Full value to the Saskatchewan Roughriders they put the requisite number of points on the board when opportunity arose to dash the dreams of Lions fans of a remarkable season topped off with a Grey Cup berth.
The Riders, who apparently only attend the Grey Cup about every twenty years, secured an invitation to the final show with a convincing 26-17 victory of a stunned BC Lions squad.
Turnovers sealed the fate of the Leos on Sunday afternoon, an astounding amount of miscues that provided the Saskatchewan Roughriders with more than enough opportunities to make the residents of the gap of land between Alberta and Manitoba believers once again.
In the province that lives and breathes football, their provincial heroes provided a long cherished return to Canada’s greatest national celebration. Despite some fluttering misdirected passes by the usually reliable Kerry Joseph, the Riders took full advantage of the Lions miscues, gaining 16 of their 26 points thanks to the Lions mistakes.
Defensively the Riders were dominant, a force that caused havoc in the Lions game plan all day. They were often in the face of Jarious Jackson who struggled with his first CFL playoff start, the pass rush hurried his passes, the front line stopped the run and frequently brought Lions quarterbacks to the field. By the time Jackson had been replaced by Dave Dickenson in the waning minutes of the fist half, the Riders had already built up their confidence, frustrating the once potent Lions attack at every turn.
The Lions had a brief glimpse of hope with a 78 yard punt return by Ian Smart, which set up a Geroy Simon touchdown, but it was to be but a tantalizing tease as to what could have been for the Lions fans today.
The Saskatchewan secondary was painted as the weakest link in the Riders defence for most of the year, but on this Sunday the secondary rose to the challenge on more than one occasion. They kept Paris Jackson, Geroy Simon and Jason Clermont at bay for a good portion of the game. Refusing to give up the big play, limiting the Lions to the short pass and run game. It would be a game plan that frequently resulted in the Lions Paul McCallum to return to the field to send the ball back to his once former team mates.
The Lions who dominated the season like few teams have in recent years, were the favourites to become the Western representative for Lord Grey’s Cup, that was the consensus of the media types and the almost 60,000 fans at BC Place most of whom wore Orange, (except for those crazy folks that insist on wearing Green).
The normally noisy Thunder dome of football became rather quiet as the final quarter wore down, an uneasy realization settling over the west coast that this year theGrey Cup trophy would not be making a trek quite as far west as many had hoped.
Instead, it’s everybody’s second choice heading off to do battle with a suddenly battle scarred Blue Bomber team. A dream match that was first suggested as a Grey Cup match up back in week ten with the Labour Day Classic and the followed by the Banjo Bowl, the two most important dates on either a Blue Bomber or Roughrider calendar .
It’s a long hoped for match for the heartland of Canadian football, ever since the Bombers were transplanted to the East (not once but twice) there has been the flicker of hope that perhaps two of the fiercest rivals in the league would meet for more than just bragging rights of the neighborhood.
Next Sunday they will shut down the prairies for the weekend, the ranchers, farmers and oil field workers of Saskatchewan will join those perceived prairie city slickers of Winnipeg and the like minded farmers of Western Manitoba in a joint communion of Canadian Football.
The Lions and Argos and their fans, the real city slickers of the CFL will be left on the sidelines to ponder what could have been. Reduced to mere spectators as the heart of Canadian football takes to the streets of Toronto to celebrate the game where it’s played with the most emotion.
On the week before the final football celebration of the year, those that wanted the invitation more, picked it up over those that felt that it was theirs for the taking.
We guess that’s why we play the games after all.
The Riders, who apparently only attend the Grey Cup about every twenty years, secured an invitation to the final show with a convincing 26-17 victory of a stunned BC Lions squad.
Turnovers sealed the fate of the Leos on Sunday afternoon, an astounding amount of miscues that provided the Saskatchewan Roughriders with more than enough opportunities to make the residents of the gap of land between Alberta and Manitoba believers once again.
In the province that lives and breathes football, their provincial heroes provided a long cherished return to Canada’s greatest national celebration. Despite some fluttering misdirected passes by the usually reliable Kerry Joseph, the Riders took full advantage of the Lions miscues, gaining 16 of their 26 points thanks to the Lions mistakes.
Defensively the Riders were dominant, a force that caused havoc in the Lions game plan all day. They were often in the face of Jarious Jackson who struggled with his first CFL playoff start, the pass rush hurried his passes, the front line stopped the run and frequently brought Lions quarterbacks to the field. By the time Jackson had been replaced by Dave Dickenson in the waning minutes of the fist half, the Riders had already built up their confidence, frustrating the once potent Lions attack at every turn.
The Lions had a brief glimpse of hope with a 78 yard punt return by Ian Smart, which set up a Geroy Simon touchdown, but it was to be but a tantalizing tease as to what could have been for the Lions fans today.
The Saskatchewan secondary was painted as the weakest link in the Riders defence for most of the year, but on this Sunday the secondary rose to the challenge on more than one occasion. They kept Paris Jackson, Geroy Simon and Jason Clermont at bay for a good portion of the game. Refusing to give up the big play, limiting the Lions to the short pass and run game. It would be a game plan that frequently resulted in the Lions Paul McCallum to return to the field to send the ball back to his once former team mates.
The Lions who dominated the season like few teams have in recent years, were the favourites to become the Western representative for Lord Grey’s Cup, that was the consensus of the media types and the almost 60,000 fans at BC Place most of whom wore Orange, (except for those crazy folks that insist on wearing Green).
The normally noisy Thunder dome of football became rather quiet as the final quarter wore down, an uneasy realization settling over the west coast that this year theGrey Cup trophy would not be making a trek quite as far west as many had hoped.
Instead, it’s everybody’s second choice heading off to do battle with a suddenly battle scarred Blue Bomber team. A dream match that was first suggested as a Grey Cup match up back in week ten with the Labour Day Classic and the followed by the Banjo Bowl, the two most important dates on either a Blue Bomber or Roughrider calendar .
It’s a long hoped for match for the heartland of Canadian football, ever since the Bombers were transplanted to the East (not once but twice) there has been the flicker of hope that perhaps two of the fiercest rivals in the league would meet for more than just bragging rights of the neighborhood.
Next Sunday they will shut down the prairies for the weekend, the ranchers, farmers and oil field workers of Saskatchewan will join those perceived prairie city slickers of Winnipeg and the like minded farmers of Western Manitoba in a joint communion of Canadian Football.
The Lions and Argos and their fans, the real city slickers of the CFL will be left on the sidelines to ponder what could have been. Reduced to mere spectators as the heart of Canadian football takes to the streets of Toronto to celebrate the game where it’s played with the most emotion.
On the week before the final football celebration of the year, those that wanted the invitation more, picked it up over those that felt that it was theirs for the taking.
We guess that’s why we play the games after all.
The Canadian Press--Riders use turnovers, snarling defence to beat Lions
The Globe and Mail--Revenge is sweet
CanWest News--Effort wasn't there in Lions' loss to Roughriders
CBC Sports--Riders upset Lions to earn Grey Cup berth
Regina Leader Post--Roughriders return to B.C. Place to beat Lions
Vancouver Sun--Lions lose
Vancouver Sun--Rider players deliver big plays
Vancouver Sun--Congi gets his kicks on Sunday
Vancouver Province--Lions can't handle Riders in trenches
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