Rider Nation a bold bunch

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/09/2010 (5539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Green Buddha predicts a victory for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in today’s Banjo Bowl.

The large spray-painted figurine featured prominently at a party being held by Rider Nation — fans of the Saskatchewan team — at Hu’s Asian Bistro on Ellice Avenue on the eve of the annual game between the Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Fans of the Riders were painting the city green at various bars in the city, but there was only one venue that had the figurine and that was the Asian restaurant/bar.

"It’s lucky for us," said figurine owner Dean Foster of Regina.

"I’ve had it for six years. Some of the Riders players come over and rub its belly before the games."

Whether the players will be able to rub its green belly before today’s game is an open question right now.

"He’s been to every stadium in the CFL and 15 NFL stadiums and the only one he’s not allowed in is Winnipeg’s," Foster said.

"They must think he’s a weapon," chimed a passerby.

But Foster said while his figurine might miss the Banjo Bowl, its owner hasn’t for several years.

"It’s great — and we’ve won for a few years," he laughed.

Decked out with a green Riders T-shirt, a fedora with a green feather, and a purse shaped like a football with a Riders logo on it, Regina resident Sarah Evans was ready to cheer on her team — and party.

"This is my third Banjo Bowl — we came to watch the Riders win," Evans said.

"But the whole weekend is fun. The worst that has ever happened to me in Winnipeg is someone has smacked me in the butt."

Mind you, for the Winnipeg fan, what hurts is when you find Winnipeggers who are bleeding Rider green.

Scott Yaworsky is one of them. Sporting a green helmet festooned with green spikes sticking out of it and wearing a team jersey with ‘WPGRIDERFAN’ on the back, he was hoping the green and white would prevail over the blue and gold.

"This is like Christmas for me," Yaworsky said.

"I’ve been waiting for this all year, but I’m an enemy 365 days a year."

Inside the bar, most of the staff was wearing Rider team shirts or at least wearing green.

Mike Legge, the restaurant’s general manager, said it all started because some of his staff were Riders fans.

"We figured we have a party for the Bombers fans most weekends, why not do it for the Riders fans that are in town," Legge said.

Throughout the bar were green and white balloons and Legge said there were going to be Rider trivia questions and prizes handed out before the end of the night.

Winnipegger Shona Murphy and her 10-year-old son Tyler were also there to cheer on the Riders.

Murphy, though, comes by it honestly — she is originally from Saskatchewan.

"We’ve converted Tyler’s father," she said laughing.

As for Tyler, he knows why he cheers on the Riders while his friends at school cheer on the Bombers.

"They can actually win," he said, grinning widely.

Ouch.

Kick off time for the sold out game is noon today at Canad Inns Stadium.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca