The BC Lions recent Grey Cup win was the sixth in franchise history and veteran Dante Marsh has been patrolling the corner for two of those titles. Marsh has just completed his eighth season with the team and will hopefully be joining them for a ninth.
We had a chance to talk to Dante about the 2011 season, the future and about an auction he is holding to make a donation to CFL Fans Fight Cancer and Hannah’s Heroes. Dante is auctioning off two pairs of his cleats from the 2011 Grey Cup championship season. One pair are pink Nike Vapor cleats that Dante wore on October 22, 2011, when the CFL allowed players to wear pink items in support of women’s cancer awareness. The second pair of cleats were worn in the 99th Grey Cup Championship game in which the BC Lions defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by a score of 34-23.
We’ll get you the link to the auction below, but first our interview with the BC Lions veteran cornerback, Dante Marsh.
BCLD: Dante, it was a season that will never be forgotten. The team started slowly before turning things around to end the season with a Grey Cup victory at home. What was that like and what do you feel was the one thing that turned the season around?
DM: It was amazing to say the least. I mean it still hasn’t really hit that we won the 99th Grey Cup. Starting out 0-5 after a sluggish 1-7 start in 2010 was extremely frustrating. We felt like we were the team to beat coming out of training camp especially the way we ended the 2010 season. However that did not happen and once again we sputtered out of the gate. I think our attitude was the one thing that changed which enabled us to get over the hump. We were just tired of losing.
BCLD: Personally you had one of your best years in the league, as your stats show. You were named a West Division all-star, you won your second championship and now you’re eligible to become a free agent. What does the future hold for Dante Marsh and do you want to end your career in black and orange?
DM: I would like a couple more rings. I feel like I have done my part as far as my job goes. I feel like I have had a very good career so far and I would like to finish up where I started and thats in black and orange. This has been maybe my best all around season but like I have said before I think I have had really good seasons other years and they were over looked to an extent. I am scheduled to become a free agent this winter for the first time ever which is exciting but yet gives you an unsure feeling. Exciting to see what your value is to others but at the same time I bleed orange and black and hopefully I can retire as one of the best to ever do it at my position in a Lions uniform.
BCLD: You played eight seasons under Wally Buono as a coach and now your defensive coordinator Mike Benevides is widely speculated to be Buono’s replacement. How might the team be different under a Benevides coached team if he were to get the job?
DM: I am not sure things will change all that much. Benny has been one of the coaches I have had a real good relationship with since my rookie year when he was the special teams coordinator. In fact I think you can keep the same structure and continuity within the team if he is ultimately hired. Benny is a players coach easy to talk to and is open to suggestions so I think everything will just keep flowing smoothly.
BCLD: Your off-season training is well publicized and you train with CFL legend Milt Stegall. How has the old “G.O.A.T.” as you refer to him helped you train for a long and successful career in the CFL? Can you tell us what G.O.A.T. stands for?
DM: Well the G.O.A.T. stands for greatest of all time. Milt has been very influential in my career as far as the knowledge he has shared with me since I moved here to Atlanta in 2006. He has shown me how to be a pro, how to train better, eat better, focus on the business side of the game more like contractual issues and pension decisions. Milt has shown me how to push myself further and further and one of our sayings is, “How can they beat you if they cant out work you?”
BCLD: Dante, let’s get you your charity auction. This is the second year now that you’ve done a charity event for Cancer research. You’ve graciously offered to give half of the proceeds for this auction to our cancer charity of choice, Hannah’s Heroes’. I know that the tragedy that your good friend Korey Banks went through is close to your heart. Can you tell us how that event has made cancer research important to you?
DM: It’s an opportunity for me to give so someone else can have. I feel like if you’re in a position to help someone other than yourself and you dont you are truly missing out on one of life’s greatest moments/feelings. I have always wanted to make an impact on someone elses life. There are people who cant walk, cant see, can’t have the normal life because of cancer or some other ailment and these are little things we often take for granted on a daily basis. When Korey went through that ordeal with his son Kamari, it hit close to home and I wouldn’t want anybody to ever have to go through that. So yeah I just feel its one of my duties to help in any way I can.
BCLD: Dante thank you for taking the time to do this for Hannah’s Heroes and for talking with us. We wish you all the best in the future, and hope you’ll be back in BC to defend the Grey Cup championship in 2012.
DM: As always I appreciate you Brian and thank you for taking the time to put this Q and A session together. CHUUCH!!!
How you can bid:
For the current auction of Dante’s cleats you can head to the Ebay page they are listed on.
If the auction ends without the reserve being met, get the latest on Dante’s website.
These cleats are one of a kind collectors items and would be a great addition to any CFL memorabilia collection. You’ll also be helping fund cancer research for childhood cancer. For more information on Hannah’s Heroes visit their web site.
We want you to be part of the BCLionsDen.ca “Tailgate Empire”.
As s souvenir for the great tailgate parties we’ve enjoyed and will enjoy this season at Empire Field, we’ve created a t-shirt to remember them with and to raise a little money through CFL Fans Fight Cancer for a local cancer charity.
Fellow tailgater Nick Herger came up with the slogan “Tailgate Empire” and I designed a shirt around it. Lions centre Angus Reid is on board and will produce the shirts via his silk screening company. The shirts will be $20.00, which is $5.00 above cost. 100% of that $5.00 will go into the CFLFFC fund. the image that will appear on the shirt is below.
We have men’s youth and women’s cut shirts available!
