I have been a CFL fan for 6 decades. During that time I have been treated to some incredible football both as a spectator in the stands at BC Place and Empire Stadium in Vancouver and as a fan in the comfort of my home.
There are many plays and games that rank up there with the best of them. But for me my most memorable experience as a CFL fan was witnessing what happened in 2011.
As a loyal BC Lions fan the year did not get off to a good start. In fact most fans wrote the year off.
This was even more devastating because my wife and I were season ticket holders.
By the 5th game of the season the Lions were a dismal 0-5! Sound familiar Edmonton Elks?
Then the Lions finally won a game and if memory serves me they lost the next game.
But then something changed. I don’t know what it was but the Lions started winning and winning.
By the end of the season there was a 3 way tie for top spot. On the basis of series wins/losses the Lions ended up in 1st place.
If memory serves me the Lions beat out Edmonton in the Western Final and would meet the Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup.
Wouldn’t you know it, Vancouver would be hosting the Grey Cup!
My wife and I had 1st dibs on a couple of the best seats in the house. And we did not hesitate!
We were treated to a great Grey Cup game where the Lions went on to beat the Bombers in front of almost 60 000 CFL fans!
It was a very special year to see our favorite team be lifted up out of the ashes, become Grey Cup contenders and win it all!
How does one forget that experience?
One doesn’t.
Please share your most memorable CFL experience. Perhaps it is a particular year, a game. Perhaps it was a memory but not such a fond memory but one you won’t forget.
Please limit your response to the CFL only.
Looking forward to reading about memorable times.
1994 Grey Cup. Lui Passaglia kicking a field goal with no time on the clock for a walk off winner. Hometown hero for life, I still want to buy him a beer after all these years.
I remember that game well. It was the finale to that incredible Western Final in Calgary where the Lions came from behind and scored the winning TD with no time remaining on the clock in blizzard like conditions.
I’ve mentioned it in the past but basically it centered a group of us heading down to watch the draft as this was one of the first years they allowed fans to attend. We were expecting a formal event like it is in other leagues but instead got Commissioner Larry Smith cutting loose with several jokes; each one cheesier than the last. Finally he started in on Hamilton’s John Gregory by calling him Barney Rubble which was met with a stone face from Gregory that only got more and more red each time he brought it up.
Then as we were one of the first to leave the theatre we saw the Grey Cup sitting all by itself on a table downstairs. Anyone could have scooped it up and taken it. It was surreal moment and quite telling about the league at the time.
The 2016 Grey Cup has to be the greatest final ever.
Ottawa with Henry Burris not sure if he was going to start.
They built up a lead, Calgary storms back, on-side kick and a dramatic stop by Ottawa on the one yard line and Calgary settles for a FG then Ottawa a TD in OT to win it.
I enjoyed those 2 playoff games so much that I actually found the GC anti climatic. A great win still, but when I watch my tapes, it is always the other 2 games first
Correction guys… my bad.
Re: the 2011 season…
The BC Lions defeated Edmonton Eskimos in the Western Final…NOT Calgary.
And then went on to win the Grey Cup.
I’ve made the correction in my original post.
Sorry Calgary fans.
You started this thread and although I’ve posted this back in January of 22, it’s falls within the topic title. Some people here have read it before, it’s a short novel broken in to several chapters. I had to use the search feature to find it. You being the lead of the topic, at the risk of annoying those who read it before, could post it again.
Anyone here old enough to have attended the famous Fog Bowl of '62 in Toronto between the Bombers and TiCats?
If you did and can recall the experience I’d love to read about your experience.
Kent Austin’s first game at Taylor Field as a non-Rider.
Drove from BC, and took my dad to the game. It was our first game together. 4th quarter, as a joke I walked down to the front and told the security guard I drove 1000 miles to bring my dad to the game. Showed my BC drivers license as proof. I asked if we could come down and shake some players hands on field after the game.
Bobby Jurasin overheard somehow and came over. He said “Go get him”. I did, and Bobby had us on the sidelines with the team for most of the 4th quarter. And they all signed my GC tshirt.
Went and bought a Jurasin jersey at the Rider Store that day. Worn it every game day since.
Met him and Ridgeway again a couple of years ago, and they signed that jersey for me.
