It's been about three hours since Saskatchewan proved that I have no business making football predictions (and cost Dan a pretty Pro-Line penny). Now, using a combination of personal recollection, archived MSN conversations, and notes I left myself in a variety of places - primarily the essay I'm working on for PO263 - here are my thoughts of Grey Cup Sunday, organized chronologically.
4:40 PM - I've been watching the CBC's pre-game show for over an hour now, and I've seen Sloan perform a song I don't recognize, as well as an interview with Super Dave Osborne (it may have been a Super Dave impersonator, I'm not completely sure). Hopefully I didn't miss the best blogging material before getting this idea.
4:55 PM - Elliotte Friedman (if not for his deep voice, I'd assume 'Elliotte' is the feminine version of 'Elliot') introduces a handful of CBC cameramen. On a possibly unrelated note, we never got the shots of Kim Mitchell in concert that we were promised.
5:21 PM - The pregame show has taken on a more serious tone, Elliotte being joined by the CBC's panel of analysts. Not fun for blogging.
5:45 PM - Player introductions start. Each team gets maybe a dozen players introduced by name (seemingly chosen at random), the rest of the team comes out as one. Also, the introductions alternate between English and French, and I'm surprised that none of the American players introduced in French miss their cues.
5:57 PM - And now, to sing O Canada, the Barenaked Ladies! They start off slow and somber, adding some nice harmonization near the end. I give them an A.
6:02 PM - The ceremonial coin toss is really more of a coin drop. Nice going, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario.
6:12 PM - Scotiabank seems to have the market for commercials which are only clever if you're completely immersed in them covered. Likewise for the market of commercials which talk about talking about onions.
6:13 PM - The Rogers 'family' commercials, on the other hand, get more annoying every time you see them. YES, WE GET IT. YOUR FISHING BUDDY'S NAME IS ROD. FISHING ROD. IT'S A PUN. At least they rotate the commercials once in a while.
6:19 PM - In the unlikely event these CFL/War Amps commercials continue past today, Cody could become a national icon. Kinda like that kid from the McCain's Cool Quenchers commercial. You know who I'm talking about.
6:25 PM - Small Soldiers is not available on DVD. I'm 100% confident that this had nothing to do with the game.
6:28 PM - I have officially given Ryan Dinwiddie the nickname 'Dinnerplate'. It's longer, but much easier to type. Try it for yourself!
6:32 PM - In hockey terms, what Saskatchewan just did would be called 'too many men on the ice'. In football, it's apparently an 'illegal substitution'. Substituting somebody for nobody? Yeah, I guess I can see that.
6:33 PM - Winnipeg has a player named Tom Canada. He's American. Somehow, I have yet to hear a parody song to the tune of 'O Canada'. Who do I call to complain about that?
6:41 PM - Cody makes his second appearance. At this rate, he might even surpass the kid who buys his dad and grandfather a Tim Horton's coffee every Christmas.
6:42 PM - We're back from commercial and Saskatchewan is punting. I'm reasonably sure that when the break started, Winnipeg was punting. Did CBC really just throw a commercial break over the actual game?
6:54 PM - Is Wendy's not freezing their burgers really that important? A&W freezes theirs, and they're still better. Plus the whole sanitation thing.
7:06 PM - Saskatchewan has a grand total of -20 yards so far this game. This explains why they haven't scored yet, but not why (or how) Winnipeg only has 5 points.
7:15 PM - Saskatchewan looks to finally be nearing the endzone...except that whoever had the ball for them (I can't remember) fumbles it on his way to the ground, it bounces to the endzone, and after a big pileup, Winnipeg gains possession (and another two points). On the plus side, we now have the more normal-looking score of 7-0.
7:18 PM - And the Riders quickly tie it up, 7-7.
7:38 PM - 10-7 Saskatchewan at halftime. Introducing the halftime show, Elliotte Friedman informs us that "the public address announcer is single."
7:49 PM - I get a phone call and miss American Woman. Luckily, I'm sure it'll be on Youtube by the time I wake up.
8:03 PM - Winnipeg coach Dave Berry asks CBC reporter Brenda Irving if the question she just asked was approved by her mother. I don't get it.
8:16 PM - One CBC announcer speaking about a player - "now he's on his horse". Winston Ferguson (he who is famous for telling a group of students to "get on your horse, drink your milk, and get flying") would be proud.
8:19 PM - By the way, it's now 14-13 Winnipeg. The game's a little more exciting than it was at the beginning.
8:35 PM - 3rd and 1 for Saskatchewan, deep in the Winnipeg zone. Kerry Joseph runs it himself, and the ref rules that he didn't get far enough. Saskatchwan coach Kent Austin challenges the play, and the replay shows that he was right - the call is reversed, first down for Saskatchewan. Winnipeg's coach challenges THAT, which is not something he is allowed to do, so Winnipeg is served with a ten-yard penalty for delay of game. Amazingly, the coach is smart enough not to challenge the penalty. Oh, and while all of this was going on, a camera showed the video review booth - and somebody had the idea to use a Telestrator to point out who the key officials were.
Apparently the only exciting thing to happen from this point on was a fan running on to the field between plays. The cameras didn't show him, but announcer Mark Lee didn't realize that, and was handling play-by-play of security's pursuit..."there's now a fan on the field...he breaks a tackle..." Oh, and Saskatchewan won, but not by enough to win Dan any money. C'est la vie.
--Ryan
