November 24, 2009

On the Eve of the Grey Cup!

    Ever since I've stepped foot in Canada, it has been a whirlwind of excitement, opportunity, and sub-zero temperatures.  If we were to backtrack to 6 weeks ago and you told me that a month and a half from now I would be playing in the CFL Grey Cup, I would have thought you had gone off the reservation.  In early October, my biggest events of the day consisted of coaching/ babysitting the Utah kickers and finding parking for class.  The sequence of events leading up to this point have been an unforgettable experience.  I have been able to have an impact on a professional football team, lending a foot where I can.  There really is no greater feeling. We have two guys on our team that have been playing in the CFL for 10+ years and have not been to a Grey Cup.  I am out here for 6 weeks and I get to experience the pinnacle of Canada's professional football league and be a part of Roughrider history.

    After we beat Calgary this last Sunday to become the Western Champions and earn a spot in the Grey Cup, I felt unworthy.  90% of these guys have been pouring blood and sweat for this team for the last 6 months.  However, my coach informed me that that is just the way things work out up here.  It's those teams that bring in fresh players towards the end of the season that are usually vying for the top spot.  That made me feel a bit more welcome in my enjoyment of the situation.  I had a great game and I should be enjoying it!

    Once the game clock hit zero and our fate had been decided, not a soul in that stadium was leaving.  A sea of green moving and cheering in unison; a most unbelievable spectacle.  I almost couldn't comprehend the magnitude of the situation and how much something like this really means to this province and any Saskatchewan fan across the entire country.  Watching my teammates hug one another; some laughing; some with tears in their eyes; some with a glazed-over look of awe-struck confusion (me); it was truly a sight to be seen.  We had a big ceremony on the field; the crowd just as loud as the opening kickoff; and watching our head coach almost unable to speak out of overexcitement was amazing. 

    It says a lot about this program that a kicker can come in and only after a short period feel just as attached and invested as any other player; to be just as moved by a head coach's tears of joy.  As an American, I feel that the CFL has something very special that is widely unknown in the U.S. Players aren't playing solely for their salaries because, to be honest, we aren't making MTV Cribs-type money up here.  Players are playing for the glory, much like college.  Even though some of my words may seem a bit premature, I couldn't be happier that I made the decision to take a chance up here and see if I could make something of myself in a professional environment.

    Now, we are off to Calgary, spending the week there much like a college bowl game.  We have all sorts of banquets and dinners set up, along with meetings and practices.  We are set to play the Montreal Alouettes at McMahon Stadium on Sunday at 6pm EST. Let's see what damage we can do!  And I am extremely sad that I am missing rivalry week in Utah, but we are going to smash the Cougars.  Go UTES!!!

Louie

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