It’s a difficult thing to summarize, this Winnipeg Blue Bombers-Saskatchewan Roughriders rivalry that is highlighted every year with the Labour Day Classic-Banjo Bowl doubleheader.

There is the whole watermelon-head phenomenon and the trash-talking genesis of the Banjo Bowl, courtesy of Troy Westwood way back in 2004.

There are the legions of fans that travel to Saskatchewan from Manitoba – and vice-versa – on consecutive weekends in which consumption seems as much a goal as doing the whole fan thing.

And it’s a rivalry perhaps best explained during those lost seasons where the diehards have long exclaimed: ‘I don’t care if we struggle this year… just as long as we win on Labour Day.’

“That,” began Bombers rookie defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat after practice Thursday, “sounds like we’re in Texas.”

Rivalry games aren’t new to the Bombers, many of whom grew up with them dating back to their high school days south of the border. Jeffcoat lived it during his days with the Texas Longhorns in games against state rival Texas A&M (the Lone Star Showdown, before the Aggies left the conference in 2012) and the Red River Showdown against Oklahoma.

“I grew up in Dallas so our games against Oklahoma were always played at the Cotton Bowl, between Austin (Texas) and Norman (Oklahoma),” said Jeffcoat. “I love those games. They were awesome. I got to play in front of my cousins, my uncles, my parents sometimes.

“I’m really excited about this one. I l-o-o-o-o-v-e rivalry games.”

It was the same for Darvin Adams, who played for Auburn and in the Iron Bowl against hated rival Alabama, considered by many to be the biggest rivalry game in U.S. college football.

“At Auburn, we could lose every game, but when it comes down to playing Alabama… that’s the game you can’t lose,” said Adams. “That’s the biggest rivalry I’ve ever been in. Two teams from the same state, both SEC schools… the Iron Bowl is sort of like this week.

“It’s not only the game, it’s the whole experience and just to get the chance to play in front of numerous people… our stadium back at Auburn (Jordan-Hare Stadium) held close to 90,000. That made it a lot of fun.

“This is a huge week, huge games for us. When you think about these games coming up, you think about the physicality. You’ve got to be physical and play good football because they’re going to be tough, close games.”

Faith Ekakitie is new to all this, too. The Bombers first-round draft pick grew up in southern Ontario, but left to play his high school ball in Illinois before joining the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. And in the Big 10, every weekend seems like a rivalry game – vs. Iowa State one week for state bragging rights and then Minnesota for the ‘Floyd of Rosedale’.

Wait… the Floyd of what?

“It’s a big trophy, basically a statue of a pig,” explained Ekakitie. “There’s a long story behind it, but basically, the Governor of Minnesota bet the Governor of Iowa a prize hog back in the day over who would win the football game.

“We had a lot of trophy games at Iowa. Some games meant more than others. One of our goals each year was to make sure our four trophy games (Iowa vs. Iowa State, Cy-Hawk Trophy; Iowa-Minnesota, Floyd of Rosedale; Iowa-Nebraska, Heroes Trophy and Iowa-Wisconsin, Heartland Trophy) stayed at home. That was a big thing for us.

“I’m excited for this weekend. This season I’ve learned to cherish every moment you get to put on the pads and play. You can’t replicate these kind of games. It’s the atmosphere… it’s everything.”

That’s what sticks with Jermarcus Hardrick about his rivalry games at Nebraska – the sights, the sounds….

“It’s everything that’s part of the build-up,” said Hardrick. “You hear the whistles, the sirens… everything seems shiny. It’s everything you expect and the environment lives up to it.

“The Labour Day Classic and the Banjo Bowl, there’s less people, but I would say it’s more intense. I would love to see 90,000 Canadians going crazy at a football game because the 30,000 we get here makes it sound like the big crowds we got at Nebraska. I couldn’t even imagine the sound of 90,000 people if we got them in here at IGF.

“I can’t wait.”

BOMBERS REPORT – August 31, 2017

FIRE + GASOLINE

Riders QB Kevin Glenn, the two-time former Bomber, got the annual hype machine cranked up this week in a chat with reporters in Regina.

Asked for his take on which team has the loudest fans – Winnipeg or Saskatchewan – he said:
“Oh, Rider fans. Most definitely,” he said. “It’s just the way it is. I hate to say it and have all the Winnipeg fans see it, because I played there. But I’ll be honest. It’s Rider fans.”
Riders play-by-play voice Rod Pederson then followed up by asking Glenn if he would have answered the same way if he was still playing for the Bombers.
“Probably so, but I probably would’ve lied and said Bomber fans,” Glenn said. “The Bomber fans understand, seriously. If I was in blue, I would’ve lied and said Bomber fans.”

BE PREPARED

Veteran receiver Weston Dressler has been a part of the Labour Day Classic dating back to his first year in the CFL, with the Riders in 2008. Last year’s game – a Winnipeg victory – was his first as a Bomber. Asked on a conference call with Regina media Thursday afternoon if he had a favourite Labour Day game over the years, he answered: “Yeah… last year.”

Earlier in the day, he met with the local media and offered up this take:

“There’s not really any other game like it through the season. I told a few of the guys this week this is really the closest atmosphere you get to a playoff atmosphere. So soak it in and enjoy it. You know how it’s going to be there: They’re always rowdy, especially on Labour Day. It’s a fun atmosphere and as a visiting team, it’s challenging preparing for the noise and we have to work through that as best we can and try and limit our mistakes because their defence poses enough challenges the way it is.”

Dressler, FYI, is unbeaten in three games as a Bomber in games against his old club.

“I think they’ll always be a little different from playing anyone else just from the history there,” he said. “But I think most of that is now in the past. I like being a Winnipeg Blue Bomber right now and I’m having a lot of fun with it.”

IN YOUR EAR

Bombers coach Mike O’Shea also weighed in on Labour Day weekend crowds. A veteran of the Toronto-Hamilton rivalry as a player and now Winnipeg-Saskatchewan as a coach, he was asked if he could hear fans who sat behind the visiting team’s bench.

“At old Ivor Wynne they were right on top of you, with the old dugout,” he said. “The new one… not as much, but you can still hear them a little bit. New Mosaic they are further back than they were. I think, if anything, it can add a bit of levity. If there’s a lull in the crowd noise and you hear a particularly interesting comment. There’s always room for a smile or a chuckle during a game, especially during an intense game. It can add to it a little bit.

“But for the most part, when the ball’s getting ready to be snapped and during the play and right after the play’s over, you don’t hear anything.”