Blue Bombers fan hopes to break 18-year ‘no pants’ streak Sunday

Chris Matthew knows exactly which pair of pants he will wear if the Winnipeg Blue Bombers win the Grey Cup Sunday.

They’re grey camouflage pants, ready for the battle between the Bombers and The Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“I’m going to a friend’s place to a Grey Cup party. It’s an annual event at his place with them over my shoulder.

“If it happens I’ll put them on, if it doesn’t, no harm no foul.”

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For 18 years Matthew has kept to a pledge he made — not to wear pants until the Bombers win the Grey Cup.

“Someone asked me how long I’ll be wearing the shorts and I said until the Bombers win the Grey Cup,” said Matthew.

“They were supposed to beat Calgary that Sunday so I’ve been in shorts ever since.”

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While Matthew has made an exception for funerals, he won’t even put pants on in the winter time.

“At first I thought, ‘What kind of an idiot does this?’ I am. I’m just going to freeze everything off. I quite like shorts,” he said.

“I get all kinds of funny looks and they’ll say ‘What don’t you feel the cold?’ And ‘There’s someone that looks optimistic’ but it usually is just a double take. They’ll look and stare and look past.”

His wife Darla Robinson shakes her head at her husband.

“There are times I’m tempted to say ‘Oh no I don’t even know him, but no that’s my husband,” she said.

“There have been times when we have been out and it’s really cold and I’m wearing my fur coat and you do get the stares,” she said.

“I just tell them it’s OK, he’s an idiot.”

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He’s even caught the attention of head coach Mike O’Shea.

“He’s all in you know. Everyone’s got their own little things they do. He wouldn’t be the only one that would have their superstition maybe. Or their dedication you know.”

But Matthew didn’t expect the dedication to last this long — with the team last winning a Grey Cup November 1990.

“I figured well they lost this year, next year they’ll basically bring the same team back, they’re the best team in the league. I never thought it was going to be 18 years.”

This year Matthew thinks 2019 will be the year he can put pants back on again.