It’s been a couple of days, so hopefully it’s had some time to sink. Well, if we’re being realistic, the end of the Saskatchewan Roughriders hopes has been coming for a long time now. This Sunday’s 29-18 loss to the B.C. Lions just confirms it.

Not to say people in Mosaic Stadium had absolutely no hope this Sunday. When it was announced that the Montreal Alouettes had beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a cheer rose up from the crowd as we were one step closer to saving this season.

And we stayed in the game throughout. Many of my friends watching from home were pretty bored by three quarters without a single touchdown. Being there in person wasn’t a whole lot better; there weren’t even a whole lot of opportunities to see B.C. kicker Paul McCallum work his magic. After a 51-yard field goal that was B.C.’s first time on the scoreboard, B.C. quarterback Travis Lulay managed to get his team just short of a touchdown for the other three field goals they’d get in the first three quarters.

Being in the stadium was excited for those parts, though, especially when the Riders’ offense was working. The touchdown to break our dry spell seemed inevitable. Our hand-offs were actually getting us some yards, and QB Darian Durant was managing to connect with his receivers, in the first half at least.

There was even a moment where they decided to go for a first down when they were on their third down, five yards away. It seemed like the team was ready to close the deal.

Then that dissipated in the second half. Lulay’s consistency and ability to successfully throw for more yards won the game, eventually clinching two B.C. touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

We’ve still got some games left in the season, of course. And maybe Calgary Stampeders QB Henry Burris sitting out their Friday game with us will give a chance to rebound, at least to win back some respect in the league. But that won’t happen if we can’t actually reach the end zone.

Peripheral Stuff
– The fellow in the seat next to me was hitting all the loud sporting event attendee requirements. He was calling plays that never materialized. (He was especially convinced that McCallum would pull a fake anytime he was near the ball.) He was suggesting that, perhaps, just maybe the refs didn’t know how to do their jobs correctly. Finally, in about the third quarter, he made it known that he felt he would be a better defensive player than many of the Roughriders. If there were a Mosaic Stadium bingo card, I would’ve been well on my way.
– Crystal was asked to throw seven footballs at a moving My 92.1 logo, winning $92 for each one she hit. She got six of them, and then got to pose with Gainer, two Rider cheerleaders, and cardboard cutouts of Michael Buble and Katy Perry.
– Greg was able to guess that the five-second clip of music they played for him was “Mony Mony” by Billy Idol, and not the Who or the Ramones. Many of the people said they wouldn’t have been to guess it.