Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
No action til Melonheads swarm in
Calgary dull as dishwater so far
‘No, no, it’s Darian, not Kevin,’ Roughriders’ quarterback Darian Durant tells the assembled media horde in Cowtown. (JEFF MCINTOSH / THE CANADIAN PRESS )
CALGARY -- We'll start off with a joke that undoubtedly started in Saskatchewan and will be beaten to death here in Grey Cup central by week's end...
News release:
"A male, early 30s, dressed in a Stampeder jersey, was pulled out of the Bow River Sunday evening. As not to embarrass the family, the Stampeder jersey was taken off the deceased."
Ouch. Funny thing is, while this town is done up right -- there are Grey Cup banners and signs everywhere and they are setting up a Fan Fest site as planned -- there is no sizzle, no oomph. It's as if late Sunday, right around the time the Saskatchewan Roughriders dusted off the Stampeders in the West Final to end their quest to repeat as champions at home, all the air had essentially been let out of the party balloons.
We expect it to be dead until the crazies roll in from Saskatchewan on Thursday or Friday.
"I don't know what to expect, to be honest with you," said former Bomber GM Brendan Taman, now the Riders' director of football administration. "I think it'll be like a home game, I really do. It's going to be wild. There's a lot of people coming and they can drive, so, whoa boy. There are going to be a lot of people coming who aren't even going to go to the game. People will come on their Ski-Doos if it's snowing. I know the Gainer-mobile is on the highway right now as we speak."
VEGAS SAYS: Oddsmakers in Las Vegas have made the Montreal Alouettes -- 15-3 in the regular season and coming off a 56-18 spanking of the B.C. Lions in the East Final -- nine-point favourites.
DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT? TSN has done a solid job of handling games and promoting the CFL in its two seasons holding exclusive rights. And they'll do it up right this weekend with a big splash on Saturday and a huge pre-game show on Sunday.
But... Rider Nation must have cringed and cursed when they heard the promo for this weekend's games and Saskatchewan QB Darian Durant referred to as 'Kevin Durant.' Just so everyone is clear, Kevin Durant is the former Texas hoops star who now plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. Darian Durant, the Rider QB, has a younger brother Justin who plays linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
PARTY TIPS: Passing along this info for Grey Cup planners who are looking for some variety: the lounge in the Rider hotel in downtown Calgary is advertising the following cocktails:
"ö The Alouette: 2 oz. blueberry vodka, 3 oz. pink lemonade;
"ö The Roughrider: 1 oz. vodka, 1 oz. creme de menthe green, 3 oz milk;
"ö The Blue Bomber: 1 oz. blueberry vodka, 1/2 oz. peach schnapps, 1/2 oz. blue curacao, 3 oz. orange juice;
"ö The Tiger-Cat: 2 oz. tequila, 3 oz. orange juice;
"ö The Stampeder: 1 oz. chambord, 1 oz. vodka, 3 oz. cranberry juice;
"ö The Lions den: 2 oz. alize passion fruit, 3 oz. orange juice;
"ö The Eskimo: 1 oz melon liquer, 1 oz. sour apple, 3 oz. Sprite;
"ö The Argonaut: 1 oz. blueberry vodka, 1 oz. blue curacao; 3 oz. lemonade.
Sample at your own risk. (The Free Press will not be held responsible for any nightmarish hangovers come Monday morning).
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 25, 2009 C3
-
WFP Hockey
Download our new hockey app for the iPhone for Winnipeg Jets updates
-
Editor's Bulletin
Sign up for daily bulletins from editor Margo Goodhand
-
Winnipeg Jets
All things NHL on our Jets landing page
-
Twitter
Follow our reporters and our news feeds on Twitter
-
News Cafe
Check out the menu, read our blog posts or get info on coming events
-
Facebook Fanpage
Follow our Facebook Fanpage for story links, contests and special events
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Football
Poll
Most Popular
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- RCMP receptionist told Stobbe wife was dead
- Search is on for man seen leaving the scene where two Alberta Mounties were shot
- City family donates $1 million for endowed research chair in cardiology
- Province rules out reports of cougar in Transcona
- Cabela's to open massive store just west of IKEA site
- US teen gets life in prison for killing 9-year-old; called the murder "pretty enjoyable"
- Slain woman appears before jury on video
- Census 2011 : Immigrant influx boosts Manitoban population
- CNN's Roland Martin suspended for comments that sparked protest by gays
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Three winning tickets sold for Friday's $50 million Lotto Max jackpot
- Woman sexually assaulted during noon-hour in Exchange District
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- Eleven people killed after truck hits van in southwestern Ontario
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Stobbe said slaying during shopping trip 'strange': sister-in-law
- Tactical squad storms St. Vital house
- Restaurant Dubrovnik may be closed for good
- Do you smoke marijuana?
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- George Clooney's prank could end Pitt's career
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- Tina Maze strips down to her sports bra to send out underwear message: 'Not your business'
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Two children, two women die in fire
- Kate Beckinsale's weight fears over Underworld catsuit
- Harper driven by libertarian ideology, not reality
- Cabela's to open massive store just west of IKEA site
- Tassimo brewers and espresso packages recalled amid rupture, burn concerns
- Task force to review 2011 flood
- Winnipeg software company ranked top employer
- Pardon application fee to quadruple later this month despite complaints
- Province rules out reports of cougar in Transcona
- OMG! Candy kings back at it
- Lesson about war, power told with Shaw's comic touch
- Easy, economical, healthy soup
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- Northern fishing lodge destroyed by fire
- Police target drivers talking on cellphones, texting
- Harper driven by libertarian ideology, not reality
- Obama torn by conflicting allies
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Time, it appears, is on Assad's side
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- Bridging the gap between suburbs
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Paddler Starkell was modern-day voyageur
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Canadian woman 'badly injured' in Mexico, local media report apparent beating
- Winnipeg mother watches as car stolen with child inside
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- Local shooting spoofed on SNL
- The cost of calories: It's expensive to eat healthily
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.