Story:It certainly seemed as though the sky was falling for the Saskatchewan Roughriders given their 0-3 start to the 2011 CFL campaign.
Fans were upset and who could blame them? Canada's Team hadn't gotten off to such an atrocious start since 2000 which was long before many of the club's new found fanbase began following the team.
But what better way to snap the funk and make a statement to the league than going into Montreal and upsetting the undefeated Grey Cup champions in their own park? That's exactly what the Green & White did Sunday night, stunning the Alouettes 27-24.
During the three game losing stretch it seemed no one was exempt from the finger of blame. GM Brendan Taman, first-year coach Greg Marshall, coordinators Doug Berry and Richie Hall and quarterback Darian Durant all shared considerable abuse on the talk shows, blogs and message boards. And what about team President Jim Hopson? Why hadn't he said anything through all of this? Was he hiding?
"It's pretty hard to hide when you look like me," Hopson smiled before the game in Montreal. "No I'm not hiding. But I really feel that the football guys are the ones who should deal with the issue. If I'm asked I'll certainly comment but with Ken Miller, Greg and Brendan plus all of our coaches and players, none of them hid. We're going to put our heads down and battle through it."
That's exactly what Rider defensive tackle Dario Romero did Sunday night, blasting through the line and knocking Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo out of the game with a concussion in the second quarter. The Riders took the lead shortly thereafter and never looked back.
"It was a great victory for our guys," noted Rider coach Greg Marshall, who notched his first career CFL victory. "We fought hard and fought for each other. They can say what they want about Calvillo. He didn't leave, we knocked him out. That's football."
It sure seemed like the Riders of old. The club seemed listless through the first three games but came out in Montreal with a vengeance. It was a chippy, nasty affair between two clubs who have become bitter rivals. Meeting twice in the Grey Cup will do that to you. On this night at least, the Riders got the bragging rights.
"They still have the makings of a good football team don't they?" quizzed TSN play-by-play man Chris Cuthbert before the game.
Yes Chris. Yes they do.
It was just a matter of going out and proving it. While many are hesitant to say that "the Riders are back", the team can at least feel good about itself heading home for their Week 5 challenge Saturday against Calgary at Mosaic Stadium.
The club still has 14 games left to play and you can only win one at a time. But at least they seem to have the ship back on course.
(Rod Pedersen is the voice of the Riders on CKRM radio)
