Sharing YOUR Rider Pride – Week 3 – Jamie Mrazek

Sharing YOUR Rider Pride – Week 3 – Jamie Mrazek

Published: Wednesday, Jun 27th 2018, 6:06pm

As we all know, Rider Pride is world wide and our goal at the Piffles Podcast in 2018 is to share more of YOUR Rider Pride with the world! That’s why we are running a fan contest! We want to know more about YOU, the great Saskatchewan Roughriders fans!

This week, our spotlight is on Jamie Mrazek of Regina, SK.

How long have you been a Rider fan?

Since the day I was born in 1989. I attended my first game only a month after birth.

How did you get into cheering for the Riders in the first place? What made you a fan?

Cheering for the Riders is a family event for me. I am a die hard, my dad is a die hard, and his dad was a die hard. Our family farm was painted Green and White all the way down to the hundreds of fence posts that surrounded the lot.

What is your first Saskatchewan Roughriders memory?

My earliest Roughrider memory would be watching the Labour Day classic with my family. Every year we would buy the whole family tickets together (yes, you could by Labour Day tickets together, we were that bad!) and attend the game. It was always an amazing experience and I especially loved watching my favourite of the time, Bobby Jurasin, lighting up the field.

Do you have season tickets? How long have you had them? Who do you go to/watch games with?

I have the same season ticket I have had since I was old enough to need a ticket to enter games, and sat in the same seat from one month after birth until the demolition of Old Mosaic. I watch games with my family. Always have, always will.

What is your favourite part of going to a Rider game?

My favourite part of the Rider game is watching the pregame video prior to Bring ‘Em Out. It always gives me goosebumps, raises my heart rate, and brings a tear to my eye. My favourite part of going is being with my family: I have two working parents and an older brother, so going to Rider games was sometimes the only time we all spent together.

Do you have any game day rituals?

Yes! My day involves catching up on any articles I missed from the week, then tuning into 980 or 620 to start my game-day coverage. I then lay out my outfit for the day (every piece of clothing MUST be official Rider gear, socks included) and my face paints. Next is spending about an hour painting my face and getting my gear on. Finally I drive down to the game with my family, and make the glorious walk to my seat.

Who is your favourite CURRENT Rider? Why?

My favourite current Rider is Rob Bagg. My favourite players aren’t necessarily the most explosive. I prefer inspirational players that are role models. When I met Rob Bagg, it became clear that he is a class act and was super easy to just talk casually with. He is one of the hardest workers and has overcome so much adversity which is truly an inspiration to me. (Answered before the preseason)

Who is your favourite ALL-TIME Rider? Why?

My favourite ALL-TIME Rider is the one and only Canuck Truck, Chris Szarka. He was the first player I had a jersey of, the first signed jersey i had, and the player I own the most gear from. I always loved his consistent play and when he would do his famous Dolphin Dive on goal-line plays. Even Craig Reynolds told me that when they made the decision to release him, I was the first person he thought of and how disappointed I would be.

What is your favourite Rider possession that you own?

My favourite Rider possession is a tie. One would be my 2 footballs signed by the entire 2007 GC champs and the entire 2013 GC champs. The other is a gift from my mom where she framed a couple photos of me, my 2016 season ticket, and the final Old Mosaic commemorative ticket.

Besides Grey Cup wins, what is your favourite Rider moment of all time?

My favourite Rider moment besides GC 2013 was the 2013 West Semi-Final. I remember how I felt when DD put the team on his back and ran us to victory after being behind at the start of the 4th quarter. I was so excited that I was literally throwing my now fiancee in the air over and over again (she still is afraid every time we have a big win).

Besides Regina, what is your favourite CFL city to watch a game in and why?

I love watching games in WPG. I have begun going to the Banjo Bowl every year, and it is the epitome of fun. I love how everyone trash talks us, and we trash talk everyone, and then everyone shakes hands and crack a beer. I have had bad experiences at other stadiums, but WPG knows how to heckle without hurting and makes it an amazing trip every year.

What is your favourite Rider jersey in your collection?

My favourite Rider jersey is another tie. I love my GC 2013 jersey given its meaning, but I also love my old school Black and Green Szarka jersey since it was the first jersey I ever owned.

Finally, what does ‘Rider Pride’ mean to you?

Rider Pride means more that cheering for a time. It is my life, my blood, my everything. The Riders represent family given my families love for the team. The Riders are such a part of my life that my fiancee is allowing our wedding to be, in part, Rider themed including my suit, the decorations, and even playing the away game during the evening festivities. I would never move from Regina because then I would be moving from the Riders. I wear Rider gear every single day in some capacity. I have seen, heard, or attended every Rider game since I have been alive (even if it meant sitting in a hotel room in Mexico listening to the Rider App on my cellphone when we were getting pumped by Hamilton…).

You too, can win a weekly prize pack, just like Jamie Mrazek. Just fill out the survey and you are entered in! Enter today for your chance to win some great prizes!

Thanks to our great friends at Dairy Queen on Elphinstone Street and Sask Drive in Regina, Tall Grass Apparel, Cypress Hills Desitnation Area, Tae Kwon Do International, Mr. Mike’s, Coney Island Poutine Cafe, Jugo Juice, Canadian Pizza Unlimited and Fritou Chicken for their help in making this contest possible!