Fans of all teams party hardy

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This article was published 29/11/2015 (3973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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THEY came from Edmonton, Ottawa, Saskatoon and even Yellowknife.

And after a week wrapped in the Canadian flag of football, they let it all out Sunday at Investors Group Field in the 103rd Grey Cup.

Plungers were worn, banners were waved and body paint was sold out. In the end, CFL commissioner Jeffrey Orridge offered a huge thank you to Winnipeg football fans, who turned out for a sellout crowd despite the perennial absence of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

FIRST QUARTER:

Pre-game at convention centre

Football fans have found the magic solution to cure their pre-Grey Cup hangovers.

Their prescription? More cowbell.

A lot more cowbell.

A few hundred of the heartiest fans gathered at the RBC Convention Centre a few hours before the opening kickoff to listen to live music from the Dirty Catfish Brass Band, apply a few last-minute facial tattoos, pound back a few beers and make a whole lot of noise.

It helps if you can stand out from the crowd.

Donald Maisonneuve sported a red and black spikey wig to match his leg warmers. His girlfriend, Anne Proulx, had a matching pair and red sunglasses. It was an emotional event for the two of them as they were fans of the defunct Ottawa Renegades and the Ottawa Rough Riders, so they know the pain of losing a professional sports team and the elation when it comes back. Twice.

They packed up their car Wednesday and drove 2,200 kilometres so they could see their favourite team bring the Grey Cup home for the first time since 1976.

“I was a Rough Riders fan since I was a kid. My uncle introduced me to football when I was seven years old. It was hard (losing the Rough Riders and the Renegades). There are a lot of fans in Ottawa that like football. We’re back on track!” he said.

Wearing an Edmonton Eskimos flag as a cape and with his face painted green and gold, Kyle Harbarenko was glad he could cheer for his favourite team. This was his sixth consecutive Grey Cup and usually he splits his get-up between the colours of the two teams playing.

“If I can’t cheer for Edmonton, I’m not cheering fully for anybody,” he said. “The weather has been the best thing so far. It could have been so much worse,” he said.

When asked about the state of his head, he smiled.

“My hangover’s not bad. It’ll be a whole lot worse if the Eskimos lose,” he said.

SECOND QUARTER:

Tailgating

You’d never know it was Nov. 29 judging by the tailgating outside the stadium.

Fans of the Edmonton Eskimos and Ottawa Redblacks, as well as every other team that didn’t qualify for the Grey Cup, relaxed in lawn chairs, pounded back some beers and barbecued various cuts of red meat.

Some sat at picnic tables while others crowded around firepits. They were in no hurry as the weather outside was positively autumn-like.

They also used this time to engage in friendly trash talk.

The lineups to get into Investors Group Field were lengthy as security was tight but fans didn’t seem to mind that, either.

The concourse was jammed 90 minutes before the opening kickoff with fans mulling around eating, drinking and posing for pictures with people wearing the most outrageous outfits.

 

THIRD QUARTER:

Halftime show

It may not have been the likes of Céline Dion, Shania Twain or the Tragically Hip, all of which have regaled the Grey Cup crowd in the past. But Fall Out Boy certainly held their own Sunday night.

A decade after releasing their breakthrough mainstream album, Fall Out Boy rocked the stadium with their signature pop punk sound and energetic live show.

The band, perched on a stage above the beloved Rum Hut in the north end zone, belted out one of their hits, Centuries, to warm up the Grey Cup faithful.

Two more licks off their latest album, American Beauty/American Psycho, followed with Irresistible and Uma Thurman, with the latter being an ode to the actress of the same name, which celebrates her lengthy career, including roles in such films as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill.

The medley continued with Thnks fr th Mmrs, their popular single off their 2007 album, Infinity on High. The band finished their set with a blaze of glory with My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em’ Up), the lead song off their 2013 album Save the Rock and Roll.

The song featured a fire show projected onto the field and a roar from the almost 37,000 in attendance.

It’s the second year in succession that an American band — Fall Out Boy is from just outside Chicago — has performed at the halftime show. Imagine Dragons from Las Vegas handled the festivities in 2014.

 

FOURTH QUARTER:

The view from the stands

Todd Keating and his son Chris don’t mess around with their fandom.

The two Ottawa residents decided to come to Winnipeg this weekend after the Redblacks won the Eastern Final the previous Sunday. They had never been here before, never been to a Grey Cup and hadn’t even seen a CFL game until the Redblacks’ season opener last year.

“I grew up in Niagara, Ont., so I was a Buffalo Bills fan. We love the entertainment value (of the CFL) and the camaraderie that you get with the team and the fans,” Todd said.

So, they booked their flights — $800 apiece — and acquired a pair of tickets to the big game.

They don’t regret a thing.

“Winnipeg is very welcoming. The support from the people from the city, the volunteers and the other teams has been remarkable,” he said.

You want remarkable? That describes Dave Hamilton’s headgear. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers season-ticket holder was wearing a helmet with a ticker-like read out on it that scrolled “I might get grey hair waiting for (the Bombers) to get to the Grey Cup” in red lettering.

The unique hat isn’t available at the Bomber Store because Hamilton, who is an electrician, made it himself.

“I took little bits and pieces here and there and put it together. It lets me express my opinion what the team should be doing or shouldn’t be doing,” he said.

The best-represented team of the squads that didn’t make the Grey Cup was definitely the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Doug Stephan, who lives in Davidson, halfway between Saskatoon and Regina, was tough to miss with his green wig, Riders jersey and ice-fishing gear to help him stay warm.

He wasn’t surprised to see the sea of green.

“I think only having one pro sports team, the whole province comes together and supports the biggest and the best. The Riders normally are the biggest and sometimes even the best,” he said.

He and a dozen friends drove out Thursday morning and even though he didn’t have a dog in the hunt, he was enjoying the game.

“It’s easier, it’s not as emotional. You can enjoy yourself a little bit more,” he said.

Brad Black was definitely in the minority — a Winnipegger wearing an Eskimos jersey. It’s OK, though. He was wearing Eddie Steele’s No. 97, who was his teammate on the University of Manitoba Bisons Vanier Cup-winning squad of 2007.

“We’re showing support for our boy. There are about 15 of us here today. He had a great year. He signed a new contract and he played on both sides of the ball. He’s a real versatile athlete,” he said.

 

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca