Fifty Shades of Grey Cup

"When we Canadians look at the Grey Cup, we see far more than a gleaming football trophy; we see a reflection of ourselves" - Stephen Brunt 

In spite of neither of us being big football fans, Merv and I headed downtown yesterday to attend the Sun Life Grey Cup Party.  It was a chance to meet some football players and see the Grey Cup up close.  There was even a draw for two pairs of tickets to attend the game and a couple of chances to carry the cup along the parade route.  We didn't win.

We did have a lot of fun though.  I was entertained looking at the array of people headed downtown on the subway in the afternoon.  Young and old, the subway was packed with Grey Cup revellers of all types.  There were a lot of painted blue faces and a lot of expensive Argos jackets.  Some people were wearing their game tickets on lanyards around their necks.  The excitement was palpable.

At the Sun Life party, we met Hamilton Tiger Cats player Kevin Eiben who graciously signed an autograph for Jacob and posed for a picture with me.  A little later, Merv and I each had our photos taken with former Argos great, Doug Flutie.  Doug most graciously signed my Sun Life Grey Cup t-shirt, also for Jacob.  We each received a gift bag courtesy of Sun Life with a shirt, hat, noisemaker and a package of cocoa.

When the Grey Cup  parade reached our party, a couple of lucky draw winners took possession of it and carried it along the parade route towards the Rogers Centre.  Immediately after they left, the management of Sun Life presented a five million dollar cheque to the University Health Network for diabetes prevention and treatment.

All in all, it was a fun afternoon.  We were home in time to watch the pre-game interviews and the kick-off.  We even watched the first half of the game and the half-time show.  I didn't tune in again until shortly before the end of the game.  It was an exciting night for Toronto.  The win gave our city a much needed boost.  Little did I know a second boost was coming this morning with the ouster of Mayor Rob Ford.  As of the evening news tonight, he is vowing to appeal this morning's ruling and fight to keep his seat.  I hope with some time to reflect, he will decide instead to be honourable, take his medicine and step aside.  If he wants to teach the high school football team he coaches, a valuable lesson in life, he would do well to demonstrate how to be a gracious loser.