My first Grey Cup Week experience review

CFL Talk
#1

Hello CFL fans!

I just experienced an amazing week that I just finished by watching the 107th Grey Cup in Calgary! I never really knew about the CFL forums, I came on CFL to see where I can get those nice Championship hats and t-shirts and it led me to the forums.
Nobody made a post like this so I thought to be the first.

I have never been to a CFL Grey Cup. i’ve been to about 20 CFL games in my life. I was born in Kitchener, went to my first game CFL game in Hamilton and have been to a few Argo games at Sky Dome. My first game was in 1992 after the Argos Grey Cup season. I also saw the Tiger-Cats play in Vancouver in '99 and again in 2005. I’ve been to a Redblack game in 2017 which blew me away. The experience was incredible and went to my first Tiger-Cats game at the new stadium this season which was impressive.
I’m 42 years old. And have been to many big sporting events. My friends with few family members have been to numerous World Junior games in Canada/USA. We went to Salt Lake City in 2002, 2005 Super Bowl, 2007 Super Bowl, 2015 Super Bowl, 2005 World Series, 2015 World Series, 2016 World Series, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2015, 2017 NCAA Championship basketball game, 2015 NBA Finals game 1,2, 2017 NBA Finals game 3,4, 2004 Stanley Cup Finals game 3,4, 2005 Stanley Cup Finals game, 1,2, 2009 Stanley Cup finals game 1,2, 2016 Stanley Cup finals, game 1,2.
So a lot of great games. And i’m sure I am forgetting a few events Oh yes, we also went to the 2010 Olympics semi-final game, and watched the gold medal outside, and saw Mayweather fight in Las Vegas twice.
That should be it.

so after all these events. We finally made a trip to the Grey Cup. Part of the problem in the past is that we tried to go in 2006, 2016, 2017, but due to travel and part of November, December is very hard for all of us to get together. I can honestly say i’ve watched most of all the Grey Cups that have been played. Always a fan of the game. And I was always a tiger-cats fan!

So this year we had to do it. And with all this said. I can honestly tell you every one of us (12 of us) said late Saturday night walking to our hotel downtown is that this has been the best sporting event we have ever experienced. by far! not even close. It wasn’t the most important game. 2002 Olympics and 2010 Olympics were by far the best games we have ever been to and likely will never be matched. The 2010 olympics were by far the best 2 week events of our lives. It was electric. But this 2019 Grey Cup week has been incredible to the point we are in awe. And this morning at breakfast we all agreed we will be back for the next 2 in Regina and near home Hamilton.

I will explain in detail in a replied post.

#2

I should also explain my name. Captain is due to my profession. Blue is not in anyway connected to the Blue Bombers but part of a back story involving a favorite restaurant.

This week started for us on Thursday. And the events were incredible. If you are a single guy you can meet your dream girl at some of these events. Never seen so many gorgeous girls at these events. Spirit of Edmonton and touchdown Manitoba were hands down incredible. The people there were outstanding and the girls were incredible. How many model like girls live in Edmonton and Winnipeg?
The food was awesome everywhere we went. And the hospitality the city of Calgary delivered was hands down the best you can offer. If we wanted anything in and around the events or our hotel people would jump out of the way to deliver the service.
The interaction of fans,media,non grey-cup players is also a plus. Its like Las Vegas. You can be in your room at 9pm watching television feeling tired, and then decide to go down to the hotel lobby bar and suddenly you are in the middle of a great life experience. celebrities, fans, media walking bye striking up conversation. This happens 24/7 all week.
This year the rodeo was a nice touch. got tickets from someone we met working for TSN.
Grey Cup saturday was a long day and a day you feel like its day 15. The walking and partying we did was out of this world. The eating at all the different restaurants was lights out incredible. I’m not into music events, but the bands that were played was surprisingly chill and fun.
Grey Cup Sunday the city comes alive all over. Reminded me of '02 Salt Lake. The fans were everywhere today. And you knew Winnipeg was being supported. They got incredible fans as we do in Hamilton but Winnipeg was on a mission and you can feel it by their fans. They let you know it was Grey Cup Sunday every chance they had.

The game was a bummer for Tiger-Cats fans and many football fans as it wasn’t a thrilling close game. But it doesn’t have to be as Blue Bomber fans can tell you, it’s sometimes best for them to win any way they can. And it wasn’t a real blow out but the Blue Bombers were just too dominant to give much hope for Hamilton fans.
The half-time show was incredible. Not sure how it looked on tv as i’m going to watch the replay tonight in the room. But Keith Urban brought in what I think is the best half time show of all time.

i’m tired and sorry for typing so fast but i’m tired, hungry, and not excited about how busy the airport will be tomorrow.

Cheers!

#3

Welcome aboard Captain .

Good detail and back story .

Great positive post to read the day after .

#4

Due to your name I thought you were the guy in my hotel who wore a blue wrestling mask and was decked out in Bomber gear.