Grey Cup winner Matt Albright says it's 'surreal' bringing cup home

Young football fans were treated to a special afternoon with the Grey Cup, cake and Ottawa Redblacks player Matt Albright at ProEdge Sports Conditioning gym in Bedford, N.S., Saturday.

Albright, originally from Dartmouth, has been showing off the cup around the municipality. He said "it's kind of surreal" to be sharing Canada's highest honour in football with people at home.

"It's nice to be able to come home and show people that supported me and helped me through my career what it all culminates to and what you can do when you have people behind you," said Albright.

The Ottawa Redblacks won the cup back in November in overtime against the Calgary Stampeders.

"I think somewhere in the middle of the off-season when you're training, it just finally sets in that we won," said Albright.

Each team member and staff gets to show off the cup for about 36 hours.

Albright's stops with the cup included the IWK Health Centre and Saint Mary's University. He said people are shocked to see its condition.

"People have been awesome. They're really supportive and just excited to see it overall. I think a lot of people are surprised to see how beat up it is," he said.

'True Canadian moment'

Shea Lenehan, a fan, got to see the cup for the first time Saturday at ProEdge.

"It's just pretty neat seeing what football players have worked toward earning their whole lives," he said. "It's actually a little more beat up than I expected."

Wray Perkin, the assistant equipment manager for the Redblacks, gets to bring the cup to Sackville, N.B., later today where it will be on display at the Civic Centre Sunday evening.

Albright plans to meet Perkin at a Truro Tim Hortons Saturday evening to hand off the cup, something he said will be a "true Canadian moment."