The home-opener streak is about to hit 44.
An the unreliable Saskatchewan source Roughriders confides that are poised to begin their 2018 season.
We have, in fact, verified this tip by relying on the latest in research techniques.
Google.
Toronto Argonauts at Saskatchewan Roughriders. June 15, 2018. Seven bells. Mosaic Stadium. (Source: riderville.com.)
Nailed it!
The looming game will be the 44th consecutive Roughriders home opener I have attended, which means:
(a) I’m old.
(b) All of the above.
(c) See (a).
Cue highlights ... July 23, 1975: Saskatchewan 20, Calgary Stampeders 2. Stampeders quarterback Joe Pisarcik was running for his life virtually every time he dropped back to pass. Rhett Dawson caught a touchdown pass from Ron Lancaster after the ball was tipped by Don Moulton. July 18, 1982: B.C. Lions 26, Saskatchewan 24. In a losing cause, Joey Walters made the best catch ever — a diving, one-handed TD snag. July 7, 1985: Saskatchewan 46, Ottawa Rough Riders 22. Roughriders quarterback Joe Paopao was sensational, throwing for 426 yards. Terry Irvin made three interceptions. It was an auspicious start to a season in which the Roughriders had a 4-3 record before cratering — as in eight losses in the final nine games. Next ... June 29, 1986: Saskatchewan
28, Calgary 14. I showed up at halftime, after covering stock-car racing during my first summer job at the Regina Leader-Post. I had a game ticket, but the gates were locked by the time I arrived. I pounded on the gates until one good soul let me in, thereby allowing me to extend the home-opener streak to an unimpressive 12. Earlier in the day at Kings Park Speedway, Kevin Antonick had driven Vic Gotch’s 1981 Camaro to victory in the feature race.
June 21, 1987: Calgary 29, Saskatchewan 28. Calgary’s Larry Willis caught a 15-yard TD pass from Rick Worman with 31 seconds left. It was a suitable start to a CFL-record 11th consecutive season out of the playoffs for the Roughriders. July 23, 1988: Saskatchewan 26, Edmonton Eskimos 15. The home side won by a double-digit margin despite failing to score a touchdown. Dave Ridgway kicked eight field goals, tying his own single-game league record. July 12, 1989: Saskatchewan 32, Calgary 29. Calgary led 26-6 after three quarters before Tom Burgess, replacing an ineffective Kent
Austin, resuscitated the offence by throwing three TD passes. Ridgway kicked a game-winning, 42-yard field goal as time expired. July 12, 1990: Saskatchewan
38, Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35. Milson Jones ran 33 yards on a draw play for the game-winning touchdown, scored with 59 seconds left. The same weekend, I tore a hamstring playing touch football. Ow. July 12, 1991: Edmonton 34, Saskatchewan 25. What is it about July 12 home openers? Three years in a row! The Roughriders were leading 20-7 when Austin suffered a shoulder injury. End of game. End of season, basically. Ow.
July 8, 1992: Calgary 44, Saskatchewan 26. I took a date to the game. That was big news back then. July 15, 1993: Saskatchewan 23, Edmonton 22. I was among 17,566 spectators. How times have changed. July 8, 1994: Saskatchewan 22, Calgary 21. Doug Flutie and the Stampeders led 21-0 at halftime. The Roughriders scored all 22 secondhalf points. On the final play, Don Narcisse caught a 15-yard TD pass from Burgess.
July 4, 1997: Who says July 4 is Independence Day? I took a date to this game, too, and eventually married the very same Chryssoula Filippakopoulos. I had to buy two seats to
worth accommodate it. her name, but it was Toronto July 3, 10. 1998: Future Saskatchewan Hall of Fame 19, rush just been end released Bobby by Jurasin, the Roughriders, having and played caught at on Taylor with Field the Argonauts one more time. DeWayne Patterson and R-Kal Truluck each had three sacks for Saskatchewan. July 6, 2001: Saskatchewan 30, Hamilton 28. The Riders trailed 2513 before Marvin Graves threw two fourth-quarter TD passes to Curtis Marsh. Paul McCallum then kicked a 40-yard, game-winning field goal with three seconds left. June 25, 2005: Saskatchewan 42, Winnipeg Blue Bombers 15. After a 30-minute delay due to poor weather, Corey Holmes returned the opening kickoff 81 yards for a TD and the Roughriders were rolling. Also of note: The MaxTron made its debut at Taylor Field. June 25, 2006: Saskatchewan 32, B.C. 24. Kerry Joseph found Jamel Richardson for a 49-yard TD pass with 54 seconds left. Luca Congi’s convert gave Saskatchewan a one-point lead. Seventeen seconds later, Eddie Davis iced the game with a pick-six. July 1, 2010: Saskatchewan 54, Montreal Alouettes 51 (2OT). The Roughriders eventually won after overcoming a 33-12 third-quarter deficit. Darian Durant threw for 478 yards and five TDs, including two in OT. Weston Dressler’s scoring grab ended this classic. June 27, 2015: Winnipeg 30, Saskatchewan 26. Shortly before halftime, Durant ruptured an Achilles tendon. End of season (see: 1991). July 1, 2017: Winnipeg 43,
Saskatchewan 40 (2OT). What is it about Dressler, Canada Day, and double overtime? Two TD catches by a wide-open Dressler helped Winnipeg win the first regular-season game at new Mosaic Stadium. Saskatchewan outscored the Bombers 14-3 to force overtime.
June 15, 2018: Forty-four in a row! Applause, anyone? Oh ...