Monday Morning Sentimonies: Mosaic Here I Come

It’s been 7 months since I last occupied my usual seat at Mosaic Stadium. Unfortunately, that last game left me with an overwhelming urge to defenestrate our QB and forced me to spend the last 7 months trying to drown that violent urge with alcohol (at least that’s the official story in regards to my alcohol intake). But that’s’ all but a memory now… a bitter memory that fills with rage… but a memory nonetheless.

Tomorrow we get to start fresh, with the first game of the year at Mosaic Stadium. Even though it’s just a meaningless preseason game, I’m still more excited than Michael Jackson at a boy scout convention (well maybe not that excited but you get the idea). It’s been too long since the stadium was filled with fans clad in green and white. Too long since the crowd erupted with cheers to the sound of “Bring Em Out, Bring Em Out”. Too long since it was last socially acceptable for a grown man to go out in public dressed in a costume. Too long since I performed the official Rider Prophet jig along with Work Safe Bob to the sounds of Last Saskatchewan Pirate. And most importantly too long since we last got drunk on a weekday… well with a credible excuse anyways.

Tomorrow night the much hated Calgary Stampeders come to town in a final tune-up before the regular season. For some players it’s a chance to get game ready for others it’s a final chance to impress the coach’s lest they be cut on Wednesday morning.

I’m excited to actually see the 2009 Riders play. I’ll be paying particular attention to the battle between Durant and Jyles at QB (Jyles will get the start), the performance of our D-line and the battle to back up Wes Cates at RB. I’ll also be watching intently to see who replaces Kitwana as the first man out of the tunnel (come on Gabe Nyenhuis… fingers crossed, baring that come on Luca Congi).

Even though it’s only preseason you can bet that the Riders have their eyes set on winning this one for the hometown crowd. With our vets back in the line-up I expect a far better performace than last week (mainly because short of bringing back Nealon Greene, Michael Bishop, Jason French, James Johnson, Henri Childs and Ken Nkyensen I don’t see how it could get worse).

Riders by a touchdown.

Around the CFL…

The Stamps have released LB JoJuan Armour following an onfield incident that Coach Hufnagel said violated team policies. Long story short, Armour is a douche bag that isn’t a good enough player for a quality coach like Hufnagel to ignore his douche baggery… which shouldn’t really come as a surprise to anyone.

The Ti-cats released WRs Sam Mitchell and Johnnie Morant. I find this move odd because outside of Rodriquez and Bauman these 2 are probably the best receivers out of a pretty weak field that the Ti-cats brought to camp. Then again I guess given head coach Bellefeuille’s patented ball control offense, there is very little need for quality receivers anyway.