Rod Pedersen
CFL.ca
It wasn’t the way they planned to be at Grey Cup 2008 in Montreal, but they’ll take it.
Saskatchewan Roughriders lineman Gene Makowsky and slotback Weston Dressler are at Grey Cup week in Montreal as the CFL West Division’s nominees for Most Outstanding Lineman and Rookie of the Year, respectively.
“Not being there (playing in the Grey Cup), I guess this is the best thing,” Makowsky said this week. “Representing your teammates and your organization at the Grey Cup is definitely an honour and I’m glad to have been picked to go there.”
Makowsky’s becoming as much of a fixture at Grey Cup as the Spirit of Edmonton and the Calgary Stampeder pancake breakfast. He won the CFL Most Outstanding Lineman Award in 2004 and 2005 and is up for the trophy again Thursday night at the Gibson’s Finest 2008 awards. In 2007, Makowsky was at Grey Cup in Toronto as a member of the eventual champion Saskatchewan Roughriders.
This time around, Makowsky opposes Montreal Alouettes guard Scott Flory of Regina for the league award. Ironically, the two were teammates with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
“It’s pretty neat,” Makowsky smiled. “I think last year it was Scott and BC’s Kelly Bates who were up for the honour, who are both ex-Huskies. It’s good. I played one year with Scott at the U of S. He was just a young little freshman when I was a senior and you could tell he was going to be a good player.”
At 35 years of age, Makowsky was humbled to have been nominated for a third time as the Most Outstanding Lineman in 2008. However it wasn’t a hard choice for voters, since Makowsky started at tackle, guard and centre throughout the season due to injuries on the offensive line.
“I’ve never played centre for a string of games together before,” Makowsky explained. “I might’ve started a preseason game many years ago there, but this year when Jeremy O’Day got hurt, they went with me. It wasn’t the ideal situation to be moved around each week, but injuries occur and it’s something you have to adjust to.”
As for Dressler, a trip to Montreal for Grey Cup will be just another highlight in a star-studded rookie campaign. The sure-handed slotback from Bismarck, ND was the Riders’ lone 1,000-yard receiver in 2008 and was voted the Riders’ Most Popular Player by the fans in his freshman campaign.
“I’m just proud and honoured to be a part of this,” Dressler said quietly. “I wouldn’t be here without my teammates and the coaching staff around me. Their trust in me allowed me to play and show what I can do, and that’s why I’m in the running for an award like this.”
Like Makowsky, a trip to Grey Cup is bittersweet for Dressler as their Rider teammates failed in their quest to repeat as Grey Cup champions.
“I wanted to go with the rest of the team, obviously,” explained Dressler. “But I’m still excited to go to Montreal and experience Grey Cup for the first time.”
And that’s what makes Grey Cup so much fun.
Rod Pedersen is Voice of the Riders on 620 CKRM Radio.
