Derek Mortensen/CFL.ca
It’s been over a decade since Neal Hughes played his first home game as a Saskatchewan Roughrider but the memory remains crystal clear.
“I will never forget it,” said the veteran running back, who was born and raised in Regina. “It was against the Toronto Argonauts in July.
“It was an outstanding feeling to walk out and look up in the stands and see the spot where I used to sit with my dad and watch the games.”
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With just hours until kickoff, we offer up all the headlines, videos, exclusive interviews and more in the 101st Grey Cup Centre. |
Nine players on the Riders’ roster for Sunday’s 101st Grey Cup game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were born in Saskatchewan, a province with a population of 1.1 million. All played university or junior football in the province.
“It’s important to have talented football players and talented Canadians,” said offensive tackle Ben Heenan, who grew up on a farm near Grand Coulee, just outside of Regina. “When there is a large portion of your Canadian players born and raised in Saskatchewan, I think it speak volumes of the talent that is here.
“For such a small population, the amount of players we have sent on to the next level, I think is a great sign of the football.”
Most kids playing minor football in the province have visions of someday wearing the green and white. Competing for a Grey Cup before a hometown crowd on the same field made famous by Saskatchewan natives like Roger Aldag and Ted Urness just makes it more special.
“Guys playing for Saskatchewan, being from Saskatchewan, tend to give it a little extra more on the field,” said Hughes, part of the Riders’ 2007 CFL championship team. “It’s a dream come true to play for their home team.”
Slotback Chris Getzlaf remembers the thrill of finally cracking the Riders’ roster.
“I had put in the time and preparation I needed to,” said the Regina native who was fifth in receiving this year with 63 catches for 1,045 yards. “I took my lumps sitting on the bench waiting for my opportunity to get to play.
“When it happened I was able to grasp it and hold onto it and I haven’t looked back.”
Left guard Brendon LaBatte might be the exception to the rule about Saskatchewan-bred football players. Growing up in Weyburn he was more focused on hockey and baseball, then later stock-car racing.
“When I was growing up there was only the one minor football team,” said Labatte. “I was over the weight limit to play in that league.
“We cheered for the Riders growing up but we weren’t a crazy big football family by any means.”
Weyburn was well represented at this year’s CFL awards with Labatte being named the top offensive lineman while Brett Jones of the Calgary Stampeders was chosen as rookie of the year.
Slotback Weston Dressler is from Bismarck, N.D., but appreciates the Riders’ hold on the province.
“In North Dakota we didn’t have any pro teams,” said Dressler. “I never had that experience of growing up and cheering for my team.
“Getting to know some of the guys here, playing with Getz for the last six years . . . you understand what the team means.”
Head coach Corey Chamblin said being from the wheat province doesn’t give anyone a free pass when it comes to making the team.
“It doesn’t matter if you are from here, you have to be good enough to be on this team,” said Chamblin. “When I looked at this team from a distance . . . the thing I noticed was its work ethic. It had a blue-collar mentality.
“I think that’s what you see when you get the Saskatchewan guys who are here. They work hard and they don’t let a lot of things affect them.”
General manager Brendan Taman said the Riders are the natural progression for local players.
“For whatever reason there are good programs in this province,” said Taman. “We do a good job of securing (players). If we don’t have them, it makes it easier to attract them in free agency.”
LaBatte, who played college football in Regina, was taken by Winnipeg in the first round of the 2008 draft. The Riders signed him as a free agent last February.
Quarterback Darin Durant, who was born in Florence, S.C., believes the Saskatchewan content helps give the Riders their identity.
“Those guys aren’t just here because they are from Regina,” said Durant. “They can play football.
“Being that they are from here, it helps the fan base, it helps merchandise sales, you name it. To have so many guys from this province helps out the organization in many different ways.”
The Riders understand the expectations being heaped on them as the team tries to win the Grey Cup for the fourth time in franchise history. LaBatte is confident the players can carry the weight of a province.
“We can’t put any extra pressure on ourselves just because it is the biggest game of the year,” he said.
“We have a lot of people cheering us on. It’s easy to pile on and do more than you normally should. As long as everybody knows their job and can do their job, we feel good about our game.”
The Rider past is filled with frustrating losses and missed opportunities. Getzlaf experienced the pain and frustration of losing the 2009 and 2010 Grey Cups. He hopes the Saskatchewan players on this team can write some new history.
“We’ve been there in the past and haven’t pulled it out,” he said. “We need to change that around. To have the opportunity to do that in front of Rider Nation, in front of my home-town, is a little bit special.”
