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MIKAELA MACKENZIE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Blue Bombers rookie tight end Dante Daniels Manitoba-born foster dad, Joel Fillion, educated him on the Blue and Gold-White and Green rivalry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to be a person that comes in here and goes, \u2018OK this is just another game.\u2019 I want to be someone who embraces the rivalry.\u201d<\/p>\n
For rookie centre Tyler Elsbury, he found out quickly in Regina last weekend that things are different when the Blue and Gold meet the Green and White.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we got to the hotel, the bellhop was wearing a Sask shirt over their uniform. And they just kind of looked at us, and you know we\u2019re wearing Bomber hats and stuff, and they didn\u2019t like that we were there \u2014 that\u2019s for sure,\u201d said Elsbury, who hails from Byron, Ill., and played at the University of Iowa.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe that\u2019s not his favourite day of work having to let us all in our rooms. But the rooms were good. There were no shenanigans or anything like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bombers had a Fan Appreciation Day last month where players signed autographs. More than a few diehards went out of their way to make sure rookie defensive back Major Williams was informed about the CFL\u2019s most popular set of regular-season games.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were coming up to me and saying, \u2018This is the one we want to win.\u2019 I kind of knew about the rivalry, but it was big to hear it from the fans, and people saying they were travelling five, six hours to go to Regina to watch us, and then to also have the big one here,\u201d said Williams, a Fort Myers, Fla., native who played at Div. II Carson-Newman.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know it means a lot to them, and definitely here in this building it means more than everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to doing his own research, Daniels has heard many stories over the years as he used to work at The Keg Steakhouse + Bar with former Bombers linebacker, and fellow Windsor product, Frank Renaud. His foster dad, Joel Fillion, also educated him on the subject as he was born and raised in Manitoba before relocating to Ontario.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Frank) used to tell me all the time about how Winnipeg and Sask hate each other and that the Banjo Bowl is a huge thing,\u201d said Daniels.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can watch Sask all year, you can watch us all year, but this game is always the most physical game of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t MIKAELA MACKENZIE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers rookie centre Tyler Elsbury (right) said he found out the intensity of the rivalry with the Saskatchewan Roughriders last weekend when the team was checking into the hotel in Regina.<\/p>\n The Labour Day Classic atmosphere reminded Daniels \u2014 who was drafted in the second round, 10th overall by the Bombers in this year\u2019s CFL Draft \u2014 of his days at N.C. State when they\u2019d square off against North Carolina.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore the game, I was praying in the end zone and a bunch of fans were talking crap and yelling at me \u2014 and I just love it, honestly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was like playing at UNC where they always talked crap. At the end of the day, I think it\u2019s hilarious because they\u2019re so passionate about their team, but they\u2019re not the ones playing. I\u2019m just here to play my game, and I\u2019m going to smile at you guys and laugh.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bombers weren\u2019t laughing when the game ended. The Riders prevailed 32-26 in overtime.<\/p>\n Fortunately for Winnipeg, they don\u2019t have to wait long for another crack at Saskatchewan as they host the Riders on Saturday at 3 p.m.<\/p>\n Prior to this, Williams has never matched up against the same opponent in two consecutive weeks \u2014 at any level.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s very interesting. I\u2019m excited, it\u2019s cool. I get to play eight quarters against the same person in less than a week,\u201d said Williams.<\/p>\n \u201cI got the feeling of how they move and stuff like that, so going into this one, I\u2019m feeling really good. I already know what\u2019s going to happen before it\u2019s going to happen. I can just smell it better. My instincts go up when I play a team this tight a second time.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bombers have won eight of the last 10 Banjo Bowls, but they were swept last season by the Riders.<\/p>\n Beating an arch nemesis is nice and all, but this game, more importantly, has massive implications in the West Division standings. The Bombers (6-6), B.C. Lions (6-6) and Calgary Stampeders (5-7) are all jockeying for position, while also keeping an eye on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-9) in the East for the possibility of a crossover playoff spot.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t ROBERT LEE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers rookie defensive back Major Williams is amped \u201cto play eight quarters\u201d against the same opponents. <\/p>\n The second-place Riders (8-4) can also create some separation and claim the season series with a win.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s bigger than the Banjo Bowl,\u201d said Williams. \u201cIt\u2019s about getting a win and ascending up.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \u201cI think it\u2019ll be a good game and we\u2019ll be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n Injury update<\/p>\n The Bombers released their injury report Thursday afternoon, and starting safety Redha Kramdi (hand) is listed as available for Saturday\u2019s contest after missing the previous six games.<\/p>\n Linebacker Jaiden Woodbey (hamstring) is doubtful to play, while receivers Ontaria Wilson (hand) and Nic Demski (ankle), and running back Brady Oliveira (ankle) are listed as questionable.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/taylorallen<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Taylor Allen Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree\/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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