103rd Grey Cup: Winterpeg was Rockin'

#TwineTime + #103GC = Priceless Sports Weekend

Oh Grey Cup weekend....you are always one helluva experience.  For those who have never ventured off to a rival football city to bare witness to the Canadian Football League championship game, consider putting this on your sports bucket list.  This year I celebrated a personal milestone Grey Cup, my 5th Anniversary!  I have been to Grey Cup games in Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto and Regina. I have seen every team play (my Riders twice actually) in the Grey Cup, minus Edmonton and Ottawa.  What are the odds Edmonton and Ottawa would be the two teams taking the field in this year's championship game?  Well to celebrate the milestone event, this year I ventured to Canada's version of the Windy City: Winnipeg, Manitoba!  Or, as is commonly referred to by Canadians across the nation, Winterpeg.  It gets COLD here!

How you gear up for Grey Cup!
#GoRiders

Now for those familiar with the CFL and my passion for my home town Saskatchewan Roughriders, you would understand heading to Winnipeg is literally walking straight into enemy territory.  The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are our main rivals.  We hate them!  They hate us!  To walk around downtown Winnipeg sporting the green and white all weekend is asking for trouble.

But here lies the specialty of Grey Cup weekend.  All you see is fans from ALL teams.  From the bright orange of Lions fans to Stamps red to black & yellow TiCats to Argonauts blue.....the full flag of CFL colors is on display.  While all season us fans debate back and forth why our team is better than your team, once we all convene on one location at the end of November, everyone becomes one fan....a CFL fan!  Sure there is the odd "Riders Suck" or "Bombers Suck" chant going on but it is all in good fun.  At the end of the day, we are all fans of the league and in true Canadian fashion we get together every end of November to enjoy a few choice cold beverages and celebrate together.

As I sit down to try and write about my fan experience for Grey Cup, I truly struggle in how to capture the ambience of the festival.  Can words really describe what it is like to be at the Spirit of Edmonton or Riderville?  Can a few sentences accurately capture the new friends you meet?  Will stringing together words depict  the experience of being at the Grey Cup game itself?  Nope!  Not at all!  So, in a #TwineTime first, rather than spout off more words, I am going a different direction.

I took over 300 pictures in 3 days.  Don't worry, I will save all of you from the "grandparents trip to Arizona" slideshow but I thought perhaps just putting a few pictures in this blog space would better represent what the Grey Cup experience is.  I added captions to the photos for perspective of course.  I would recommend just clicking on the 1st pic and scrolling through if interested (don't judge on the visual layout ok? LOL).  Easier to actually see the pictures.  Enjoy....



The Spirit of Edmonton is THE place to be!
#SpiritYEG

The famous Redblacks Super Fans, Lumber Joes,
were in the house

Although Esks fans maybe weren't as impressed



 

 

 

 

 

You even get Twitter wall famous from
CFL Podcast of the Year winners



When in Winnipeg,
need to see the Jets!

Playing some CFL Trivia Jenga,
won a free football :)

Time for CFL Cheer Extravaganza!

The Nissan Street Festival is always
fun for fans of all ages

Never miss the Riders Spirit Squad
#GoRiders

Hanging out at Mike Reilly's locker in the Shaw tent...
don't let my face fool you, I am a fan of his LOL



Always excited for 1 of my fav Riders!!



Yup, we are best friends now LOL

Been a fan of Hank for years. Met him & his wife
a few years ago at Grey Cup, they are both #beauties

The Santa Claus/Grey Cup parade...at night?

The calm before the storm at Riderville



Yes, yes you do!

Another night at #SpiritYEG

We were here every night

Best party in town every Grey Cup...and free!

Welcome to IG Field



The host for #103GC game

You should be HERE!

#TwineTime meets #103GC



Dean Brody kicking off the festivities

Here comes the cup!

YOUR Eastern Champs: Ottawa Redblacks

YOUR Western Champs: Edmonton Eskimos

Pre-game prayer for Esks players

Opening Kick Off...Game On!

Opening drive...Opening TD for Redblacks

Reilly gets the Esks on the board though

Halftime Show: Fall Out Boy



Not bad seats either...they were just above us

Mmmmm fire = heat! More please :)

Fireworks for everyone

Hank driving the boys down the field

Reilly driving the game winning TD

Victory Formation: Eskimos!

Congrats Esks!

We just met at the game :)

Celebration Time



Confetti for everyone :)

Time for the Cup



Selfie love with Esks FB Calvin McCarty

FB Calvin McCarty
celebrating after the W

YEG Mayor Don Iveson &
MVP Mike Reilly share a bro hug



Hanging with MVP Mike Reilly after the game :)



Post Game Party Time! Yay for scoring free tickets :)



Drink up CFL fans



My new best friend Jacquie & I
enjoying the Post Game Party

Riders + Bombers + Esks =
Great CFL Fans!



On your knees Esks fans for Bomber girls



Pyramid attempt gone wrong LOL

My sketchy hotel LOL



3:30 a.m. finally home,
flight in 2.5 hours

Sleep Time..I miss my
 king sized bed :(

As noted at the top of this post, the 103rd Grey Cup host city is often called Winterpeg.  Well it did not live up to this name this weekend, thankfully!  Sure it was a bit cold due to the wind but game time temperatures hovering around -7C (-14C with wind) is nothing to stray away from.  Dress appropriately (or keep drinking more) and you survive quite fine.

Hopefully the images above help capture how Grey Cup is a historic celebration across our great country.  It is a place where the entire nation truly does unite as one in the spirit of the game.  Grey Cup really is everything the Super Bowl should be but isn't.  The designation of each team hosting their own party, or "spirit" room, is quite unique.  Imagine every NFL team hosting a party every Super Bowl?  Crazy!  In the CFL, we do it!  Live music, drinks flowing, crowds of CFL supporters...what more do you want?  Oh players, alumni and VIP guests?  They show up as well.  Want to meet a team GM?  Yup, they are there too.  I should know...I stood next to one for most of an evening.  The fans, players, team personal, cheer team members all come together as one.  There is no extra security needed.  This is Canada!  Everyone walks around together and enjoys the celebration.  In 5 years of attending the Grey Cup festival, do you know how many fights I have witnessed?  NONE!  Nope, not one.  I think this is unique to Canada and Grey Cup.  Now I cannot say drama doesn't happen but having not witnessed it in 5 years, in 5 different cities, at various parties and celebrations....I'd say my sample size is fairly accurate. 

Next year's Grey Cup will be played in Toronto.  If you have never been, I highly recommend checking it out.  Take in the weekend festivities.  Visit as many team spirit rooms as possible.  Step outside your comfort zone and start conversations with random strangers.  Most importantly.....HAVE FUN!!!

Maybe I will see some of you in a year from now partying your ass off.....