Week 8: Post-game post

Sigh... 

I have to admit I only watched the first half. It seemed the Riders were totally in it. They contained the notorious B.C. running back Harris. Superman Geroy Simon rarely saw the ball and it seemed like the defense was able to get pressure to Lulay. Something not many teams have done this year. Plus, there was the absolutely amazing third down stand on the 1-yard line. I mean I was screaming after they stuffed the Lions who were sniffing for the a TD, but came up with nadda.

Then there were the two BULL calls by the officials. At the half-time break it was Riders: 3 and the Refs: 7.

I try not to slag on the officiating on this blog, because... well... every team could complain about it every game. It's not that the refereeing is always that bad, it's that it probably is consistently going against the team you cheer for at some point in the game. It's like complaining about the weather. Nothing you can do about it, but live with it and get over it.

However, I am making an exception this time. 

First there was a roughing the kicker play... which if you could have seen my face at that moment!

Where were these refs when Congi was molested two years ago? When his knee bent in ways I shudder to think about even still? Explain to me why that WASN'T worthy of the flag and not even touching Paul Can't-Miss-in-Orange MacCallum is. I was furious!

The fury only multiplied when they called the roughing the passer penalty at the end of the series. Since when is landing BESIDE the quarterback a penalty? And all the while Darian Durant gets pasted to the turf on every. Single. Play. And nothing gets called.

I mean... do they have the Lions' logo stitched onto their stupid yellow penalty flags?

But then the Riders did their own dirty work and things really started to unravel. The interceptions piled up and the offense seemed to be stuck in neutral. I'm not even sure I know the final score.

24-5. (I had to look it up.)

Yeah. That was pretty yucky. But here are my thoughts for what it's worth:

1. Our defense is solid. I mean we shut down their running back and for the most part held our own defensively against the defending Grey Cup Champs, playing in their park. Not an easy task.

2. Our offense needs help. I don't know what form that help needs to take, though. They all need a shot of lightning juice or something. And is it our play-calling? I mean... it seems like the opposition knows what we're going to do before we do it. Maybe we need some creativity. Maybe Durant needs to stay on the sidelines for a game. I don't know. 

3. The sky is not falling. And anyone who thinks so can simply go ahead and cheer for Winnipeg. Those poor souls need as much cheer as the can get! As a Rider fan I am aware there will be droughts.

In fact, as a Rider fan I understand there will be times when the team will sniff out every shred of hope, kill it, stomp on it, and set it on fire.

And the sun will rise tomorrow. To a new day and a new opportunity to believe in the possibility of what could happen.

The good news is... we have a good team. They're young. And they need time to gel. Over half of the starters are new. Heaven's I follow the team and I still need to check the roster occasionally when someone makes a play. 

Above all remember, this is the CFL and anything can happen. Remember the team that dropped five in a row to start the 2011 season? That's the defending Grey Cup champs, B.C. Lions.

Keep believin', Rider Nation!

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!