Faithful Rider fans rally behind team

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Roughriders quarterback Darian Durant: more input, fewer turnovers (GEOFF HOWE / THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES)

The jokes are everywhere, from Saskatchewan Roughriders faithful not knowing how to count to the Pilsner commemorative case of beer that comes complete with 13 bottles. Head coach Ken Miller & Co., unfortunately, have heard them all.

Yes, the Roughriders have had six months to try and escape the ending of the 2009 Grey Cup -- their too-many-men penalty cost them the championship to the Montreal Alouettes -- but, try as they may, the shots keep on coming. And coming. And coming.

But in a testament to the man and his team's resiliency and character, the Riders are dealing head-on with the emotions that come with one of the most infamous moments in Canadian sports. That way, they hope, the recovery can come quickly as the 2010 season approaches.

"One of the things we really emphasize is overcoming distractions," said Miller at the Roughriders' state-of-the-franchise conference call on Thursday. "And in the situation where we lost the Grey Cup, really, after time ran out, we could let that be a big distraction for us, a big stumbling block... It will always be a part of us but we have to get it behind us and look forward to starting some ground-breaking work as we get ready for this season.

"That game, the ending of that game, is going to be with me always. It's just something I have to push into the past. Very often when I wake up it's often going through my head. It's something you have to deal with. It's part of the past and I have to look to the future."

And the future is anything but depressing in Rider Nation. While the club has been purged of coaching talent this winter -- offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice brought two assistants with him here to Winnipeg -- and the roster has lost star defensive ends John Chick and Stevie Baggs to the NFL, Miller and new GM Brendan Taman have added some big-time parts to compensate, including Dominique Dorsey, Prechae Rodriguez and Dan Goodspeed on offence and Barrin Simpson on defence.

But what can help soothe the '09 loss is this: The good folks in Saskatchewan, perhaps more than ever, have rallied behind this outfit. President and CEO Jim Hopson said the club has opted to cap its season-ticket base at 25,000 -- they are already at 24,600 -- and the franchise is as financially sound as it's ever been in its 100 years of existence.

"It's been incredible," said Hopson. "I've been around the team for a long time as a fan, as a player, and I've seen lots of Rider Pride over the years. But what's happened here over the last three years has been phenomenal. It coincides with the growth and the strength of the provincial economy, but I dreamed when I came back that we'd hit 20,000 one day and here we are talking about capping it at 25,000. We've brought in 2,000 temporary seats once again to give us a capacity around 30,000. There's a lot of excitement there and it's allowed us to do the things we always wanted to do to take this team to the next level.

"I look at (the Grey Cup loss) as part of our growth as a team," said Hopson. "Montreal went to (seven) Grey Cups in the last decade and didn't win all the ones they'd like to.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

This is the one of eight state-of-the-franchise media conference calls the CFL is holding this month.

The Roughriders

Last year: 10-7-1, first in West; lost in Grey Cup to Montreal.

GM: Brendan Taman. Head coach: Ken Miller.

FYI: Miller said Thursday the Riders would only be interested in a return of veteran QB Kerry Joseph if the club felt during training camp they needed more experience behind starter Darian Durant.

Meaty question: How do the Riders replace dominant defensive ends John Chick and Stevie Baggs, both of whom headed to the NFL?

Notable: Since the Riders and Bombers met in the 2003 West Semifinal, Saskatchewan has amassed a 61-46-1 record and holds a 9-4 record in head-to-head meetings. The Bombers are 46-61-1 during that same span.

Quotable: "We have been working with him on how he works with coaches in the meeting rooms and taking more control and having more input in the offence. He's a bright young man and we'd like to see him be able to get ideas across. The other thing is we need for him to be more consistent. We gave the football away too many times last year and so consistency is an area he can improve." -- Miller on what QB Darian Durant will work on this season to improve his game.

-- Tait

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 7, 2010 C7