HAMILTON – Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has a twin brother, Jalen, who refuses to wear a Montreal club jersey for the Gray Cup final. The reason is obvious, because Jalen himself plays in the Canadian Football League, albeit with the Calgary Stampeders.
“My brother was the first person to text me to congratulate me after we won the Eastern final,” Tyson noted. He understands that this week in the family is about me and supports me. However, I have to force him if I want him to wear an Alouettes jersey.
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Football is a family affair for the Philpots. His father, Cory, was a star player in the CFL and won the Gray Cup with the British Columbia Lions in 1994. Tyson and Jalen weren’t born yet, but now, 30 years after his father, the Alouettes’ pass catcher was able to lift the prized trophy Sunday night at the end of the finale against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“My dad gave me the advice to approach the game like any other game,” said the 23-year-old from British Columbia. You have to avoid thinking too much and control your emotions, not experience ups and downs and just play football.
Cory Philpot will of course be in Hamilton for the game, as will the mother, twin brother and sister.
“Everyone is excited,” agreed the proud Alouettes color bearer.
The Vanier Cup 2019
Before the CFL, Tyson and Jalen played together with the University of Calgary Dinos and won the Vanier Cup together in 2019. Unusual fact: Current Alouettes player Jake Harty, who was recovering from surgery, was on the Dinos’ coaching staff at the time. And to add to the story, all of these wonderful people defeated Danny Maciocia and the University of Montreal Carabins in the final in Quebec.
DIDIER DEBUS SCISSORS/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
The memories of that Vanier Cup win are obviously valuable to the Philpots. When it comes to the Gray Cup, Tyson particularly remembers the Lions’ home win in 2011. He was 11 years old at the time.
AL CHAREST/QMI AGENCY
“I knew the sons of some of the Lions players well,” he explained. I remember celebrating the win on the BC Place field under a shower of confetti. It was cool, but I think it’s time for me to get my own ring and celebrate with confetti again.
Ironically, the Lions defeated the Blue Bombers in the 2011 final.
What they said…
“If we look at the journey we have had this year, the players we have and the energy in the team, it is something special. You don’t have the choice to believe it. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a very good team. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. We faced Toronto, the best team in the East, and came out on top that day. We’ll try to do the same on Sunday against Winnipeg. – Marc Antoine Dequoy
Photo Benoit Rioux
“It’s special for me to be here and represent the Montreal Alouettes because it’s the team I grew up watching in the Gray Cup. It makes it exciting, but at the same time we’ve been visualizing this moment all year long. We’ve put in a lot of work to be here and we’re not surprised to be here. “We’re here to win and we’re going to do what we have to do” – Byron Archambault, special teams coach
Photo Benoit Rioux
“I will touch the trophy as soon as we win it, not before” – Philippe Gagnon
Photo Benoit Rioux