Riders look to clinch playoff spot in game against Edmonton
5h ago
The Saskatchewan Roughriders now have a chance to punch their ticket to the playoffs.
Only in Saskatchewan does Gainer’s makeover get more attention than new Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo.
In Fajardo’s second start for the CFL team he passed for 430 yards in Saskatchewan’s 32-7 victory over the Toronto Argonauts. Although Fajardo drew lots of praise and started a debate about what should be done with his injured predecessor, Zach Collaros, Rider fans were even more irate about the drastic changes to their fuzzy, long-time mascot, Gainer the Gopher.
Gainer is no longer pudgy and overweight. He has reportedly been working out, as evidenced by the new green-and-white running shoes he was sporting for the Roughriders’ first home game of the regular season. His head is leaner. His fur is a lighter shade of brown under his green, No. 13 jersey. And he still doesn’t wear pants.
But the scariest things are his new eyes. Rather than lifeless black eyes, Gainer now has multi-hued green eyes. Like a snake’s. They’re so nightmarish some fans have started a petition to bring back the old Gainer. Nobody has started a petition to keep Fajardo atop the quarterback’s depth chart.