Vanier 2019 highlights

Calgary won the Vanier....I am pretty sure.

 

Here are some highlights of the tour.

 

Gary was our bus driver again. He's a great guy. He is pictured here with Santa Kenny and Santa / Grinch Sharpie. He was an excellent chauffeur. Gary loves busses so much he lives in one! (True story.)

 

 

Aussie was the 2019 Rookie of the Year. He is pictured here resting after an excellent performance at the Vanier Tailgate where he challenged all attendees to a push up contest.

 

 

Santa Matt at the Taverne Grande Allee checking to see if he qualifies for Sainthood. (Answer: No)

 

 

 

V-Line and the G-Spot

Hi Guys….

 

This year's game features Les Carabins de U. Montreal against the U of Calgary Dinos. My prediction of the game is not as in depth as Adam’s. V has clearly put some serious thought and solid research into his prediction. I will rely on my substantial gut ; )

V-Line

Let's compare some important details for these two teams.

Fans

The Montreal fans wear these cool hats, pack the stadium for their beloved Carabins, crush pints and love university football.

In Calgary, nobody cares (actual photo from a game at their home stadium)

Advantage: Carabins

Vanier Santa interactions

The most recent time we time we saw the Dinos at the Vanier in 2016 in Hamilton, the most exciting celebrity siting was meeting the Mayor of Hamilton, Fred Eisenberger.

The first time we saw the Carabins at the Vanier Cup, in 2014 in Montreal - this happened, an all time classic Vanier Santas moment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2WP5wrFGb0

Advantage: Carabins.

Coaching staff

The Calgary coaching staff includes Pat Sheahan, who used to coach Queen's and was the head coach for a former Vanier Road Tour mainstay, Dirty Don. (We miss ya, Dirty).

The Montreal coaching staff includes Anthony Calvillo, former Alouettes quarterback who met the Vanier Santas at the 2011 Vanier Cup in Vancouver.

Advantage: Carabins

Quarterbacks

The Calgary QB is Adam Sinagra. Yes, his last name sounds a lot like a popular prescription drug, and yes he is the reigning Hec Crighton Award winner as the top Canadian university football player.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/usports/dinos-quarterback-adam-sinagra-wins-hec-crighton-trophy/

However the Carabin QB is Dimitri Morand is from Aylmer which is home of the Pink Panther.
https://carabins.umontreal.ca/football/equipe/morand-dimitri/

Advantage: Carabins

Kickers

The Dinos kicker is a scrawny 170 lb lightweight.
https://godinos.com/sports/football/roster/niko-difonte/9517

The Carabins kicker is 243 lbs and looks like a convict.
https://carabins.umontreal.ca/football/equipe/simoneau-louis-philippe/

Advantage: Carabins

Clearly given these factors, the Montreal Carabins are the favourite for the game.

Predictions

Predicted score: Montreal 34 Calgary 21

Predicted attendance: 14,500 (not quite as high as previously since Laval fans HATE Montreal)

Predicted level of tailgate fun: High

Over / under on number of guys from the tour arrested: 1.5

Number of times the Santas are featured on TV: 4

G-Spot

I predict a closer fought battle than Mr. Brown. Both teams are very familiar with this Stadium and will be comfortable playing here…. Calgary has played here 7 times in the last 12 years. Montreal is in the same conference as Laval and being just a few hours down the road, they know Stade Peps all too well. They just played Laval here in a record attendance game on Oct 20. All that to say… it will be like a home game for the Dinos as the Laval fans will be cheering for Calgary! If the wind picks up the advantage goes to Calgary. Although they have a strong receiver group, they can grind it out on the ground… and I give their skinny-ass kicker more credit than Adam. He kicked 3 last week including a 50-yarder. Their D is very solid and shut down a really good Mac Offence last week.

