No team has won the Grey Cup on home soil since 1994 when the BC Lions were victorious in Vancouver and the 2011 side will be looking to make history on Sunday.
The stadium may have changed - a $528 million makeover has seen to that - but the passion of the home supporters remains and they will be desperate to see a win for the Lions, who haven't claimed a Grey Cup since 2006.
That year the team's offensive linesman, Kelly Bates, was so exuberant that he broke the trophy and the 36-year-old who is now a coach for the Leos has claimed that he doesn't know if he will be able to contain himself, should his team win again on Sunday.
"I've always told everybody if I ever won it again, I'd snap it in half and walk away again," said Bates.
"I think the adrenalin rush you have after you win it, you don't know how to control yourself once you get your hands on it. I'm going to do my best this time not to break it, that's for sure."
Bates is one of a number of players to have played for both the Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, having been traded in 2009. Another is the Bombers quarter back, Buck Pierce, who also left BC for Winnipeg that season. He has been replaced by Travis Lulay, who has claimed that he is keen to face his former team mate.
“You always want to play well against your old buddies,” Lulay said.
“Buck was a very good friend of mine when he was here, and we still stay in touch — to this day. He was ‘The Guy’ at the time. He and J.J. [Lions backup quarterback Jarious Jackson] were the veterans. They took first-team reps, but they found the time to coach me up. He was the guy I watched play and learned from. He’s definitely a part of what I am.”
The feeling is mutual and Pierce has spoken of his admiration for Lulay, who has risen from fourth choice to starting quarter back in just over a year.
“We’re two guys who are extremely hard workers,” Pierce said. “We’re two guys who are extremely competitive. I think, when you have that in the same [locker] room, it’s a common bond. What I admired about Travis was his work ethic. He came in as a young guy — No. 4 on the depth chart. He continued to work. He continued to grind, just like I did. When you see that in somebody, that’s inspirational. Things haven’t always been easy for him this year. He’s had to fight through a few things. He’s done that. People look up to him. He’s a great leader, and a great ambassador for this league.”
