Game Day Thread, Nov 17, 2013 Ham @ Tor, Sas @ Cal

[Coast Mountain Lion]

I did not know that and I'm a lifelong Argo fan. But just to be a pedant, Robbie, it's intraleague, not interleague.

Closer to the west, there are two teams which compete anually in a "bowl" game named for a string instrument. But is there actually a trophy?

[Toppy Vann]

I wonder if the Riders got threatened with a fine if they didn't come out to to accept the WD winning trophy. What an embarrassment. Maybe they should not have a presentation. Just give it to the winning team GM quietly for their trophy case as that was embarrassing for the CFL and the Commissioner. I know that you don't want to be too high on getting to the final so that your team is just happy to be there and doesn't really focus on winning but the Riders and Durant's arrogance in the post game - what a clown. Sheets yapping late in the game with still time stopped by Geroy.

The Ticats held their trophy up in the post game when Austin said Ticats on 3 and many hands touched it. They are a mix of young and veterans and the risk is that they get too caught up being in the GC that they play flat. Not much to do in Regina other than get on down to the clubs and fight some Riders. It is silly to think that pros can get jinxed by a trophy. Grow up boys.

It would interesting if anyone has done a study on Conference/Division winners in NHL and the CFL, to see if there is any justification to the superstition of not touching the trophy. Only a few NHL winners have touched it, but I think most of the CFL winners celebrated by picking it up. It's something I haven't paid much attention to with regard to the CFL. Was that unusual in the CFL what the Riders did yesterday?

What I found disgusting was that there was the CFL Commissioner and Rider's GM Brendan Taman and I forget who else and not a player in sight. They had just come back from commercial and Randorph knowing they have an air time issue tells the embarrassed looking lone Commissioner to get on with it. At that point the Rider Captains emerged from the dressing room and were coming in no rush. This appeared to be forced as they looked like children who didn't want to be there.

My point is eliminate the trophy presentation and send it to the team by courier to avoid this embarrassment to the CFL and of course to the Commissioner and the host broadcaster must not have been pleased either.

As Kent Austin said post game while they held their trophy was that this was just one game and now they're going on a "business trip". He even acknowledged that their will be logistics issues this week and put his hand on their guy's shoulder and told the team - don't give him a hard time. Then they held the trophy up and Austin said "Riders on 3". That made good TV viewing.

Granted the Riders trophy presentation was just to Rider fans as Stamps fans left and from what I read - before the game was over.

What was good was the Riders players who then started shaking hands with their fans there. That was fine as I guess several more players came out of the dressing room during the presentation.

[Robbie]

My point is eliminate the trophy presentation and send it to the team by courier to avoid this embarrassment to the CFL and of course to the Commissioner and the host broadcaster must not have been pleased either.

As Kent Austin said post game while they held their trophy was that this was just one game and now they're going on a "business trip". He even acknowledged that their will be logistics issues this week and put his hand on their guy's shoulder and told the team - don't give him a hard time. Then they held the trophy up and Austin said "Riders on 3". That made good TV viewing.

So how about this then in the future. If the winning team wins in a visitor's stadium, then don't do an on-field presentation and instead, hold the ceremony in their locker room. I believe that's still the case in the case of the MLB and NBA if in a deciding game the winning team is the visiting team.

No Super Bowl winning team has won in their home stadium and I think it wasn't until recently was the Vince Lombardi trophy presented on the field instead of the locker room, whereas it was always awarded on-field for the Grey Cup with one very notable exception that you all know about.


And ironically though in the 1994 Grey Cup the Lions were officially the visiting team wearing their light uniforms while Baltimore was officially the home team with their dark uniforms.

[B.C.FAN]

So how about this then in the future. If the winning team wins in a visitor's stadium, then don't do an on-field presentation and instead, hold the ceremony in their locker room. I believe that's still the case in the case of the MLB and NBA if in a deciding game the winning team is the visiting team.

Yes. That makes the most sense. Let the players celebrate on the field and with fans in the stands as usual, then hand out the trophy in the locker room.

[Toppy Vann]

So how about this then in the future. If the winning team wins in a visitor's stadium, then don't do an on-field presentation and instead, hold the ceremony in their locker room. I believe that's still the case in the case of the MLB and NBA if in a deciding game the winning team is the visiting team.

Yes. That makes the most sense. Let the players celebrate on the field and with fans in the stands as usual, then hand out the trophy in the locker room.

That does make sense but in the Riders win the only fans left in the Stadium were Rider fans.

As the trophy presentation went down it seemed a few other Riders came out and they did what the Cats did - shook hands with fans as they circled the outside of the stadium.

TSN Panel seemed to be okay with the Riders on this win with just Milt out of Jock and Matt saying 'you never know when they will happen again' so 'enjoy the moment.' Jock said he is more focused on a team's state of mind - along the lines of are they just happy with this?

Chamblin with Austin - did say - more elegantly than did Sheets - that they wanted to protect their house from another team in their room. It was said nicely with class - not the dripping sarcasm of Sheets and Durant as these guys have chippy attitudes.

Lots of weird questions in the Austin - Chamblin media session.

[notahomer]

I sit on the westside of the stadium and it was really cool watching the Lions being presented the 2011 Grey Cup right nearby.

I think there are all kinds of neat storylines but I'm going to try and avoid most of them. I'll tune in just before kickoff and enjoy the game.