Is it okay to be a BC Lions fan tonight?

[DougR]

As a newbie to the league and Bombers, is it acceptable to root for the Lions tonight versus the Eskimos?  It would make the Bombers tied with the Eskimos after beating the Redblacks tomorrow night, right?  😀

Also, do Bomber fans have "special" names for each opposing team?  Or do you call them by their team names?  With the NFL, I used to refer to the teams as the San Francisco Whiners, Dallas Cowgirls, Washington Deadskins, Los Angeles Lambs, Seattle Seachickens, NY Midgets, Oakland Raiderettes .....

GO BOMBERS....CRUSH THE REDBLACKS!!!!

Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Ottawa.
Ottawa who?
Ottawa know you're telling the truth?
 

[wbbfan]

As long as it doesnt involve cheering for the riders (short of it helping our play off picture) It is ok imo. Just try not to cheer too much or you will wake up feeling dirty and cheap in the morning. 

[blueingreenland]

It's okay. I hate the Eskimos.

You can refer to them as the Evil Empire.

[M.O.A.B.]

1 hour ago, DougR said:

As a newbie to the league and Bombers, is it acceptable to root for the Lions tonight versus the Eskimos?  It would make the Bombers tied with the Eskimos after beating the Redblacks tomorrow night, right?  😀

Also, do Bomber fans have "special" names for each opposing team?  Or do you call them by their team names?  With the NFL, I used to refer to the teams as the San Francisco Whiners, Dallas Cowgirls, Washington Deadskins, Los Angeles Lambs, Seattle Seachickens, NY Midgets, Oakland Raiderettes .....

GO BOMBERS....CRUSH THE REDBLACKS!!!!

Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Ottawa.
Ottawa who?
Ottawa know you're telling the truth?
 

Go Bombers... Crush the Ticats !!!

RedBlacks next week.

Edited August 9, 2018 by M.O.A.B.

[tacklewasher]

You can root for the Lions all you want.

 

But I don't give them a snowballs chance in hell of beating the Eskies. They just are not a good team this year.

And I live in BC.

[kelownabomberfan]

Cheer for Lions because....well someone has to.  No one here in BC is doing it.

[DougR]

1 hour ago, blueingreenland said:

It's okay. I hate the Eskimos.

You can refer to them as the Evil Empire.

I love it....the Evil Empire.  

The only Eskimos we have down here in the State are ..... (drum roll please) Eskimo Pies!  (Yeah I know, keep my day job.  I have no future as a comedian)

[Eternal optimist]

 

3 hours ago, DougR said:

As a newbie to the league and Bombers, is it acceptable to root for the Lions tonight versus the Eskimos?  It would make the Bombers tied with the Eskimos after beating the Redblacks tomorrow night, right?  😀

Meh - I've always been okay with rooting for teams provided it helps the Bombers in the standings - as long as it isn't the 'Riders. In case you haven't caught on yet, they think they're the greatest thing ever and consider themselves "Canada's Team" - they are the CFL equivalent of the insufferable Cowboys fans in the NFL. If you want a primer on their best play ever in a Grey Cup (our SuperBowl) I've linked it below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77L3gNDCUnw

Cheers and welcome to the CFL.

 

[Chaosmonkey]

7 hours ago, DougR said:

Also, do Bomber fans have "special" names for each opposing team?
 

BC is the Kitty Cats

Calgary is the Glue-Fuels (well, I dunno, I just made that up.....)

Edmonton is the Evil Empire

Sask. has many nick names, I usually go with Mustache Riders

Hamilton is also the Kitty Cats

Toronto is the Ar-Blows

Ottawa is the RODBLACKS

Montreal is currently playing so bad we all take pity on them and don't use any nicknames

 

[O2L]

I wouldn’t say I cheered for the Lions tonight, i just preferred they win as it benefits us, and cheered for the Esks to lose. 

Welcome to life as a Bomber fan! What made you choose our boys in blue?

Do you use ESPN+ for the games that aren’t broadcast?

[tacklewasher]

12 hours ago, tacklewasher said:

You can root for the Lions all you want.

 

But I don't give them a snowballs chance in hell of beating the Eskies. They just are not a good team this year.

And I live in BC.

D'oh

[WBBFanWest]

15 hours ago, tacklewasher said:

You can root for the Lions all you want.

 

But I don't give them a snowballs chance in hell of beating the Eskies. They just are not a good team this year.

And I live in BC.

Sometimes, the snowball wins!

[FrostyWinnipeg]

How bout that Lulay?

