The Angst of the Rider Nation

It's territory uncharted for many a year now in Saskatchewan, a situation where the losses are far outnumbering the wins and the prospect of adding to the positive side of the ledger seems to grow dimmer by the day.

Those spectacular seasons of 2009 and 2010 with their back to back Grey Cup appearances, all but forgotten now as this year's edition struggles, at times appearing as though the season may be lost before Labour Day's ritual Banjo Bowl rolls around.

With a record of 1 and 6 heading into week eight, the mood of the RiderNation is getting a little anxious across the province, the most popular question from Tim Horton's to the local beverage house being, what the hell is wrong with the Riders and what are they going to do to turn it all around.

Its not as though these losses have been close finishes, nail biting affairs that but for a play here or a break there, the Green and White would be in the win columns. No for the most part, these losses by the Riders have been ugly things, the competition far and away their better, sound thrashings that have left the local fan base in a state of shock.

Of all the CFL franchises the most dedicated of attention of all things football seems to come from Saskatchewan, a perusal of our Quick Snaps feature for instance, regularly finds Rider entries outnumbering those of those of their fellow members of the CFL lodge.

They're passionate about their Riders and seemingly want to know as much as possible about those that wear the Green and White.  Though of late, much of what they hear, see and read is probably providing them with a fair bit of lost sleep.

To give you just some idea as to the situation in Riderville these days, take a few of the cut lines from the local media and you get a sense as to how dire the Riders situation seems to be.

Such journalistic gems as "Woes continue at home", "Reeling Riders sad to watch", "rock bottom" and our personal favourite of the moment "Welcome to staggerville".

Angst hasn't had this kind of a work out in a long time and with a game set for this weekend against the equally woefully, but seemingly improving Toronto Argonauts, then the possibility that prairie home thesauruses may get another thumb through seems quite possible.

You can join in with the RiderNation for the collective therapy sessions below:

Riders fans green with envy
Inconsistency leaves Roughriders searching for answers
Reeling Riders sad to watch
Stamps roll over Roughriders
Woes continue at home
Roughriders looking to regain Mosaic magic
Riders take note of fans' dwindling enthusiasm
Roughriders at a loss for words
Riders could face boos - from the home fans