For instant credibility, claim to be an ex-minor league catcher

Videos

Entrée du Rouge et Or

see larger video

sourced by mr.zoltanblack

With the Grey Cup set for Sunday evening and the Vanier Cup attracting the college crowd on Saturday afternoon, this weekend, Canada held the focus of the entire football world.

Even famed ESPN prognosticator/analyst Chris "Swami" Berman got in on the act incorrectly predicting that the Alouettes would prevail over the Calgary Stampeders.

Sunday was fun but Saturday made my weekend.

The noise, support and environment created by the fans at Saturday’s Vanier Cup were truly the highlights of my weekend.

I found myself Saturday afternoon, squat between two young ladies from Laval University and an obnoxious wind bag from somewhere around Sault Saint Marie.

With beer on his breath, the man from the Sault regaled the two ladies with tales of his Gumplike past, his service record, a childhood paper route and even a four-touchdown performance as fullback of the Polk High Panthers.

As the third quarter ticked away Mr. Sault’s sales job was in full swing

He worked for some "big shot" co. apparently immune to the international economic bust, and drove a piece of Euro Trash . . . vroom . . . vroom.

And then suddenly, my opening

Somehow our "ladies man" managed to spill an entire beer on a pair of loafers that I probably shouldn’t have been wearing. Before I could pound the drunk, the man quickly apologized and offered to buy me a beer of my own. I conceded and the old windbag proceeded to the concession stand in search of two late beers.

At this point the third quarter was in the books, Laval (41) had displayed their class and Western (14) had failed to keep pace, and I was determined not to let the Rouge et Or celebrate on Saturday Night in the Lunch bucket City without me.

The man from the Sault had dwindled my two new lady friends, Veronica and Leighanne down to mere shells of their earlier glory, undaunted I proceed head first into the gale force winds. I knew the ladies were tired and that I only had one chance to impress them before I would be cast into the lot of their collective football experience.

Laval ran away with the 2008 Vanier Cup doubling up on Western 44-21 to claim the teams fourth Vanier Cup in the last six years and setting the tone for the entire evening, double up or as the French say Ménage á trois.

Z.Black

Scoring Summary (Final)

Vanier Cup 2008 (Hamilton, Ont)

#3 Western Ontario Vs #1 Laval

Boxscore