A hardy bunch of Canadians will gather this Sunday for the 107th time in a city with a football stadium to–at the very least–partake in some darn good parties and, yes, watch a football game.
This year it’s between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
It’s Grey Cup time in Canada, everybody!
This year it’s in Calgary, Alberta.
Game time: 4 p.m.
Hamilton Tiger Cats wide receiver Brandon Banks (16) celebrates his highlight reel touchdown catch from quarterback Dane Evans (9) in the East Division final against Edmonton, won by the Cats 33-16. (Peter Power/Canadian Press )
Winnipeg last won in 1990, Hamilton in 1999.
For the record Hamilton is favoured by 3.5 points.
The two teams have a Grey Cup history–most famously in the 1962 game, known forever as “The Fog Bowl.”
If it wasn’t the most memorable Grey Cup ever, it certainly was the most bizarre, taking two days to play after fog rolling in from Lake Ontario covered Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers celebrate after defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders 20-13 in last Sunday’s CFL West Final. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)
Nobody–neither players nor fans–could see a damn thing.
The game was halted with nine minutes and 29 seconds to go on Dec. 1, a Saturday, with the Bombers leading 28-27.
That’s how it ended the next day when the teams returned to complete the proceedings.
There will be no repeat of THAT on Sunday; we’ve got what passes for a balmy Canadian November day.
The forecast calls for a mix of sun and clouds with a high of three Celsius–no rain, no snow, no fog, no mud.
Bruce Dowbiggin. (cbc.ca)
In the eye of the Grey Cup storm is Calgary resident Bruce Dowbiggin, author, sportswriter, broadcaster and host of the Not the Public Broadcaster website.
I spoke to him Friday about Grey Cups and what they mean.
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