The Reflection of my first Grey Cup

I was going to talk about the off season program just around the corner, the Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program, however as I read a local newspaper's Grey Cup quiz I began to reflect the various Grey Cup visits I made through my career. The quiz, in the Toronto Star, I thought would be an interesting way to showcase such a historic event but much to my surprise it was designed more as a mockery of the event with an underlying tone of education. At least the following article by Damien Cox did this event the justice it deserved.

I go back to my first involvement to a Grey Cup and it was the first to be played in the Sky Dome. Over 50,000 fans filled the stadium ad it would go down as probably the best Grey Cup game ever played. I was merely a spectator with little duty at the game.

Two years later we were in the spotlight and with the likes of the Rocket, Pinball, Dunigan and some of my closest friends that I made in my first year 1985. I had made a few journeys of seasons with Brazley, Schultz, Ferrone and Pruenster as well as Ilesic, Chomyc and some others. Now we would be playing in -18 weather without the windchill. The week in Winnipeg was a whirlwind for me. The activities during the week would warrant its own its own blog but one event that stood out in my mind was the night before the game hearing how Matt Dunigan was practicing in the hotel ballroom just to make that appearance in the Grey Cup. He wanted to play regardless of how injured he was. This game day heroics would go alongside linebacker Chris Gaines, who had already declared he was playing his last game of pro football at a very young career.

We were the most hated team in Canada probably because we were the talk of not only the country but south of the border. After all we had the highest paid pro athlete at the time from Notre Dame. Bruce McNall, Wayne Gretzky and John Candy would steal the first round draft pick of the NFL. As we arrived in Winnipeg, the Grey Cup atmosphere wasnt so glamourous for us as we were booed wherever our leather Argonauts Root jackets were recognized. My first experience at a Grey Cup was not too a wonderful start but would be a wonderful finish.

No sooner did our players enter the field amongst a stadium of boos, did they surround the Grey Cup to the echos of the commissioner announce " The winners of the 75th Grey Cup, the Toronto Argonauts".

The memories of my first Grey Cup were complete at the annual "Meet The Argo Luncheon" in 1992. The luncheon was the event where our players would be introduced to our fans and media. It was also a time when the team is presented their rings and in front of a crowd of 400 people, to my surprise and the other ball boys surprise, the host introduced both myself and the ball boy to get our rings. My first Grey Cup ring. I look at the ring and remember and thank all those that were a part of giving my the first of many memories.

So to that writer from the Star that felt this event is one worth making jokes about, aside from an event that bridges viewers coast to coast once a year, aside from one of the oldest championships in North America and aside from an event that signifies our Canadian heritage and is nearing its 100Th year, it is also an event that has created memories for players, staff and fans from all the teams involved in the game.