So, I found myself in Canada for work. The assignment brought me to Leduc, Alberta
in the western half of Canada to be more precise. Pronounced Leh-Duke, the village is located approx. 35 km south of the heart
of Edmonton.
Being the curious sort, I looked around the wide sweeping
plains of Alberta for something to do for entertainment. Being of a football state of mind, I checked
the schedule for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. (If you say it in your best Chris Berman
dramatic voice, it is kind of fun.)
Lucky me, they were playing the Montreal Alouettes, on
Thursday night! Just in time before my
flight home on Friday. To add to the
benefit, I found the Canadian Brewhouse restaurant in Leduc offered a ticket
for $25 CAD (Canadian Dollars) including a free bus ride to and from the game. Score!!!!
Following dinner and a couple choice beverages at the
Brewhouse, I went to board the bus. Let
me rephrase, I went to board the school bus to the game. I was big time, seat to myself!! Only one person commented on my Cincinnati
Bengals shirt, and that was to talk about team founder Paul Brown. No harassment for my allegiance, life is
good.
We arrived at the stadium after a harrowing ride through the
streets of Edmonton. It seems that
highways end at the edge of the city and from there is it city streets as we
made our way.
Upon arrival, things are about the same as football in the
US. Stadium, gates, team gear stand to
get a hat for my and to pay my good buddy @MikeTodd614 as payment for some
awesome vinyl albums he donated to my collection. (I consider myself a curator of music on
vinyl now.) Of course, there would have
to be a visit to a beverage stand before climbing up to my seats. Of course.
The game is underway, here we go, good crowd on hand, which
I could see most of them from my seat in the upper half of the upper bowl.
And then it happened, I started to notice some subtle
differences in the game. Like, someone
put an extra line on the field and forgot to put in the back line of the end
zone. And then the goal post is in the
front of the end zone, was this an NFL films replay from the 50’s? Holy Cow!
Someone could get hurt.
I start to shout out to get a penalty for all the offensive players moving
before the snap but no one else seemed to care. They just looked my way concerned about my
calling out, “PROCEDURE!!!” What in the
name of Curly Lambeau is going on here??
The crowd cheered wildly when the Eskimos went for it on
third down early in the game. I said, it
was about time, both teams kept punting on third down? What was up with that? I didn’t see either team go for it on fourth
down at all. No guts, no glory I
say.
Just when I thought I had things figured out and the Eskimos
were driving for the first score of the game.
The running back was heading for the pylon when the unthinkable
happened, FUMBLE!! No worries it is head
for the sidelines, it went out of bounds before Montreal got a handle on
it.
Then the official awards the ball to Montreal because they
touched it before it went out of bounds.
Touched it! No control, just
touch it. Now I am confused again.
Settle in, if the Eskimos D can man up, they
may come out with good field position.
The Esks D holds!!
Yes ‘Esks.’ That is what the faithful call their beloved Eskimos. The D only gave up a couple yards so the
Alouette punter is kicking from his own end zone. Edmonton should get good field position. Here’s the snap, the punter has the ball and
holds it, and runs around a bit and then out the back of the elongated end
zone!?!?!?! It’s the first quarter, why
take a safety already?? 2 - 0 the home
team is winning!!!
Did I mention the end zones are huge? Can the goal post be used for a pick
play? I am being told yes.
As with most football games, a red challenge flag is thrown,
wait the ref is calling a penalty. Then
the sideline throws a yellow flag, the coach is challenging the call by the
officials. So they call penalties with
challenge flags and challenge the call on the field with a penalty flag. I need a rule book please. Where am I?
Canada? Oh, wait…
It seems with a yellow challenge flag, the coach can call
for another look to see if roughing the passer occurred? It was confirmed, First Down Eskimos!!! One for the home team!
During the game, the in game entertainment was good. They had some good music in their playlist
but then they rose to the top of the charts when they queued up Shot Down in Flames by AC/DC. A great song, from one of my favorite bands
and a track from one of the best albums of all time. This game up north just got a little
better.
As the game went on, I did notice that the PA announcer took
just a little bit of latitude in his content.
After one errant pass by the Montreal quarterback, the announcer noted
that he threw it at the receiver’s shoes.
It must be okay to speculate on penalties, as it ‘may’ be a personal
foul and he really got excited on first downs.
For anyone in the OCC whose team has played at Lancaster, you know what I am talking
about.
