If a Tree Falls at McMahon...

Last April I wrote about a game between the Calgary Flames and Minnesota Wild that didn't mean anything.  Neither team was going to the post season, nobody on either team was nearing a significant milestone, and concession prices were not cut in half.  I wondered '...if a hockey game doesn't matter, will anybody be there to see it?'

Last night at McMahon Stadium, the Stampeders and the city found themselves in a similar position.  The Stamps had already guaranteed themselves a playoff spot, already clinched a first-round bye, and already sealed up home field advantage in the Grey Cup pre-cursor.  There wasn't really anything to play for and nothing for the fans to cheer for, except for well played football.  But would this happen when neither team had anything to gain, and like last April's Flames tilt, would the fans be involved in the game, or merely provide the Stamps with a smattering of polite applause?

Unlike that game in April at the Saddledome, the Stampeders went into McMahon Stadium last night and showed why they are the best team in the league and why they are clear favorites to represent the West in the Grey Cup next month.  There's a clear division between teams that win games and qualify for the playoffs, and teams that win games and are favorites to win it all.  The Stampeders seem to have this quality, putting up 55 points against the league's best defence. in a game that means nothing to their standing.

The strong performance was important for a few reasons.  Firstly, it gives the hometown fans, in the last regular season game of the year, something to watch, something to enjoy and something to cheer about.  Secondly, it shows the fans, the other players, and the other teams, that despite losing last week to a lesser opponent, the Stampeders are not fading down the stretch.  Heading into the playoffs they will be ready to face any opponent. Concerning individual players, last night's performance showed character from a squad that had nothing to gain from winning or giving a lot of effort.  Not only did they show their effort, but also their depth, as the Stamps were able to play a lot of second string players in the second half, including backup QB Drew Tate and RB Jesse Lumsden, both of whom scored TD and showed how affective they can be if called upon.

It would have been very easy to mail in last night's game, but the Stampeders decided instead, to nail down their position as the number one team in the league and give their fans a well-deserved final performance.  I look forward to heading to McMahon for a playoff game in November to watch this team do it all over again.


-TheRev


twitter.com/TheRevBW
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