The stadium that was once home to CFL greats like George Reed, Ron Lancaster and Dave Ridgway is about to host its last champion

REGINA -- The stadium that was once home to CFL greats like George Reed, Ron Lancaster and Dave Ridgway is about to host its last championship. Jordan Matthews Jersey . Mosaic Stadium, home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders football club, will host the 101st Grey Cup on Sunday. Sure, there will be more regular season games at Mosaic, possibly playoffs too, but no more championships. The stadium will be torn down when a new facility is ready for the 2017 season. Former Roughrider Steve Mazurak says he has a lot of fond about memories "about this great old stadium." "I was blessed with the fact that I was able to be a teammate of Ron Lancaster and George Reed," said Mazurak, who played wide receiver and slotback from 1973 to 1981. "To share a huddle with them and to stand there and go OK, theres Ronny Lancaster, hes reading a play and hes actually calling my number, that gives me goosebumps right this very second." Former offensive lineman Gene Makowsky says the stadium holds a special place in his heart too. Makowsky, who played for the Riders from 1995 to 2011, says the Labour Day matchups between Saskatchewan and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were always a lot of fun. "The one memory I think that stands out is certainly the 07 Labour Day Classic. Certainly, the playoff games are the big games, but I still for some reason just remember the last drive by (former Rider quarterback) Kerry Joseph in the 07 Labour Day Classic," Makowsky said in an interview in front of the stadium. "It was a big game between two teams that were vying for first place and it was huge play. He ran 30 yards untouched in the endzone and the crowd just went wild. It was just amazing." Mosaic Stadium last hosted the Grey Cup 2003 when the Edmonton Eskimos beat the Montreal Alouettes in front of 50,909 fans. Mosaic sits in an area of Regina known as North Central, near downtown. The stadium, that originally started as a rugby field in 1910, is known for wind that, as Mazurak says, will "knock your socks off" and old wooden bench-style seating. It has undergone several upgrades over the years and extra seats have been added in the endzones for Grey Cup. "But way back in the day, that what was we called Hemorrhoid Hill. And so if there was an overload of crowd, they would put them on that hill and people would sit on the grassy knoll at the south end of Mosaic Stadium, of course then it was Taylor Field," Mazurak said in an interview on the field. "If the stands were full and the grassy knoll was full, then they would line people up along the sidelines here." Mosaic was place where Mazurak would go as a nine-year-old boy to watch the Riders and sit on rickety wooden benches in the north endzone, "probably for less than a $2 bill," he said. It was later the place where he played high school and junior football before becoming a Rider. "(It has) a lot of warm feelings of fuzziness with me," said Mazurak, who is now the teams now vice-president of sales and corporate partnerships. Mazurak says there are a lot of mixed emotions when he thinks about Mosaic being torn down, especially when he thinks about the history and the pride in the stadium. But he also says its time for a new facility. "When they finally put the bulldozer to it, oh the quicker they can do it, the better. Then we can finally be what we want to be for our fans and thats major league," he said. "Only through a major league venue can you really get to the point where you need to be for the whole game day experience." Makowsky is now one of those fans. Hes a season ticket holder who takes his children to games. When Mosaic is torn down, long-time season ticket holders will find themselves in different seats, he noted. "Theres been people that have sat in the same seats for 40 and 50 years, you hear that all the time," said Makowsky. "So thats going to be certainly an end of an era and itll be a little bit sad in a way, certainly, if you move along to the new stadium you wont be sitting with your own section anymore, the people that have surrounded you for years and years." "But the old stadium served us well," he added. Kenny Britt Jersey . Goins is the early favourite to win the starting job at second base. Pillar is an outsider to secure a role off the bench, which becomes an even more difficult spot to win if the number of back up jobs is reduced by one. That happens if the Blue Jays decide to start the season with an eight man bullpen. Trent Brown Jersey . The win puts Arsenal four points clear of Everton in fourth place with two games to play in the Premier League, a position which would qualify the club for Europes top competition for the 17th straight year. http://www.patriotsfootballfansonline.com/Black-Jeremy-Hill-Patriots-Jersey.html?cat=1029 . Paire broke Giraldo twice and lost his serve once in both sets to wrap up the win in 1 hour, 10 minutes. He will next face Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain, who advanced when Jurgen Zopp of Estonia retired