The drama between the Stampeders and Roughriders continued Saturday night in Saskatchewan — in fact, it even got better after the game.
If there was ever a time to master the art of lip reading, watching the post game exchange on the field between both head coaches was it.
“It wasn’t anything complimentary,” Dave Dickenson said, about the comments Chris Jones made to him when they said their goodbyes – which is why he didn’t repeat them.
Several reports suggest Jones finished the exchange by saying ‘win with some class’ while he patted Dickenson on the side.
But by Sunday, Dickenson was over it.
“Things are said and done on a field that don’t happen in normal life. I’m fine with it. Moving on. It was a big win, that was the key,” Dickenson said. “These types of things take away from the game and what’s important. Football’s an emotional game, so we move forward, no hard feelings.”
Stamps QB Bo Levi Mitchell was anything but surprised by it.
“I saw what we always see after a game playing him,” Mitchell said about Jones.
They say loose lips sink ships, but in this case, a tweet made by Bo Levi Mitchell earlier in the week – which ignited the firestorm, made a CFL rivalry that much sweeter and indirectly led to some big money being coughed up by the Roughriders organization.
The Roughriders were fined $60,000 on Thursday after the Canadian Football League completed an investigation into alleged roster violations.
Saskatchewan also had its 2016 salary cap deducted in excess of $26,000 as part of the penalty.
Mitchell has no regrets though about his tweet or how it led to the Riders drama in the first place.
“I said the truth. I didn’t say anything definite. I didn’t say exactly what they were doing or go after them in a bad way. I just said what I felt, something that everybody in the league knew about.”
The best part of it – even members of the riders organization appreciated it.
“About 9 or 10 rider players came up to me and thanked me(after the game). So if people thought there was hostility with me and the riders – they’re wrong. Because all the players were happy about it, they don’t want that kind of thing,” Mitchell said.
Still, it’s a situation that Stamps Head Coach Dickenson wants his players to learn from.
“I don’t mind having opinions, just be careful. We love the league, we love the game and to be honest, I think the league is doing a good job and what they can,” Dickenson said.
Sadly, the series is over between the Riders and Stamps this season and Saturday was their final visit to Saskatchewan’s infamous football stadium. That’s fine by Charleston Hughes though.
“I know it’s the last time we’re ever going to play in that stadium again. So good riddance.”
Jerome Messam felt more nostalgic however.
“There was a lot of emotions going on because of what happened throughout the week. For me – it was my last game at Mosaic (Stadium), so it was a lot of emotions, just good feelings and memories.”
Messam wouldn’t comment about what was said between Jones and Dickenson, but was familiar with their history.
“They know each other pretty well, they’ve coached with each other and against each other. So I’m not too sure about the dynamic of their relationship but coach Jones is a pretty fiery guy and Dickie’s not going to back down from anyone,” Messam said.
Mum was the word for stamps kicker Rene Parades, who is just focused on showing up and doing his job, as he helped his Stampeders to their eighth straight win against the Riders, kicking four field goals in the 19-10 victory.
“I don’t read lips and I don’t know too much about it,” Paredes said.
Same goes for Charleston Hughes…sort-of.
“I don’t know, I didn’t see much. I just saw a picture. A picture’s worth a thousand words is what they say right, so you can take your insight on what the picture meant and what was exchanged in that situation,” Hughes said with a chuckle.
As much as the CFL might disagree, players and fans chimed into the chirps and twitter-verse action all week surrounding this weekend’s much anticipated game, which also made for some hilarious crowd signs in Riderville.
“It’s good for the league. It’s fun, it’s stories, it fills the seats. It gets people excited about a game. You hear all the boos and people chirping me – I think it’s fun,” Mitchell said.
It’s especially fun, when the fire starters walk away with the W.
“To kind of silence them at the end with that throw and that catch with Simon and make a big play to seal the game, was fun,” Mitchell concluded.
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