As I pondered the PA behavior, they fired up my jam, Party Up by DMX. “This
games gonna make me lose my mind, Up North in Here, Up North in Here!!” Or something like that.
During a timeout, I noticed the cheerleader squad on the
sideline. While the NFL cheer squads
have become more dance oriented, these cheerleaders performed cheers and
stunts. This squad had more in common
with a college squad from south of the international border.
But this squad literally had the big gun.
A T-shirt cannon with 8 barrels which launched projectiles into the
crowd at a rapid pace. It operated like
a Gatling gun from the old west. Nothing
spreads excitement in the stadium like a multi barreled T shirt cannon. Advantage CFL!
As the first half ended, I noticed that the referee twirls
his red flag over his head like a wannabe Steelers fan. I wonder who thought that one up. Perhaps that idea resulted in a bonus?
As the game progressed in the second half, the Eskimos
fumble on the goal line again. Agony for
the home crowd! The defense saves the
day and holds the Alouettes to a 2 and out!
I am starting to get the hang of this CFL lingo. You bet I am.
But strategy is another thing.
Down by 2, punting from their own end zone, Montreal takes
another safety!!!! Sweet Fancy
Moses!!! Eskimos up by 4, the game took
on a new turn. Eskimos 13 Alouettes 9 at
the end of the third quarter.
I spent the second half sitting with a group of season
ticket holders, one of which was a co-worker for the past week. Colby, Gordon, Brett, Katie, Scott and
Michelle were great hosts. Brett and
Scott both appreciated my Bengals shirt as they are fans of Andy Dalton. More specifically fans of the ginger QB in
the NFL as they have similar hair coloring.
Whatever it takes to put a few more folks in Andy’s corner is fine with
me. Who
Dey!! The group also helped me sing
the Eskimos fight song at the end of the third quarter. Fun stuff.
It’s a good thing I sat with them because Colby helped me
out with this next one. The Alouettes
were forced to punt at a critical juncture in the fourth quarter. Apparently, the CFL has no fair catch rule on
punts. As the Eskimos returner fielded
the ball and was tackled immediately.
Colby jumped up and started yelling, “No Yards!!! No Yards!!! Yes!!!” I said, “Colby, why are you so excited, we
wanted him to gain yards, didn’t we??”
Then I received my education on the ‘No Yards’ rule. Similar to the Halo Rule, the gunner didn’t
give the returning a buffer of 5 yards!
15 yard penalty, First down Eskimos!!!
Woo Hoo!! Molson Canadians all
around!!
Getting down within three minutes it was a tight ball game,
I learned that the ‘Command Center’ would review any questionable plays versus
the coaches challenging the call. The
‘Command Center,’ that sounds serious.
These guys mean business inside of three minutes. The clock even stops for first downs. No Tick Tick Tick Tick. Sorry Chris Berman.
Edmonton answers the Montreal field goal from early in the
fourth quarter with one of their own to put the lead back to 4 points at 16 –
12.
Following the kick off, Montreal ran off six plays before a Kevin
Glenn pass was intercepted by Eskimo J.C. Sherritt at the Eskimo 25 yard
line. EUPHORIA!!!! Sherritt returned the ball 79 yards and then
had the ball hacked out of his arms, AGONY!!!!
Montreal recovers and are scrambling to get a score with 1:05 left to
go.
After an incomplete pass, Glenn dropped back again for the
Alouettes. Deon Lacey of the Eskimos
intercepts and returns it for a pick six to seal the game!! Eskimo Mania!!!!
With the extra point, the Eskimos put it away 23 – 12!!
ESK!! ESKS!!! ESKS!!!!
I made my way back to the bus parking zone and amidst the
sea of school buses, managed to find the one with the tag for Leduc in the
window. On the ride back, I pondered the
evening.
Some of the rules may have been different, but the game is
essentially the same. It was a beautiful
night, the crowd was charged, people were having fun, cheering on the home
team.
It was Football, and it was good.
The Eskimo Fight Song
We’re cheering fight, fight, fight on Eskimos
We’re marching right, right, right on Eskimos
We’re charging down the field for all to see
And shouting rah, rah, rah, fight on to victory
We’re fighting on ‘til every game is won
The green and gold is bold and when we’re done
We’ll tell the world we’re proud of Edmonton
And the Edmonton Eskimos.
Eskimos Fight Song
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