‘We need more champagne’ — Ottawa Redblacks rise to the Grey Cup occasion

TORONTO — The cry in the Ottawa Redblacks locker-room was loud but simple. “We need more champagne.”

And why not? After 72 points, 959 yards net offence, eight turnovers and a 39-33 upset overtime victory over the Calgary Stampeders in the 104th Grey Cup, an epic celebration was indeed in order.

Given it was the CFL, the bubbly was not Dom Perignon. But Spumante Bambino, cold Budweiser and smelly cigars did the trick nicely.

Sunday night, the Redblacks conquered the Stampeders and then, after celebrating with friends, family and fans in the BMO Field north endzone, turned the Argos locker-room into a dancing, singing happy mass of humanity.

“All I’m really thinking about tonight is one, showering because I have a mixture of sweat, Gatorade and champagne all over me right now,” said stoic head coach Rick Campbell. “And two, just enjoying this night with all of our team.”

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The Redblacks, whose regular-season record was a modest 8-9-1, led 20-7 at the half and survived a 26-point Calgary comeback in the second half that included 10 points in the last one minute 46 seconds. 

“The neat thing here is our kids kept fighting,” said Ottawa defensive co-ordinator Mark Nelson, who could pass for a slightly younger Nick Nolte. “I mean it looked a little shaky about there the last about a minute and a half and about the last 30 seconds.”

The celebration has been 40 years and several incarnations in the making.

Ottawa last won the CFL championship in 1976 when the Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Tony Gabriel’s iconic last-minute 24-yard touchdown reception from Tom Clements. It was the city’s ninth Grey Cup triumph — and fourth in nine years (1968, ’69, ’73 and ’76).

Ottawa also lifted the trophy in 1925, ’26, ’40, ’51 and ’60.

Campbell said when he interviewed for the Ottawa job, “I thought Ottawa could be something special and it is in every sense of the word.”

The Redblacks, who entered the league as an expansion team in 2014 in the wake of the defunct Renegades and Rough Riders, were was beaten 26-20 by the Edmonton on a late touchdown in last year’s Grey Cup in Winnipeg.

As the Redblacks celebrated the city’s latest triumph on the field, third-string quarterback Danny O’Brien came over to receiver Brad Sinopoli, named the game’s Most Valuable Canadian, and planted a big wet one on him.

“It feels great,” said defensive back Abdul Kanneh. “Finally, finally, finally, finally we got it done. We got it done.”

Campbell, whose father Hugh won 10 Grey Cups as a player, coach and executive, kept his cool throughout Sunday’s roller-coaster ride.

“I know I look like I’m calm and that’s not an accident,” said Rick Campbell. “Football’s very emotional and you need to make sure you’re making good decisions and that the players keep focusing on the task at hand and all that.

“But if you don’t like ups and downs and that type of stuff, then football’s not a good profession to be in. But I think that’s why everybody loves it.”

The 2016 Redblacks are just the third team to reach the Grey Cup with a losing regular-season record. The seven-win discrepancy between Ottawa and Calgary was the second-largest behind 1981 when 14-1-1 Edmonton beat 5-11-0 Ottawa 26-13.

The last team to win the Cup with a poorer record was Toronto in 2012 when the 9-9-0 Argos beat 12-6-0 Calgary 35-22.

“We were banged up,” said Nelson. “Calgary’s a stud team. And we beat them today.”

Added Kanneh: “Calgary’s a very good team. But we came out there and showed the world that we’re a very good team too tonight.”

Ottawa improved its record to 10-7 in the Grey Cup, including its history as the Rough Riders. 

“It’s astonishing to see how far we’ve came,” said reliable receiver Ernest Jackson. “And to be the underdogs. Everyone doubted us this week.”

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press