Tuesday's Thoughts

YUCK! That one word is what most New York Jets fans went through last night. The feeling was probably doubly worse this morning as they woke up realizing they couldn't even drink their way into thinking the Jets were still of any relevance and now not only had to deal with the hangover of all hangovers, but also the realization that they are a mess.

Last night Tennessee's nineteen yard punt from their own end zone essentially gave the Jets a golden opportunity to steal a victory and maintain any hopes of a play - off berth. Ultimately, Mark Sanchez, the worst QB in the NFL proceeded to fumble the snap and turn the ball over. All this after ending the previous two offensive possessions with interceptions, including one inside the Titan's ten yard line.

Mark Sanchez has never been good. He has never put up good numbers. The only reason the Jets made it to two AFC Championships in the last three years was on the shoulders of that defence. Rex Ryan thought bringing in Tebow would be a benefit to his club. All he truly accomplished was it forced Sanchez into competition with a guy who honestly and truly would be just as accurate with his right hand. That was the straw that broke the camel's relatively weak back. A bad QB became a horrible QB, all the while Rex Ryan maintained his faith and confidence in a guy while at the same time never once giving Tim Tebow a shot. News that Greg McElroy will start this week means a couple of things for me:
(1) Rex has finally admitted, or been told, he was wrong. His career with the Jets will come to an end shortly after the season ends in two weeks time;
(2) Mark Sanchez will not be back with the Jets. They will give him the 8 million guaranteed he has coming to him in 2013 but there is no way they can even hope to move forward with Sanchez under centre; and,
(3) Tim Tebow has presumably become irrelevant as quickly as he rose to stardom.

Never been a Jets fan, always disliked the cocky and brash demeanor of Rex Ryan. This could not happen to a better guy.

Sticking with the NFL, I don't know who the fellow was but an ESPN television host has been suspended after more or less shaming RGIII publicly for being seen with a white woman. Uhm, it's the 21st century, we (society)are ok with this. RGIII is not Uncle Tom; he is a great QB who has a bright future in this league and he may or may not have a white girlfriend. I forget who said it yesterday on OTR but he said it best, they were wrong to suspend him; he should have been fired. I can't say I disagree.

The NHL and NHLPA continue to act like a couple of three year olds arguing over the last cookie in the jar. Guys, you both have LOTS of cookies. Furthermore, continue to bicker for much longer and the amount of cookies available will be less than ever. Neither side seems to realize that many have become so disenchanted with this league that most rinks will be empty when, or if, they ever hash out a deal.

Kent Austin is back in the CFL. Plenty of debate amongst Rider fans on this hiring; some say they love the fact he is back in the league, some say they are heart broken. I could care less. Sure Austin coached us to a Grey Cup title and lead us to one as a player in 1989. That is all irrelevant. Austin chose to leave the 'nation' after 2007 and has now decided to return to the CFL. I think the fact Hamilton gave him complete control of football and presumably a healthy salary helped but regardless, Kent Austin owes the Saskatchewan Roughriders nothing, not one single thing. Those that bitch they would rather have him as their coach than Corey Chamblin, go cheer for the Ti - Cats. In fact move out east and stop belly aching.

BIG curling night at the Norquay Curling Club as the undefeated Evan Rostotski rink (a team more or less being carried by third Heath Morin, yes that's me) look to run their record to a perfect 3 - 0. First rock at 7:30, first pop at 7:15. Is there anything these guys can't do? I can see this rink becoming the New York Yankees of regular curling; love them or hate them, you all wish you were them.

OUT!

Tuesday's Tidbits

Been a week but I haven't forgot about you my loyal followers.

Obviously the story of the weekend was the atrocity that took place in Kansas City with Chiefs LB Javon Belcher. I don't want to go into a lot of here as it is one of those things where really no matter what you say could be misconstrued and taken as something it was never intended to be. I will say this, Javon Belcher was obviously troubled somewhere. You don't shoot the mother of your child nine times and then go thank your bosses for all they did for you just to turn around and take your own life. A terrible series of events, the worst of which, that must never be forgotten is that the death of Belcher and his girlfriend made an instant orphan of a three month old baby girl.

If you watched Football Night in America Sunday, Bob Costas paraphrased an article from a reporter in Kansas City who more or less said that American gun regulations are partially responsible for this. While guns may provide you with a greater sense of security, they also lead to unnecessary acts of violence such as this one. Sad, unfortunate, unfathomable yet entirely real.


On to a more positive note regarding the NFL, I hadn't really had much of an opportunity to watch a lot of football this year but was lucky enough to catch the Redskins in Prime Time the last two weeks. RGIII is a stud! The kid has a lightning quick release, has the same acceleration as Adrian Peterson and is just an all around talent. He, along with Alfred Morris have helped pull the once might Redskins from the shallows of mediocrity to a relevance and a force to be reckoned with in the NFC. We all knew they were on the right track but they may even sneak into the dance this year. Good for Washington, that city has been craving a quality football team since the mid 90's.


If you want my personal take on the NFL; anyone can win the Superbowl. I see no clear cut favorite in either the NFC or AFC. Before you point the finger to the fact that both the Texans and Falcons are 11 - 1, I say the Falcons have stumbled in the play -off's the last three years despite good records and the Texans, for what it is worth have played a whooping two play - off games...EVER.


The greatest time of the year to be a hockey fan is nearly upon us. There is nothing better than to couple the Xmas season with a frosty brew and the WJHC. While we have to listen to Gord Miller (who personally annoys me by the three minute mark of the 1st period) the hockey is tremendous. I never think twice to be up at 5:00 to watch the Canadians lives. There is just something to be said about watching it while it happens. Sure one could watch the replay but by then the social media has inundated you with the score, stats and the number of gallons of water used by the zamboni.

