Stampeders want to win home opener for victims of Alberta floods

CALGARY – The Calgary Stampeders have extra motivation to win their home opener against the B.C. Lions on Friday night.

Not only do the Stamps want to start the 2013 CFL season with a strong showing, they also want to win for their fans who have been affected by the devastating floods in Southern Alberta.

“I’m ready to go out there and just give the stadium and the community something to be cheerful and happy about due to the flooding and everything with what’s been going on,” said Calgary kick returner/receiver Larry Taylor. “A lot of families are dealing with a lot of emotional things, being evacuated out of their places.

“Hopefully we can come out here and put on a good performance on Friday night and give the fans something to take their minds away from what they’re dealing with personally.”

Representatives from the Canadian Red Cross will be on hand at McMahon Stadium on Friday night to collect donations for the flood relief effort.

“It has been an extremely difficult week for the city of Calgary and our hearts truly go out to all the people who have been displaced and affected by the flood,” said Calgary coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “This is an incredibly challenging time for so many Calgarians. This football team is looking forward to providing a little boost to our city for a few hours Friday night at McMahon Stadium.

“I know the Stampeder fans are very avid fans that have been waiting for this all off-season.”

Running back Jon Cornish said that he expects the atmosphere at McMahon to be extremely emotional leading up to the opening kickoff.

“What happened here in Calgary has hurt so many people’s lives, killed people,” Cornish said. “If there’s one thing we can do tomorrow to help this city, it’s win.”

Cornish added that it won’t be an easy task for Calgary against a tough B.C. defence, but that the Stampeders are up for the challenge.

“They have a huge amount of experience back there and their defensive line is quite impressive,” Cornish said. “It’s always really fun for me to play against them because it’s a great opportunity to see where we are and how well we can deal with the best.”

Veteran receiver Nik Lewis also said that he’s looking forward to seeing how the Stamps match up against the B.C. The Lions will be out to avenge a 34-29 setback at home to Calgary last November in the West Final.

“It’s a great way to start the season off,” Lewis said. “It’s a Western Division opponent, one of the top teams since I’ve been here. It’s a great way for us to focus in and see what we’ve got early.”

Calgary quarterback Drew Tate, who’s looking to rebound from an injury-plagued 2012 season, said he can’t wait to take to the field on Friday night to play in front of a packed house.

“I think we’re all really excited about this opportunity not only just for ourselves and our team but for the city also,” Tate said.