Fan support key to Riders win: players
Last Updated: Sunday, November 22, 2009 | 4:10 PM CT
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Riders fans are handed complimentary noisemakers prior to the start of the CFL's Western Conference final in Regina on Sunday. (Paul Dornstauder/CBC)Prime movers on the Saskatchewan Roughriders football club are making a pitch to fans for their total support in advance of the CFL's Western Conference final between the Riders and the Calgary Stampeders on Sunday afternoon.
Quarterback Darian Durant put out a call to fans Saturday, saying if he sees they're along with him for the ride, then he'll be giving the game his all.
Especially when it's the Stamps carrying the pigskin and Durant is stuck standing on the sidelines.
"You'll see me trying to get the crowd involved when they have the ball, because they're a huge part of our success," Durant said. "Whenever you can throw offence out of sync and they're not hitting on all cylinders and they can't develop a rhythm, it's working in your favour," he said.
Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end Stevie Baggs says he's going to control his emotions until he hits the field. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)Defensive end Stevie Baggs is expected to play an integral part of the game. During a pre-game event Saturday, Baggs said his goal was to stay calm and relaxed.
But once he's out on the field making plays, he said he's expecting his energy to come straight from the stands.
"I love these fans. … They give me a ton of energy and I give it back to them because I know they're very cerebral in the way they approach the game," Baggs said.
Saskatchewan fans seem to know just when to be vocal and when to clam up, he said.
"They know when to get us hyped … And tomorrow, when I come out of the tunnel, it's going to be amazing. But once again, the emotion has to be controlled until we get in the lines and can really do some hitting," Baggs said.
Sunday's game starts at 3:30 p.m. CT and is being broadcast — in real time — on the CBC website.
Fans are encouraged to get in the game by contributing comments, photos and micro-blogs through Twitter by clicking through to the CBC's Turf Talk link at the top right of this story.
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