My top 10 moments at old Mosaic Stadium
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| Celebrating a Roughriders win over Ottawa with good company in 2014. |
Like the Saskatchewan Roughriders promotional material from
2013 stated, Taylor Field/Mosaic Stadium is the place where memories are made.
I always get a warm feeling when I step into the Roughriders
legendary home field. For me, Mosaic Stadium is one of two sports facilities
that will always be extremely special for me. The other is The Arena in
Medicine Hat thanks to my time covering the Medicine Hat Tigers as a beat
writer for 10 seasons.
My Mosaic memories don’t just revolve around the
Roughriders. During its history, Mosaic Stadium has been the site of countless
epic football encounters featuring football teams at the high school, junior
and university levels. In recent years, clashes from the Western Women’s
Canadian Football League have become part of that history.
I have no doubt forgot to mention a tonne of other sporting
events and concerts. One big personal regret on the concert front is the fact I
missed Bon Jovi’s show in 2010, where Jon Bon Jovi said the Roughriders could
use “This is Our House” as their theme song, which the Roughriders did use that
season during pre-game intros.
There were forgettable memories. No one wants to remember
the crap old artificial turf that was used at the stadium in the 1980s and 1990s,
which was basically indoor/outdoor carpet laid on top of a cement pad. The
carpet would rip and there were times the maintenance crew covered the rip with
green spray paint.
My list of my top 10 memories at Mosaic Stadium do contain
memories of Roughriders football games. The other thing that showed through was
my fondness of my time at the University of Regina, as the Rams football team
from both the junior and university eras frequent my list quite a bit.
Hopefully, I can make people remember a few forgotten classics here.
Side note, I wasn’t at the 1995 Prairie Football Conference
final that was remembered for Rams quarterback Darryl Leason faking going down
to one knee only to throw a touchdown pass to a wide open Josh Shaw. The Rams
were supposed to take a knee to conclude a 19-8 victory over the venerable
Saskatoon Hilltops, but players in the huddle had other ideas. That moment was
remembered in both Regina in Saskatoon for some time.
Anyways, here are my top 10 memories of being at Mosaic
Stadium or good old Taylor Field.
10. The 2002 Canada West final – Huskies
beat Rams
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| Huskies tailback Tyler Siwak (#19) powers through the Rams defence. |
The memories of this game will likely warm the hearts of the
citizens of Saskatoon.
On November 9, 2002, football fans in Saskatchewan got the
game they were craving to see. When the Rams left the Canadian Junior Football
League after winning their 15th junior national title in 1998 to join the
Canadian university ranks, fans in the wheat province eagerly anticipated a Canada
West title match between the Rams and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies,
who won three Vanier Cups in the 1990s.
In the Rams fourth season as a university team, the Canada
West title clash happened on a snow covered field at Taylor Field before 5,612
spectators.
The Huskies stormed out to a 28-0 lead. The Rams cut the
edge to 28-14 and appeared to be driving for another major score right before
halftime. Huskies cornerback Ryan Barnstable picked off Rams quarterback Mark
Anderson and ran the ball back 92 yards for a U of S touchdown to put the
visitors ahead 35-14.
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| The Huskies accept the Hardy Cup in 2002 at Taylor Field. |
The Huskies closed out a 44-28 victory. U of S power back
Tyler Siwak had a legendary performance piling up 160 yards on 21 carries and
scoring two touchdowns.
Anderson completed 30 of 54 passes for 362 yards, one
touchdown pass and three interceptions.
When that game concluded, football supporters on both sides
figured the Rams and Huskies would clash for the Canada West title on an almost
annual basis like the Rams did with the Hilltops in the Prairie Football
Conference final in the CJFL. As history has played out to this point, the 2002
encounter is the only time the Rams and Huskies have faced each other in the
Canada West final.
The Huskies can lay claim they won the most meaningful
head-to-head contest between these two teams.
9.
Riot take epic clash with Valkyries
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| Morgan Turner boots a Prairie Conference winning field goal for the Riot. |
In the short history of the Western Women’s Canadian
Football League, old Mosaic Stadium was the site for the circuit’s most
memorable playoff clash.
