Longtime MontrealAlouettes.com writer Jack Bedell pays his first visit to Percival-Molson Stadium
By Jack Bedell,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Hammond, LA – I’ve been a Montreal Alouettes fan for over 30 years. In those three decades, I’ve had to scramble to catch games on TV, scour football mags for box scores, and move up and down the AM dial to hear broadcasts on clear nights.
Since the advent of the internet and satellite television, following the team and the league have been much easier. And writing for MontrealAlouettes.com, CFL.ca and thescore.com the past five years, I’ve been privileged to attend Grey Cups as part of the working media.
But in all my years as an Als fan, I’ve never been able to attend a home game during the regular season. I had seen games at BC Place, Canad Inns Stadium, and Rogers Centre, but never the one venue I hold most dear – Percival Molson Stadium.
This past Thursday, I finally made that dream happen.
On the way to La Belle Province…
My trip began at 4:45 a.m., Central time, heading down a curiously-packed interstate towards Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans.
When my flight took off at 7 a.m. towards New York, I figured to have a couple of hours of free time before the game to tour the stadium and visit with long-distance friends in the organization.
But that’s when the trip turned into a bad remake of “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.”
Sitting in JFK eating a bagel, I watched in pain as my scheduled departure time was pushed back 15 minutes at a time for three hours, eating my free time at the stadium away. Then once I hit the ground in Vermont and started the drive into the city, I ran into not one, not two, but three wrecks on Autoroute 10, making my 90-minute drive into Montreal last two and a half hours.
I can’t even begin to describe how frustrating it was to listen to the pre-game show on CJAD stuck in gridlock. Hearing the crowd and the PA announcements just made it worse. I made it to my hotel downtown, though, in time to throw my stuff on the ground in the room, change, and make a mad dash up the hill to the stadium to pick up my media pass. I ran up the stairs and into the press box just in time to see Nick Setta break the scoreless tie with his first field goal of the night.
All things considered, though, I got there just in time.
The Als came to life in all phases of the game right when I got there, the press box staff put out some killer smoked meat sandwiches and hot dogs, and I was able to settle into a seat at mid-field right behind Ticats GM Bob O’Billovich to enjoy a fabulous view of the Montreal skyline.
And one heck of a game by Anthony Calvillo and Anwar Stewart!
Je me souviendrai…
It was a real treat to be there in person to watch A.C. throw a bomb to Jamel Richardson for touchdown 334 to take over sole possession of second place on the all-time CFL passing touchdowns list. It was also great to watch the Als’ O-line work in person. Since TV follows the ball for the most part, it was a rare bonus to watch Bryan Chiu and the rest of the line blow out holes for Avon Cobourne and open ginormous passing lanes for Calvillo.
At the three-minute warning, I made my way down to the field to watch the end of the game at field level – which was a serious rush. And when the gun sounded, I had the honour of finally meeting some good friends in person for the first time like Chiu and cheer team members Liz V. and Julie D.
A trip to Percival Molson, an Als’ win, great fans, good friends. It just couldn’t have been any better. My only regret was that I didn’t have more time to enjoy it all.
Next time…And trust me, there will be a next time!
