The 99th Grey Cup: Lions vs. Bombers

Almost five months and 76 games of football have come and gone in the 2011 CFL season and it all comes to one game for the biggest prize in Canadian football. It’s crazy how quickly we get spoiled with the Riders being in 3 of the last 4 Grey Cups. I watched and enjoyed the Grey Cup every year despite the fact that the only Riders making the trip to the big game were the Trailblazers (back before they did flips and shit and really just shook their pompoms). Yet this year I’m finding it hard to get excited for the game. Which is weird because I love all kinds of football and have devoted many hours to watching games with far less build up and featuring far crappier teams. I’m sure once Sunday roles around I’ll be excited like normal but the whole “Riders being good for a while” thing really messes with your perspective.

Sunday League MOP Travis Lulay (still can’t believe Calvillo didn’t win by default… not that Lulay is not deserving but voters just tend to go with Calvillo regardless. See: Richardson, Jamel) leads the Lions against the Blue Bombers led by Defensive Player of the Year Jovon Johnson (still surprised that Freeman didn’t win).  The Lions are looking to cap an amazing midseason turnaround from a horrendous 1-6 start. The Bombers are looking to complete their own turnaround from a league worst 4-14 last season. The message here is that there is at least hope for us Rider fans.

For me the game essentially boils down to this: Both teams have great defenses but only one team has a great offense. As good as the Bomber D is, I just don’t think their offense has enough talent to keep them in the game.

Reigning MOP throwing to Geroy Simon and Arland Bruce = way better than Buck “I was statistically inferior to Durant this season” Pierce throwing to Edwards and Watson. It’s that simple.

Buck Pierce has always been considered a great QB who could never play a full season. This year however, he played pretty much a full season but wasn’t very good. Makes me think that Buck only has so much talent and just looked good before because he condensed it all into 5 games. This year when you spread it out over a full season it doesn’t look so good.

Personally I wouldn’t mind seeing the Bombers win their fans have been waiting so log since their last championship that most of their adult fans were in elementary school back then. To be fair though most of those adults are still in elementary school but that’s beside the point.

So Sunday my heart is on the Bombers but my wallet and brain are one the Lions. Either way odds are the will be some sort of riot after the game likely involving a bunch of people who do not even follow sports.

I just hope the game is exciting and a fitting finale to another great CFL season (minus the whole Rider gong show which I will soon have all offseason to write about).