On June 28, 2015, the host Regina Riot hit the field against
the Saskatoon Valkyries for the fifth straight year in the Prairie Conference
final. The Valkyries won each of the previous four clashes and went on to win
the WWCFL league title in each of those years as well. The Riot had beaten the
Valkyries in Saskatoon 49-9 in the regular season, but questions still remained
regarding Regina’s chances against the four-time defending WWCFL champs in the
post-season.
The Riot were game, and they slowly built a 28-7 edge after
kicker Morgan Turner booted a 13-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
A trademark strong Mosaic Stadium wind was blowing on this
day, and it was at the backs of the Valkyries in the fourth quarter. Down 21
points, Saskatoon staged a remarkable comeback.
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| Samantha Matheson powered the Valkyries hopes with four touchdowns. |
Valkyries running back Samantha Matheson ran in majors from
15, 28 and 25 yards out. The last of those scores came with 1:26 to play in
regulation to give Saskatoon a 29-28 lead. The Valkyries held a one-point edge
after successfully scoring a two-point convert after Matheson’s first touchdown
in the rally.
On the day, Matheson piled up 159 yards rushing on 14
carries and scored all four of Saskatoon’s touchdowns.
The Riot responded with a final drive into the wind that was
powered by running back Carmen Agar and quarterback Aimee Kowalski on the
ground. With 15 seconds to play, Turner kicked a 12-yard field goal to give the
Riot a 31-29 victory.
Regina proceeded to move on to that year’s WWCFL final in
Winnipeg and bomb the Edmonton Storm 53-6 for the league title. The Riot’s
conference final victory over the Valkyries to get to the league final
definitely goes down as an all-time classic between the two provincial rivals.
8. Allen delivers in Roughriders Labour Day
thriller
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| Running back Anthony Allen (#26) celebrates a Roughriders touchdown. |
I have attended 15 Labour Day Classics in my life between
the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the 2014 game
made up for the fact I missed the 2007 battle.
The 2007 encounter at Mosaic Stadium was of course viewed as
the greatest Labour Day battle between these two prairie rivals, as Roughriders
quarterback Kerry Joseph ran in the winning touchdown from 27 yards out in the
final seconds of the fourth quarter to give Saskatchewan a 31-26 victory.
Various other personal commitments that year prevented me from attending the
2007 game.
The Roughriders went into the 2014 game as defending Grey
Cup champions. They entered the Aug. 31 clash with a 6-2 record, while the
Bombers were a healthy 6-3.
Saskatchewan took a 21-7 lead midway through the third
quarter, but the Blue Bombers rallied and went ahead 27-21 in the fourth
quarter. Roughriders quarterback Darian Durant hit wide receiver Taj Smith with
a 59-yard touchdown bomb to give the hosts a 28-27 lead with 5:33 remaining in
the fourth quarter.
Blue Bombers kicker Lirim Hajrullahu booted a 41-yard field
goal with 2:58 to play to give Winnipeg a 30-28 edge.
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| Quarterback Darian Durant (#4) calls out signals for the Roughriders. |
In front of a sellout crowd of 33,427 spectators,
Saskatchewan pounded out the game-winning drive on the ground behind running
backs Anthony Allen and Jerome Messam along with Durant. With 28 seconds to
play, Allen ran in the winning score from 15 yards out to give the Roughriders
a 35-30 victory.
Allen only had 38 yards rushing in the win, but he scored
two key majors. Messam had 64 yards rushing, and the Roughriders combined for
160 yards as a team along the ground in the victory.
A Blue Bombers Hail Mary pass on the last play of the
game was a no go and allowed the Roughriders to hang on for victory.
When the dust settled, those in attendance saw an
unforgettable game.
7. McCrystal wins last home game as Rams
head coach
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| Rams head coach Frank McCrystal is ready to hold court in a media scrum. |
The 2014 Canadian Interuniversity Sport football season
marked the last campaign Frank McCrystal would work the sidelines as the
legendary head coach of the Regina Rams, and the Rams ensured he had one final
home hurrah.
