I Don't Believe What I Just Saw

The title of today's posting is a reference to the great baseball broadcaster Jack Buck. He uttered that phrase after Ozzie Smith hit a home run to give the St. Louis Cardinals a win over the L-A Dodgers in a playoff game in the 80's. He could have used it to describe a football game that many will talk about for a long time.

I'm guessing people still have nails this morning, but they need to buy new gloves after chewing the tops off of them after watching that instant classic. After some shuteye, (and yeah I was in bed early last night) here were my thoughts from the sidelines.

1)I don't know what was bothering Darian Durant early in the football game, but when he had to he got it together and showed why he is the one of the league's best.
2)Anyone who has followed football in Regina knows of what I speak when I say to Jason Clermont. "ITS ABOUT DAMN TIME". That comment is made in fun and not in spite. Everyone has wanted to see Clermont score a TD in a Rider uniform and some were wondering if it was ever going to happen. He's not the world's greatest interview, but he like many others are on that team a damn fine person and it was great to see him finally get his moment in the sun wearing green.
3)I have been going to Taylor Field for games for a long time. Many of those games have been spent in the press box, but once again yesterday I was on the east-side sidelines working the Lions bench for CKRM's game-day coverage. I have never heard the old girl as loud as what it was when Weston Dressler hauled in that bomb from Darian Durant, and when it came to the last play, the last thing I heard the golden tones of Rod Pedersen say was "Durant throws". After that, it was so loud that I couldn't even hear him or Carm in my headset. It was unbelievable. The next thing I knew I was on the air talking to BC's Travis Lulay. If the guys told me they were coming to me, I couldn't hear them. I've been on the field before after many Rider wins, but that one was surreal.
4) Speaking to guys like Lulay, Emannuel Arceneaux and Keron Williams, you could see the emotions welling up inside them with tears flowing the latter two. Make no doubt about it, B-C left everything on the football field.
5)Mike McCullough told Lulay after the game that he is going to be a star in this league. McCullough isn't lying. The poise that kid showed in that environment was tremendous.
6)What does it say about the Riders when they can come through not once, not twice, but three times after blowing it at the end of regulation to win.
7)Those who have criticized Wes Cates in the past can zip it for good.
8)The knives are quick to come out on one James Daley when his special teams unit fails, but I haven't heard one person compliment that group for their effort yesterday. Yonus Davis got away on the Riders once, but that was it.
9) How can you not be a Lance Frazier fan?
10) Jerrell Freeman is getting better and better and better with each game
11) Matt Dominguez said after the game that Eddie Johnson will be punting in the NFL next year. NOOOOOOOO!!!! I can't even say that I'd like to see Eddie go to Seattle, because the guy there is doing a pretty damn good job.
12)The Riders WILL beat the Stampeders in the Western final. I've always said this team was going back to the Grey Cup and after what I saw yesterday. I know they are. By the way, the Stamps are apparently having problems selling tickets to the Western final. I'm sure there are many who read this who can help that problem somewhat. ROAD TRIP!!!!! Make MacMahon Stadium ours next Sunday. The Stampeders won't know what hit them.
13)I'm disappointed that the Rider Nation did not sell out a playoff game. If some of you stayed away to watch from the comforts of your living room, you are missing out on the game day experience.


If you want to know what it was like in the Rider dressing room after, here you go....
-----
I had a feeling the Argos would play the Ti-Cats tough and I was right. How much will Marcel Bellefeuille think about his decision to run one last play before kicking a potential game-tying field goal. That one last play turned into an interception. Hamilton hasn't won a playoff game since 2001. When will that drought end?
-----
Can Toronto give Montreal a game in the Eastern final?
----
How many people, including me, were ready to start a David Braley conspiracy theory thread had the Lions and Argos won yesterday.
----
I didn't see much of the NFL yesterday, but I will say this

1)How the hell did the Cowboys beat the Giants?
2)I've said it once and I'll say it again. If you have Sunday Ticket, just find whatever game on CBS Gus Johnson is doing. Dramatic finishes follow that guy around. He did the game in Jacksonville yesterday and it ended with a Hail Mary being batted away from a Jags receiver only to fall into the hands of another Jags receiver who fell into the endzone for a victory over Houston. I can't find video of the call, but I've seen it. If you know Gus Johnson, you know what I'm talking about. Gus would have an aneurysm if he had to do Rider games this year.
3)The Patriots lose to the Browns one week and beat the Steelers the next. This is why the NFL is a week-to-week league. How can a team look so bad one Sunday and so good the next.
4)There's some work to do yet, but I think Seattle's win over Arizona gives them the inside track to maybe winning that division------and getting spanked in a wild-card game by the Falcons, Saints, Eagles, Bears or Packers.
5)How are the Bears 6-3 with Jay Cutler quarterbacking?
-----
Tiger Woods has now gone one year without a tournament victory. His last one was in Australia. Does anyone find it ironic that his last win was "down under"?
------
Wear the /=S=/ with pride today!!