Montreal is no slouch and is on a roll, outscoring their opponents 102-16 in the playoffs to date… Including a skunking of the previously undefeated Axemen last week and beating Laval before that. Their confidence is high as will be their emotions. It is rumoured that their coach Danny Maciocia is in the running for the Montreal Alouettes GM position so this could be his last game at the helm for him with the Carabins… and they will want to win for him. Their offence is rolling and if they can keep it going they should win but it will be tough sledding against a staunch Dino D.

Predictions

Predicted score: Calgary 31, Montreal 28

Predicted attendance: 12,795 (including the Laval Rouge et Or team)

Predicted level of tailgate fun: Ludacris

Over / under on number of guys from the tour arrested: .75

Number of times the Santas are featured on TV: 2 but we will be in the local newspaper as always

Predicted Hijinx – Trimble makes the whole game this year, we lose an elf, and one of the Sttits-Vegas Santas decides to stay and apply for his Quebexican citizenship

 

3 sleeps newsletter and Fir Sure list

Well Lads,

 

It’s getting close to the big weekend, I will have send  more update before we head out on Friday, but here is your “3 sleeps” update... For those who care about the actual game, it’s gonna be a beauty. Calgary and Montreal are 2 solid teams and it is always fun to have a Quebexican school in it, as it should mean a good crowd and a great game. The weather looks quite favourable as well, so Tail-gating will be fun. We will have some eats (included) to go with our shooters and other beverages. Here is the latest weather report… Still need to dress in layers but we won’t need our -40 skidoo boots

 

Sat Morning

A mix of sun and clouds

-5°C

-11

20%

-

W 19 km/h

30 km/h

73%

-9 °

Sat Afternoon

Mainly sunny

-2°C

-7

20%

-

W 14 km/h

30 km/h

80%

-7 °

 

We have a bumper crop Rookies this year. There are 10 of them amongst our group of 27 Santas ! We will have to see who can take away the 2019 Rookie of the Year Title. Here is our full list.

 

 

2019 FIR SURE LIST:

 

1. Adam V
2. Jerred “Jrock”
3. Spencer Spence
4. Kenny G
5. Brent “Commander”
6. Mathew “TBD”                (Super Rookie)
7. Jacob “TBD”  (Super Rookie)
8. Matt “Baskin”
9. Steve “Sharpy”
10. Greg “Fozzy” (Rookie)
11. Mark “Marky-Mark”
12. Peter “TBD” (Rookie)
13. Chad “Precious”
14. Steve “Kinger”
15. Van “Van-Van”
16. Garth “Garts”
17. Marc “Walleye”
18. Jeremy “TBD” (Rookie)
19. Ryan “Rhino” (2018 rookie of the year)
20. Liam “Julian”
21. Austin “Ozzie” (Rookie)
22. Alex “Half-time”
23. Tommy “2 Guns”
24. Doug “TBD” (Rookie)
25. Tom  “TBD” (Rookie)
26. Sean “TBD” (Rookie)
27. Ed “TBD” (Rookie)

 

V-Line and G-Spot:

 

For the Rookies’ information, it is an annual tradition that Adam and I make our predictions on the game… Adam gives us the official “V-Line” and I give the “G-Spot”. Due to Adam’s attention to detail and volume of data, this will be in a separate email!

 

 

Below is a link to little blast from last year.
http://vaniercup.blogspot.com/2018/11/12-days-of-vanier.html

7 sleeps newsletter

Hello Gents!

 

This time next week we should nearing the hotel. Most sober room member does the check-in (Sharpy). I will be focusing on preparing my liver and mind over the next 7 days for the coming event. This is a busy newsletter… a lot to cover so please read carefully!

