Who are the Calgary Stampeders,eh?

Yesterday I told you about the franchise from Montreal in great detail. Tonight I give you the Calgary Stampeders.

The Stampeders take their name from the world famous Calgary Stampede. A Rodeo and festival that takes place every July. The event started in 1886 and is billed as “The greatest outdoor show on Earth”.


EARLY YEARS:
The CFL team officially became named the Calgary Stampeders in 1945. (From 1935 to 1944 they were the "Bronks")The Stampeders have won the Grey cup five times. The first came in 1948, Calgary would become the first and still ONLY CFL franchise to have a undefeated season. Many teams have come close but like the Miami Dolphins in the NFL, no CFL team has completed the feat either.




WOODY STRODE
The 1948 team also had a team member of notoriety. Woody Strode. Who was one of two black players to break the NFL color barrier in 1946 with the Rams. Strode was also a successful professional wrestler and actor. He appeared in films from 1941 until 1995.

Some of his films include the Ten Commandments,Pork Chop Hill, two Tarzan films, Spartacus (he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in that film),he narrated “Black rodeo” a 1972 documentary, and what many rank as one of the ten worst films of all time “CHE!”. That film had Jack Palance from City Slickers as Fidel Castro!



THE FLUTIE YEARS: 1992 - 1995



1992 the miracle kid himself Doug Flutie, led the Stampeders to their third ever Grey Cup win. Flutie would spend most of his years in the CFL with Calgary, but would win two more Grey Cups with Toronto in his finall years in the league.



Flutie was replaced during the 1995 season due to injury. His replacement a then unknown kid Jeff Garcia, would explode. In his second start for Calgary while Flutie was injured, Garcia set a franchise record 546 passing yards and 6 touch downs. Flutie would come back late in the season and started in place of Garcia in the Grey Cup. Flutie and Calgary lost. It began the first of many QB controversies of Garcia’s career.

Jeff Garcia became the starter in 1996 after Flutie left for the Argos. 1998 Garcia led his Stampeders to the Grey Cup capped with a win, and Grey Cup MVP. That would send him on to bigger and better things, like having TO claim you are gay. Landing a hot trophy wife. And having a franchise actually pick Donavan McNabb over you! Yo Donovan how does OT work again? How was that clock in Jacksonville as well? Ok so I thought Garcia should have been given the job in Philly.




The Stampeders fans are some of the most loyal, and wild in all of the CFL. While famous fans include Shania Twain. My favorite has to be all the drunk hosers who choose to streak the games. Typical Canadians with their 7% alc. beer. I could see Homer J. Simpson at a CFL game.