ELKS TO OPEN NEW SEASON WITH FAMILIAR ANTHEM VOICE
Fans will hear O Canada sung via recording of late locker-room attendant Joey Moss
A new era of professional football is about to kick off in Edmonton.
And when the national anthem is sung Saturday in Commonwealth Stadium ahead of the first Canadian Football League game held there in almost two years, the franchise will officially kick off the Elks Era.
And who better to lead in the singing of O Canada to usher it in than Edmonton's Other Great One, the late Joey Moss?
Postmedia has learned the plan is in place prior to kickoff to play a video on the scoreboard screen of the longtime locker-room attendant of both the football club and the Edmonton Oilers hockey team doing what he did best: Belting out the lyrics as only he could, with a joy that falls nothing short of infectious.
Sadly, Edmonton lost one of its most iconic sports figures in October 2020, following complications with Alzheimer's disease.
But the life extinguished was one that ended up being lived to the fullest, despite the challenges that come with Down syndrome.
Taken under the wing of a young Wayne Gretzky, Moss ended up gaining genuine stardom of his own that grew beyond the borders of both the city and sports. Whether he ever fully realized it or not, Moss did more to help being different achieve a level of acceptance than wouldn't dare be expected from 99 lifetimes.
Not having Moss around the football field is like having all the wallpaper taken off and leaving bare concrete. He was special. His memory should forever be cherished. And it's only fitting his voice will once again ring through the halls of Commonwealth.
After all, he sang like no one was listening. And we can all only wish to be so courageous in our approach to life.
Whether you choose to sing along in welcoming football back to this part of our proud nation or not, the fact that players are taking to the field again is worth infinitely more than the two points up for grabs in the standings.
So, here's to welcoming back football — a welcome back to the fans, and well done, Joe.
This one is more than a game. It's a celebration that's been a long time in the making, for both community and club alike.
“It's crazy, it's been officially, what, 20 months since our last game?” said Elks general manager Brock Sunderland. “And then, all of a sudden, it's coming fast.
“It's kind of a weird thing to say when you've had all this time off and now it's game week. It's been a long time coming and we're fired up.”
PASSING THE TORCH
Before the focus shifts to the new, the club is pulling out all the stops to make sure they don't take another step without first
officially recognizing the old.
While 44 players will take to the field to play their first game as Elks, there will be around the same number of the club's former players being hosted in suites upstairs, from Bill Smith, Rod Connop and Henry (Gizmo) Williams to more recent local fixtures such as the King brothers, Ryan and Neil.
In total, there will be around 40 players and 60 of their family members in attendance.
The past players will be introduced not as former Elks, but under the double-e banner they represented so well back when they were playing.
“We're very proud of what they've done and they should be, too,” Elks spokesman Allan Watt said, pointing to the 14 Grey Cups, including runs of three and five in a row over a storied 70-year history. “What they did is our history.
“It's a passing of the torch.”
JOEY MOSS AWARD
In honour of Moss, the club has created a new player award in his name.
And the inaugural Joey Moss Award went to new Elks cornerback Jonathan Rose.
“It's an integrity, grit-man award. A guy that displays love, affection and positivity for his team regardless of the situation, man, and that's me,” said the 28-year-old native of Leeds, Ala., who hasn't played since suffering a neck injury in Week 3 with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2019 that led to doctors telling him he might never play again.
“Twenty-five months away from this game and before I got that game taken away from me, Game 3 in Ottawa, I still kept my teammates' spirit and energy up.
“I was a coach on the sidelines for my former DBS all throughout the season, regardless whether I was playing or not. And that's what I want to bring here.”
A Grey Cup champion in 2016, the six-foot-one, 190-pound University of Nebraska product was picked up by the Elks in free agency on Jan. 4, 2021, following a long and arduous road to recovery — one that will take its next step by returning to the field for Saturday's game (8 p.m., TSN) against his former Redblacks teammates.
“That's what I feel like football is all about, there's going to be ups and downs and, as a DB, I'm used to having a short-term memory.
“If a good play happened on me, I come back and make a good play. If a bad play happens, we wipe it off and we keep going.”
Get ready to cue the comeback Saturday.
In and out: RB Tarean Folston (hamstring), OT Sirvincent Rogers (chest), OT Kyle Saxelid (back) and LB Malik Tyne (hamstring) are expected to start the season on the one-game injured list.