On Nov. 1 of that year, the Rams hosted the University of
Alberta Golden Bears in a game where the winner would advance to the Canada
West playoffs. McCrystal was finishing up his 31st season as Rams
head coach, which included 15 seasons when the team was still in the Canadian
Junior Football League and 16 seasons in the Canadian university ranks. Before
becoming head coach, McCrystal spent five seasons with the Rams as an assistant
coach and five seasons as a player.
The Golden Bears were doing their best to spoil the party,
which saw old Rams players from all over the map turn up that day in Regina to
see McCrystal’s last game working the sidelines at Mosaic Stadium.
The two teams entered the fourth quarter locked in a 21-21
tie. The Golden Bears went ahead 28-21, but the Rams tied things up at 28-28 on
20-yard touchdown run by first-year quarterback Noah Picton.
U of A kicker Stephen Fabian booted a 27-yard field goal to
give the Golden Bears a 31-28 edge with 7:10 remaining in the fourth quarter.
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| Rams quarterback Noah Picton looks to fire a pass downfield. |
The Rams took their first lead of the game with 2:40 to play
in the fourth quarter, when running back Atlee Simon ran the ball in from 11
yards out to put U of R up 35-31. That score held up as a final, the Rams made
the Canada West playoffs and McCrystal won his final home game as Rams head
coach.
Picton completed 27-of-40 passes for 467 yards, one
touchdown and one interception. Golden Bears quarterback Curtis Dell also had a
strong game completing 17-of-30 passes for 306 yards.
McCrystal received one last ice bucket shower from his
players and held court one last time on the Mosaic Stadium turf with the media
before making his last departure down the stadium tunnel. His home send-off was
a good one.
6. Rams down Huskies in 2001 Hall of Fame Game
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| Rams linebacker Jeff Zimmer nails Huskies tailback Tyler Siwak. |
In their early years in the Canadian university ranks, the
University of Regina Rams rivalry with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies
was at a fever pitch, but their first encounter of the 2001 season had a whole
range of different emotions.
On Sept. 15 of that year, the Rams and Huskies took to the
turf at Taylor Field for the Hall of Fame Game just four days after the
terrorist attacks in New York City, which saw the fall of the World Trade
Center towers after hijacked airplanes crashed into them. It was safe to say
everyone who saw the images of what happened in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001
was affected emotionally by them.
In May of that year, I had moved away from Regina to work as
the sports writer in Prince Albert at the Daily Herald almost a year after
graduating from the University of Regina. I had covered the University of
Regina’s athletic teams from 1996 to 2001, and most of my old friends from
those days were still at the U of R, when I returned from the Hall of Fame Game. After the terrorist attacks happened, all I wanted to do was go to Regina
and see all my old friends again and be around something that felt normal.
It seemed a lot of other people wanted to be around something
that felt normal that day as 7,238 spectators attended this clash between the
Rams and Huskies. The cheers during the player pre-game introductions for that
contest had a distinctly different feel to them. It felt like everyone was
happy to be out at a football game.
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| Rams tailback Neal Hughes (#36) burned the Huskies for 221 offensive yards. |
The Rams three key stars in quarterback Darryl Leason,
slotback Jason Clermont and running back Neal Hughes put on a show, and the
Rams came away with a 31-21 victory. One of the game’s signature moments came
when six Huskies defensive players were unsuccessfully trying to bring Clermont
down, and one of those defensive players came at Clermont with a high flying
tackle attempt grabbing the receiver around his neck.
Clermont still didn’t go
down, but the play was blown dead as his forward progress was stopped.
Hughes was the night’s MVP. He ran the ball 17 times for 141
yards and scored two rushing touchdowns, and he caught six passes for 80 yards
and one receiving major score.
It seemed that most members from every other U of R sports
team was there that night. After the Rams received the Hall of Fame trophy,
everyone from the U of R side slipped off to their favourite long time night
spot in Checkers for a joyful and spectacular post-game victory party.
5. Hilltops rally past Thunder in 2015
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| Quarterback Jared Andreychuk (#5) led the Hilltops to a big comeback. |
On Sept. 12, 2015, the venerable Saskatoon Hilltops and the
Regina Thunder added a chapter to their relatively young rivalry with a classic
at Mosaic Stadium.
