Daddy’s Night Out, NFL Canada Kickoff 2018

The NFL is back for 2018 and I’m ready for it.

On Thursday night I got to have a daddy’s night out when I was invited to NFL Canada’s Kickoff event in Toronto to celebrate the start of the new season. Wrapped around a viewing party of the Atlanta Falcons vs (defending Super Bowl champs) Philadelphia Eagles, we were spoiled with swag, food, an open bar, face painting, photo ops and more. And for me, the and more was spectacular.

I should set this up by explaining that I am a Dallas Cowboys fan and have been since the early 90s. I was 10, 11, and 13 when they won Super Bowls 28, 29, and 31. I was impressionable and wowed by The Triplets (QB Troy Aikman, WR Michael Irvin, RB Emmitt Smith) and guys like Daryl Johnston, Nate Newton, and my dude Deion Sanders. I thought the good times would never end.

In the 25 years since, I’ve watched the ‘Boys on TV, read about them in newspapers and magazines, followed them online, won and lost money betting on them, and even taken vacation days from work so I could watch Thanksgiving Day games. But I haven’t seen the glory days return.

BUT, on Thursday night in Toronto I got to remember all of those sweet memories when Hall of Fame, and all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith showed up at the event.

Smith was joined by fellow Hall of Famer, Jerome Bettis and hopped up on stage for a Q&A, did some interviews (I saw you Cabbie), and posed for photos with fans and the Vince Lombardi trophy.

A quick second for an aside… Just a few minutes after my pal Dila and I checked into the event, a staff member came up to ask if I was Josh. When I told him I was, he told me that they had a special surprise for me later. At the end of the first quarter, I was to be ready to meet at stage left. I was given no details. It was exciting and kind of terrifying.

When the two Super Bowl champs were doing their Q&A, my two favourite questions went something like this…

For Jerome Bettis – How did you get the nickname, The Bus?

Answer – When he was in college (at Notre Dame) one of the school reporters said something about him being like a school bus. Being so dominant that it was like he was taking the other players to school. He said that it turned into chants from the crowd of “You Can’t Stop The Bus” and from there, the rest is history. He added that if he was going to have picked his own nickname, it wouldn’t have been The Bus. It would have been something hot, something cool. And we all laughed. (answer paraphrased)

For Emmitt Smith – Who was the toughest linebacker that you ever faced.

Answer – Emmitt thought for a second, and then told us all that he wasn’t going to give any of the linebackers he faced the satisfaction or credit of being named the best, and said instead the his mama had been the toughest that he ever dealt with. It was funny and sweet and endearing. (answer paraphrased)

Then a little later on, after the Q&A and just before the rain delayed game started, I got tapped on the shoulder and told things were moving up. A few minutes later I was introduced on stage by TSN’s Nabil Karim, along with a Steelers fan named Martin, and Emmitt and Jerome came back up too. The five of us stood in front of the crowd, and Martin and I were handed boxes from our respective hall of famers. Inside my NFLshop.ca box was a signed football by the man himself. Gold pen on an official “The Duke” NFL football. It is one of the very coolest things I’ve ever had happen to me, and the coolest piece of NFL (and all sports really) memorabilia that I own.

Along with my new Cowboys Sideline Home Official hat, NFL hat, and assorted other swag, the football made its way home with me, where it is safe and already being enjoyed by me and Ollie!

Note: There was one awesome dad at the event that had his small baby in a front facing chest carrier (wearing ear protection, which I appreciated). And while it made me miss Oliver for a quick second when I first saw them, I quickly realized that it would have been a hard event to get him too (transit/walking) and to keep him happy at (not a lot of baby friendly seating, a lot of folks in a small space).

All in all, the 2018 NFL Canada Kickoff (#nflcanadakickoff) event was a really great time. I got to enjoy some football loving people, I got to step out of the house and be Josh without being on dad duty (although I did talk about Ollie with a bunch of old friends that I saw). The Falcons and Eagles game might not have been a barn burner, and we def saw some questionable penalty calls and catch/no-catch rulings, but it was great to have the NFL season back.

It was also great to watch football with friends. My +1 on the night, Dila (a Packers fan, but she’s cool anyway) and my dude Neil from KICX 106 in Orillia (and his pal Rob) were great company throughout the evening.

I can’t wait to start watching football with Ollie on Sundays. And in his adorable Cowboys onesie, maybe he can be some sort of good luck charm. But on Thursday night it was pretty great to be in a room with adults and a bar to watch the action on the gridiron return for the 2018 season!