Pilsner cowboy hats, available here?

[Yeah_Baby]

You guys better be nice to GL. Otherwise he'll report us to the 'internet poleece' and they will backtrace us.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by worth

I would argue that the type of player that suits each league is different.

I don't agree with everything this guy has to say, but he makes some good points.

http://community.foxsports.com/USACanadian/blog/

I would argue that up to 10 or 15 years ago this was true, especially when the CFL could offer competitive wages, but it's a lot less true now. We've seen a pretty large influx of small, skilled players in the NFL over the last decade. Take a look at guys like DeSean Jackson, Santana Moss, Maurice Jones-Drew. They exceed in the NFL because they're incredibly talented despite their sizes.

The reason CFL players exceed in the CFL, despite their size, is because everyone else is all roughly the same size. The guy in that article argues that you need to be a mobile and creative quarterback to play in the CFL. I'd argue that guys like Ricky Ray and Anthony Calvillo fly straight in the face of that. I have no doubt in my mind a guy like Phil Rivers would be an instant upgrade on someone like Henry Burris because he can flat out think the game better.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I would argue that up to 10 or 15 years ago this was true, especially when the CFL could offer competitive wages, but it's a lot less true now. We've seen a pretty large influx of small, skilled players in the NFL over the last decade. Take a look at guys like DeSean Jackson, Santana Moss, Maurice Jones-Drew. They exceed in the NFL because they're incredibly talented despite their sizes.

The reason CFL players exceed in the CFL, despite their size, is because everyone else is all roughly the same size. The guy in that article argues that you need to be a mobile and creative quarterback to play in the CFL. I'd argue that guys like Ricky Ray and Anthony Calvillo fly straight in the face of that. I have no doubt in my mind a guy like Phil Rivers would be an instant upgrade on someone like Henry Burris because he can flat out think the game better.

There's also a flase notion that guys who are considered slow in the NFL would be slow in the CFL, in a lot of cases that's simply not true. The style of play might be faster overall, but the players aren't faster in a lot of cases. There are certainly guys in the NFL who simply wouldn't fit in to the CFL style, but they're few and far between.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by valo403

There's also a flase notion that guys who are considered slow in the NFL would be slow in the CFL, in a lot of cases that's simply not true. The style of play might be faster overall, but the players aren't faster in a lot of cases. There are certainly guys in the NFL who simply wouldn't fit in to the CFL style, but they're few and far between.

Pretty much. People like to point out guys who have gone from the NFL to CFL and crashed out, but it's not like the majority of these guys were decent NFL players either. Most of them were third-string or practice squad fodder.

[JBR]

[Jesse834]

Burris thinks Riders fans are the best hands down. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/C.../14787331.html

[CaptainCrunch]

He might say that, but I believe that he wants to really cram it in their faces. The treatment and the scorn that he got after leaving that team was over the top and more then a bit ######ed.

I remember one game I think it was in Regina where a bunch of Rider fans had made up Bank Burri$ T-Shirts and heckled him throughout the game and Burris ended up lighting them up.

Then after the final gun, he turned to the fans held his helmet over his head and pointed to the Stamps logo.

[GreenLantern]

“They have the best fans in the game. That’s hands down,” said Burris, a former Rider. “They help make the game what it is here in the CFL. We’re thankful to have them.”

Amen brother, amen.

Go Green.

[Wiggum_PI]

Burris is a super nice guy so of course he's going to say something like that. I've never heard him make any negative comments during interviews. However, he has a totally different perspective being a player on the field vs a Stampeders fan in the Safeway section. Point is, he doesn't experience all the drunken nonsense in the stands. I bet his opinion would be different if had to sit and watch a game from the Safeway section.

[algernon]

I have a dirty secret to admit...

A couple of years ago, I went to a game (Riders were 5-0 going in) with my cousin visiting from saskatchewan.....*gasp* dressed like rider fans, complete with a water mellon sculpted into a mullet on my head.

We were respectful, but a little taunting towards the end of the game. I quit the "6 & 0!,6 & 0!" chants when a little old lady Stamps fan told me to shut up or she was going to punch me in the face.

Afterwards, my cousin told me to leave him (220 pound completely bombed,green jersey with flag tied around his neck guy), at that bar in Brentwood. When I woke up in the morning, he was sleeping on my couch. Turns out he got lost trying to walk to my place (Max Bell Arena) somewhere in Brentwood. The Cops picked him up, and rather than beating him down, drove him to my house.

So, I don't know where all this venomous rivalry is coming from... I just don't get why people chant "Riiiiiiders!" at games not involving them.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by algernon

We were respectful, but a little taunting towards the end of the game. I quit the "6 & 0!,6 & 0!" chants when a little old lady Stamps fan told me to shut up or she was going to punch me in the face.

He he he, we all know how that season turned out for the Riders (Oddly enough with beer cans raining on Lion players at Mosaic ). Probably much the same as this year should the usual suspects chant "4 & 0, 4 & 0" after Saturday's game!

