Blue Bombers flag rises with hope, excitement for possible Grey Cup win
Winnipeg football team aims to win 1st championship in nearly 30 years against Tiger-Cats Sunday
The W of the Blue Bombers is flying high at Winnipeg City Hall after the team's flag was raised Tuesday morning.
The Blue Bombers hope to win their first Grey Cup in nearly 30 years on Sunday, when they face off against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Calgary.
"As Winnipeggers and Manitobans, we have this determination and grit, a hard-working attitude that is different than the rest of the country. I truly believe the Winnipeg Football Club represents that, and we're an extension of our fans and our city," Wade Miller, president and CEO of the Blue Bombers, said at the flag-raising.
Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman plans to be at Sunday's game.
"My family and I, we've been season-ticket holders for 20 years and really looking forward to the game and to, of course, hopefully bringing the Cup home to Winnipeg, where it belongs," he said.
The Bombers haven't lifted the Grey Cup since 1990.
James Murphy, a former wide receiver with the team, is the proud owner of three Grey Cup rings, but he remembers a city that waited a long time for a championship win.
"When we won the Grey Cup in 1984, the Bombers hadn't won for 22 years, so there was that pent-up emotion as well," he told Marcy Markusa, host of CBC Manitoba's Information Radio, on Tuesday.
Murphy said he feels for players who have never had the opportunity to take home the Cup.
"There's guys — greats — like Milt Stegall and Doug Brown, guys that played and left their heart and soul on the football field, but never had the opportunity to get a Grey Cup ring," he said.
"This would be fantastic, not only for Winnipeg but for the province."
Former kicker Bob Cameron recalls the feeling of coming home to Winnipeg after a Grey Cup win.
"We came back through the airport and it was just a gauntlet of people. It was thousands of people at the airport," he said.
"It was just crazy. People were standing on the bus, people were jumping up and down on cars — it was bedlam. It was fantastic."
Cameron and Murphy both hope the team will usher that excitement into the city again.
Bombermania
Thousands of Winnipeggers flocked to the Bombers store on Tuesday morning to snatch up limited edition signs.
The team printed 3,000 of the signs but sold out before noon due to unexpected demand. They're expected to be restocked by tomorrow.
Wendy Kramer, a five-year season-ticket holder, spent her lunch break trying to snag some merchandise and get her hands on a sign. The big crowd was a pleasant surprise.
"It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I'm so happy and hopefully we'll have more fans next year," Kramer said.
At the store, fans also got to sign their names and write something for the players as part of a good luck banner. The banner will travel with the team to Calgary.
Marg Synyshyn, with four bags of merchandise next to her, signed her family members' names on the big banner with messages including "Go for the W" and "Go Blue."
"It's a big deal. We're season ticket-holders and have been for a while," she said gleefully.
Born blue and gold
There are Bomber fans, there are Bomber super fans, and then there's Rebecca Evans.
The 22-year-old Winnipegger has been to every single home game since she was seven years old.
There's something about the team, she said on Information Radio.
"The way the Bombers connect with their fans and how they make you feel special, they don't make you feel crazy. They make you feel like you're welcome to talk to them when you see them outside," Evans told Markusa.
"The blue and gold, you're born with it!"
This past Sunday, Evans remembers a surreal feeling when the Roughriders lost.
"Well at first, I was just staring at the TV and I was just like, looking, and 'Is this real? Is this real? Is there something going to happen?'" she said.
"But then I realized, 'Oh no, it's done.' So I started crying."
Evans' birthday is the Monday after the Grey Cup game, so she plans to have a big party to celebrate both the game and her 23rd birthday.
"I know they're going to win," she said. "Hamilton, you watch out, man."
1990 – Blue Bombers bring home the Grey Cup:
With files from Ahmar Khan