Bruce Campbell, Sports Editor

Sitting around the coffee shop Friday morning, I made the comment I was going to Edmonton that evening to watch the provincial high school football championship  game.

One of my buddies in the old boys club spoke out: “I can’t believe you have to go to a football game.”

He had it all wrong.

The powers-that-be at the Okotoks Western Wheel didn’t make me go — they let me go watch the Foothills Falcons win their fourth title this decade.

I played the public relations card and pleaded about how important it was the Wheel have some representation at the most important game of the year.

Actually, that’s true, it was important for the paper to be there, but it’s likely I would have gone regardless of the fact I was working.

At least this way, I get to have my mileage paid for — even though now I have to explain to the powers-that-be why a steak and lobster dinner is ideal for getting the creative juices going.

There’s something about football that makes the single  male who won’t take his recycling down to the centre for months because he doesn’t have time, suddenly hop in a car at 2:30 p.m. on a Friday because he is scared he won’t be able to find a stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

It’s a good thing I did leave early.

I drove by Foote Stadium three times before I finally figured out how to get in there.

One male football fan from Okotoks, who shall remain nameless to protect those with absolutely no sense of direction, didn’t get their until the second half despite being in Edmonton for work.

Apparently, while it takes smarts to coach and play football, anyone can be a fan.

I forget the words during the “Go, Stamps, Go” chant.

I come by my  football wandering honestly.

My father is a graduate of Washington State University and has had season tickets since at least 1975 — he’s gone to practically every Cougar home game in Pullman, Wash. despite living in Calgary.

He’s a typical male.

If he goes to a movie, he complains he got there too early if he happens to catch the opening credits.

I didn’t even know there were such things as movie trailers until I was old enough to go to a flick without an adult.

Yet I have been to Washington State Cougar games so early I have seen the prep band warm up.

So when Holy Trinity Knights football coach Matt Hassett told me he was going to Saskatoon a few weeks back to watch his former players Geoff Paiement and Jeff Hassler play in the Calgary Dinosaurs-Saskatchewan Huskies game for the Hardy Cup, my first thought  wasn’t: “Are you nuts?” it was: “Hey can I catch a ride? — I’ll get the Wheel to pay for gas.”

(Hassett wouldn’t tell me which team he was rooting for. He told me: “I’ll just yell, ‘Go Jeff (Geoff).’” Paiement was a Dino, Hassler a Huskie).

So if you think Hassett or myself are a few bricks shy of a load, just wait until tomorrow.

The Green Wave is coming.

Yep, those lovable, watermelon-wearing Rider fans are crashing the Grey Cup Party after Saskatchewan beat my  beloved Stampeders in the Western final.

There will be tons of them. You won’t even know the Montreal Alouettes are playing the Riders in Sunday’s Grey Cup it will be so green.

These guys and gals will becoming from all points of Canada — bruising my tender ego after I was so sure the Stamps would win.

I need a plan — I got to get out of here.

Hmmm…

Okotokians Anthony Parker and Geoff Paiement are playing in the Vanier Cup this Saturday in Quebec City.

“Hey Paul, you know what would be a really smart public relations move…”

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