A young football fan will have Bomber Blue flowing through his veins when he attends the 107th Grey Cup today in Calgary.
“I’ll be wearing a lot of blue,” said Thomas Rodehutskors, a Grade 9 student at St. John Paul II Collegiate. “I have a signed Bomber jersey — signed by the 1990 Bombers — and a lot of Blue Bomber accessories that my mom and my brother Justin have picked up for me.”
That 1990 Bomber jersey has one significant signature, from Thomas’ dad Steve Rodehutskors, an offensive lineman on that Grey Cup winning team — the last squad from the ‘Peg to win the CFL championship (they beat the Edmonton Eskimos 50-11).
Steve, who also played on the 1988 Grey Cup winning Bombers, died from cancer in 2007, when Thomas was approximately 22 months old.
The Winnipeg Woes may come to an end when the Blue Bombers play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats today for the Grey Cup.
“The fact that it’s been a drought for the Bombers since he won it and with the Grey Cup in Calgary – our home city — makes it seem more special,” Thomas said. “The last time they won the Cup, my dad was on the team and it would be cool if they won it if I was there…
“It seems like it’s meant to be.”
This won’t be Thomas' first Grey Cup game. Thomas' family was invited to the 100th Grey Cup in Toronto for the 2012 Grey Cup, but Thomas said since he was only six, he just kind of went along for the ride.
This time, he’s got plenty of football knowledge after playing the past five years with the Foothills Eagles program.
“This one is a bit more special because I actually know a bit more about football,” said Thomas, a receiver/quarterback with the Foothills Bantam Eagles this season. “This time, I can see how football has affected our lives.
“This is my fifth year playing, it’s pretty much all I do. It has taught me a lot of lessons in my life. The coaches have taught me right from wrong and a lot about the game.”
Like his dad, Thomas is a football fanatic — ask him to pass the pepper and it might be delivered in a perfect spiral.
His father, Steve, was known for his work ethic and those genes have been passed on to Thomas smoother than a Zach Collaros pass.
Although Thomas plays the more glamourous receiver spot and takes the odd snap, he thinks the most important people on a team are where his dad played – offensive line.
“Knowing that is where he played, and seeing it happen on the field, gives it (the O-line) a lot more significance and I have a lot more respect for them,” he said.
Thomas' family holds season tickets with the Calgary Stampeders and they are ardent red-and-white fans for most of the season.
But they don different colours when the Bombers fly in.
“If the Stampeders are playing someone like Saskatchewan, I’m obviously not going to cheer for the green, no chance that’s happening,” Thomas said. “If the Bombers are in town, that’s who I cheer for, otherwise it is red-and-white.”
If this weekend is any indication, the Bombers might pull it off.
Dad Steve Rodehutskors played for the 1985 Vanier Cup winning U of C Dinos (along with former Foothills Falcon coaches Darren Olson and Bryan Brandford).
The Dinos just happened to win their first Vanier Cup on Nov. 22 since 1995.
The kick-off for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers-Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Grey Cup is 4 p.m. Nov. 24 at McMahon Stadium.
