Stampede Bowl the start of progression marks for Stamps

By Lethbridge Herald on July 2, 2025.

By Graham Kelly

Inside the CFL

Tonight is the inaugural game of the Stampede Bowl with the Greatest  Outdoor Show on Earth meeting the Greatest Outdoor Show On Turf. The event  on the eve of the big fair and rodeo will have everything, including rock star Bret Michaels performing at half-time and Canadian country artist Daw Gray doing the pre-game honours.  At the end of what should be a dandy game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the hometown Stampeders there will be a huge firework display.

    The winner of the First Stampede Bowl will receive a beautiful red and silver trophy shaped like a horse’s head, created by MST Bronze LTD., the company that designed the Four Nations Hockey Award.  The losing team will also have to contribute $25,000 to the Purolator Tackle Hunger charity.

This marks the first time the Red and White will play at home during the Stampede.  It was always believed that having a football game during the city’s biggest event would be a gate killer.(Neither the Elks or Roughridders will play at home during Klondike and Buffalo Days.) 

Visionary Stampeder president Jay McNeil thought combining the two would be a perfect fit with the proud citizens in the mood to celebrate everything “Calgary”. After hurricane like conditions for the Ottawa game washed away any walk-up sales, the team really needs a good turnout tonight.  Certainly this is a marketing play but McNeil makes no apologies for that.  Since taking over as president last year, he has turned McMahon Stadium into a fun place to be with fan friendly activities every game.

     The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth was first staged in 1912.  At that time, the Calgary Tigers were defending their first Western championship.  Wearing black and yellow, long woolen socks, canvas pants and leather helmets-or no helmets at all-, they played at Hillhurst Park beside where SAIT is today.  After vanquishing the YMCA team and the Edmonton Eskimos, they lost their title 4-3 to the Winnipeg Rowing Club. 

 Fans will witness an aerial circus tonight staged by quarterbacks Vernon Adams,Jr. and Zach Collaros.  That would not have been the case in 1912.  The forward pass wasn’t allowed until 1929.  In 1912 teams fielded 14 players.  The game featured running, punting and drop kicking.   The ball was put into play by a lineman kicking it back to the quarterback with his heel.  Often the ball was lateraled out and then punted with the outside wings and backs racing down the field to catch it. That’s what made football exciting before  the forward pass.

     Winnipeg comes into McMahon undefeated with two wins over B.C. and the other against Edmonton.  After convincing victories over Hamilton and Toronto, the Cowboys were as bad as the weather in  losing to the woeful Ottawa Redblacks. The Stamps have had a lot of trouble with the Bombers the last few years, with a 3-10 record since  capturing the Grey Cup in 2018.

     Theteams are ranked first or second in most statistical categories.  Collaros was hot as a pistol last week against the Lions, Adams, Jr. not so much, facing the easterners.

     The Bombers are a formidable opponent.  But it doesn’t get any easier for Calgary with trips to Saskatchewan and Winnipeg up followed by a home engagement with Montreal. This month is a real litmus test for them.  We’ll find out how much progress the rebuilding team has made.

     Meanwhile congratulations to the former King of The Corral Bo Levi Mitchell who became the fastest quarterback in CFL history to reach the 100 win mark, when his Ti-Cats downed the Alouettes 35-17 last Friday, surpassing Ron Lancaster.  And kudos to Mitchell’s successor in Calgary, the much maligned Jake Maier, who performed well in keeping Saskatchewan undefeated with a big win over B.C.