Commentary: The Biggest Ever?

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It’s a funny thing, those green goggles.

A few times here this week I’ve mentioned that on Sunday I had a great meeting with the Riders at their free agent camp here in Fort Lauderdale and we agreed to look forward not back.

To let bygones be bygones.

And of course you know me well enough by now. If I said it, I meant it.

A Rider guy once again.

So it was a bit of a bitter pill to swallow on Wednesday when the 111th Grey Cup committee in Vancouver announced last year’s CFL championship week was the biggest ever, generating $121-million in economic activity in the Vancouver area.

That dwarfs what we set in 2013 at the Grey Cup in Regina – the biggest to date at the time – which, if I recall, generated somewhere between $93M-$97M.

See why cities want to host events like this so bad?

And are we sure those Vancouver figures are correct?

That’s the problem with the green glasses. They’re strong. And they don’t allow you to see much else.

This startled me a bit on Wednesday and I remembered the way I used to be. Narrow-minded. Stubborn. And angry.

It further reminded me of how I refused to believe that Winnipeg’s new stadium was actually louder than old Taylor Field, despite the fact there was evidence in the form of a decibel meter.

Yet I refused to accept it. And I was wrong.

Embarrassing, in retrospect. (I think that’s called growth).

If not careful, the same could apply here. No, I was at that Vancouver Grey Cup in November and to be frank, it probably was the best ever. I had such a great time, and was treated so well by CFL types and fans alike.

The Lions put Committee Chair Riley Wiwchar on the RP Show, Team President Duane Vinneau as well, and team owner Amar Doman’s been on too.

Sport Tourism Canada released these figures on Wednesday so there’s no monkey business going on.

The B.C. Lions earned the distinction of throwing the biggest, and best Grey Cup ever and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

Rider guy or not.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary.

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