Mitchell Blair's blog

Calgary Herald reporter Mike Petrie was on the field after the game with video camera in hand catching the excitement of the Rider victory. Here it is!!!!

http://communities.canada.com/calgaryherald/blogs/stampsinsider/default.aspx

CFL commissioner Marc Cohon said a couple of weeks ago that this year's Grey Cup would be a green Grey Cup--or an environmentally friendly Grey Cup. Message to Mr. Cohon...this indeed will be a green Grey Cup because the Rider Nation is ready to invade the self proclaimed center of the universe. It makes one wonder if the National Guard is ready. I wonder if Toronto even realizes what it is in for. Yonge Street will be awash in green. The Rider Nation will be everywhere you look. I wonder if the CN Tower will have a Rider flag flying atop it before the week is over.

I know many of you are already wanting to know if the Riders will wear their retro uniforms for the Grey Cup game and the answer would be no. The Riders --according to the CFL--will wear their white uniforms while the Bombers will wear their dark uniform. It is also believed the Riders will patrol the visiting team sidelines.

The Riders are off to the Grey Cup. They beat the BC Lions 26-17 at BC Place to earn their first berth in the CFL championship since the 1997 season when they were beaten by the Toronto Argonauts. Their opponent in this year's game will be the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Bombers upset the Argos in the East final.

Get any sleep last nite Rider fans. Is all that gear with the beloved /=S=/ clean and ready to go. It will be a day to remember and I think it will be a game to remember. I have said it on radio shows in Vancouver, Edmonton and my own this week---this will be a better game no matter who wins than the Grey Cup. These are the two best teams in the CFL and this will be a great football game. In the end, I'm hoping Kent Austin and crew are off to T-O for the Grey Cup but here's what I'll watch for.

QB: Joseph, Crandell, Durant
RB: Holmes, Ranek, Cates, Szarka, Hughes
OL: Makowsky, Smith, O'Day, Abou Mechrek, Jones, Parenteau, Frenette, Best
WR: Grant, Flick, Palmer, Fantuz, Hoffart, Hill, Murphy
DL: Perry, Jones, Schultz, Adams, Mullinder, Chick
LB: Hunt, McKenzie, McCullough, Lloyd, Chernawski, Lucas, Carter
DB: Justin, Kornegary, Davis, Gordon, Clovis, Frazier, Johnson, Robinson
K/P: Boreham, Congi

Interesting to note that Cates is on the 46 man roster. I guess you've got all winter to heal right.

It was late Friday on the Drew Remenda Sports Show when word came down that Eric Tillman had spent Thursday night in hospital with chest pains. After finishing the show, I knew Eric would likely be in his office(WHERE HE SHOULDN"T HAVE BEEN) so I got some comments from him. While he was joking about the situation, he was also very serious at times. He acknowleges his diet is not what it should be for a 50 year old man and that he must start eating better. That is something we should all be looking at.

Riders general manager Eric Tillman is not with the football team in Vancouver. He is back at home after doctors ordered him not to travel with the team following an overnight stay at the General Hospital. Tillman was working in his office Thursday night when he started experiencing chest pains. He was taken to hospital for tests. Tillman says he is suffering from a condition that can be dealt with during the off-season and that he is fine.

D-J Flick is with his Rider teammates in Vancouver tonight. All reports are that he is fine and should be out there with the rest of his team on Sunday. There is no word as to why he left practice early Friday.