The 2022 Grey Cup was a blast and a great reminder of what makes Regina and the Canadian Football League special..The game itself was a wild back-and-forth battle, but my lasting memories began two nights before. Baller’s Rec Room, a unique venue that combines alcohol, video games, and an adjacent batting cage, hosted a Grey Cup party like none other. CFL greats and excited fans, including this author, ate, drank, danced, and chatted for hours..This event provided fresh proof of how CFL players are more approachable and available than other professional athletes. They aren’t rich enough to get a snooty ego or require excessive security, and that’s even more true in retirement..Among the TSN panelists at the event, Matt Dunigan brought unmistakeable warmth. If I write a dictionary, I will illustrate 'gregarious' with his picture. With Dunigan, as with most athletes I talked to, I shared an anecdote and asked a question or two..I recalled how as a B.C. Lion the quarterback was chased to the sidelines, then ran over a cheerleader. He looked with concern as medics attended to her and bought her flowers later. He remembered that too, and said they should have won the Grey Cup in ’88..“Oh well, it wasn’t your fault,” I said..“Yes it was,” he said with a smile..“Matt, you’re from the south. I wanted to know, were you ever born again?”.He wove his faith journey into a brief biography. A Baptist married a Catholic, when he wed his wife of 38 years. “I know where my bread is buttered, and my gun is locked and loaded,” he said. I got it — God brings the blessings, and he is prepared for heaven..In 1987, the Eskimos had Dunigan, Tracy Ham, and Damon Allen as their three young quarterbacks — all of whom had spectacular Hall of Fame careers. Allen entered the room, reigning second in all-time passing yards at 72,381. I told him how amazing I found it that he was also top five in rushing yards, but he reminded me, “I’m number three!” Yes, that’s what 11,920 yards will get you..Allen was the league’s Most Outstanding Player in 2005 when, at the age of 42, he had his only 5,000 yard passing season. Did offensive coordinator Kent Austin have a lot to do with it? No, it was more than that. “They built the entire team around me,” he said. But when Austin and another contender were vying for the job, the Argos asked Allen who he preferred, and he chose Austin..With some embarrassment, I mistook current Stampeders coach and former star quarterback Dave Dickenson for Danny McManus. Dickenson in good humour said no, McManus was much heavier than him. Allen said others at the event had confused him with all-time receiving leader Geroy Simon! I recalled how Dickenson had his career cut short by concussions and asked if they still bothered him. Yes, he still gets headaches sometimes..Former Stamps standout receiver Nik Lewis was a magnetic force who drew excitement and attention like a true celebrity. He smiled when I told him he was the only one better than Ray Elgaard who could keep running with people hanging on his back. Why was he living in Regina now? Because he married a Regina girl. He also told me 12 NFL teams had offered him tryouts and he refused, as had Joffrey Reynolds and some other stars because they enjoyed the CFL and wanted to stay..Kicker Paul McCallum kicked the league’s longest field goal at 62 yards (he still says it’s 63) while a Roughrider. He was brought out of retirement for a game with B.C and went four-for-four. How? “Just lucky I guess,” he said..Right — and what did McCallum learn from that other B.C. kicking legend Lui Passaglia? Technique, he said, like having the right golf swing, but with your leg..Not everyone I queried was a star. A young woman from Sudbury who works for the league was at the party, as was a Toronto rep for a sports betting company. Asked how they liked Regina and its chill, they both said they had a great time and enjoyed the city, and the people were great..And on that day, especially, they were absolutely right.
