Article content continued

“It was a tough game, I thought. (It) just didn’t go well for us,” Sinopoli said. “I thought we played really hard. You’ve kind of got to leave on that. We left it out there. It just wasn’t good enough. That doesn’t mean what we did all season didn’t happen. It was a great year. Love this locker room. Great bunch of guys. Saying that, it’s sad because this will be the last time we’re all together. But I think we still have to be proud of what we did.”

Sinopoli is one of the few members of a very good offence that doesn’t have to worry about a new contract for next season. With all the uncertainty of the expiring collective agreement between the Canadian Football League and the players’ association, he’s not sure who else will be back. If need be, he’ll do his best to convince Ellingson to re-sign, the way Ellingson made a pitch to him last year.

“We’re trying to get on the same year so we don’t have to convince each other every second year,” Sinopoli joked. “But yeah, I think at this point he knows what’s here and what he brings to this group. Hopefully not much has to be said, but, if the time is ticking away and it’s not signed yet, then I’ll start getting on him.”

Photo by Justin Tang / THE CANADIAN PRESS

If the Redblacks can keep most of “the band” on offence together, they will be in good shape going forward. Collectively, Sinopoli, Ellingson, Harris, William Powell, Diontae Spencer and SirVincent Rogers are the core of a special group, one that should have a legitimate shot at playing for the Grey Cup again next year in Calgary.

“Obviously we’d like to win the last game of the year, but I think overall, over the last few years, it’s been quite a ride,” Sinopoli said. “That’s all we want. We just want to have a chance to compete for championships and we’ve done that every year. We’ve been close, we’ve got one … We have really good players. I think as long as everyone is here, as evident over the last few years, we’re always going to have a chance.”