[Nash00]

3 hours ago, tacklewasher said:

D'oh

Now do it for the Bombers!

[DougR]

14 hours ago, Eternal optimist said:

 

Meh - I've always been okay with rooting for teams provided it helps the Bombers in the standings - as long as it isn't the 'Riders. In case you haven't caught on yet, they think they're the greatest thing ever and consider themselves "Canada's Team" - they are the CFL equivalent of the insufferable Cowboys fans in the NFL. If you want a primer on their best play ever in a Grey Cup (our SuperBowl) I've linked it below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77L3gNDCUnw

Cheers and welcome to the CFL.

 

We had REAL 😉 Rough Riders here in the States back when Teddy Roosevelt was recruiting people to fight in the Spanish - American war.  So, some team with that name, calling themselves Canada's team has this American riled up.  Let's help them finish last this year in our division!  GO BOMBERS!   Thanks for the education about them as well.

 

[DougR]

9 hours ago, O2L said:

I wouldn’t say I cheered for the Lions tonight, i just preferred they win as it benefits us, and cheered for the Esks to lose. 

Welcome to life as a Bomber fan! What made you choose our boys in blue?

Do you use ESPN+ for the games that aren’t broadcast?

I decided to follow the CFL for the first time from start to finish.  I have known about the Bombers and have watched them before.  I love their uniforms.  I love the stadium (looking at it online).  I like what I've read about the fans.  And frankly, this far into the season I know I made the right choice.  I am not some flighty kind of fan.  I pick a team and ride with them through bad and good seasons.  

About the how I watch the games.  My wife and I cut our cable a few years ago.  So, now I actually check the news and scores online.  Then a day or two after the game, the full broadcast has been showing up on YouTube.  So, I watch the game that way.  

I will probably try to go to a local sports bar when the playoffs arrive and of course when the Bombers go to the Grey Cup this year.  😉

[DougR]

18 minutes ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

How bout that Lulay?

I had to look up Lulay. 😉  I thought you meant Lola.  And who knows this day and age if Lulay is Lola, right?  ha ha   

 

[DougR]

18 hours ago, DougR said:

As a newbie to the league and Bombers, is it acceptable to root for the Lions tonight versus the Eskimos?  It would make the Bombers tied with the Eskimos after beating the Redblacks tomorrow night, right?  😀

Also, do Bomber fans have "special" names for each opposing team?  Or do you call them by their team names?  With the NFL, I used to refer to the teams as the San Francisco Whiners, Dallas Cowgirls, Washington Deadskins, Los Angeles Lambs, Seattle Seachickens, NY Midgets, Oakland Raiderettes .....

GO BOMBERS....CRUSH THE REDBLACKS!!!!

Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Ottawa.
Ottawa who?
Ottawa know you're telling the truth?
 

I don't want to brag but, I used my New Mexico USA mojo last night to help the Lions bring down the Eskimos in the standings.  It was a combination of a huge bonfire in my backyard, a small farm animal for a sacrifice and a lot of beer.  Oh and some chanting.  You would understand if you lived in New Mexico. (ha ha)  All the Bombers have to do is win tonight!!!

And yes, I did figure out that I had my weeks screwed up.  We're playing Hamilton tonight, right?  GO BOMBERS!

[DougR]

9 hours ago, O2L said:

I wouldn’t say I cheered for the Lions tonight, i just preferred they win as it benefits us, and cheered for the Esks to lose. 

Welcome to life as a Bomber fan! What made you choose our boys in blue?

Do you use ESPN+ for the games that aren’t broadcast?

And.....this is another reason I picked the Bombers.  If I ever make it up for a game (and believe me I am checking flights or looking at driving, etc) I want to be in the stands with passionate fans like these folks.  GO BOMBERS!
 

 

Edited August 10, 2018 by DougR

[DougR]

10 hours ago, Chaosmonkey said:

 

THANK YOU!

 

[WBBFanWest]

9 minutes ago, DougR said:

I don't want to brag but, I used my New Mexico USA mojo last night to help the Lions bring down the Eskimos in the standings.  It was a combination of a huge bonfire in my backyard, a small farm animal for a sacrifice and a lot of beer.  Oh and some chanting.  You would understand if you lived in New Mexico. (ha ha)  All the Bombers have to do is win tonight!!!

And yes, I did figure out that I had my weeks screwed up.  We're playing Hamilton tonight, right?  GO BOMBERS!

Your jib, I like the cut of it...

