FIVE: Rider consolation prizes

For almost every fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, a second consecutive Grey Cup loss to the Montreal Alouettes has ensured that it will indeed be a long and dreary winter. While Rider fans have every reason to be depressed, here are some reasons to remain optimistic:

1 Getting to the Grey Cup is a huge accomplishment

The Green and White, along with the Alouettes, are the only two teams that have made three Grey Cup appearances in the last four years. That’s a huge accomplishment. Keep in mind, Saskatchewan also won the Grey Cup in 2007. The Hamilton-Tiger Cats, who haven’t won since 1999 and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who last won in 1990, would definitely trade places with Saskatchewan trips to the Grey Cup. Fans should celebrate the Riders’ accomplishments, not focus on the losses.

2 The future is bright

Seeing that Darian Durant has bought a home in Regina, the Rider pivot clearly is content to stay in Regina. This means fans can expect at least ten more seasons from Durant. If Saskatchewan is able to keep their core players and maybe upgrade some positions, this won’t be the last trip they make to the Grey Cup in the near future. Soon, Alouette pivot Anthony Calvillo will likely be done with the game. When he is gone, there could be no team capable of stopping the Riders.

3 Rider fans rock

During the regular season, Rider fans consistently fill the opposition’s bleachers. At the Grey Cup, it looked like a home game for Saskatchewan. Simply put, fans of the Green and White are the greatest in the league. Being around these fans makes games more enjoyable. This passionate fanbase is the driving force that will continue to push the team towards greatness.

4 Saskatchewan owned the West

While the Riders didn’t hoist the Grey Cup this season, they eliminated the Edmonton Eskimos, British Columbia Lions, and Calgary Stampeders. That’s no easy feat. Of course, nothing feels better than beating Calgary. The cocky Stampeders thought they would easily cruise to the championship game and win.

5 No more 13th man jokes

Since the Riders lost in a normal fashion, it should be the end of the stupid 13th man jokes. After all, they are hardly relevant anymore. It will be much easier for fans to endure the loss without having to hear immature jibes from opposing fans. It sucks to lose, but at least one big play didn’t exactly change the outcome of the game like last year.

Jonathan Hamelin
Sports Editor