B.C. Lions (10-6) @ Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-11)
Mosaic Stadium – Regina, Saskatchewan
5:00pm (CST) Kickoff
TV: TSN 1/3/4/5 (Chris Cuthbert, Glen Suitor)
Radio: Rider Radio Network (Rod Pedersen and Carm Carteri)
CKRM 620AM – Regina
CJGX 940AM – Yorkton
CFWD (Cruz FM) 96.3FM – Saskatoon
CJNB 1050AM – North Battleford
CJNS 102.3FM – Meadow Lake
CKBI 900AM – Prince Albert
CKBI 92.5FM – Big River
CKBI 95.9FM – LaRonge
Estimated temperature at Kickoff: Coudy 4C (40F)
“Remember me and smile, for it’s better to forget than to remember me and cry.”
– Dr. Seuss
The season has been building to this one night. There has been a lot of reminiscing and reflecting this past week, so it seems fitting that Dr. Seuss could sum up how we should say goodbye to Mosaic Stadium/Taylor Field.
Like most of you, I have been shuttling through my memories surrounding the old ball park.
For me, the association with the ball park is a bit of a family legacy. My grandfather, Joseph Gerber was a tackle with the Regina Roughriders Rugby Club from 1928-1930. Only in 1928 did he play at the then named Park Hughes before the Riders moved to Regina Exhibition Park in 1929.
I have been told by a reliable source (my mom to be exact, and she seems to be pretty on point – most of the time) that my first game would have been a late-70’s Labour Day game with my Uncle Brian.
So, I will assume, that it was a great game and the majority of the things coming out of my uncle’s mouth would have been directed at then Bomber Quarterback Dieter Brock.
Knowing Uncle Brian, this may have included some profane language, a few comments on what the quarterback’s mother did for a living and that Dieter Brock’s given name was Ralph.
After that introduction, how could I stay away?! Most of my youth, like many in the 80’s, was spent in the Rookie Section of Taylor Field. Watching what was probably some very mediocre football, and getting into trouble with hundreds of other kids in a scene that would make Lord of the Flies look tame.
Then I actually began to play football and really fell in love with the game. Playing for the North West Bantam Stampeders, and then the Riffel Royals.
Like most Gen-Xers, I left the province in the 90’s for the greener pastures of Alberta, so that decade was spent watching games at Commonwealth or McMahon Stadiums.
I returned to the Queen City in 2003. I had landed a job as a sports reporter and anchor with Global Regina and my first real assignment was covering the 2003 Grey Cup at Taylor Field, featuring the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes.
Alas, 2006 saw the end of an era for sports television in Regina. On Labour Day of that year, I had the honour of hosting the final 30 minute, all local sports show. At that time, it was simply called “Global Sports”, but many would know it as Sportsline.
Then came 2012, and everything changed. I was hired as Manager of Community Relations with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Since then I have had the good fortune to have many opportunities placed in front of me to not only give back to the Football Club but also to the great fans of Rider Nation.
Which brings us to the present. I am hunkered down at my laptop, with a pint of Boh and a lifetime of memories, trying my best to whittle it all down to three of my own Mosaic Moments.
I will not count the 2013 Grey Cup win at Mosaic Stadium, because…well…damn, let’s face it, nothing will ever beat that!
So, in no particular order:
Labour Day 1987 – It was a blustery day at Taylor Field. I was sitting in the north end zone, which also happened to be the end zone that Dave Ridgway kicked a then CFL record 60-yard field goal. The Riders lost, but for a 12-year-old bantam football player, it didn’t matter…I saw history!!!
November 1989 – I was the center for the Riffel Royals team that won their first provincial high school football championship. It was awesome being a part of a group that accomplished something that great! We defeated the Holy Cross Crusaders. Now that I think about it, there may be one team in Saskatchewan happy to wave goodbye to Mosaic Stadium, and that is the Holy Cross Crusaders out of Saskatoon. They have lost a lot of provincial finals on that turf.
June 2015 – I got to call the Riders pre-season game against the Calgary Stampeders with now good friend, Luc Mullinder. It was delayed because of a hail storm, but when things finally got rolling, it was a blast. Luc and I were honoured to broadcast the game to almost 100,000 people on Riderville.com
Those are some of my memories of life in and around the stadium. I know you all have your own, so whether you are joining us at the game or watching from home, I hope you take a moment to soak it in, to remember the good times and yes, even the bad and make this final game at Mosaic Stadium/Taylor Field/Park DeJong/Park Hughes another moment to remember.
Now to a little bit of football.
Fast Facts:
College Ties:
– Nehemie Kankolongo (BC) and Korey Jones (SSK) University of Wyoming
– Jason Arakgi (BC) and Andrew Jones (SSK) McMaster University
– Welcome to Rider Nation: Marshaun Coprich (Illinois St), Royce Adams (Purdue), Phil Bates (Ohio U.) and Greg Millhouse Jr. (Campbell).
– With those four players, the Riders will now have had 97 different players on the 46-man roster.
– The Riders currently have 20 players on the six-game injured list and six on the one-game list. The Lions have four on the six-game and one on the one-game list.
– On Saturday’s 46-man roster, the Riders have 24 players in their first or second CFL seasons. The Lions a mere 15.
– On Saturday’s 46-man roster, the Riders have 37 players in their first year with the club. The Lions, just 16.
– Darian Durant is four passing touchdowns from surpassing Kent Austin for second all-time with the Riders
– Former Riders on the Lions include: Keith Price, Anthony Allen and Nehemie Kankolongo.
– This will be Otha Foster’s 50th career CFL game.