[Brandon]

1 hour ago, WBBFanWest said:

Sometimes, the snowball wins!

[Fan Boy]

28 minutes ago, DougR said:

We had REAL 😉 Rough Riders here in the States back when Teddy Roosevelt was recruiting people to fight in the Spanish - American war.  So, some team with that name, calling themselves Canada's team has this American riled up.  Let's help them finish last this year in our division!  GO BOMBERS!   Thanks for the education about them as well.

 

More education coming. The history of the CFL is long, even longer than NFL truth be told however the name CFL is relatively new. The Roughrider (no space) name has nothing to do with Teddy R but is in fact based on settlers riding oxcarts with no suspension so getting an uncomfortable ride. There used to be a CFL team in Ottawa called the Ottawa Rough Riders (with space) and that name had nothing to do with Teddy R either. Ottawa is Canada's capital city but was founded as a logging town. The rough riders were the guys who would ride the log rafts down the river to bring the logs to the saw mills before there were roads. This was also a journey that could get quite uncomfortable. Having 2 teams in a 9 team league with names so close together seemed really odd but since the East and West used to be separate entities it makes more sense. The current Ottawa CFL team is not financially related to the previous CFL team but its name also refers to the common red black plaid of the logging industry roots of the city. 

Tonight's opponent's name is a bit odd too if you think about Tiger and cat being a bit redundant but not so much if you know two teams merged one named Tigers and the other named Wildcats. 

Most CFL teams have roots to the 1870's and if you are interested wikipedia has some good reads. 

 

[DougR]

1 hour ago, Fan Boy said:

More education coming. The history of the CFL is long, even longer than NFL truth be told however the name CFL is relatively new. The Roughrider (no space) name has nothing to do with Teddy R but is in fact based on settlers riding oxcarts with no suspension so getting an uncomfortable ride. There used to be a CFL team in Ottawa called the Ottawa Rough Riders (with space) and that name had nothing to do with Teddy R either. Ottawa is Canada's capital city but was founded as a logging town. The rough riders were the guys who would ride the log rafts down the river to bring the logs to the saw mills before there were roads. This was also a journey that could get quite uncomfortable. Having 2 teams in a 9 team league with names so close together seemed really odd but since the East and West used to be separate entities it makes more sense. The current Ottawa CFL team is not financially related to the previous CFL team but its name also refers to the common red black plaid of the logging industry roots of the city. 

Tonight's opponent's name is a bit odd too if you think about Tiger and cat being a bit redundant but not so much if you know two teams merged one named Tigers and the other named Wildcats. 

Most CFL teams have roots to the 1870's and if you are interested wikipedia has some good reads. 

 

THANK YOU for the history lesson.  I loved it.  Good to know.  Please share more as this American (new to the Bombers and CFL) roots around as if he doesn't know much....because he is learning.

I will tell you one thing, I haven't had a better reception than the one I've received on this forum.  I thank everyone for taking me under their wing and bringing me into the Blue Bomber family.  I checked ESPN+ and they show just a few of our Bomber games.  However, I might use them for the playoffs and Grey Cup.  In the meantime, it's YouTube for the game a few days after or I can listen to the games online via your local radio station.  It works for me either way right now.

And I came across this video today about some other Americans who became Blue Bomber fans.   I picked the right team no doubt!!!  https://globalnews.ca/video/3629111/father-and-son-from-california-become-winnipeg-blue-bombers-fans

 

[Eternal optimist]

7 hours ago, DougR said:

I decided to follow the CFL for the first time from start to finish.  I have known about the Bombers and have watched them before.  I love their uniforms.  I love the stadium (looking at it online).  I like what I've read about the fans.  And frankly, this far into the season I know I made the right choice.  I am not some flighty kind of fan.  I pick a team and ride with them through bad and good seasons.  

About the how I watch the games.  My wife and I cut our cable a few years ago.  So, now I actually check the news and scores online.  Then a day or two after the game, the full broadcast has been showing up on YouTube.  So, I watch the game that way.  

I will probably try to go to a local sports bar when the playoffs arrive and of course when the Bombers go to the Grey Cup this year.  😉

Always glad to welcome another fan, let us know if you any questions about the slight rules differences etc. Also, if you want to know a few Bomber legends to look up for some light reading:

Ken Ploen

Milt Stegall

Doug Brown

Charles Roberts

As an extra aside - any American friends curious about the Bombers would likely know the NFL names Jon Ryan and Chris Matthews (both played for the Seattle Seahawks, not sure where they are now) got their start here.