LOCKER-ROOM BLOG
DALES: It's been an overwhelming ride
December 23, 2008
The fans were an integral part in our success this season. I don’t think we would have made the Grey Cup with out the fan support in the West Final. We played will, but I truly believe the fans are what gave us the edge. I really don’t think we would have won the game with out them and I really want to stress that.
BURRIS: It's been a dream come true
December 23, 2008
I have watched the recording of the game every day since we won. It feels better every time. I don’t quite tear up the same every time, but it feels just as good otherwise. I feel the same excitement and that’s definitely been a good thing.
ARMSTRONG: Dream of a lifetime
December 16, 2008
I haven’t had an opportunity to take the Cup out myself, but I think my favourite highlight so far was being introduced on Hockey Night in Canada. I grew up watching the program religiously as a small town Canadian kid and to be recognized there was a dream of a lifetime.
COTE: It's been an unreal experience
December 16, 2008
Following the hockey game, we went out to Cowboys to continue our celebration. I had told everyone that it was the first time I had taken the Cup out on the town, so they thought that I should carry it when we entered. Now to walk into Cowboys with the Cup over your head, you really feel like a rock star or something.
TSOUMPAS: Setting in that we are champs
November 26, 2008
Over the past couple days it has been setting in that we are the champions. Coming off the bus the other day I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face, the enthusiasm of the fans was great. Seeing all those people there was awesome. Things like that have made the feeling of winning the Cup, hit home that much more. The rally was awesome too. We were named ambassadors of the city and we were looking sharp in our cowboy hats. It has just been an all around great experience.
LABINJO: Champagne out of the Grey Cup
November 24, 2008
My favourite part of the game was when we took the lead. I said the whole second half, if we can somehow get the lead Montreal will not catch us. I should be honest, when Hank (Henry Burris) threw that touchdown pass to Ralphie (Brett Ralph), that is when I knew the offence would get it going. Or maybe it was the late Sandro DeAngelis field goal. Man, there were a lot of favourite moments. But to be completely honest the 49-yard field goal by Sandro was the moment of all moments. I think the team was thinking we were going to punt, but Sandro said, ‘no, I got it’. I knew this is coming from our guy, he led the league in scoring and when he had the confidence to say that in the Grey Cup, I knew we were going to win.
DICKENSON: The Grey Cup is so special
November 24, 2008
Well it was very satisfying to accomplish something like this, even in the position I was in. The game was so magnified. The moments of flow throughout the game changed so often. I felt it was a complete team effort. All three phases had a big part in the win. We made the plays and avoided the big mistakes. I thought it was fun to do it in their building. It is a highlight to take the Grey Cup away from the host team. To me that is as fun as anything, playing the role of the spoiler.
RASHEED: This was all about team
November 24, 2008
To see what this team has gone through adversity wise and injury wise has been unbelievable because there were a lot of doubts and questions about this team from day one. We finished this strong with the best record in the Canadian Football League and as champions. I would trade any of these guys for any other team in the world and I genuinely feel that everyone in our locker room feels the exact same. We all love each other and we believed in each other. We know what we are going to get from the guy playing next to us and know he is putting the team first. We have no individuals on this team. Every single player on every single play is going to give his all and that is what we have prided ourselves on all year.
CARPENTER: Happy to accomplish a team goal
November 23, 2008
A lot of things are running through my mind. I’m just so happy to accomplish a team goal like this. It was a one-heartbeat thing; everyone was striving for the same thing. A lot of guys put away personal goals to accomplish one goal as a team this year.
REYNOLDS: This is the biggest game of my career
November 22, 2008
Guys came in here with a business first attitude and we can’t wait for tomorrow to get here so we can leave it all out on the field. This is my fourth year here and this my first time here, so this is special. Being able to do it with a lot of the same guys I’ve played with over the last few years makes it more special.
LYSACK: I am so ready to play this game
November 22, 2008
In an eight team league you believe you have an opportunity to get back to the Grey Cup more often, but that is not the reality of it. The guys on our team are young guys and they are a little bit spoiled if they think this is going to happen all the time. It doesn’t. So if you think that way and think the chance to win the Grey Cup is going to happen every year, you are fooling yourself. But if you think the opposite and take full advantage of this opportunity, you can take home the prize and I hope we do.
PILON: This is a real special game
November 21, 2008
This is a real special game for me. The team is back here where we won the 2001 Grey Cup, in the same locker room and on the same sideline. That was my first full season here. It was a great season and, boom, I tore an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and missed the biggest game of my career. It has been a rocky road since then.
