Banjo Bowl

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

  
Banjo Bowl series history
First meeting September 12, 2004
First result WPG 27, SSK 24
Last Meeting September 10, 2016
Last Result WPG 17, SSK 10
Next Meeting
Largest Victory SSK 55, WPG 10 (2009)
Smallest Victory SSK 25, WPG 24 (2012)
Largest Point Total SSK 55 (2009)
Smallest Point Total SSK 2 (2010)
Current streak WPG W2 (2015 – present)
All-time series WPG Leads 7–6

The Banjo Bowl is the annual rematch game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) after the Labour Day Classic.

While the traditional Labour Day Classic game is always played on the Sunday before Labour Day at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field in Regina, Saskatchewan, there is usually a rematch on the following weekend between these two rival prairie teams at Investors Group Field (previously held at Canad Inns Stadium) in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The "Banjo Bowl" moniker was coined by Blue Bombers board member David Asper in early 2004, inspired by an infamous comment made by Bombers placekicker Troy Westwood in the week prior to a 2003 Western Division Semi-final game between the two teams. Westwood was quoted in the media as saying that people from Regina were "a bunch of banjo-pickin' inbreds."[1] He later apologized halfheartedly for those comments, saying that "the vast majority of the people in Saskatchewan have no idea how to play the banjo."[2] This further fueled the Winnipeg–Saskatchewan football rivalry and has made the rematch game even more of an event. The game is sponsored by the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation. The game has been sold out every year since 2005. As of the 2016 season, Winnipeg leads the series 7-6.

As on Labour Day weekend when many Winnipeg fans visit Regina to support the Bombers, many Saskatchewan fans visit Winnipeg the following weekend to support the 'Riders. Many come, tongue-in-cheek, with banjos.

Despite not being an official event, the Canadian Football League website promotes the game by referring to it as "Banjo Bowl" in some of its online coverage[3] as does the league's official television broadcaster, TSN.[4] In 2013, the Premier of Saskatchewan, Brad Wall, joined in the spirit of the event by posting a video on his YouTube channel making reference to the rivalry and the Banjo Bowl game.[5]

Results

References

  1. Penton, Kirk (September 9, 2006). "Evolution of the Banjo Bowl". Winnipeg Sun. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
  2. Jones, Terry (September 2, 2007). "Labour Pains". Calgary Sun. p. S11. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
  3. "Preview: Bombers, Riders Set for 'Banjo Bowl' in Winnipeg". cfl.ca. September 7, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  4. TSN story Archived December 16, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. "Premier picks on Bombers prior to Banjo Bowl". CBC News. September 6, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  6. "Riders Unable to Pluck Victory from Bombers Sep.12/04". riderville.com. September 12, 2004. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  8. "Bombers Find Right Tune to Capture Banjo Bowl". cfl.ca. September 11, 2006. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  9. "Blue Bombers 34, Roughriders 15". cfl.ca. September 9, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  10. "Riders' 17-point Comeback Stuns Bombers". cfl.ca. September 7, 2008. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  11. "Sunday Sep. 9, 2007: Saskatchewan @ Winnipeg Recap". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2009-09-15.
  12. "Riders Out of Tune in Bombers Banjo Bowl Win". cfl.ca. September 12, 2010. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  13. "Green Sweep" Riders Shock Bombers, Win Banjo Bowl". cfl.ca. September 9, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  14. "Bombers Strum Their Way to Banjo Bowl Victory". cfl.ca. September 8, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  15. "Heavy Price: Riders Win Banjo Bowl, Lose Durant". cfl.ca. September 7, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  16. "Back at Ya: Nichols Strong-arms Bombers in Rematch". cfl.ca. November 29, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  17. "Strumming along: Bombers win Banjo Bowl, lose Harris to injury". cfl.ca. September 10, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/14/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.