Roughriders "Reign of Error" look needs to go

The circle "S" logo on retro uniforms brings bad luck.

    On August 31, 2014, the Saskatchewan Roughriders made an error that brought back the ghosts of the “Reign of Error.”

    The Roughriders took the field for the Labour Day Classic that day sporting their classic green uniforms with the two white arm stripes on each shoulder and green helmets showing off their traditional circle logo with the “S.” Unfortunately, there was one noticeable difference a superstitious fan would notice about the retro look in this game that was unsettling.

    When the Roughriders first brought back these classic retro uniforms in the 2007, they were looking to mirror a look the team had from the late 1960s through the 1970s during the glory days of when Ron Lancaster quarterbacked the club and George Reed powered the team on the ground at fullback. 

    In a match that was a tribute of that era, the Roughriders wore those throwbacks in the 2007 Labour Day Classic, where quarterback Kerry Joseph ran in the game-winning touchdown from 27 yards out in the final seconds to give the Green and White a thrilling 31-26 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

    The retro uniforms the Roughriders wore in 2007 did not contain a team logo and sported each players’ number on the sleeve of the upper arm. This look was widely recognized as the club’s 1970s look, and the Roughriders often wore these throwbacks for special occasions in the regular season and key games in the post-season. That included crushing the Blue Bombers in the 2012 Labour Day Classic 52-0.

    When those uniforms were brought back as alternates 2007, the Roughriders went on to make four Grey Cup appearances, which included wins in 2007 and at home in 2013.

    Unfortunately, there was a change in the look of these retro uniforms in the 2014 Labour Day Classic. The numbers on the sleeve on the upper arm were replaced with the classic circle logo with the “S.” The numbers were moved to the shoulder area.

The retro uniforms with no logo and numbers on sleeve bring good luck.

    With those subtle moves, the retro uniforms went from bringing back memories of the glory era of Lancaster and Reed to bringing back memories of the “Reign of Error,” when the Roughriders missed the playoffs for 11 straight years from 1977 to 1987. The Roughriders wore their classic green uniforms complete with the circle “S” logo on the sleeve on the upper arm through most of that unsuccessful span.

    That look is viewed as the look of the unsuccessful era of the early to mid-1980s. While wearing that look, the Roughriders once got bombed 56-0 by the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg on July 5, 1986. For all intents and purposes, that look is a cursed look.

    The cursed look didn’t bite the Roughriders right away, when they wore the retros with the circle “S” logo for the 2014 Labour Day Classic. In a thriller, Roughriders running back Anthony Allen delivered the hosts to a 35-30 victory over the Blue Bombers with a major in the last seconds. Saskatchewan improved to 7-2 with that victory.

    While the Roughriders don’t wear those uniforms all the time, the superstitious fan saw the door open to allow a string of bad things to fall the Roughriders way.

The Roughriders retro jerseys with circle "S" logo on sleeve are cursed.

    The curse struck in the team’s very next game on September 7, 2014. The Roughriders downed the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg that day 30-24 to improve to 8-2, but Saskatchewan lost franchise quarterback and Grey Cup hero Darian Durant to injury. He tore a tendon in his right elbow.

    That injury occurred when the officials didn’t blow a play dead with certainty in a loud Investors Group Field, which saw half of the players stop and half continue on the play. Bombers defensive end Bryant Turner continued with the play and nailed Durant to cause the injury.

    Since that game, the Roughriders have posted an unspectacular 5-25 record including regular season and playoffs. Durant returned for the regular season opener in 2015, but he was lost before halftime after rupturing his left Achilles tendon shortly before halftime on a non-contact play. He missed the rest of the 2015 campaign, which saw the Roughriders sit in the basement of the CFL with an awful 3-15 mark.

    In the Roughriders 0-3 start in 2016, Durant played the full first two games before leaving Saturday’s 40-27 loss to the B.C. Lions at Mosaic Stadium in the second quarter due to a severe left ankle sprain on a low hit. The Roughriders were ahead 10-7 when Durant left and were even up 23-10 at halftime before the wheels fell off.

These Roughriders classic retros with no logo should always be worn.

    During most of the 25 losses the Roughriders have suffered in their last 30 games, they have usually fallen in some sort of heartbreaking fashion. It seems the team can’t get a break.

    When they decide to wear throwbacks, they usually turn to their classic green uniforms with the circle “S” logo. The purpose of having the team logo on a uniform helps cement brand recognition. Unfortunately in the case of the Roughriders retro uniforms, it brings back the stench of a bad era, when the team almost folded.

    To make things clear, the Roughriders classic retro throwbacks with the circle “S” logo on the upper sleeve of the jersey are cursed, and they cause the team to be cursed when in use.