COPELAND: A hard time coming
November 21, 2008
Jeremaine Copeland, 8-0 dropping the blog here in Montreal. It has been tough, a hard time coming. I was fortunate make to the Grey Cup early in my career. I won one and then lost the next year, thinking we were supposed to win. But it has been a long span where I couldn’t make it here or couldn’t even make it out of the playoffs. It has been a rough road. You never know if you are gonna make it back.
RALPH: Grateful for the opportunity
November 20, 2008
I compare this a lot to the opportunity I had when I was at Boise State and playing in a bowl game. You go quite a bit early to the game. You get a chance to enjoy the festivities. I think you have to really focus on the task at hand and on winning the game. So most of the stuff that surrounds it, you have to be thinking football first. But it has been awesome to be with teammates and to realize you have done what you have set goals to do all year.
LAZEO: It's a humbling experience
November 20, 2008
You know, the big show is something I never thought I would get another chance at. The career is winding down, a couple of years left and I’ve been here twice and never thought I’d get back. This time everything is in a different level of focus for me. There is so much riding on this for me because what are the chances I will get back here again.
ANDERSON: Unbelievable to be here
November 19, 2008
Wow. This is how we are going to start this blog off Calgary. I’m just at a loss for words at this moment. When I reflect back on day one, back in training camp in May and we were talking about the Grey Cup and now to be here, it just hasn’t hit me yet. I’m just soaking in being one of the last two teams still playing right now. The whole league is going to be watching this show. As a player you dream about playing in this game.
CHEVRIER: It is going to be exciting
November 19, 2008
A lot of guys are really excited and for the guys playing in their first Grey Cup they have the right to be. It is very rare in a guy’s career that they get to a championship game.
DALES: Thank you fans
November 17, 2008
Another key ingredient to our success has been our fans. They came to McMahon on Saturday and they wanted to see us win the game. So they were loud all game. When BC’s offence was on the field they got even louder which helped our defence. Our fans have been there all year and we have something special here in Calgary. The fans have done an excellent job and we thank them for being there when we needed them the most.
ROBEDE: This is going to be great
November 17, 2008
It has been a busy week, so busy that I am not sure if it has hit me that we were going to be playing in the Grey Cup and that the game is in Montreal. When I get on the bus Tuesday to go to the airport I think what is happening will become reality. It is a weird feeling because I’ve never been to a Grey Cup before. It has been an awesome year and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I think this is going to be great.
PILON: It's been a long journey
November 15, 2008
It is been a long journey. It has been a bunch of years where I would think, holy cow am I ever going to make it back. I was fortunate to get there in 2001. There have been some rocky years up until this point. It was like holy geez you come in to the league in your first year, you think this is great and it’s easy to get to the Grey Cup. You get a bunch of guys like this together on a team.
SUMMERS: This was a big game
November 15, 2008
That was a big game! The offence was moving kind of slow at first, so when special teams got out there, I knew I had to make a big play. The kick-off return team did a great job blocking and I just picked a seam and rolled with it. Once they locked on it just seemed like they weren’t getting off.
LEWIS: Keep it rockin' all day
November 12, 2008
The players have been working all week preparing for this battle and it won't be easy, but it will be better if the house is rockin all day. I know people say we don't win playoff games and those same people also say our stadium isn't a loud stadium to play in. Well, as a player we have something to prove, and as fans you have something to prove. The best thing is that we have the chance to prove it at the same time.
LABINJO: Be wild and crazy
November 12, 2008
I want all the Stamps fans to come out this Saturday and be wild and crazy. I want us to be known as the loudest stadium in the CFL. I want BC to say ‘shoot’ we can’t focus out there, we can’t communicate cause the fans are too crazy and too loud.
DICKENSON: Bring the noise
November 12, 2008
The one thing I am hoping is that the crowd has unlimited energy. You know the great crowds you remember are those that are loud through the whole game. It is always going to be loud in the first quarter, but it’s the crowd that can keep it going for four quarters that will make a difference. The crowd needs to be as loud as possible when the opposing team has the ball and if you the fans can keep up that intensity, it will wear them down and it will be a big factor.
THELWELL: I'm ready to go
November 11, 2008
For me it’s not even the fact we are playing B.C., it’s the fact we are playing in the West Final at home. I’ve been excited for the last two weeks. I’m ready to go. It just adds a little bit extra that we are playing B.C., my former team of six years in the West Final. I don’t think I’ve been this excited for a game in a long time. It’s gonna be fun.
