The Lingerie Football League?s first outing in Saskatoon offered exactly what the league promised: hard-hitting action with plenty of colourful scenery.
Taking a two-possession lead early in the second half, the hometown Saskatoon Sirens ? clad in the league-wide uniform of bras, bikini-bottoms and shoulder pads ? beat the visiting B.C. Angels 22-18 Saturday night at Credit Union Centre. While the outfits were far from traditional on the gridiron, the game itself was a legitimate contest.
The post-game atmosphere around the Sirens? locker room was made up of the enthusiasm that can only come from a win.
?What a great way to start this league in Saskatoon, with kicking the (butts) of the first-place team in the league,? said Amanda Stalwick, one of the few players who saw an extended amount of field time.
It was a night of sports entertainment for the fans in attendance. Players showboated after big plays, and contact after the whistle seemed to be encouraged. The stadium announcer did what he could to stir up the crowd, at one point even leading the fans in a chorus of, ?B.C. sucks.? While Credit Union Centre was far from full, with the lower bowl at about 20 to 25 per cent capacity, those at CUC responded with loud cheers.
The game was played seven-versus-seven on a 50-yard field enclosed by CUC?s regular hockey boards with the glass removed. The presence of boards led to some painful looking hits when players opted to run on the outside.
The vast majority of field time for the Sirens went to the women who had been imported from the United States. The same six women played on both sides of the ball for most of the game, and while it may have been disappointing for anyone wanting to see more of the Saskatoon-born members of the roster, it did result in a well-played football game.
While no additional emphasis was placed on the skimpy uniforms during the game itself, the overall production was clearly aimed at a demographic that wanted more than just football.
Rather than kicking off at the announced start time of 8 p.m., the Sirens engaged in a somewhat awkward pre-game stretching session. The 15-woman roster lined up at five-yard intervals and performed lunges and toe touches, prompting a few roars from the crowd. Halftime offered another awkward moment, as a male fan was brought onto the field and given the opportunity to ?tackle? a Sirens player.
Despite that aspect and the minimalist uniforms, for Stalwick the pre-game nerves had everything to do with her never having played football before.
?I?ve raced track. I?ve raced triathlon. I?m used to wearing this kind of thing. We don?t wear garters, but we?re out there. No one is thinking about what we?re wearing. We?re out there playing a hard game of football,? she said.
Sirens head coach Chris Lambiris felt the team put on a good enough show that fans should come back for another look. An early second half touchdown put the Sirens up 22-6, and the squad held off a charging B.C. squad late.
?The crowd was happy after the game. A lot of fans are really excited about it. It was entertaining, lots of fun, and great football,? he said.
The Sirens visit the Toronto Triumph on Sept. 15. Their next home game is Oct. 6 against the Regina Rage.
strembath@thestarphoenix.com
Twitter.com/strembath
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