With only two Grey Cup wins in the past decade, it's tough to call these Alouettes a dynasty.
EDMONTON - As bad as things have been lately in this city, you can't deny that Edmonton knows what a dynasty looks like better than most Canadian towns.
Five straight Grey Cups? Absolutely.
Five Stanley Cups in seven years? Check.
But Montreal, where the Canadiens ripped off Stanley Cup runs of five, and four-straight, should know one when it sees one as well.
Which brings us to the Montreal Alouettes. A team that has a) been the class of the league since 2000, appearing in eight of the past 11 Grey Cups. Or b) has only two Grey Cup rings to show for seven trips to the big game thus far - and would only have one if it weren't for Saskatchewan's 13th man penalty a year ago.
"You know, that's always going to be something that sports people are going to talk about," began quarterback Anthony Calvillo, who has done more of these Grey Cup "meet the press" luncheons than he ever could have dreamt of when he showed up for his first CFL try out with the Las Vegas Posse back in 1994.
"There's no denying Edmonton when they won five straight Grey Cups. That, I think, is an undeniable dynasty right there," he said. "Our situation? It could go either way. To be honest, it's a toss up on how people are going to look at it. We can always help the cause by winning another one come Sunday."
It's different for these Alouettes than it has been for the great teams that won three or more in a row, perhaps the very definition of a dynasty. Montreal has never even won back-to-back Cups, blowing their chance in 2003, and they had lost in four straight appearances prior to edging Saskatchewan last November.
"One of the things that me, A.C., (Ben) Cahoon and (Scott) Flory talk about with a dynasty, we talk about leaving something behind for the young guys to shoot for," said Anwar Stewart, whose six Grey Cup games are one less than those three teammates.
"Losing four straight after 2002, that was hard for us. That's why last year was very emotional for us. This year has been a little bit more emotional, just because of our age. One of the things we haven't accomplished here is back-to-back Grey Cups. On Sunday, we have a real good chance of doing that."
Former Eskimos offensive lineman Eric Upton was on the radio here Thursday talking about how the Grey Cup that sticks with him the most was in 1977, when the Alouettes blew the Eskimos out 41-6 in the Staple Bowl.
He would go on to win the next five straight. But in an athlete's mind, you are supposed to win. It's the losses that often stick with a guy even longer.
"Especially in 2005 when we played Edmonton," said Stewart, going back to that 38-35 overtime thriller at B.C. Place, where Ricky Ray burned the Als with the corner route they knew was his best weapon.
"No one can throw that route like Ricky Ray … (nobody) on this planet," Stewart recalled. "We held him the whole game, until two minutes to go. They scored two touchdowns to go into overtime.
"It's like, 'Man, just two minutes away. Two minutes away'. When I talk to him I say, 'What's up, Mr. Corner Route?' That's his name. Nobody can throw that like him."
Calvillo looks back two years to a 22-14 loss at the hands of the Calgary Stampeders, in a game played at Olympic Stadium.
"One thing that disappointed me the most," he said, shaking his head. "We had a rare opportunity to do something that I think B.C. in 1994 was the last team to do, and that's win a Grey Cup at home. It was one of those things where I'm always going to look back and say, 'Man, we let that one slip through ours hands.'"
Let's face it: With just two wins in seven tries heading into Sunday's game, the Alouettes blew the chance at CFL immortality. Such a fine team as this should have five or six rings, considering the fact that Calgary has only been to two Grey Cup games since 2000, yet the Stamps own the same number of rings that Montreal does.
"Put it this way, the Cup definitely comes through us," said receiver Jamel Richardson. "I'm sick of the media giving opponents all the hype. We never get it. People are accustomed to us winning, like it's routine. It's not. We prepare like everyone else and put wins together."
"And at the end of the day," added Calvillo, "whether it's a dynasty or not, it's not going to matter because we're going to be sitting at home with rings on our fingers.
"And that's what it's all about."
Mark Spector is the lead columnist for Sportsnet.ca
