David Moll
Calgary Stampeders vs Montreal Alouettes
Presented by Alberta Dodge and Ram Dealers
McMahon Stadium
Saturday, June 28
1 p.m. kickoff
Radio: News Talk 770; TV: TSN
For the third time in the past six seasons, the Stampeders will kick off the Canadian Football League regular season by playing host to the Montreal Alouettes. Kickoff at McMahon Stadium is at 1 p.m. as the Stampeders launch their 69th season.
Calgary is 37-30-1 all-time in home-openers including a 16-8 mark since the 1990 season and a 4-2 record since John Hufnagel took over as head coach and general manager in 2008.
Calgary finished the 2013 season with a league-best 14-4 record, but the Stamps’ season came to an end with a loss to Saskatchewan in the Western Final. Montreal was 8-10 a year ago, with the Alouettes falling to Hamilton in the Eastern Semifinal.
The Stamps swept the season series from Montreal in 2013 with Calgary winning 22-14 on the road July 12 and 38-27 at home a week later as Red and White set a CFL record by erasing a 24-0 first-quarter deficit.
With rushing titles the past two seasons, Stamps running back Jon Cornish is bidding to become just the fourth player in CFL history to lead the league in rushing three consecutive seasons.
The contest also features two of the most prolific receivers in North America during the 21st century in Stamps veteran Nik Lewis and former NFL star and CFL newcomer Chad Johnson of the Alouettes. They have produced very similar numbers during their pro careers with Lewis having a slight edge in receptions (768-766) and Johnson with small advantages in yardage (11,059-10,873) and touchdown catches (67-65).
Dodge Fan Zone
The pre-game tailgate activity starts two hours before kickoff (11 a.m.) in the new Dodge Fan Zone, located across from the Ticket Office and Stamps Store on the East side of McMahon. The Dodge Fan Zone features plenty of seating and includes numerous family-friendly activities:
– Autographs from Stamps and Dinos players
– Family photo booth with free printouts
– Food trucks
– Partner games and giveaways from Dodge, First Calgary Financial, Buffalo Wild Wings, the Calgary Sun, Fabutan and World Health
– Chance to enter Dodge’s King of the Field contest to win a Ram 1500 truck
– Free airbrush tattoos and balloon animals
There’s also great in-game entertainment and activities including that new sensation, The World’s Fastest Cow presented by Cowboy’s Casino.
>> Stamps TV: World’s Fastest Cow from June 14 #CowboysFastestCow
Partners for Life
The Stampeders are pleased to partner with Canadian Blood Services to encourage fans to give blood and save lives this summer. As a Partners for Life organization, the team has pledged to contribute at least 100 blood donations this year and fans can help by booking an appointment today to give blood this summer. Watch for Canadian Blood Services at Saturday’s game to find out where to donate, ask questions and book an appointment to donate.
The Rural Alberta Advantage rocks halftime
Presented by Metro News, halftime of Saturday’s game will feature acclaimed indie rock band The Rural Alberta Advantage. Formed in Toronto but forged by the homesickness and heartbreak of leaving a hometown in Alberta, the trio The Rural Alberta Advantage (made up of lead singer and guitarist Nils Edenloff, drummer Paul Banwatt and multi-instrumentalist Amy Cole) has been building momentum since the release of the critically acclaimed album Hometowns in 2008. The band’s sophomore album, Departing, was released in 2011 and long listed for the Polaris Music Prize as best Canadian album of the year. In addition to a Juno nomination for New Group of the Year, the RAA also received a Juno nomination for the video for that album’s single, coincidentally entitled “Stamp.” The band’s third album will be released this fall on Paper Bag Records in Canada. Be sure to follow them on Twitter and Instagram and Like them on facebook.
>> The Rural Alberta Advantage website
