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The Saskatchewan Roughrider FAN Page:   Dig Deeper!

The Saskatchewan Roughrider FAN Page is your source for unique Rider news and information!  Check back often for new tidbits on the "Jolly Green Giants".  The Saskatchewan Roughrider FAN Page digs deeper!

Last Week's Rider News:

See you next year:  The 2002 Saskatchewan Roughrider season can be summed up this way: Started out strong, gave up after halftime.  That could also be used to describe the Saskatchewan Roughriders playoff game against the Toronto Argonauts.

Slam Sports game report:

http://www.slam.ca/SlamResults021110/cfl_ssk_tor-cp.html

Another incredibly offensive game (forgive the pun), although you could see it coming all week.  Riders aren't going to suddenly become a great offensive team in one week.  They hadn't shown it all year, why start now.   Well, I attended this game.  I plunked down almost $40 to see the Riders lose at Skydome (I had this feeling all week).  You know what?  I didn't feel that bad (and it's not because I got on the Skydome Jumbotron, which was actually a little embarassing).  I was preparing myself all week following their brutal loss to B.C.   Oh, there was a glimmer of hope.  When WR Derick Armstrong had the football knocked out of his hands in the endzone by DB Bashir Levingston, I thought the Riders might have a chance if they would get it back into the endzone.  They never did and had to settle for a K Paul McCallum FG.  And then Armstrong gave another glimmer of hope.  I saw him completely blow by Levingston and make the catch for a 42-yard TD catch.  But things looked bad.  McCallum had a FG attempt hit an upright and bounce out (How many times have you seen one of McCallum's kicks hit an upright and bouce out?  This is probably the second time.  Meanwhile, Matt Kellett last week had his bounce in after hitting the upright).  Things got worse when QB Nealon Greene once again hit Armstrong on a deep pass, only to have him fumble it after Levingston knocked it out of his hands again.  Folks, that is 12 points left on the field.   You can do the math.  You lose 4 points because instead of an Armstrong TD, it's a FG.  You lose 3 points because of the missed FG.  You lose 5 points because Riders got a safety touch instead of a TD on the pass that Armstrong fumbled.   That's the margin of victory right there.  If it was tied, the Riders would have tried FGs instead of having to gamble on third down late in the game.  That's the difference in the ball game.  You make the plays, you win.  If you don't, you lose.

Pictures from my trip to Skydome are posted in the gallery.  Future issues of this page will talk about what the Riders need to do to win next year.  Thanks for joining me each week of this 2002 season and for checking out my page.  Have a great winter and come back once in a while to see what I've got cooking.

Armstrong vs. Levingston 1: Rider WR Derick Armstrong thought he had the catch for a 25-yard TD.  Argo DB Bashir Levingston knocked it out of his hands for an incompletion. (Courtesy CBC)

Armstrong vs. Levingston 2: Armstrong wins this one with a 42-yard TD catch against Levingston. This time he made sure Levingston could not knock it out. (Courtesy CBC)

Armstrong vs. Levingston 3: Levingston once again knocks the ball out of Armstrong's hands after a 42-yard catch.  This time it is counted as a fumble that the Argos recover. (Courtesy CBC)

Armstrong vs. Levingston 4: Actually this has nothing to do with Armstrong.  Levingston scored on a reverse after a Rider punt. (Courtesy CBC)

In your face: Argo SB Demetris Bendross shows Danny Barrett what a mistake he made by releasing him by beating DB Eddie Davis for a long gain. (Courtesy CBC)

Icing on the cake: Argo QB Reggie Slack sticks it to his former team with a 5-yard TD run past LB Trevis Smith. (Courtesy CBC)