For me, this game was memorable, because this was the first
time I arrived at Mosaic Stadium with the Hilltops covering them as a main
team. I was pretty proud of this group, who seemed to always do the right
things on and off the field. I had a few friends that were coaching and
involved with the Thunder as directors and volunteers, and I admit I enjoyed
showing my attachment to the “Blue and Gold.”
This battle featured everything including strong play from
the offences and defences on both sides.
The Thunder took a 25-10 lead into the
fourth quarter, before the Hilltops rallied.
Just 1:38 into the final frame, Hilltops quarterback Jared
Andreychuk connected with receiver Davis Mitchell on a seven-yard scoring toss
to cut the Thunder lead to 25-17. With 5:26 to play, the Thunder had to concede
a safety after being pinned in their own end, which trimmed their edge to
25-19.
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| Linebacker Cole Benkic makes a game-saving interception for the Hilltops. |
That set the stage for Andreychuk to lead the Hilltops on a
two-minute drill type drive 75 yards down the field. The march concluded when
Andreychuk hit slotback Evan Turkington on a 13-yard scoring strike. Turkington
made a twisting circus catch in the Regina end zone to give the Toppers a 26-25
lead with 75 seconds to play.
Saskatoon would cement that 26-25 score as the game’s final,
when Hilltops star linebacker Cole Benkic intercepted Thunder quarterback
Jaeden Marwick on the ensuing Regina series.
Andreychuk completed 21-of-40 passes for 336 yards, three
touchdowns and three interceptions for the Hilltops. Marwick connected on 24-of-41
passes for 420 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions calling signals for
the Thunder.
When the clock in this one ticked to zero, people from both
sides of the rivalry admitted they just saw one heck of game.
4. Roughriders bomb Bombers 52-0 in 2012
Labour Day Classic
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| The Roughriders celebrate a touchdown by Weston Dressler (#7). |
52-0. Nothing more needs to be said.
If you are a fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, you will
always remember the day they smashed and absolutely embarrassed the Winnipeg
Blue Bombers 52-0 in the Labour Day Classic at Mosaic Stadium on Sept. 2, 2012.
When it comes to watching the Roughriders, it seems nothing comes easy for them
even during good seasons, which includes games that they dominate. Even in
dominant outings, the “Green and White” usually encounters some sort of
adversity.
Being at Mosaic Stadium on this day as part of the “Rider
Nation” crowd was an absolute blast. It seemed everything that Roughriders did
worked. Even when Roughriders star quarterback Darian Durant left the contest
due to injury early in the third quarter with his team up 28-0, they still
rolled with backup Drew Willy calling the signals.
Willy was actually pulled late in the fourth quarter to
allow third stringer J.T. O’Sullivan to enter the contest in a relief effort.
Roughriders rookie running back Kory Sheets carried the ball
19 times for 109 yards marking the first time he surpassed 100-yards rushing in
a game during his CFL career. Star slotback Weston Dressler had a pair of
touchdown catches. Willy ran for a major score and hooked up with receiver
Terence Jeffers-Harris on a 43-yard touchdown strike.
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| The scoreboard was a site of beauty for the Roughriders. |
Safety Tyron Brackenridge made the two most memorable plays
for the home side in the romp. In the game’s second quarter, he blocked a punt
and returned it 15 yards for major, and in the fourth quarter, he returned an
interception 39 yards for a touchdown.
On the other side of things, the Bombers had an absolutely
horrible effort on this day. They gained 102 yards of total offence, and it
seemed like they just couldn’t do anything right.
A healthy contingent of fans makes their way from Winnipeg
to Regina following the Bombers down for the Labour Day Classic, and by the end
of this game, I really did feel sorry for anyone that came out to watch the
“Blue and Gold” play.
For Roughriders fans, it was really hard to hold in your
glee, and even I burst out and yelled, “Wow! I can’t believe we are winning
52-0 right now!”
3. Rams vs. Hilltops – The final battle
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| Slotback Jason Clermont goes up to make a catch for the Rams. |
Looking back for those that were there, the final CJFL battle
between the Regina Rams and Saskatoon Hilltops might be remembered for being
more surreal than for what actually happened in the game.
