Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Ken Miller (L) embraces players in the dressing room after losing to the Montreal Alouettes in the 97th CFL Grey Cup football game in Calgary, Alberta, November 29, 2009. REUTERS/Fred GreensladeFRED GREENSLADE/Reuters
For too few seconds, there was euphoria in Riderville. Saskatchewan was once again the home of the Grey Cup champions. The Riders reigned; a green-faced province raised its watermelons in celebration.
And then came the heartbreak.
Instead of holding on for a 27-25 win last night at McMahon Stadium, the Riders were flagged for having too many men on the field during a missed field goal by the Montreal Alouettes' Damon Duval. Somehow, someone had goofed at the worst possible moment.
The penalty gave Duval a second chance and this time, with no time on the clock, he nailed it from 33 yards out, sealing a remarkable 28-27 comeback by Montreal and sheer agony for the Riders.
In a game that had it all - the two best teams in the CFL playing under ideal conditions in front of a boisterous crowd - who knew the last few seconds would be the most dramatic? Certainly the Riders' didn't. They were jumping up and down excitedly when Jason Armstead ran the missed field goal out of the Saskatchewan end zone to secure the team's second Grey Cup win in three years.
But a mistake was made when the Riders went with a different field-goal team formation, one that was designed to block that kick. Special teams co-ordinator Kavis Reed sent one player onto the field and another was supposed to come off. The officials counted 13 green uniforms and tossed a flag.
"It was a situation where it should have been recognized by what we were doing," an emotional Saskatchewan head coach Ken Miller said later. "We did not see it (the extra man). We thought we'd won the football game."
Miller wouldn't name who was supposed to come off the field and spoke only of the anguish he and his players felt when they realized Montreal had a second chance.
"It's just total 100-per-cent disappointment," Miller explained. "It's a long walk (to the dressing room). That's going to be a disappointment in the lives of our players for a long time."
The Riders looked to be in control of the 97th Grey Cup game by jumping out in front 10-0 and later 17-3. Even at halftime, you could sense the players' confidence. Linebacker Tad Kornegay took a moment at halftime to offer up a tweet. "We're up Rider Nation. Let's put them away now!" he wrote.
For a time, it seemed the Riders had done just that when quarterback Darian Durant scampered 16 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. That put Saskatchewan ahead on the scoreboard 27-11 with just over 10 minutes to play.
Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo came to life and began working over the Saskatchewan secondary with receiver Jamel Richardson. Unable to stay with Richardson, the Riders also gave up valuable yards to receiver Ben Cahoon and to the game's most outstanding player, running back Avon Cobourne.
Miller acknowledged the Alouettes' second-half adjustments.
"Give Montreal congratulations," he said. "We had a chance if we could have made a play or two, but we made critical errors. They moved the ball more consistently in the second half. Everyone in our locker room knows we should have won the football game."
The Riders had so much in their favour. They entered the game off a thorough beating of the defending Grey Cup-champion Calgary Stampeders and a home-field-like advantage thanks to their many fans making the short trek west to Alberta.
Unfortunately for the Riders, they couldn't build a significant enough of an advantage to quash Montreal's hope. Their defence bent until it buckled and then Duval put his foot through the heart of Saskatchewan.
"I talked to the players," Miller said. "I told them what I've said already. The disappointment of this loss will last as long as they play."
It will last as long among their fans.