Tales From The Angry Dome – Pick a (Jersey) Side
Published: Wednesday, Jun 21st 2017, 2:06pm
By: Greg McCulloch (@GregOnSports)
I would like to start off by telling a true story.
My dad is a Montreal Canadiens fan, one of the biggest I know. Growing up he always had a Habs hat on a pedestal in the living room right by the front door. That hat was never worn, it was a constant shrine in honor of the team.
Then the unthinkable happened in December of 1995, the hat came down and in its place was a burgundy and blue cap with the Colorado Avalanche logo on it.
My dad was so angry at the Patrick Roy trade that he swore off cheering for the Habs the rest of the season. He followed the remainder of Roy’s season in Colorado and celebrated the Stanley Cup victory hoping it taught the Canadiens a lesson. The next season the bleu, blanc, et rouge was back on the pedestal in its rightful spot.
The Habs have never won a Stanley Cup since, and frankly, I blame my dad…
Seriously though, he put a higher premium on the name on the back of the jersey than the crest on the front and to me that tarnishes his fandom.
Was Montreal’s leadership a gong show? Yes.
Was Montreal’s Head Coach Mario Trembley despised in Montreal? Oh ya.
Was Roy ever going to be on the same page with Trembley? Probably not.
Was Montreal’s best move trading away their most popular player? Nope.
Was he allowed to be pissed at the team? Oh hell ya.
Does this sound a lot like the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Darian Durant? Kind of freaky isn’t it.
I have seen so many Twitter and Facebook posts of Rider “fans” that want the Riders to lose because of Durant trade. If you are one of them, you are not a Rider fan.
You are a football fan who likes certain players and occasionally likes to wear green. End of story.
Which is fine, I am not saying you are not a fan. You just are not a Rider fan and there is nothing wrong with that. We need to remember, players in pro sports come and go, especially in the CFL.
If a player in the CFL long enough there is no way he plays his entire career with the same franchise. Geroy Simon will always be remembered as a BC Lion but he ended his playing career as a Rider. Henry Burris played on 4 different teams (and turned them all around, just ask him). Kevin Glenn has been a Rider on 3 separate occasions has been on 8 of 9 CFL rosters. The single team CFL veteran star is rarer than a Shawn Lemon Rider highlight.
I am sorry if you do not like the way the front office is rebuilding the team, but winning popularity contests does not get the Riders into a playoff spot.
So be a fan of the Riders or be a fan of the individual players but don’t straddle the fence. As for myself, I wish Darian nothing but the best and hope that he continues to be moderately successful… just not against the Riders.
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