A half billion’s worth of mystique and aura at home
The Lions’ den at B.C. Place is where they have their mojo
Mystique and aura, as major-league pitcher Curt Schilling once opined, are good names for pole dancers, but in the world of sports, exist only in the minds of over-caffeinated writers.
And dude had a point. Those qualities, such as they are, are the by-product of good players and good teams and not a sprinkling of pixie dust. The Montreal Canadiens, for example, had plenty of mystique and aura when they had Dryden, Savard, Robinson, Lapointe, Lafleur, Shutt, Lemaire and Gainey in the lineup.
Not so much with Erik Cole, Tomas Plekanec and P.K. Subban.
Still, it’s worth noting that, since moving back into B.C. Place just over 13 months ago, the B.C. Lions have won 14 of 15 regular season and playoff home games including Saturday night’s less-than-epic 17-6 decision over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in their season finale.
We’d also point out that, two weeks hence, the Leos host the Western final in their home park, which means the road to the Grey Cup runs right through The Dome. And even if you dispute the existence of its mystique, you have to admit the Lions have something powerful working in their spectacular new digs.
Then again, you’d expect nothing less for half a billion.
“One hundred per cent,” Leos head coach Mike Benevides answered when asked if there is mojo to B.C. Place.
“We’re playing at home. We’re playing in front of our fans. Confidence is the biggest thing in sports and we believe that mystique lives.” And not just at No. 5 Orange. While you’d never know it from the final score, the Lions did accomplish a couple of things of note on Saturday night. For starters, they got a quarter and a half of work out of Travis Lulay, who quelled whatever fears lingered about his damaged right shoulder. The CFL’s reigning most outstanding player didn’t light the world on first, but did go nine-for-14 in just over a quarter’s worth of work and pronounced himself satisfied with his evening’s work before giving way to Mike Reilly.
The Lions also kept some semblance of momentum going, finishing off a 13-5 campaign, and since last season’s 1-7 start, the Lions are 25-6 over their last 31 regular season and playoff games.
Finally, they managed to expunge the unpleasant memory of last week’s horrific first quarter in their one-sided loss to Calgary.
“This is a team (the Roughriders) we might meet again,” said Andrew Harris, who recovered from a couple of early fumbles to run for 57 yards and looked good doing it. “We want to play to a standard. “I don’t know (what it is about B. C. Place). Maybe we just like playing in a fancy stadium. But this place is magic for us.”
The news wasn’t all good from Saturday night. Guard Dean Valli went down in the second quarter, and based on the visuals, the prognosis is not good. The total bill from the infirmary wasn’t completely in by deadline and it should be noted Allpro defensive end Keron Williams left the game in the first quarter and didn’t return.
But this Lions’ season was always going to be judged by what happens next and as they gird themselves for the Western final, they have most everything going in their favour. Two weeks to rest, recuperate and refocus. Two weeks to build for whatever awaits. They they play, hopefully, their penultimate game in a place where they feel bulletproof.
That doesn’t mean you can punch their ticket for Toronto and their second straight appearance in the Grey Cup. But it does mean they have everything working in their favour.
“This is why play all year, to put ourselves in this position,” said Lulay. “It’s very clear we play better football here.”
“There is such a thing as home-field advantage,” chimed in Reilly.
And maybe that’s not mystique or aura but it’s the next best thing.