For the "It takes two to tango" Riders fans in this thread and on the thread on "GoStampsGo" this new cocky Rider attitude is exactly why some idiot Stamps fans toss a few punches your way. If you wear a paper hat at McDonalds, you're going to get orders. Sure that doesn't take the idiot Stamps fans off the hook, but the presence of Rider fans in numbers and inebriated is the direct cause of problems at the stadium. No pre-game party at Foothills and responsible alcohol comsumption = great football game experience for all involved, much like last fall's classic 44-44 tie game. Pre-game party at Foothills = the last time there was a Rider party at Foothills where cops had to battle the masses of fans in the cheap seats all day long.

[algernon]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

!

For the "It takes two to tango" Riders fans in this thread and on the thread on "GoStampsGo" this new cocky Rider attitude is exactly why some idiot Stamps fans toss a few punches your way.

I'm from Calgary, I just dressed the part to have fun with my cousin. BTW, we didn't have any trouble, in fact we chatted with lots of people and had a great time. I agree, if you liquor up a bunch of rowdies, stuff is a lot more likely to happen.

[chalms04]

I hope I don't get punched in the face because of my 14th Man sign on Saturday.

[worth]

hahaha brilliant

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by algernon

I'm from Calgary, I just dressed the part to have fun with my cousin.

Sounds like you're both from Saskatchewan

[Cecil Terwilliger]

I have been invited to this game by a friend of mine who is a Stamps season ticket holder. The guy I'm going with is a diehard Stamps fan but I have a buddy who is a Riders fan so I think I might borrow his jersey and conduct a social experiment and see if either of us get accosted by the other teams fans. I'll report back here on Sunday and let everyone know if these barbaric Rider fans are as bad as people say.

I think we are in section V so we'll be close to the rowdy end sections. I've been to several Stamps games but always against BC or Tor and such. I was at Labour Day last year and it was incredibly tame but that might have something to do with the fact that Calgary destroyed Edm.

[Tron_fdc]

A few years ago I went to a riders game with about 10 guys who were all from Sasky. For some reason Mcmahon puts them all in one section, and it's all green.

Being the a-hole I am, I wore a stamps jersey (borrowed from my bro, I don't own one or even follow football for that matter) and wore it into the sea of green.

It was totally fine. Other than the odd taunt, and me standing up declaring I would be there all game, and asking what it meant when the stamps got a "first down", I never had a problem.

They take their games pretty seriously, but for the most part people from the flatlands are great to hang out with.

[Beerfest]

Originally Posted by chemgear

I thought they threatened his wife and kids as well. (I'm a bit behind on this thread.)

And really, it's the CFL and the Riders - what is there to get so wound up about? What is there to be so proud/epeen about?

Because people care about the CFL.

[Howie_16]

Originally Posted by MJM

No one had a problem with Rider fans until about 5 years ago. It's not Rider Fans people have a problem with (there's a lot of intelligent Rider fans out there that care a whole lot about the CFL and the state of the interior league in general), it's the new breed of Rider Fan people (including most older Rider Fans) have come to loath.

This new breed of Rider fan is someone in the 20-27 demographic who has determined that the "cool" thing to do if you are from Saskatchewan is to get absolutely F'n bombed before, during, and after a CFL game and shout as obnoxiously as possible that you are from Saskatchewan the greatest place on earth (even though ironically they can't live there and sustain your line of work). They are straight out of the U of S, got their first 50K a year entry level job in the corporate sector of Calgary , and think their really important because of it. These aren't CFL fans, these are a bunch of drunken morons that would rather create a scene than enjoy a good football game. Older Riders fans are awesome, they've been through it all, been as low as you can get, seen their team on the brink of extinction, and stuck through it to the end. These new dults look at you like your lying when you ask them if they remember when Taylor Field was half empty and the Riders were on league life support. They are an embarassment to their team, the CFL, themselves, and more importantly the Province they seem to think in some twisted way they are supporting.

I know for a fact that in the midst of any Edmonton/Calgary rivalry it never got like this on either side. When a man I work with, a die hard Rider fan, refuses to bring his child to any game featuring the Riders you know something is wrong. Concidently enough, he has no problem bringing them to any other game of the year fully-decked out in their Rider gear. TSN can play up this "Great fan" BS for one of their key demographics all they want, but ask most fans in Edmonton, Calgary, and BC have had enough and their reputation is fast-spreading and it has nothing to do with the players on the field or their record either.

The best non-hockey post in CP history. Thanks again MJM!

This is the truth of 'Rider Pride:

[jeremywilhelm]

Being a rider fan is like being a Calgary Fan shortly after the cup run in 04. As much as most of you hate the riders fans, you ARE the riders fans, just 5 or so years removed.
It is amusing to watch the similarities between what happened in Calgary after 04 and what is happening currently in Riderland.