It's over. Sniff. Sniff.
It was a heartbreaking end, but you have to admit it's still better than 2011. Okay, that's not much of an accomplishment since 2011 was the type of season most of us would like to use sandpaper to scratch it out of our collective memory banks.
BUT despite the 8-10 record, it there are still some bright spots to remember, ponder, savour and relish over the too-long off season.
Here are my top 10 reasons to look forward to 2013:
1. Kory Sheets: This guy should be locked up in a contract to wear green and white from now until he no longer has the strength to put on cleats. Seriously. He is an absolute phenom. He finished the season as the CFL's number two rusher with 1227 yards (not to mention another 507 receiving yards) and 11 touch downs. Now that he's got one season in the league under his belt, can you imagine what he'll do next year? Number 1 time, baby! And he's hungry for it, too!
2. Weston Dressler: I have only one piece of Rider gear with a number and a name on it and it's number 7. He is destined for the Plaza of Honour and if he keeps it up he'll likely end up in the Hall of Fame. He led the league with 13 touchdowns this year and racked up an amazing 1206 passing yards. His punt return for a touchdown in August should definitely be on the 2012 highlight reel. And in the losing effort on Sunday, Dress put up 153 yards receiving on six catches. I can not write enough good things about this guy and I only wish he could receive some league awards and accolades because goodness knows he deserves them.
3. Darian Durant: Our fearless and loyal leader. No matter what the haters say, this dude is the real deal. Without Doubles, our chances of seeing a Grey Cup anytime soon are absolutely zilch. His leadership, poise and freaking wicked arm have made him an elite quarterback. In the final loss of the season he threw for 435 yards and four touchdowns. Winnipeg or Edmonton would trade a van full of their grandmothers to have someone like Doubles behind centre.
4. Rob Bagg: I hesitate to include him. At this point... almost two full seasons of professional football lost to injury, it sounds like an impossible feat to come back to being our number two receiver. On paper it looks like a lost cause. And yet, if you follow him on Twitter, this guys is a workhorse. Dude doesn't know when to say die. I am convinced, if he can get back to training camp and get back on the team, he'll be an impact player for the 2013 Roughriders. Trust me people, we haven't seen the last of this guy in green and white.
5. Taj Smith: Have you seen TSN battle for the play of the year? Taj Smith's entry is outstanding. I can't help but smile every time I think about it. If you can Google it, do it. It's worth finding and watching and watching again. Basically, the ball hits Dressler as he's leveled and bounces off the foot of the defender, then into and out of the hands of another defender and into the hands of Taj who snags it and bolts for the end zone. He gets pushed out of bounds before getting a TD, but he ends up making a huge gain out of a dead play and a potentially nasty interception. It was a heads up play that boggles the mind. One of my favourite plays from this season, was being in the stands and watching Taj break lose down the sidelines in front of us going for a touchdown and the entire stadium losing their mind. Taj will be one of the Riders I keep an eye on.
6: Joe Loebedahn: Okay. I admit it. This guy scares me. Maybe he likes kittens and stuffed animals, but he looks like he could eat them for breakfast. His mid-season addition to our defense was like an adrenalin shot of mean straight. I loved the energy and viciousness he brought to each and every game. His leadership on defense was worth far more than we paid him. His Tweet as the season came to an unceremonious end: I'll be back. I'm pretty sure there are those around the league who shudder at the thought.
7. Dominic Picard: Known as the AngryFrenchman on Twitter, the upgrade in the off season at centre may have been our biggest single position improvement. He kicked butt. And when it came to trash talking, I like that Picard wouldn't suffer fools, as the saying goes. Good on him.
8. Greg Carr: I was almost giddy the day after the lousy loss to those lousy-good-for-nothing Cowtown Stumps, when I saw a tweet pop up on my twitter feed saying Greg Carr would spend the off season working out with Darian. At 6'6" Carr is a tower in the end zone. If he and Doubles get on the same page, defenders are going to have to pack a step ladder and some skates to stop them! He was an absolute beast in the semi-final with 77 yard and two clutch TDs. I can't wait to see what he and Doubles can cook up before training camp.
9. Corey Chamblin: I remember when Corey was announced as the new head coach of the Riders. That presser where he met the media had so much energy, I knew immediately we were in for an exciting year of football. He assembled a kick butt coaching staff that I'm pretty sure is the envy of the league. From the "Big Ticket" to the "Cornish Guarantee" he found ways to motivate and excite his team. I can not wait to see what he cooks up before training camp next year. This off season may be the longest yet.
10. Brendan Taman: An odd choice for this list, I admit. However, I must give credit where credit is due. I have never been a member of the Brendan Taman Fan Club, but once he was unshackled from the Miller-Taman debacle of last year, he seemed to revive a decimated Rider club. Let's admit it... last year at this time the Roughriders team was a smoldering pile of rubble. Taman hired Corey. Corey hired an all-star coaching staff. We picked up LaBatte, Willis, Sheets, Picard... then drafted Ben Heenan. Mid-season pick ups like Taj Smith and Joe Loebedahn showed his commitment to bringing in the best talent he could find.
We've got a ways to go to be sure, but I look forward to what Taman will accomplish in the off-season. And I look forward to what Chamblin and company will accomplish in 2013 to take us to the Grey Cup. As exciting as 2012 was, I have no doubt 2013 will be even better. And I haven't felt this positive going into an off-season since Kent Austin proclaimed a dynasty on the steps of the Leg.
Take comfort, my little green friends. This too shall pass. And we'll all be together cheering hard come next June!
Sigh... only seven months to go...
Cheer long. Cheer loud! GO GREEN!
