What going to a home Grey Cup in Regina means to the Saskatchewan Roughriders

CALGARY—The CFL playoffs are usually described as "Win or go home," but the Saskatchewan Roughriders got to do both Sunday. Their 35-13 West Final win over the host Stampeders sent the Riders on to the 101st Grey Cup, which will be played in their home city of Regina this coming Sunday, Since the start of the season, there's been tremendous pressure on the Riders to make it to the championship game, and they accomplished that mission Sunday; now they'll have the chance to become the third-straight team to win the Grey Cup at home, following B.C. and Toronto. Making it to a home Grey Cup is pretty special in its own right, though, and that was a hot topic for Saskatchewan players in their locker room following Sunday's win.

Defensive back Dwight Anderson was fired up even before entering the room, yelling "I'm running straight home to Regina!" as he raced through the McMahon Stadium corridors. (Also in the corridors, several Riders were singing DMX's "Ruff Ryders Anthem," (language warning) a synergy very much approved of here.) Anderson said later in an interview that he's particularly excited about this, as he felt he had a chance to win a Grey Cup at home with Calgary in 2009 before Saskatchewan beat them in the West Final. Now, he's on the other side.

"I had an opportunity to do it here, but Saskatchewan came here and beat us when I was in Calgary and I never got the chance to do it," he said. "I'm looking forward to it right now. ... I'm just going to soak all this up."

Anderson's been to the Grey Cup before, and he won it in 2008 with the Stampeders, so he knows something of the craziness of Grey Cup Week. He said that's going to be at a new level in Regina, so he and his teammates will have to be careful not to get too caught up in the festivities.

"I remember in 2008 when we went, it was fun," he said. "That's what I'm going to try and preach to these guys: it's going to be a busy week, but we just got to stay in tune, stay with the game plan, come out and execute."

Approaches to Grey Cup Week have varied, of course. Some coaches have let their teams unwind (see the legendarily hard-partying 2002 Montreal Alouettes), while others have been stricter (part of why the coaches' first press conference always involves the traditional sex question). It's tough to get a read on how Riders' coach Corey Chamblin will approach discipline this early, but his responses Sunday suggest he might fall on the more buttoned-down side. After all, he said the main difference in the game's location for him is only familiar practice facilities.

"The biggest thing about being in Regina is we won't have to travel," Chamblin said. "We'll be right there, everything will be right there. I think that's the biggest thing, and it helps us in our preparation."

Still, in a place like Regina that was always going to be party-heavy even before the home team made the game, a somewhat restrained approach seems reasonably logical. Craziness is expected in Regina, even from another Rider who's been to Grey Cups and even won on his home turf is slotback Geroy Simon, who won with B.C. in 2006 (in Winnipeg) and 2011 (at home). Simon said he thinks the legendarily-passionate Saskatchewan fans will give their team an unbelievable reception.

"I can't put into words what it's going to be like," he said. "Words can't describe it."