Montreal Alouettes coach Marc Trestman and Saskatchewan Roughriders coach Ken Miller admire the CFL's Grey Cup before their news conference in Calgary, Alberta on November 25, 2009.
Photograph by: Shaun Best, Reuters
Photograph by: Shaun Best, Reuters
CALGARY — Every April, CBS runs promotional spots in which announcer Jim Nantz describes The Masters as “a tradition like no other.”
The folks at CBS haven’t heard of the Jim Hunt Memorial Question.
Every year at Grey Cup time, Hunt — an iconic Canadian sports writer — took a moment during the coaches’ media conference to pose the most pressing question of the day: What was the coaches’ philosophy on their players having sex the night before the game?
Every year at Grey Cup time, Hunt — an iconic Canadian sports writer — took a moment during the coaches’ media conference to pose the most pressing question of the day: What was the coaches’ philosophy on their players having sex the night before the game?
The tradition has continued since Hunt’s death in 2006 — and that brings us to Wednesday.
Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun did the honours, hitting head coaches Marc Trestman of the Montreal Alouettes and Ken Miller of the Saskatchewan Roughriders with the final question of their joint media conference.
Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun did the honours, hitting head coaches Marc Trestman of the Montreal Alouettes and Ken Miller of the Saskatchewan Roughriders with the final question of their joint media conference.
Trestman, who got the same question in 2008, said the Als “were going to stay on task” and were “going to keep the same regimen as we kept last year and that is to leave it up to our coaches to make that decision for themselves.”
Blah, blah, blah.
Miller, for his part, played along.
“We have played well recently here of late,” he said with a grin a mile wide, “so I’m going to ask them to be consistent in their approach to how they work the night before.”
That could have been music to the Roughriders’ ears — but it doesn’t sound like it was mood music of any kind.
Told of Miller’s reply, linebacker Mike McCullough said his wife, Laura, isn’t even set to arrive in Calgary until Friday. When it was noted that the question referred to “the night before” the CFL title game, McCullough demurred further. He may even have blushed.
“We’re in separate rooms,” he said of himself and his wife, then added with a laugh: “I’m rooming with (fullback Chris) Szarka — and I’m definitely not giving him any, that’s for damn sure.
“I guess certain guys have superstitions. Maybe they do (want some, uh, action), maybe they don’t. I don’t know. I think it differs for each guy. I don’t think most guys talk about if they’re going to do it before the game: ‘Hey, are you going to? Maybe I will, too.’ You’ve got to do your own thing personal-wise. . . . As long as you follow the team rules, you can do what the hell you want. I don’t care. As long as you come to play and help us win a Grey Cup, I’m OK with it.”
“I guess certain guys have superstitions. Maybe they do (want some, uh, action), maybe they don’t. I don’t know. I think it differs for each guy. I don’t think most guys talk about if they’re going to do it before the game: ‘Hey, are you going to? Maybe I will, too.’ You’ve got to do your own thing personal-wise. . . . As long as you follow the team rules, you can do what the hell you want. I don’t care. As long as you come to play and help us win a Grey Cup, I’m OK with it.”
Guard Marc Parenteau was asked for his philosophy on the issue of sex before a big game.
“I don’t really have one,” he replied with a straight face. “Back in high school, I thought it was important, but it didn’t really matter because I couldn’t actually have sex — no one would have sex with me back then. Now, it doesn’t really matter. Whenever it comes up, it comes up.”
“I don’t really have one,” he replied with a straight face. “Back in high school, I thought it was important, but it didn’t really matter because I couldn’t actually have sex — no one would have sex with me back then. Now, it doesn’t really matter. Whenever it comes up, it comes up.”
Uh, OK.
Parenteau then suggested the question be put to his fiancee when she arrives in Calgary on Friday — because he doesn’t think he’ll get the chance to ask.
“She’ll be sleeping in the same room with a family friend and my mom, so I doubt I’ll be trying to sneak in there,” Parenteau said. “That’s a big no-no.”
Linebacker Tad Kornegay toed the company line, saying the players have to do exactly what they did all season to get to this moment.
So when it comes to the topic at hand, what does Kornegay do?
“I don’t really worry about sex and all that stuff,” he replied. “I chill. If it happens, it happens. Sex isn’t something I’m looking for. I’m a laid-back guy. I don’t do too much.”
But this is the Grey Cup! It’s the social event of the CFL season!
But this is the Grey Cup! It’s the social event of the CFL season!
“Oh, it’s going to be crazy,” Kornegay admitted. “We’re golden. Ladies all over you. Not me, though. I’m not a ladies’ man. I don’t get too many girls. It might be my terrible looks over here.”
While physical attraction plays a role, Parenteau noted the mental impact sex can have on an individual.
That in turn made him ponder something.
“I’d be curious to see how the coaches feel about it,” he said, “. . . if they do it before so that they’re relaxed and make the right play calls or if they get uptight and hold on to it.”
Maybe that’ll be next year’s question.
Maybe that’ll be next year’s question.
Regina Leader-Post
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