Rider Nation: It's a Place, But You Won't Find It On the Map

I have lived in Saskatchewan pretty well my whole life - a brief exception with trips to Alberta in 1989-1990 when my parents moved (and then returned), and when I went to SAIT from 1997-1999. So, for the remaining 27 years I have covered a lot of the province - Fairy Glen, Melfort, Arborfield, Saskatoon, and Regina.

So?

Well, I have always known there was a CFL football team in Saskatchewan. The Roughriders. Every good Saskie-girl knows that. It's the only pro-team in the province in ANY sport. So, through good times and bad, most of us support the team whole-heartedly. That doesn't depend on where you live in Saskatchewan.

But living in Regina--Rider Nation--has brought my awareness of the team to a whole new level. When you live in the same town where the games are actually played at Mosaic Stadium; where you drive by the Roughriders office; shop at the Riders store - two of them; and drive down The Green Mile, people expect that you bleed green. It's extreme. Stores are decorated, people have Rider flags on their cars, and it's all over Facebook. And, you will be hard pressed to find a person in Regina on game day NOT wearing green. In fact, that is usually how I know it IS game day. I don't listen to or watch sports (I can't believe I am actually blogging about sports right now), but I do know that when the /=S=/ logos start to appear in full force and there is a dramatic spike in the amount of people wearing green clothing--it's game day. It even makes me want to watch! Can you believe it? Me!! I am the most uninvolved sports person ever in the history of football. I can see how cult-like behavior develops...you want to watch because all the other people are watching. At least, you think they're watching because they aren't allowed to say they're NOT watching! THINK OF THE TERRIBLE THINGS THAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU WEREN'T WATCHING!

However, I am not watching.

This is the time when I like to go shopping. It's a great benefit of living in Rider Nation - you know everyone is either at Taylor Field, or at home watching TSN, so it's a great time to go to those places normally crowded with cars and people. Say, Wal-Mart.

So tonight, on preseason game day, I bought myself some tank tops, some wooden spoons and a bbq lighter and spent some quality alone time at my local Wal-Mart store. Next time I might even get a Rider t-shirt. Maybe even a jersey like the Wal-Mart greeter was wearing.

(Anyone know the score??)