Breadcrumb Trail Links
Published Sep 07, 2025 • Last updated 10 minutes ago • 2 minute read
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Edmonton Elks fullback Tanner Green tackles Calgary Stampeders running back Ludovick Choquette during first-half CFL action at Commonwealth Stadium Saturday. Photo by JASON FRANSON /THE CANADIAN PRESSArticle content
That clock radio on the floor beside my sleeping bag was a liar, claiming it was 6:30 a.m. and that I’d only been asleep for four hours.
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Les Hayes, my buddy, was already up, a shadowy figure in his Manhattan Beach living room.
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Already showered and in one of his 118 pairs of summer shorts, he was ready … and focused.
“Breakfast,” he said in his Veit Nam-Marine-turned-wheelchair-basketball-coach tone.
“Let’s go. Get a table before they are all gone.”
We were off to The Castle, a joint on North Sepulveda Boulevard, for the most important meal of the day: steak and eggs.
But really, it was just the appetizer before the main event — getting our NFL bets in before the games started.
Back at his place, Les had set up a command centre: eight portable TVs, each one tuned to a different game, all vying for our attention. Our day was a 12-hour, beer-fuelled blur of touchdowns and questionable referee calls.
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We were, to put it mildly, dialed in.
Ready to give not just a few hours, but the entire day, to the sport we love and, when the time finally came, cheering on our favourite team.
Just like Saturday for your Edmonton Elks.
The buzz was palpable at the Expo Centre’s Labour Day Rematch Brunch.
It wasn’t just another pre-game event; it was a reunion of the Green and Gold faithful, a kickoff to the day’s festivities.
The Spirit of Edmonton crew had set up their legendary traveling road show, filling the hall with a unique blend of camaraderie and anticipation that only they can bring.
Mark Scholz’s voice boomed over the crowd as the MC, a familiar voice who introduced Elks alumni, who were well represented.
Gizmo Williams was there, still radiating that infectious energy, and Eddie Steele, a testament to the team’s history who shared a hot-stove discussion with former Calgary Stampeder Jon Hornish.
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Elks CEO and president Chris Morris and his counterpart Jay McNeil from the Stampeders chatted with the crowds.
The Elks cheer team added a splash of vibrancy, their smiles as bright as their uniforms.
And then, there was the Sluice Juice. A mysterious, almost magical concoction of orange juice and who-knows-what, it was as essential to the fan experience as a Chris Jones defensive stand.
After soaking it all in, the crowd didn’t have to worry about getting to the game. Elks fans piled onto shuttles for the quick 2.5-kilometre ride to Commonwealth Stadium.
The journey was short but the excitement was sky-high. And just like that, the party had moved, ready to continue with the tailgate — because a day of Elks football is never just about the game; it’s about the entire experience.
When 5 p.m. rolled in, the main event kicked off between the Elks and the Calgary Stampeders.
The day was already a major success: bringing people together, talking football — Elks football — and, perhaps most importantly, raised money for mature football.
So: is it possible to have such an event … before every game? Home and away?
Just not at 6:30 a.m.
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