bizenya
2009-11-26 20:53:53 UTC
On Sunday I attended my first Canadian Football League (American Football) game.
The league's eight teams are divided into two divisions of four teams each (East and
West). The league's nineteen-week regular season runs from mid-June to early
November. Each team plays eighteen games with one bye week.
Following the regular season, six of the eight teams compete in the league's
three-week playoffs, which culminate in the late-November Grey Cup championship, the
country's largest annual sports and television event.
Sunday was the Western Conference Final between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the
Calgary Stampeders. The Riders won the game and the Western Championship and now go
to the Grey Cup - the biggest prize in the game. That will be played at a neutral
venue (Calgary) against the Montreal Allouettes.
The atmosphere was quite different to anything I have ever experienced. 31'000 fans
(most of which are packed into one main stand http://tinyurl.com/ybyrwlv ) and no
chanting about shagging sheep, going back where you belong, terrorist organisations,
political or religious agendas, fuck the Queen, fuck the Pope, fuck the Youth team or
who knew about it.
Riders fans have a reputation as being the 'craziest' fans in Canada - this mostly
involves painting themselves green from hair to hoof, wearing watermelon helmets,
watching the game shirtless in -10C weather and being the loudest set of fans
anywhere. There is a constant buzz and noise, and fans ring cowbells, stamp their
feet and clang inflatables together throughout the entire match - erupting in a huge
roar when there is a big play. The Announcer stated that the noise hit 107db
I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing - maybe that was helped along by
the ability to purchase beer for 3 of the 4 quarters of the game (albeit at nearly 5
quid a can!) followed by the cup presentation followed by 'The Green Mile' of fans
exiting the stadium to fill the bars and eateries en masse.
I'm not entirely convinced of the merits of a sport in which you can have an athlete
who can run 100m under 10seconds and a 300lb lardass on the same team (Although in
saying that Derek Johnstone did score a good few goals...) but its easy to get caught
up in the whole spectacle when everything is undertaken in such a carnival
atmosphere.
Makes you wonder why 'fitba' attracts such negative sentiment when you gather a bunch
of fans together - sentiments that aren't present elsewhere - even Rugby back there.
On Sunday I shall be watching the game in the Casino Showlounge www.casinoregina.com
so again there will be atmosphere and beers (I might even go all out and wear green!)
The league's eight teams are divided into two divisions of four teams each (East and
West). The league's nineteen-week regular season runs from mid-June to early
November. Each team plays eighteen games with one bye week.
Following the regular season, six of the eight teams compete in the league's
three-week playoffs, which culminate in the late-November Grey Cup championship, the
country's largest annual sports and television event.
Sunday was the Western Conference Final between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the
Calgary Stampeders. The Riders won the game and the Western Championship and now go
to the Grey Cup - the biggest prize in the game. That will be played at a neutral
venue (Calgary) against the Montreal Allouettes.
The atmosphere was quite different to anything I have ever experienced. 31'000 fans
(most of which are packed into one main stand http://tinyurl.com/ybyrwlv ) and no
chanting about shagging sheep, going back where you belong, terrorist organisations,
political or religious agendas, fuck the Queen, fuck the Pope, fuck the Youth team or
who knew about it.
Riders fans have a reputation as being the 'craziest' fans in Canada - this mostly
involves painting themselves green from hair to hoof, wearing watermelon helmets,
watching the game shirtless in -10C weather and being the loudest set of fans
anywhere. There is a constant buzz and noise, and fans ring cowbells, stamp their
feet and clang inflatables together throughout the entire match - erupting in a huge
roar when there is a big play. The Announcer stated that the noise hit 107db
I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing - maybe that was helped along by
the ability to purchase beer for 3 of the 4 quarters of the game (albeit at nearly 5
quid a can!) followed by the cup presentation followed by 'The Green Mile' of fans
exiting the stadium to fill the bars and eateries en masse.
I'm not entirely convinced of the merits of a sport in which you can have an athlete
who can run 100m under 10seconds and a 300lb lardass on the same team (Although in
saying that Derek Johnstone did score a good few goals...) but its easy to get caught
up in the whole spectacle when everything is undertaken in such a carnival
atmosphere.
Makes you wonder why 'fitba' attracts such negative sentiment when you gather a bunch
of fans together - sentiments that aren't present elsewhere - even Rugby back there.
On Sunday I shall be watching the game in the Casino Showlounge www.casinoregina.com
so again there will be atmosphere and beers (I might even go all out and wear green!)