Blue Bombers fans cheer team after Grey Cup loss
Hundreds of fans of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers filled the arrivals area at Winnipeg's James A. Richardson International Airport Monday morning to cheer the team's homecoming despite its loss to Saskatchewan in Sunday's historic Grey Cup game.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Blue Bombers 23-19 in the 95th Grey Cup at Rogers Centre in Toronto, which was the first time the two Prairie rivals had faced off in the championship game.
More than 200 'true blue' devotees, many dressed in blue and gold clothing or face paint, shaking white pompoms, attended the team's homecoming in Winnipeg Monday.
The two players most in demand were quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie, who was a last-minute replacement for the injured Kevin Glenn, and legendary slotback Milt Stegall, who was greeted with enthusiastic chants from fans calling for "One more year!"
Although he stopped to sign autographs, Stegall— who has publicly stated he intends to retire after this season— was coy on the matter in statements to reporters.
"I'm letting the fans do all the talking," he said. "You've gotta ask the fans."
Coach Doug Berry said he has not yet spoken directly to Stegall, the CFL's all-time touchdown leader,about his future.
"Milt knows how I feel about him. This whole thing with Milt is going to be up to Milt, his wife, his family," Berry said.
"He knows if he wants to play football again that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers would love to have him."
Heartbreaking loss for fans
While fans at the airport tried to cheer up their team, others were as blue as the team's name in the wake of Sunday's loss.
Tim Volk, who had vowed to change his name to Grey Cup if the Bombers won the game, couldn't even watch the final minutes.
"It's heartbreaking. My heart is ripped out right now," he said Sunday.
"This means I won't be changing my name, but I'm not going to lose the faith. We'll be back. Maybe not next year, maybe not the year after, but we'll win one. We'll win one."
Losing to fellow Prairie dwellers was the best of a worst-case scenario for Chris Knight, who watched the game with friends at a downtown sports bar.
"If you gotta lose, lose to the Riders. So it's good. It's a rivalry, but it's a rivalry and respect," he said.
But Maria Havelka disagreed. "It's even worse losing to Saskatchewan," she said. "Especially for Milt Stegall's last year, too. That's hard to take."
Sign to remind Manitobans of loss
Several fans said the game would have had a different ending if the Bombers' starting quarterback hadn't broken his left, non-throwing arm in the East Division semifinal last weekend.
"If Kevin Glenn was there, we would've won," said Volk.
Ryan Dinwiddie filled in for Glenn, making his first CFL start in the biggest game. He completed 15 of 33 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown — and also fumbled once.
"It's too bad for Dinwiddie, but I guess he just didn't have the experience and it kind of showed tonight," Knight said.
For the next year, Bomber fans will be reminded of the championship loss every time they drive west on the Trans-Canada Highway, thanks to a friendly wager made by the premiers of the neighbouring provinces.
Since the Bombers lost, there will be a sign on the Saskatchewan side of the border announcing: "Welcome to the home of the 2007 Grey Cup champions."