MONTREAL -- It's a busy weekend for Alberta football fans, and the Ralph family is in the middle of it.
Brett Ralph's parents attended the high school Tier 1 provincial final last night in Edmonton to watch his brothers Jimmy and Dustin.
Then the folks hopped on a plane to watch another son play in the Grey Cup. The Calgary Stampeders face the Montreal Alouettes today, and there should be two No. 11 Ralph jerseys in the stands at Olympic Stadium.
"They should be getting here in time for the game," the Stampeders receiver said yesterday at the final team walkthrough. "Hopefully, we get two wins out of two."
Dustin Ralph, the oldest of six, coaches the Raymond high school team, and Jimmy is a receiver.
The Comets beat the Bev Facey Falcons 31-7 yesterday in Edmonton to claim provincial bragging rights.
Brett had to get updates after spending all week with his team in Montreal, where Grey Cup festivities have taken over the city.
"It's been neat to see the whole Grey Cup experience and the time and effort these cities put in to make it the show that it is," Ralph said.
"It explains to me what the Grey Cup means to Canada, whether you are in the east or west. Every part of it is something special and to be lining up on Sunday is even better."
PROULX HAS SAFETY NET
Alouettes safety Matthieu Proulx is a lawyer away from the field, so he had a good case for leaving the CFL earlier this season.
Proulx missed the first seven games this season with a hamstring injury and work wasn't much fun.
"I don't play football because I have to, but because I love the game and I'm passionate about it," said Proulx, who will start the Grey Cup against the Stamps.
"When you aren't playing because of injury, you aren't getting the benefits out of it. Now, I'm having so much fun. I found that fun I was having back in college."
In the final month of the season, Proulx turned things around and signed an extension for two more years in an Alouettes jersey.
CORNISH KEEPS 'CALL' QUIET
In the season-finale against the B.C. Lions, Stampeders running back Jon Cornish pulled off what he refers to as a 'house call.'
During a offensive meeting, he guaranteed a play designed for him would result in a touchdown. He delivered.
But a day before the Grey Cup, Cornish wasn't making any bold predictions.
"I'm keeping those to myself," he said. "I will do it during the game. There are three possibilities, maybe more, but I'm keeping to myself."
EXTRA POINTS
Jake Ireland has drawn the duty of head referee for the big game, and the veteran official has worked the past three Stampeders Grey Cup wins in 1992, 1998 and 2001 ... The Alouettes announced yesterday they jumped past the 63,000 mark for tickets sold. The record attendance for a Grey Cup is 68,318, set at Olympic Stadium in 1977.
