One Day Until The Dance
Courtesy Leader Post
TORONTO — From underdogs to overwhelming favourites, the Saskatchewan Roughriders went through the final practice of their CFL season Saturday inside the Rogers Centre, where they will meet the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday.
“It’s going to be an exciting day tomorrow,” said Riders quarterback Kerry Joseph, who was earlier in the week named the league’s most outstanding player.
“I’m not nervous now, but the butterflies will probably come before the game.”
It’s the first time the Prairie rivals will meet in the 95-year history of the Grey Cup. Whoever wins will end a lengthy drought for their franchise: Saskatchewan last won the championship in 1989, Winnipeg in 1990.
“It doesn’t matter to me, because all that matters is we’re right here at this moment,” said Riders linebacker Reggie Hunt. “I know how badly this team wants to seize this opportunity.
“I’ve only been here six years, so that’s how long the drought is for me. The province of Saskatchewan has seen only two Grey Cup wins (in 1966 and ‘89) and they deserve a third.”
The Roughriders are expecting to field the same lineup that beat the heavily-favoured B.C. Lions 26-17 in the West final. Offensive tackle Jermese Jones is evidently sore, so the Roughriders have put Belton Johnson on their 46-man roster. Jones has started every game this season at right tackle.
While beating the Toronto Argonauts 19-9 in Sunday’s East final, the Blue Bombers lost starting quarterback Kevin Glenn with a broken arm. Glenn was the East’s nominee as most outstanding player. Glenn will be replaced by Ryan Dinwiddie, a Boise State product who is making his first CFL start. That’s why the Roughriders are sometimes 10-point favourites.
“We can look at it two ways,” said Hunt. Our opponents want it just as badly as we do and our opponents blew us out the last time we played,” said Hunt. “As far as I know, Dinwiddie has excellent college credentials. There’s not a lot of tape around on him, but he has a great supporting staff.”
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