It might be hard for a younger generation in Saskatchewan to
fathom, but one of Canada’s greatest historic rivalries in sports was between
the Rams and the venerable Hilltops. The Hilltops were born in 1947, won their
first CJFL championship in 1953 and have been junior football powerhouse since
that time. The Rams were born in 1954, won their first CJFL title in 1966 and
built a storied history in the Canadian junior ranks before joining the
Canadian university ranks in 1999.
After the Rams won their first CJFL championship, it seemed
like they were always on a collision course with the Hilltops, where the winner
of the eventual playoff game between the two sides often moved on to capture a
national title.
On October 31, 1998, the Rams and Hilltops met for the final
time in that year’s Prairie Football Conference championship game at Taylor
Field. The Rams were the defending CJFL champions and had also won three
straight national titles from 1993 to 1995. The Hilltops interrupted the Rams
run with a CJFL championship win in 1996, and they also had a national title win
in 1991.
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| The Rams take home the PFC championship trophy for the final time. |
With the history these two squads had with each other, it
seemed strange in the hours leading up to the clash to think that this would be
the last head-to-head match between these teams. In another strange twist, only
about 3,000 people came out to watch this contest, which showed interest had
dried up due to the fact important clashes between the two sides became too
commonplace.
When the game itself was on, all the focus was upon football.
The Rams jumped out to a 16-0 lead by halftime thanks to an electrifying
87-yard punt return touchdown by rookie tailback Neal Hughes.
Saskatoon battled back to cut the Regina lead to 16-10 by
the end of the third quarter, but there would be no rally for the visitors.
Regina hit another gear in the fourth quarter piling up
32-unanswered points rolling to a 48-10 victory. Slotback Jason Clermont and
fullback Chris Briltz both had rushing touchdowns. Linebacker Cory Thacheray
returned an interception 55 yards for another major score. Linebacker Doug Hill
blocked a punt and defensive back Corrie McKee recovered the ball and scored
the Rams final touchdown of the contest.
At game’s end, the Rams celebrated victory, but a strange
feeling was also present knowing these two teams would never face each other
again in a game.
2. Rams leave CJFL as champs
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| Rams fullback Chris Briltz powers his way past a Sun tackler. |
Before departing for the Canadian university ranks, the
Regina Rams wanted to ensure they closed out their 45-year history in the CJFL
the right way, and they accomplished that in dominating fashion.
On November 14, 1998 at Taylor Field, the Rams claimed a 15th
national championship bombing the Kelowna, B.C., based Okanagan Sun 36-13. A
year earlier, the Rams needed double overtime to beat the Sun 23-20 in Kelowna,
B.C., to win the CJFL title and capture the Canadian Bowl, but there was no
dramatic finish in 1998.
The Rams came out flying from the start. They scored a rouge
on the game’s opening kickoff from kicker Todd Pinkney. A short time later,
Rams linebacker Cory Thackeray blocked a punt and teammate Jeff Zimmer, who was
that year’s CJFL defensive player of the year, recovered the ball in the end
zone for a touchdown.
Before the first quarter ended, Rams running back Cory
Olynick romped in for another major score from three yards out to put the hosts
up 15-0, and the route was on before a crowd of about 4,100 spectators.
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| The Rams raise the Canadian Bowl one last time in 1998. |
Rams Slotback Jason Clermont piled up 124 yards receiving on
eight catches and hauled in major scores from 24 and 17 yards out. Rams
quarterback Mike Wong completed 19 of 26 passes for 269 yards, two touchdown
passes and no interceptions.
For one last time when the clock expired, the Rams stormed
on to the field to collect the Canadian Bowl. Besides winning their 15th
CJFL title, they also claimed their fifth national title over a six year time
span. The victory celebration lasted well into the night.
Before, during and after the game, it felt everyone that was
part of the Rams was focused on just enjoying that game and moment. No one at
the time really dwelled on the fact the Rams were playing in their final game
as a Canadian junior football team. It wasn’t really until the next day rolled
around that thoughts drifted towards the fact the Rams were moving to join
Canadian Interuniversity Sport’s football league in 1999.
On the day the Rams captured their final CJFL title, the
focus of being in and enjoying that moment dominated everything.
