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Good day to all.
Do you ever have one of those days when you feel like you’re already way behind, the moment the morning alarm starts buzzing?
I’ve had five of those this week. And I’m 600 kilometres from Regina where the real work is happening. I can only imagine the hectic pace Free Press football writers Jeff Hamilton and Taylor Allen are maintaining during Grey Cup week.
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Planning the section each day, fretting about whether we’ll have enough space to accommodate the terrific stories the talented tandem is generating, and editing their mostly clean and tidy copy falls on my shoulders. There’s, indeed, some mental juggling involved.
But my stress pales in comparison to the fellows on the front line covering the leadup to the CFL championship and the game itself late Sunday afternoon. I have seen the jam-packed, regimented schedule Canadian scribes have been keeping — one that basically began the moment the Blue Bombers and Argonauts touched down in Regina late Tuesday afternoon.
As a reminder, Winnipeg and Toronto will meet at 5 p.m. in front of 33,000 football fans — a complete sellout — at Mosaic Stadium.
The Bombers Stanley Bryant was named the CFL’s top lineman for a record fourth time Thursday night at the league’s awards banquet. (Paul Chiasson / The Canadian Press)
Leading up to the marquee matchup, there’s been no shortage of practices to take in, player and coach media availabilities, the CFL Awards Night, an address by league commissioner and Winnipegger product Randy Ambrosie, not to mention meeting with players’ family members and friends for feature stories and fan celebrations.
The days are long. Nine to five? More like 7:15 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. It’s gruelling and nerve-wracking but as exhilarating as heck, or so I’m told. I’ve covered a pair of Grey Cup games. That’s about six hours of work. Fairly spoon-fed journalism. Report what you see, mixed in with some analysis and post-game quotes. But I’ve never been immersed in championship week — when the real heavy lifting is done in the days leading up to the opening kickoff.
I have some comparables… I think.
Protracted Jets road trips when I covered Winnipeg’s NHL squad from 2016-2021 were easily the most demanding assignments of my 33-year career in journalism and communications. For a while, the rush was addictive.
But just too many Ubers, airport lines, security pat-downs and Denny’s waffles. Too many stories to write. Crushing deadline stress. Barely any sleep.
I got too old for that stuff. Lived the dream of covering the NHL. Got it out of my system.
I also covered about a dozen Scotties and Briers in my day, and those are exhausting weeks. It’s usually a 10-day marathon, beginning with the morning draw and winding up with last call at the Patch well after midnight. (Curlers and fans know of which I speak.)
We’d be planted for hours on a temporary media bench, constructed to provide us with what usually resulted in the best seat in the house. I’d routinely write three rather fulsome stories a day.
It was an utter grind. And a total rush. Without a doubt, the most fun I’ve had professionally. Curlers, and the reporters worldwide that follow their exploits, are the finest people. Take my word for it.
Anyway, in addition to the workload, I hope Jeff and Taylor are getting some enjoyment out of the gig. I hope they feel the rush.
Enjoy the game, folks.
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