you guys lucky not to be in Regina right now ?

http://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/sk-32_metric_e.html

[BC 1988]

Gotta cheer for the Eastern 'Cats!
Lots of good comments listed,
but in small part, out of respect for Mr. Braley.

We had an interesting experience years ago,
watching the Ticats embarrass the Lions at
Ivor Wynne. Hamilton fans sitting near us
started cheering for the Lions to try to make
us feel better. Never been to a game in
Regina......but tell me.....would that happen there??

Go 'Cats!

Absolutely not. I will admit most of their fans are good natured, but there are a lot of obnoxious ones to who will swear at you, hurl verbal abuses. I have been stomped on as well. I will not wear my Lions jersey until I'm in Mosaic. It's not in the best neighbourhood and I've been warned that it would not be safe to walk around in it. I've never known another fan base where it's not SAFE to wear the opposing team's jersey for a game. We were also at "beer" gate. Normally my husband will defend the Riders/fans to the death was disgusted with the beer can throwing incident.

Go Ti-Cats!!!!

Wow, that's quite an eye-opener. I've noticed some Rider supporters at Lions games can be pretty obnoxious. (not the 50+ age demographic though). The only time there was anyone trying to break the rules of the no-alcohol family zone this past season (and I was there for 8 out of 9 games) was rowdy young Rider fans.

[notahomer]

The high might be -1! Ughhh.... It will be fun to watch this one on TV.......

[TheLionKing]

Several Ti-Cats treated for frostbite

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=437158

[Coast Mountain Lion]

Aren't you guys lucky not to be in Regina right now ?

http://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/sk-32_metric_e.html

Every day of my life I've been lucky enough not to be in Regina (apart from a Thanksgiving weekend thirty years ago and passing through a few times on the train)

[South Pender]

I wish (haha....) you hadn't reminded me of Angelo Mosca and the Willing Fleming issue - and Joe having the smack down. I might have to cheer for the Riders now!

Yes, it was the Angelo Mosca incident in the 1963 GC (cold-cocking Willie Fleming) that really fueled my dislike of the Ti-Cats. During the Jim Trimble--and extending into the Ralph Sazio--era, the Ti-Cats were considered by many to be a dirty team. They are my least-favorite Eastern CFL team. They've won 8 Grey Cups since their formation (actually merger) in 1950. The poor Saskatchewan fans have had a total of only 3 GCs in 103 years of operation.

[notahomer]

Weird eh? The Ticats are practicing outside at the Stadium and the Riders are practicing indoors. Hmm, the Riders sound smart but wasn't playing in the cold their supposed advantage versus the Lions???

[Toppy Vann]

Both teams went indoors for at least one practice. It was the Cats who went outdoors first. Austin wanted them to taste it first and then on Friday went to Moose Jaw indoors.

The Ticats seem to realize they are big underdogs as they are nothing but an afterthought in Regina this week. It's supposed to be history with the Riders to win or so the script seems to be according to the Ticats.

[Robbie]

So according to my poll, most of you are pretty upset about the result.

I for one was happy that Geroy Simon won another Grey Cup to finish off his fine career although he said he'll play next year as well. There a fair amount of media attention over the fact that he never scored a GC TD before in his 2006 and 2011 games. Well, he's finally got his redemption with his two TD catches and I was hoping that to cap that off he can win another award that he's yet to win - GC MVP. With his two TD catches I felt he had a fair chance although I kind of knew that Kory Sheets with his record setting performance would probably win it while Weston Dressler and Darian Durant had fair chances as well.

[Sir Purrcival]

No, upset isn't the right word, resigned to the eventuality more like it. From the end of the finals last week, this game was destined to be a snooze fest unless you were a Green Riders fan. Most people felt that they were the likely winners even though they may have been hoping for another result. For the league and the sake of the game, I hope it is a long time before we have another Grey Cup week like this one. During the parade, it was really quite sad to see one reporter actually have to go look for some Ticat fans, eventually coming across a pair. I'm sure there were more but in the end, most tuned into this game to have their predictions fulfilled rather than from any real suspense regarding the outcome. And without the suspense, there is a lot less reason to brave the cold and the overwhelming sea of green that was Regina this late November. Hamilton was lucky to get to this game, if the officials has been doing their job properly during the Al's game, they wouldn't have even made it to the eastern final. Toronto was the best hope for a good game today but they fell short a week ago. The Riders were full value for the victory. Full stop. Hamilton may have had the right to be there but they certainly weren't ready to be there yet and it showed. Somehow don't feel quite the same way about Simon anymore. I don't begrudge him but sometimes it is more valuable to lose with a team than win with another. He may be one of the greatest Lions to have ever donned the uniform but today for me he is a Rider and watching him strike his superman pose in the Green and White really said that his time with the Lions is past history. Even if he comes back to retire, it won't be the same and I won't feel the same. I'm just funny that way I guess.

[notahomer]

No, upset isn't the right word, resigned to the eventuality more like it. From the end of the finals last week, this game was destined to be a snooze fest unless you were a Green Riders fan. Most people felt that they were the likely winners even though they may have been hoping for another result. For the league and the sake of the game, I hope it is a long time before we have another Grey Cup week like this one. During the parade, it was really quite sad to see one reporter actually have to go look for some Ticat fans, eventually coming across a pair. I'm sure there were more but in the end, most tuned into this game to have their predictions fulfilled rather than from any real suspense regarding the outcome. And without the suspense, there is a lot less reason to brave the cold and the overwhelming sea of green that is Regina in late November. Hamilton was lucky to get to this game, if the officials has been doing their job properly during the Al's game, they wouldn't have even made it to the eastern final. Toronto was the best hope for a good game today but they fell short a week ago. The Riders were full value for the victory. Full stop. Hamilton may have had the right to be there but they certainly weren't ready to be there yet and it showed. Somehow don't feel quite the same way about Simon anymore. I don't begrudge him but sometimes it is more valuable to lose with a team than win with another. He may be one of the greatest Lions to have ever donned the uniform but today for me he is a Rider and watching him strike his superman pose in the Green and White really said that his time with the Lions is past history. Even if he comes back to retire, it won't be the same and I won't feel the same. I'm just funny that way I guess.

Thats how I feel too. Regarding the pre-game feelings, regarding the way the week went, regarding the way the game went and also how Simon has been.

I watched Foley after last years Grey Cup and he was babbling on about winning it in front of his family etc.... Okay, now its his 'green family'. Whatever. I still think Wally did the right thing. I watched that Grey Cup presentation and Simon WAS NOT one of the first to get his mitts on the Cup. Certainly was the case when he was in Lions Orange. All CFL fans are amazing, not just the ones in Green. He's got a job because of all eight (now Nine) teams, not just the RiderNation.

Really am happy for Barron Miles, capturing a ring as Coach.

[South Pender]

Yeah...as I mentioned earlier in the week, I was hoping for a Riders win, particularly with the game in Regina. Despite being obnoxious at times, their fans really are the best in the league--both in numbers and in emotional investment in the team. I've always kind of liked the Riders because they're a community-owned team--like the Green Bay Packers (the only such team in the NFL). To me at least, this makes them a little more an "of the people" type of team and, as a result, likeable. I've spent some time in Saskatchewan (my wife is from there), and, believe me, in hundreds of towns around the province tomorrow, the good folks of Sask will be gathering at the town co-ops (the traditional rural town meeting place) and happily recounting the game. The joy felt will be far, far greater than that which would have been experienced had the Ti-Cats won. So, in my view at least, it's a good outcome.

[sj-roc]

I was hoping for a Riders win, .... (my wife is from there)....

Edited that down for you. :P

[South Pender]

I was hoping for a Riders win, .... (my wife is from there)....

Edited that down for you. :P

LOL. She left a long time ago and has been a staunch Lions fan for years (for some reason, thinks Buono is a big teddy bear).

[Toppy Vann]

The CFL has a few things to iron out post this game:

> how to avoid a home team love in during GC week such that no one will ever recall their opponent and their story of being out of their home city for an entire year, using some 80+ players with some 50+ IIRC starters in the early part of the season with tons of injuries and getting to the GC with a new staff led by Austin who did the same his last time in one year as a HC.

> how to keep the stadium in more CFL colours -not all green. Some of it might be economic and cost of travel or Riders fans in other CFL cities scooping the tickets but that stadium and game did not have a GC feel at home on TV.

> the debacle when you are on live national TV showing fans the player introductions only to have two of them for the home team when their entire team storms the field and ends it. I love the introductions and appreciate that TSN shows these but what a moronic move by the Riders that had to be a planned orchestrated move by some players AFTER their team would have met the person there in the tunnel going over the run on.

I think Durant should be in trouble for smoking a cigar in the dressing room post game in violation of that city's rules on smoking indoors. Some Riders don't like rules and procedures it seems. Not the right message for national TV and the CFL.

Interesting the Regina media seem to give him a pass for what must be a violation of their indoor smoking laws.

http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Darian ... story.html

REGINA — Darian Durant’s first cigar couldn’t have tasted any better.

“I was told to not inhale and that’s what I’m trying to do,’’ Durant said after the Saskatchewan Roughriders beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 45-23 in Sunday’s Grey Cup game at Mosaic Stadium.

It seems he snuck out of his hotel on Saturday night. Interesting comments from Chamblin - but hey what are you going to do - start your back up and hurt your entire team. Note this was in the EDMONTON SUN:

Grey Cup 2013: Riders' QB Durant can't resist party

terry-jones BY TERRY JONES ,EDMONTON SUN
FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2013 08:41 PM EST | UPDATED: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2013 09:43 PM EST

It was the great escape at the Grey Cup.

Aided by two outside accomplices, a high-profile member of the notorious Gang Green, currently incarcerated at Stalag 2013, escaped into the night on Friday and made his getaway to the boisterous booze can known as Riderville.

While his fellow Riders remained locked up in a Regina hotel focused on Xs and Os, quarterback Darian Durant made his getaway with the aid of two former teammates: Luc Mullinder and Lance Frazier.

Video evidence of the escape was produced on Saturday morning. Durant confessed about an hour later.

As to team rules Cory Chamblin (who has NO option here but to say this) replied as follows. You'd like to think that is not your QB to go over the wall like that as you typically expect QBs to follow the rules but this dude is different. A throwback to another era possibly where 'boys will be boys.'

“As long as he is here and ready to go, I can’t worry about yesterday,” said head coach Corey Chamblin after the walk-though practice.

“Other than Darian escaping to Riderville, as long as he didn’t miss curfew, it’s been good,” he said of the rest of the team remaining in captivity.

Durant said he couldn’t stop himself, couldn’t hold himself back.