While I continue to gnash my teeth at the Conservative government's perpetual blunders (think lack of adequate greenhouse emissions legislation and breaking an election promise by announcing plans to tax income trusts), another strange, completely unimportant news item has tickled me to no end. It seems that the Calgary Stampeders, hosting the Saskatchewan Roughriders this weekend, have banned the Roughriders' mascot, Gainer the Gopher, from setting foot inside McMahon Stadium. This has infuriated the province of Saskatchewan, with MLAs condemning the action in the Saskatchewan legislature. Why such a fuss over a seven-foot tall gopher?

The Stampeders feel that "[our] fans have earned the right for us to be led on the field by our own mascot without competition from Gainer."

Give me a break! It's called poor sportsmanship. Gainer has made the same playoff travels to Vancouver and Edmonton with nary a threat, so I guess Calgary just isn't in the same class as those cities. The real reason to ban the Riders' mascot? Fan support. Calgary is home to an estimated 250, 000 ex-Saskies and the Roughriders are known for having the most passionate, loyal fans in the CFL. Calgary is well known to the rest of the country as having the finest sit-on-your-hands fans north of the 49th parallel (sorry, the Flames failed Stanley Cup run in '04 doesn't change anything). 12, 000 Riders fans at a Calgary game usually drowns out the rest of the Calgary fans, who make noise only when their team scores a touchdown. The Stampeders don't want Gainer whipping the Saskatchewan fans into a frenzy to cut down on crowd noise; it's that simple.

While the Roughriders don't fare well at McMahon Stadium, perhaps this gopher gaffe can rally the troops and they can beat one of the most arrogant, hated teams in the CFL. Go Riders!!

Now the affairs of the nation may continue...