What is Rider Pride? Is it a group of fanatic football fans or is it more? For me it was as a young lad sitting in the end zone under the score board with my dad eating peanuts and watching Lancaster to Dawson with the long bomb.
Then came my career in broadcasting working the sidelines listening to the crunches and feeling the brush as the pile of players bowled into you while you tried to save your TV camera from being damaged. The neglected spouses sitting in the stands commenting on which players bums were hot. The roar of the fans and the now Mayor Fiacco shooting little yellow football into the stands. Then along came the rough times and the telethon to save the Riders.
Yes they were begging for the fans to buy season tickets. Money was tight the league and others teams were in trouble. Lancaster, Reed and Sheppard trying to save the team and I remember how the province responded. Now its sellouts and not just the Labor Day Classic. My sons have season tickets, we bleed green and white and the next generation is starting out right. My birthday present this year was the Rider Centennial ring and I wear it with pride knowing I cheer for something special.
The Rider Nation a group of fans, a sea of green. Whether its wearing your jersey, painting your body green or wearing a watermelon on your head we all get together to celebrate the game. From east to west fans flock to their stadiums to watch the team when they come to town. They cheer scream and party win or lose. It started in the small towns when the harvest finished and people met to talk football. It grew and just like the Olympics people want to be part of this and experience being part of the greatest fans in the world. As someone told me when their team loses they cheer for SK as how can you hate them. OK Calgary fans are different but that's the rivalry and its a good hate!
The Riders are in the Grey Cup a second year in a row and they want to redeem themselves from the blunder from last year. Ya the thirteenth man. How ironic after all the talk about last year and the fans and the effect that they would have on the game. It will go on forever that they screwed up and lost the game but show me a team that would not want this fan support.
After attending the Western Final and beating the Stamps again the great migration to Edmonton began. Everyone celebrates and watches the game in their own way. Receiving tweets and emails from Riderville Friday night and turning down ticket after ticket my poor bottom lip is sore from biting down on it. But I decided to stay at home and watch the game as I have done over the years with family. Mom coming over and doing her knitting asking every so often hows the game going. Elaine making the big pot of chilli. This year Craig, Ness and Boyd won't be here but I am sure they will watch it with Kevin and Ally(Yes go Fantuz). Troy I don't know where he will be but he always seems to come home for a surprise.
So, yes I hope the Riders win the Grey Cup, but if they don't I for one will be back next year to start all over cheering till I am hoarse. The world won't end, we will all go back to work just like the Stamp's fans have after the last few western finals!