If you would like to join the “Tailgate Empire” and support this cause, simply leave a comment below and indicate what shirt size you would like and we’ll be in touch. To date we are approaching 30 requests for shirts so let’s grow the empire and donate some money to kick cancer’s butt all over the field!
Today I had the pleasure of helping award the Dante Marsh canvas print that Dante provided for us to raffle off for CFL Fans Fight Cancer.
The lucky winner was Heather Swift of Abbotsford, BC. who purchased her ticket a tailgate party earlier this season. Heather ventured out to the BC Lions practice facility today to receive her prize from Dante himself.
After the cost of the print, we were able to raise $300.00 for CFLFFC. Each year a group of CFL Fans across Canada attempt to raise money for various Cancer charities on our local communities. This past off-season, Lions DB Korey Banks lost his young son to cancer and he’s in the process of establishing the Hope24 Foundation in his honour and to help those fighting childhood cancer.
Today, the BC chapter of CFLFFC, thanks to the help of CFL fans like you, were pleased to donate the $300.00 raised through this raffle to Banks’ new foundation in memory of his son.
Thanks to Dante Marsh and to CFL fans for their support and congratulations to Heather!
A few weeks ago I was asked to help out on a great gesture by BC Lions cornerback Dante Marsh. Dante recently had a few paintings commissioned commemorating his time with the Lions, and he’s generously offered to donate one to raise money for CFL Fans Fight Cancer.
I’ll be selling raffle tickets for this great cause starting this Saturday at the tailgate party in Lot 9 at Empire Field. Tickets are $10.00 each and only 50 tickets are available giving you a great chance to win this rare piece. The goal is to sell all 50 tickets, with $200.00 going to cover the cost of the painting and $300.00 going to CFL Fans Fight Cancer. If it can be arranged, Dante would like to present the winner with this painting as well.
For several years now CFL fans across the country have been raising funds for Cancer treatment and research. Last year in BC we donated $2533.00 to Hannah’s Heroes Foundation. Our fund raising has fallen behind this year, but we hope to have a few more events before the year is over.
A couple of pictures have been posted here for you to check out what’s up for grabs in the raffle! If youre intersted in trying to win this rare and limited edition Lions collectible, you can find me in the northwest corner of Lot 9 at Empire Field between 10:00am and game time on Saturday. Get your tickets fast because I don’t think they will last long!
A winner will be drawn on Monday, November 22nd and announced here and on DanteMarsh.com. The winner will also be notified by phone.
Thanks to Dante Marsh and to Jeff Armstead of InTheTunnel.com for stepping up to help CFL Fans Fight Cancer!
One of the great things about CFL is the that the majority of players are down to earth people. Players are very accessible to fans of the league, and in several cases I know of fans have become good friends of players in their cities. Many American born players end up staying in Canada after their playing days are done, making this country their new home.
Others contribute in other ways, and for BC Lions cornerback Dante Marsh he’s trying to help in the community. Marsh recently put a rare canvas print up for auction on Ebay, the proceeds of which will be donated to CFL Fans Fight Cancer, an effort this site has been involved with for several years now.
Nobody asked Dante to do this, it came out of the blue and it shows what type of person you find so often amongst CFL players. All of us at CFL Fans Fight Cancer wish to thank Dante for his generosity and support of our cause.
Up for auction is this 16×20 painting of Dante in action for the BC Lions. This is one of 2 ever made and on canvas with a wood framing. Dante has signed the painting with silver sharpie. Proceeds from this auction will go to benefit CFL Fans Fight Cancer. Visit DanteMarsh.com for more information about Dante.
For the past two seasons, BCLionsDen.ca and BC Lions fans have been active in promoting and raising money for CFL Fans Fight Cancer. An unofficial charitable organization of CFL fans from across the country. With groups based in BC, Manitoba and Ontario, our efforts have raised thousands of dollars for cancer related causes within our local communities.
I’d like to invite you to join us for a fun evening of Texas Holdem poker and help raise money for the BC charity of choice, Hannah’s Heroes. Hannah was the daughter of a high school friend of mine. Hannah passed away on Oct 31, 2006 at age 5 from a rare brain stem tumor called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, DIPG. Following her passing, the family created the Hannah’s Heroes Foundation to fight cancer in her name.
Following her daughter’s passing, Hannah’s mother Kathie, my high school friend, also passed away from a battle with cancer.
Our event will take place on Saturday, October 17th. As usual this tournament will be graciously and generously hosted by Brian and Sheila Scarr at their home in Langley. There are 24 spots available in this elimination tournament that will start with three tables, and end up with a final table. The entry fee is $50.00 with half of the money going directly to Hannah’s Heroes and the remainder going into the prize pot, a possible $600.00
The final two will have the say as to how the tournament ends. They can play for the pot or come to a mutual agreement and split the pot any way they see fit.
Door Prizes:
- Pair of bronze tickets to a 2009 BC Lions regular season game.
- CFL Fans Fight Cancer Tshirts.
- Signed Geroy Simon Photo courtesy of InTheTunnel.com.com
- Signed player cards of Krey Banks and Dante Marsh courtesy of InTheTunnel
- Autographed Buck Pierce BC Lions third jersey with pro-stitched numbers (size large) courtesy of our friends at Sports & Stuff in Chilliwack.
- More prizes to be announced!
Spots usually fill up quickly, so if you can join us please e-mail me for more information and to register for the tournament.