1. Roughriders win 2013 Grey Cup
 |
| “Rider Nation” celebrates a Grey Cup victory in 2013. |
What else would be the top moment at Taylor Field/Mosaic
Stadium?
If you were there on Nov. 24, 2013 when the Saskatchewan
Roughriders captured the 101st Grey Cup with a 45-23 romp of the
Hamilton Tiger-Cats, you know that was the best day to be at that legendary
facility. The Roughriders win marked the fourth time in team history they
captured the Grey Cup, and it would be the only time they would win the Grey
Cup at their legendary home stadium.
During pre-game, the sellout crowd of 44,710 spectators was
already in a joyful frenzy when the Saskatoon-based band the Sheepdogs was on
the field playing. This would of course be the perfect dream night for “Rider
Nation.”
The signature moment came early in the first quarter, when
Roughriders franchise quarterback Darian Durant scrambled up field, got hit and
fumbled the ball high into the air to be pulled down by running back Kory
Sheets. Sheets rumbled off a magical
39-yard game for the home side. As a Roughriders fan, you had a big gut feeling
that this game was going to go your way after seeing that play.
That drive eventually resulted in a diving 15-yard touchdown
reception by receiver Geroy Simon that put the Roughriders up 7-3. Saskatchewan
scored 24 points in the second quarter to take a 31-6 lead into halftime. The outburst included another beauty 42-yard
touchdown catch by Simon.
Hamilton scored the first 10 points of the second half to
create a little worry for the Roughriders fans cutting Saskatchewan’s lead to
31-16, but that was as close as the visitors got.
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| I made an appearance on TSN’s post-game coverage. |
A four-yard touchdown run by Sheets and a 26-yard touchdown
reception by receiver Weston Dressler put the Roughriders up 45-16, and the
victory celebration in Saskatchewan started in earnest.
Sheets had two major scores along the ground and piled up a
Grey Cup record 197 yards rushing on 20 carries to be named the game’s MVP. He
ran with power and authority.
Durant completed 17-of-24 passes for 245 yards, three
touchdowns and no interceptions. Slotback Chris Getzlaf was the contest’s most
outstanding Canadian player hauling in three passes for 78 yards.
The game was also highlighted by two big sacks from
Roughriders defensive lineman John Chick.
When the clock ticked to zero, people were hugging their
neighbours all around them. The image of Durant hoisting the Grey Cup with a
huge smile on his face will also live forever. The green and white confetti
raining down on the Roughriders players was also a site to behold.
For the longest time after that game ended, I remember just
sitting in the stands and soaking everything in.
Bonus moment with “Kindly” Cal
 |
| Late CFL icon Cal Murphy. |
To close off my top ten memories list at old Taylor Field/Mosaic
Stadium, I figured I would throw in a bonus moment that was important to me,
but something no one else could see.
On Aug. 31, 2008, I covered that year’s Labour Day Classic
between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the Medicine
Hat News. I walked into the press box on the West side and noticed the
Roughriders hadn’t assigned me a seat for the game. I wasn’t too worried, and
it wasn’t going to be a big deal to stand and watch the game.
Long-time CFL icon coach and general manager Cal Murphy, who
is best remember for his time at the helm of the Blue Bombers, entered the
press box to scout the contest for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. Murphy and I
had been friends for a number of years at that point, so we hung out and had
such an enjoyable 15-minute talk before the game started. After Murphy passed
away at age 79 on Feb. 18, 2012, I appreciated visits like that with him that
much more.
Near the end of the talk, Murphy asked if I had anywhere to
sit. I said I didn’t.
Murphy said not to worry about that, because I could have
his seat. He was going to go down and watch the game with a friend, who was
sitting a couple of boxes over.
Of course, I thanked Murphy. I was also really humbled.
Growing up, I looked up to Murphy, and when I got to know
him, he was as good of a man as I thought he would be. To this day, Murphy is
the classiest person I have ever met in sports.
The Roughriders took that year’s contest 19-6, but I felt
like an even bigger winner in the press box. Even until this day, I am floored
that Murphy let me have his seat. That small gesture made me feel really
special.
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to stankssports@gmail.com.
