Every player in Sunday's Grey Cup has a story. Not many of them, though, start in Winnipeg.
Donovan Alexander's does.
Alexander will be one of Saskatchewan's starting cornerbacks when the Riders take on the high-powered Montreal offence in the 97th playing of our championship game.
That he's a Canadian playing a position dominated by Americans is one aspect of Alexander's story.
His miserable record in championship games -- going back to high school he's played in five and come up empty each time -- is another.
Then there's the Grey Cup ring he saw on his coach's hand years ago, an image burned in his mind to this day.
So when you ask the 24-year-old what Sunday's game means to him, he's not lost for words.
"It's about a lot of things," Alexander, on the phone from Calgary, began. "It's about a childhood dream. It's about finally getting a championship. It's about playing on Canada's biggest sporting stage.
"It's about a lot of things."
One of just two Winnipeggers who'll be on the field -- Montreal special teamer Cory Huclack is the other -- Alexander admits he'll be nervous. At least until that first series, when it'll seem like any other game.
Even though he knows it's not.
No other game has the connotations of this one. Not in significance. Not in the potential monetary reward. Not in the ramifications for his own career.
And certainly not in his heart.
"I've grown up watching every Grey Cup, pretty much, with my dad," Alexander said.
So now that he's playing in one, of course, dad will be there, too.
"It's going to be really something watching him," Derek Alexander said.
He leaves for Calgary today, but some fatherly advice has already made its way from Tuxedo to Calgary: don't take it for granted, kid, even if you're just 24 and in your first CFL season as a starter.
"He reminds me to just enjoy the whole week," Alexander said. "Even in an eight team league, you never know when you're going to get back here. So he told me to take a moment, enjoy all the festivities, enjoy all the media, enjoy everything the whole week."
Both of Alexander's parents will be at the game. Just like they were at every one of his home games this season. A few on the road, too.
Just like they attended every one of his home games at the University of North Dakota, in Grand Forks, and every game at St. Paul's High School.
Alexander's dream started even before that.
Playing for the Charleswood Broncos, something caught his eye. Something big and shiny on his coach's hand.
The hand of former Blue Bomber and Grey Cup champion, Frank Robinson.
"I remember Donovan looking at that ring," Alexander's mother, Marilyn, said.
Since then, Alexander could have put a championship ring on every finger of his hand. But after five chances -- three with St. Paul's, another with UND and one as a practice roster player with the Alouettes last year -- those fingers are still empty.
"Zero-for-five in championship games," Alexander said. "I'm getting to the championship game, so I can't complain too much. But you've got to win it once you get there."
Coincidentally, his old nemesis from Oak Park High, Huclack, will be trying to stop him. Again.
Twice, Huclack's Raiders beat Alexander's Crusaders in the high school final.
"I'm going to send him a text message," Alexander said. "Saying he had his two championships back in high school, and this one's mine."
That'd be quite a story for the Canadian corner.
For lots of reasons.
Contact Paul at paul.friesen@sunmedia.ca or 632-2788.
