The worst kept secret in Regina became official Thursday night. The 101st Grey Cup game will be played at Mosaic Stadium on November 24, 2013. It will be the 3rd time the CFL's championship game will have been played at Taylor Field/Mosaic Stadium and you know what, we deserve to have another opportunity to host football fans from across this great country of ours and to showcase this city for what it is---a vibrant, growing community that is fast becoming the place to be.
At one time it was said Regina was too small to host the Grey Cup, there weren't enough hotels. You could not depend on the weather as you never know what you are going to get in Saskatchewan in late November. Its all a bunch of blah, blah, blah as far as I'm concerned. We showed Canada in 1995 and again in 2003 what a Grey Cup in the middle of the prairies can be all about and in 2013, we will "Party On the Prairies" and party we will.
I think we know in Saskatchewan that our attendance is what makes a Grey Cup special. Other teams can crow all they want, but whether the game be in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton or wherever, there are more Rider fans on the street helping make the party and the week-long festival the success that it is. That party is now coming to our backyard. We have the hotels, we have the warm-weather gear if we need it (and hopefully we won't) and we have the spirit to make the 2013 Grey Cup the best damn Grey Cup there's ever been.
Jim Hopson and Roger Brandsvold are acting as co-chairs which is nothing but good news and if Neil Donnelly can do as executive director what he has done for the past number of years serving at Evraz Place and bringing Regina top notch event after top notch event, we are already off to a winning start as some great people are behind what will be a week to remember.
Regina and Saskatchewan are ready to show Canada what Pat Fiacco and Brad Wall have been telling us and what we have been seeing up-close. That is that Regina and Saskatchewan are the places to be. Its hard to think its just 772 days away. With that, the mission is also clear for someone else to ensure that the party ends on a great note. I don't think I have to tell you who I am talking about when it comes to that statement.
Can you imagine what it would be like from Estevan to La Ronge if for some reason (and there's nothing saying they can't do it) Marc Cohon ended the week-long festival by presenting the Grey Cup to the Riders. We might never stop celebrating. I can't wait for November 24, 2013 and I'm guessing you can't either. Congrats to all involved in bringing the Grey Cup back to Regina and back to Saskatchewan. We deserve it!!!
The 2013 Grey Cup video can be seen at http://www.riderville.com/video/index
4 comments:
Well said!
The only thing I don't like about this is playing the game in Mosaic. I would have gladly waited until 2015 or 16 if it meant playing the game in the new facility.
Matt
If the Riders were to win the GC in 2013, we (the Rider Nation) might tear Mosaic down. I don't know if Regina would be ready for such a thing or Saskatchewan too. One can dream though!!
perry
13th man in 2013 Grey Cup
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