Meet and have lunch with some football greats, get a jersey autographed and take in a sideline view at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.
It was pretty much Christmas and his birthday rolled into one for Vernon sports nut Rob Morris Saturday as he and some buddies watched the Saskatchewan Roughriders lose 28-25 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on a last-second field goal.
Morris shelled out $1,200 for the Rider package at the final North Okanagan Community Life Society (NOCLS) Charity Golf Tournament this spring at Vernon Golf & Country Club.
The prize was organized by Vicki Skolrood of Marlin Travel, whose husband Lawrie, spent 10 CFL seasons with the Riders.
“Vicki and (ex-Rider) Steve Mazurak did all the work putting that package together,” laughed Lawrie, a 64-year-old deputy fire chief in Vernon. “Vicki put a lot of time into it. I just came along for the ride.”
Morris took Vernon buddies Brent Broomfield, Kevin Rothwell and Bruce Ingleson to the game.
“It was an awesome experience,” said Morris. “We went down to the sidelines, had a pre-game dinner and access to the alumni lounge before, during and after the game, two hotel rooms and a $500 travel voucher from Marlin Travel. We were treated like gold by Lawrie and Vicki Skolrood and were introduced to all the alumni. We got our picture taken with Lawrie and George Reed and I got my Ron Lancaster jersey autographed by the guys.”
Skolrood, who also played four years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after a college career with the University of North Dakot Fighting Sioux, signed the alumni board in the lounge.
Scully, a draft pick of the NFL Dallas Cowboys, was one of six ex-Riders introduced prior to the game as part of the Mosiac Stadium Farewell Season Tour.
Mazurak, a wide receiver and close friend of the Skolroods, linebacker Cleveland Vann, defensive back Lorne Richardson and guard/kicker Larry Bird were former Rider teammates of Skolrood who were honoured.
“It’s always cool coming back,” said Skolrood. “We go back some 30 years now so I’m sure some of the fans are looking at us, going ‘Did those guys really play or are they on a tour from the senior citizen’s centre?’ We toured the new stadium which is very nice. You look at old Taylor Field and the new stadium is very interesting. Two-thirds of the seats are below ground level so there isn’t a bad seat in the stadium.”
Skolrood and his wife were in Regina five days and attended an alumni barbecue at the home of former running back Greg Fieger.
“It was nice to see Rob and his friends get to go down on the field before the game,” said Lawrie. “I wish I could have spent more time with them.”
Morris, a former owner of Rosters, said he treated his buddies to the weekend package, but let them know they owe him a trip to some sports event.
down the road.