 

• Tailgating… The tailgate will be fun as always. We don’t have Darin this year with his Santa balls so if anyone has any good ideas for easy tailgating food, let me know. I have a deep fryer and portable BBQ. I can bring them and if someone wants to take the lead I can get supplies or pay them for them if you get them. We can discuss offline.
• Candy Cane shooters… We typically go through about 8 bottles (4 peppermint schnapps and 4 clear crème de menthe) each year. I just bought the bottles and will add it to bus and ticket cost. It is easiest this way as we have some people flying in from Western Ontario and TO (including our youngest rookies ever!). Works out to approx. $8/pp.
• Tickets, bus, shooters – $248.00 all in. If you can transfer me $248.00 that would be great and if you are just tiks and booze, then $48.00 pls.
• The actual game will be interesting and a new Champ will be crowned. Both Laval and Western lost so will be some fresh teams in the final. Tomorrow we have Montreal vs Acadia and MacMaster vs Calgary in the finals to determines who joins us in QC.
• Itinerary – see below

 

 

 

2019 VANIER CUP ITINERARY

 

Friday Nov 23

 

9:30                    meet at Gourmet Restaurant, Hwy 7, Carleton Place – Load Bus

9:50                 pick up Stitts-Vegas Santas at park & Ride

9:51                    greetings and salutations

9:52                    depart to Quebec City

9:53                    commence cranial dehydration

11:00                  official rookie intro’s/ presentations (for those flying in please send me a bio and a picture)

11:30- 12ish      stop for lunch somewhere en route

1:30-?                More Drinking, spinning of yarns, sharing of curds, multiple renditions of singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall, churlish behavior

4-ish                   Arrival at Hotel Chateau Laurier. Disembark/unload, check -in, go to rooms

4:30-6:20           Free time. Suggested activities include; wine machine, hot tub, combing your Santa beard, ironing slacks, flossing, practice Franglaise

6:21-6:40           primp and prepare for “Slack night”. Don your on finest Under Armour clothing and Brut 33

6:41-6:49           meet in Lobby, partake of wine machine, general banter

6:50                    depart for Restaurant Louis Hebert @ 668, Grande-Allée Est

7:00 – 9:30        Fine French Cuisine and spirits, general regalia

9:30-???             Spill into Grand-Allee and enjoy evening ** recommended at some point in weekend to partake late-night poutine at Chez Ashton @ 640 Grande Allée E **

 

Saturday Nov 24

 

5:00                    Curfew

8:00                    Arise

8:10                    Partake of Breakfast Caesars and/or Coffee w Baileys… BREAKFAST?

8:45                    prepare for Tailgate; gather gear, beer & cheer

8:55                    Santa’s suit up

9:05                    Meet in Lobby

9:15                    load bus and depart for Stade Peps

9:35                    arrive at Stade Peps, unload bus and setup tailgate

9:36                    The first shooter of Vanier

9:37 -12:40        General debauchery and tailgating activities

12:41                  Tidy up tailgate stuff and depart for Stadium

1:00                    kickoff

2:45-ish               Halftime Tailgate?

4:00                    return to tailgate spot and grab stuff, meet bus

4:20                    arrive at Hotel, disrobe, clean up

4:30                    Free time. Recommended activities include; shower, neatly fold Santa suit, hot tub, switch to white liquor

???-???               Head back out to enjoy Quebec City for round 2

 

Sunday, Nov 25

 

9:00 AM             curfew

9:50 AM             Be on bus or find alternative way home

15 sleeps newsletter

Hi Guys,

 

Everything is coming together nicely… Thanks for booking your rooms. Some updates for you;

 

• “Slack Night” is confirmed for Friday night at Restaurant Louis Hebert right across the road from the Hotel.. It is the same place and private room we had last year. They treated us well and food was great! Off for a night on Le Grande Allee after that!
• As previously mentioned, we have Gary our driver from last year for the trip and he is a beauty
• Friendly reminder to get a suite or check inventory of your Santa suit…as we know, parts tend to go missing  during the tour ; )
• Bus Costs… I will have final numbers soon. Hoping to keep it around 200 pp
• Game Tickets… we will be ordering soon once we get final numbers. Still working on a couple more guys.
• Please see updated Rookie list below! Got a great crop!

 

 

2019 ROOKIES :

 

Jeremy G

Greg F

Sean S

Tom J

Doug W

Matt L

Jacob T

Peter W