By Rob Vanstone, Leader-PostNovember 4,
REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders can only hope that 33 is a lucky number.
Saturday marks the 33rd anniversary of the day the Roughriders last secured first place in the CFL West. In so doing, they scored 33 points against the Calgary Stampeders — who, in a remarkable coincidence, are to visit Taylor Field on Saturday in a showdown for top spot.
“Of all the teams in Canada, I don’t think there is a fan base that would appreciate first place more than Saskatchewan fans,’’ Rhett Dawson says via telephone from Austin, Texas.
Dawson caught the pass that gave Saskatchewan the Western Conference’s regular-season title on Nov. 7, 1976. As time expired, Ron Lancaster found Dawson with a three-yard touchdown toss that powered Saskatchewan to a 33-31 road victory and capped its rally from first-half deficits of 24-0 and 27-8.
“Ronnie looked straight at me in the huddle and said, ‘What do you want?’ ’’ Dawson recalls. “I said, ‘Quick out.’ It was unusual for him to do that in my experience with him. He was The Little General. He usually told everyone else on offence what to do. But with the chemistry Ronnie and I had, I guess he had the confidence in me to say, ‘What do you want?’ It was very humbling that he would say that to me at that time.
“Ronnie looked straight at me in the huddle and said, ‘What do you want?’ ’’ Dawson recalls. “I said, ‘Quick out.’ It was unusual for him to do that in my experience with him. He was The Little General. He usually told everyone else on offence what to do. But with the chemistry Ronnie and I had, I guess he had the confidence in me to say, ‘What do you want?’ It was very humbling that he would say that to me at that time.
“I may have paused for a nanosecond before saying, ‘Quick out.’ I made a quick break and snapped my head and shoulders around like I was taught to do. As soon as I turned around, the ball hit me in the gut. I squeezed the ball with all my might. The worst thing that could have happened was for somebody to get a hand on it, so I put both arms around it. If I had three arms, the third arm would have been wrapped around it!’’
Just like that, the Roughriders had wrapped up first place.
“I was (blocking) against John Helton on the play,’’ says former Roughriders offensive lineman Jim Hopson, who is now the team’s president and CEO. “Ronnie told the line in the huddle to just keep their hands down. I remember John being tangled up with me on the ground when the cheer went up (from Saskatchewan fans in attendance at McMahon Stadium) and he said, ‘I can’t believe you guys did it to us again.’ ’’
Basil Bark was not as disbelieving.
Basil Bark was not as disbelieving.
“I didn’t come down in yesterday’s rain,’’ the Stampeders’ veteran centre told Bob Hughes of the Leader-Post after another classic Lancaster comeback. “I’ve played too many times against them to let yourself think you’ve ever got them. You have to step on their throats and keep your foot there.
“You know, even when we had them 24-0, they didn’t look like they were down or beaten. They just looked mad. I’ve played a long time against Ronnie. I know Ronnie. You don’t take anything for granted with him. You know that sooner or later he’s going to come after you, and you’d better be ready.’’
Lancaster engineered a climactic drive that covered 79 yards and included a clutch reception by Steve Mazurak, who is now the Roughriders’ vice-president, marketing and sales.
“It was third-and-10,’’ Mazurak remembers. “Ronnie put the ball up and Dennis Meyer, their safety, must have had a 25-yard run at me. I catch the ball and — BOOM! — he hits me in the ribs so hard that I’m singing ‘O Canada’ because I’m out of breath.
“I remember one of their coaches standing over me and saying, ‘Dammit! He’s still got it.’ I wasn’t letting that ball go for anything.’’
Lancaster’s passing had not been as precise earlier in the game. The Stampeders’ first touchdown — on a handoff from John Hufnagel (Calgary’s current head coach and GM) to Willie Burden — was set up when Lancaster was intercepted by Larry Cates. He just happens to be the uncle of the Roughriders’ current starting tailback, Wes Cates.
“Cates is always making plays, huh?!’’ Wes Cates says with a laugh after being shown a newspaper account of the 1976 Roughriders-Stampeders game.
“That is kind of wild,’’ Cates marvels. “It’s crazy that you figured that out. Hopefully the outcome is the same.’’
After being advised that Saturday’s game is on the 33rd anniversary of the most-recent pennant-winning contest, Cates can only smile about a possible good omen for the 2009 Roughriders.
“Hey, it might already be in the books,’’ Cates says lightheartedly. “It’s already written, as they say.’’
“Hey, it might already be in the books,’’ Cates says lightheartedly. “It’s already written, as they say.’’
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