with an injury at 5-5 in the first set.CHICAGO -- Jose Abreu is not going to let the pressure get to him. The touted rookie from Cuba hit a game-winning grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning for his second home run of the night, rallying the Chicago White Sox past the Tampa Bay Rays 9-6 on Friday. Evan Longorias two-run homer in the top of the ninth put Tampa Bay ahead 6-4, but the White Sox werent done. Abreus drive off closer Grant Balfour (0-1) won it after Chicago pitchers combined for 11 walks. Abreu, who signed a $68 million, six-year contract in the off-season, finished with three hits and six RBIs. He became the first rookie in major league history to hit nine home runs by the end of April. "I really didnt have any expectations. As a matter of fact, I was talking to Albert Pujols during spring training and he told me, Hey, dont worry about hitting the home runs early in the season since its your first season and all that," Abreu said through a translator. "So I wasnt trying to hit them -- they have just happened." Balfour gave up a one-out double to Alejandro De Aza in the ninth, then walked Tyler Flowers and pinch-hitter Paul Konerko. As Konerko trotted to first, Balfour and Konerko exchanged words. "I dont know. I know his thing after every pitch, he comes way in. Likes to get the ball, likes to stare at you, stare at the hitter," Konerko said. "Thats fine, no big deal. You know thats what he likes to do. After I walked there, he is close to me, eye contact was made and I start to run down the line and I heard yelling. I dont know what he was yelling about. I was just trying to make sure it wasnt toward my direction. Thats really it. I think he was probably yelling at himself to get going or get better. When someone that close is yelling, you want to find out why." Balfour said he wasnt trying to show up Konerko. "Im angry at myself, so if he wants to yell at me, whatever. I wasnt yelling at him. I was frustrated by the fact I missed by 6 feet back there," Balfour said. "This is a frustrating night for me. I know Im better than that. So Ill come back tomorrow and turn the page. If I get an opportunity, go out there and get it done." Adam Eaton hit a grounder to second base, but Tampa Bay was unable to turn the double play after getting a force at second. Rays manager Joe Maddon challenged the call, but Eaton clearly beat the throw to first and the ruling was upheld on replay. Balfour walked Marcus Semien to load the basses again and Abreu drove an 0-1 pitch to right-centre for his ninth home run. Adrian Clayborn Jersey. "Pretty impressive. Really a big, strong fella with a controlled attitude at the plate thats not a wild swinger. You have to make good pitches to him or hes going to hurt you like he did tonight," Maddon said. "Its not fun when that happens, but Im still going to go out for my Guinness tonight regardless." Matt Joyce drew his team-record fifth walk of the game leading off the ninth against White Sox reliever Matt Lindstrom (2-1). Longoria followed with his third home run of the season to centre to break a 4-all tie. Tyler Flowers had two hits and two RBIs for the White Sox in the opener of a four-game series. Chicago starter Erik Johnson couldnt get out of the second inning. The Rays tied a club mark by drawing 11 walks. Tampa Bay starter Chris Archer pitched six-plus innings. He allowed four runs and nine hits. With the Rays trailing 1-0 in the second, Yunel Escobar and Ryan Hanigan hit back-to-back RBI singles. Ben Zobrist followed with an RBI double. Johnson was chased after walking Joyce with the bases loaded on his 39th pitch of the inning, giving the Rays a 4-1 lead. The Rays batted around against Johnson in the second. Abreu hit a solo shot in the third and the White Sox tied it in the fourth when Flowers lined a two-run single with the bases loaded. But a baserunning gaffe by Chicago prevented a potentially bigger inning. Eaton grounded back to Archer, who caught De Aza between third and home. De Aza was eventually tagged out in a rundown, then Flowers was tagged out while trying to go to third. The Rays had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth, but Hanigan grounded into an inning-ending double play. "Its one of those games, if you permit it to fester, it will, and if you dont permit it, it wont," Maddon said. "So for me, its a loss and a loss is a loss is a loss. Of course, we really had a chance to win that game, but youve got to come and play tomorrow -- you dont get a week off." After missing five games with a mild left knee strain, Eaton led off the first inning with a single and stole second. He later scored on Abreus single. NOTES: Before the game, the White Sox claimed reliever Hector Noesi off waivers from Texas. He is expected to throw a bullpen before Saturdays game. ... Rays LHP Cesar Ramos will start Saturday in place of LHP Matt Moore, who had Tommy John surgery Tuesday. White NFL Jerseys Cheap Youth NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Stitched NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Autographed Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Discount Jerseys ' ' '