    The Roughriders classic retro throwbacks with no logo and the players’ numbers on the sleeve of the upper arm are good and lucky. Saskatchewan needs wear this retro look from here on out to no longer be cursed.

    That is my thought process, and I am sticking to it.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this kind of irrational fan-type post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

Durant gives Roughriders hope

Darian Durant sets to throw a pass at Roughriders training camp in 2015.

    Darian Durant’s presence on the field gives the Saskatchewan Roughriders hope that 2016 has the potential to be more than just a rebuilding year.

    On Thursday night, the Roughriders star quarterback played his first full regular season game from start to finish in about 20 months. Before Thursday night, the last time Durant started and finished a game came back on August 31, 2014, when the Roughriders pulled out a thrilling 35-30 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the annual Labour Day Classic at Mosaic Stadium.

    In Saskatchewan’s next game on Sept. 7, 2014, Durant tore a tendon in his right elbow in a 30-24 victory over the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg. The injury sidelined him for the rest of that campaign.

    He returned for the 2015 regular season opener at Mosaic on June 27. Shortly before halftime, Durant ruptured his left Achilles tendon throwing the ball on a play where he wasn’t contacted.

    He was lost for the rest of that season, and the Roughriders lost that game 30-26 to the Blue Bombers and stumbled into the basement of the CFL with a 3-15 record.

Darian Durant lies injured on the Mosaic Stadium turf on June 27, 2015.

    Before those two big injuries, Durant has cemented himself as a Roughriders legend guiding the team to a Grey Cup championship at home in 2013 and Grey Cup appearances as a starter in 2009 and 2010. He was also part of the Roughriders 2007 Grey Cup championship team as a third stringer.

    Going into the 2016 season opener, Rider Nation was unsure what they would see, when Durant took the field at Mosaic against the Toronto Argonauts. The Florence, South Carolina, product turns 34 on August 19, so age is starting to become a concern.

    After going such a lengthy stretch since last playing a full game, one had to wonder if Durant could still be a star signal caller. Plus, the Roughriders had a new coaching staff and turned over about two-thirds of their roster from the 2015 campaign.

    Actually, very few players remain with Saskatchewan from the last time Durant started and finished a contest in 2014.

Darian Durant fires a pass downfield training camp in 2015.

    Against the Argos on Thursday night, Durant looked like himself. He completed 31 of 48 passes for 310 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Had it not been for a number of dropped passes, Durant could have eclipsed the 400-yard mark through the air.

    The Roughriders ultimately fell 30-17, but there was a pre-game fear the score of the first contest with Durant back under centre could have been more lopsided in favour of the opposition.

    Toronto claimed victory thanks to a couple of breaks. First, they were set up at the Saskatchewan five yard line thanks to a long punt return, which allowed Argonauts quarterback Ricky Ray to throw a short TD toss to slotback Audre Durie early in the first quarter.

    Second, Roughriders backup quarterback Bryant Moniz fumbled the ball away on a short yardage third down gamble in the second quarter, which allowed Argos defensive back Matt Black to return the ball 27 yards for another major score. That score allowed the Argos to go ahead 21-7.

    Despite those big plays from the visitors, Durant was spreading the ball all over the field showing he has a good handle on the system new head coach Chris Jones and his staff have implemented. You started to think Durant might rally the Roughriders all the way back like he had done on numerous occasions in the past. In the end, too many drives stalled out resulting in field goals during the comeback attempt.

    Still, Durant inspired hope that he might be the wildcard in the Roughriders fortunes in 2016. Durant’s play brought back memories of his first CFL start way back on July 12, 2008, when he threw the Roughriders to a thrilling 33-28 road victory over the Tiger-Cats in Hamilton.

    You also remembered his amazing five touchdown pass performance in a spectacular 54-51 double overtime victory over the Montreal Alouettes in the 2010 season opener on July 1 at Mosaic. He also had three classic performances in the 2013 playoffs helping lead the Roughriders to a Grey Cup championship.

Darian Durant calls signals for the Roughriders on Thursday night.

    Actually, it would be easy to create an NFL style top 10 style list of the best Darian Durant games from his time in Rider Nation.

    Expectations aren’t high this season for the Roughriders. A lot of fans expect the club to finish the campaign with a losing record.

    Durant is the best quarterback the Roughriders have had since the iconic Ron Lancaster retired following the 1978 season. As the current campaign progresses, Durant will develop a higher comfort level with a group of receivers he hasn’t worked a lot with outside of veteran Rob Bagg.

    It would not be a surprise if Durant creates new entries to his list of top 10 best games. With Durant at the controls of the Roughriders offence, he creates belief that the team has a chance to win on any given night and that the 2016 campaign won’t be a lost cause.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.