GREY CUP 101

So when the Western final was over and the Roughriders had actually made it IN to the Grey Cup in Regina, I had to go. Mama has never watched the Riders in a Grey Cup game ever and refuses to do so, so that meant I got to go by myself. She also hates cold, so I went alone to the opening ceremonies in -28 weather and waited in a lineup that snaked all the way down and back up Scarth:

Half way there!!

But she was willing to go to festivities as long as they were a) indoors and/or b) had food.

While looking for hot pockets, we found out the Grey Cup was coming to Marks Work Warehouse, so we got our pictures taken with it in preparation of our inevitable WIN:

Mama, being very crass and embarrassing, wore Ottawa Rough Riders colours. She attempted all week to wear the colours of other teams we don't care about, so some open rebuke had to be meeted out. God says it's better than hidden love, and who argues with him except stupid people?

The Grey Cup has been through a lot and it shows. Because we were waiting for our pastor to show up, we hung around until the crowd thinned and I got to take pickshurs of the only three plates that remotely matter on the entire thing: 

 

1966 (Ronnie and George)








1989 (the greatest Grey Cup game EVAR)







and 2007 (the BANJO CUP)






(and SOON TO BE 2013 TAYLOR FIELD CUP!)

I've come to the realization that the reason we haven't won that many cups is really just because each win must be more EPIC AND AMAZING than the last. If it's just run of the mill Grey Cup win, then run of the mill Toronto can have it. The Riders only have EPIC wins because we are of course such an EPIC team.

Since we decided to walk around and it was ridiculously cold, we stopped to sign the banner of well-wishes for the team. This picture showcases one of the things I love most about Saskatchewan; even when it's -30, the sun still shines. 

Mama managed to get food at the Calgary Breakfast; it was Calgary that was responsible for making Grey Cup a real event, so all you whiners can blame them. Or you could shut up and take their free food. 

We took the food and smiled. They also had entertainment, fun times even though their team didn't get in.  

Since it was cold we looked for things to do in the tents. The family zone had uniforms of all the teams; I asked how many of the other team's helmets were being tried on. The volunteer said "well one person talked about putting on the Lions' helmet, but never did." It's Regina, what do you expect. Char's razor applies here.

And yeah my nose is actually purple in this. And that helmet was really heavy and awkward. I think I would throw it at someone. 

There were some ice sculptures in the downtown area guaranteed not to melt for awhile, but it was so cold some of them cracked. I hate the thought of ephemeral work myself. I want it to at least outlive ME. Then at least I'll be all dead so I won't care.

This particularly nice one on Scarth shows the world as it basically should be, with the Riders on top and Winniprigs on the bottom, where they landed this season and also  belong for all eternity, along with Satan, Judas, Cassius and Brutus. This may be a sign that the post millenials are right. 

There were other things I didn't take pictures of and things that got cancelled cause it was fricking COLD. It was great both the tuesday before the kickoff and the day of the Grey Cup. It was the in-between that was fricking AWFUL. I blame ISON, because comets are in space and space is all cold and stuff so I'm pretty sure ISON is the logical choice for blaming. Plus also it's going to get burnt up right away. Next GAME DAY.