Terry Jones
Chris Getzlaf didn’t go out and get an ‘EE’ logo tattooed on his arm. But it didn’t take much time for Getzlaf to make the transition to becoming an Edmonton Eskimo, especially for a guy who played eight seasons in Saskatchewan and grew up as a kid when Edmonton was considered the Evil Empire.|
“I’ve felt like an Eskimo for a long period of time already. The transition was actually a lot easier than I was expecting,” he said.
“I came to an organization with a lot of history and walked into a dressing room with just a bunch of great guys in it and great veterans who understand how to win.
“Anytime you come in as a player when you’ve been in the league as long as I have, you appreciate it when the guys make fitting in easy.
“It’s just fitting in to an offence that’s already loaded that will give me an opportunity to go out and make plays when I get the chance.
“Growing up where I did you look at Edmonton as the competition for the team you are cheering for but they’re the ones who allowed me the opportunity to continue my career and for that I’ll be forever grateful.”
He’ll remain a resident of Regina and a fabric of the community with his own charity golf tournament.
Getzlaf, 33, had the rare distinction of playing in four levels of football growing up in Regina. He went from minor football to junior with the Prairie Thunder, to university with the U Regina Rams and the professional Roughriders.
“Not everybody gets to play that amount of time anywhere,” Getzlaf said of his career. “But also in the city that you grew up in and the team you grew up cheering. There’s a lot of memories that will never be forgotten.”
That said, he’s very much turned the page.
“I’m really excited and happy that I’m here. I think we have a great thing brewing and it’s only going to get better as the year goes on.”
Getzlaf, who dressed for two games with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to start his career after being selected in the fifth round (33rd overall), came to Edmonton to start his 10th season with 335 receptions for 5,292 yards, an average reception of 15.8 yards, and 37 touchdowns.
With 1,071 yards in 2011 after 946 the year before, he put up a 1,045 season in 2013 and was named most outstanding Canadian in the Grey Cup game won by the Roughriders at home in Regina.
For a lot of players, a 10-year career is the full-meal deal in football, but Getzlaf looks to be just a little bit past mid-career.
“That’s a great way to look at it,” he said at the suggestion,” he said.
“Right now I’m going to do everything I can to be in a position to be successful and helpful to a team. As long as I can do that I’m going to play as long as I can until I can’t.
“So far I love it here and I’m ready to play several more years. As long as they want me, I’m going to be here and I don’t want to give them any reason to not think that.”
In a situation where two import receivers, Adarius Bowman and Derel Walker are putting up big numbers, Getzlaf is old pro enough to be a perfect fit. He knows his role and isn’t going to get his nose out of joint if there are games where there isn’t enough football to go around.
“Winning is winning. No matter how that happens, I’m going to be comfortable. If we won the game, great — whether I caught no balls or I caught eight. I’ve been playing this game long enough, the best feeling you can possibly have is winning.”
And maybe all eyes now should focus on Grandma Getzlaf.
Back in 2010, when the Saskatchewan Roughriders were celebrating their 100th anniversary, they decided to have a contest to declare an official Riderville. During the contest the communities literally painted themselves green to illustrate their worthiness. It was incredible the creativity the various towns showed and it made a wonderful drive around the province for fans, and even an out-of-province sports columnist, checking out the contesting communities.
The winner was Avonlea. And the deciding factor might have been Grandma Getzlaf.
Erected on Grandma Getzlaf’s front lawn was a plywood cutout of Chris Getzlaf’s No. 89 Roughriders jersey above a smaller sign reading “Grandma Getzlaf” with an arrow pointed to the house of the now 88-year-old mother of 10 and grandmother of, then, 32 including Riders’ Chris and Anaheim Ducks Ryan Getzlaf.
Is Chris Getzlaf’s cardboard cutout uniform still on her lawn?
Is it now of an Edmonton Eskimos uniform?
And should a tourist drive through town is there any chance of seeing Grandma Getzlaf wearing an Eskimos jersey?
“It’s only a matter of time,” said new Eskimos receiver Getzlaf.
“I know she’s in Avonlea cheering for me.”