So the invites are out, and as always I look at the list and to steal a line from the cinematic phenomenon that was Major League; the construction workers are reading the roster of the Indians and one say's "Who the F%#k are these guys?" Well that's me for most players outside of the WHL, and even then there are some questions. Regardless here is what you need to know no matter who makes the final cut. We will by physical, very physical. We will get called for penalties that should not be; just because a rugged D-man who spends the summer flipping cows and chucking bales catches little Mikko from Finland with his head down does not mean a two minute charging call is necessary. Inevitbaly one line will gel and absolutely scare the bejeezus out of opponents (See Tavares and Eberle; Heatley and Cammalleri; Lindros and Mike Craig, etc) and we will be there in the end. We will finish 1st or 2nd in our pool, play in a Semi - Final and walk away with a medal. That my friends is one of the perks of being a Canadian hockey fan; we seem to be the only nation who never struggles.

In my twenty plus years of watching this tournament, only once, 1995 did we struggle. That year we finished eighth, including a loss to Kazakhstan. That was terrible but had nothing to do with the talent on the ice, rather the chemistry that existed.

Oh and talks continue with the NHL in regards to their lockout; is there still even hope for a season? Walk away...scrap the season...teach them all a lesson. I said this months ago, Donald Fehr will ruin hockey as he nearly did baseball. Good hire by the PA...a guy who has no problems holding a season and a league hostage to make himself look good. For Christmas I hope he gets a big ol'.....waith this is PG 14. Use your imagination but he won't be recieving the family photo complete with Christmas card and letter from the Morin clan.


Later, must go prepare. Tonight is step #1 in my journey to the Brier. Regular Curling at the Norquay Curling Rink...Team Rostotski on the ice at 730. The arrival of Vic Rauter is still up in the air.

At Least it Wasn't the Stamps..

While I found it hard to really get excited about the 100th Grey Cup yesterday (it tends to be that way without the Riders) I found myself pleased to have put the hammer and tools down to watch the game. I would also like to thank Mrs. Morin for allowing me the opportunity to put the renovations in the downstairs office on hold so I could watch the game and have a cold one. Anyways, back to the game. My Rider Pride is evident, and to me the greatest rival we have, or at least the team I hate losing to the most is Calgary. Watching them get beaten everywhere on the Rogers Centre turf yesterday really made an otherwise disappointing season bearable.

The Argos kicked them around from beginning to end and I loved it. Having watched them for years, their cockiness and overly inflated egos have gotten to be something that riles me up like few others can. Their pre - game introduction was enough to turn the non - biased fan into an Argo lover almost instantly. Those guys are ultra annoying when they simply catch an eight yard out, imagine had they actually won? For that I personally thank the entire Toronto Argonaut organization with an empahsis on Chad Kackert, Ricky Ray and D Coordinator Chris Jones.

The only bad thing about Toronto winning was Kevin Glenn not winning. The guy has been a warrior for years and a player I truly respect. He got his chance finally and really he and his team weren't sharp at all. I would like to see Glenn get a ring someday; I just hope he doesn't do it in a Stamps uniform.

So the last two Grey Cups have been won by the host team...here's hoping for the trifecta in 2013.

I will admit I have my moments of weakness but who saw Morehead State's men's basketball coach go off last week on one of his players. From what I saw, the kid fouled out and was a little slow coming off the court. The coach then lost it, berating the kid for what seemed like an eternity. And just when you think he was done, he went back and gave him some more. The kid looked close to tears and I can't help but think it was all he could do NOT to drive him into next week.

The NHL continues to....well they still exist and that is about it. The news of the weekend was not the discussions or lack of but rather the absolute idiocy of Chicago Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland, who re - tweeted a tweet that openly supported the idea of Gary Bettman being killed. Are you honestly that stupid Dave Bolland? You know this twitter thing is pretty big right? You know somebody might read it and not find it funny, appropriate or necessary, right?

Clearly sometimes pro athletes are such morons. Last week Nik Lewis tweets about OJ glove's and such and now this. I am so sick of the "I never meant to....really regret it..." Come on, yes you are human but part of being human means you have a brain. THINK about it; you guys have thousands of followers; these poor judgements are going to resurface.

If you want to watch a compelling show about life in the WHL, check out Sportsnet's show "On the Edge". The program looks at the Saskatoon Blades season as they prepare to host the Memorial Cup in May. The first episdoe ended with Head Coach and GM Lorne Molleken having to release a twenty year old simply due to numbers. The player, Molleken and three others were in the room at the time and not a dry eye in the room as the young fella walked out. My heart broke for the kid but also for Molleken having to be the one to break the news to him. How do you tell a kid in his final year, we can't make room for you...tough job; great show.

Watching it reminds me of a story my buddy told me about playing Jr. Hockey. Long story short as his team is getting berated for playing a little too softly, my friend, head down in his hands takes the garbage can to the head after it was kicked by a steaming mad coach. Apparently his line was all of a sudden not so bad. Junior Hockey is full of great characters and even better stories. If you ever get a chance to talk to someone who has that experience; soak it up as there are hours of great tales to be told.

My final thoughts today...please, please please have a better half - time show next year. We will be cold already; you may as well not compound that problem with a pre - pubescent high pitched pretty boy OR if you do, make sure he wears the same muscle shirt. A horrible half - time show in Toronto but a good ending. Wonder if Eric Tillman tuned in to check it out? You think he would like to take back that trade which essentially was a Grey Cup champion for the third string QB on a team that BARELY squeaked into the dance? But he will be a GM again, right?

Canora Flames in action tonight at 9:00...check it out. Brick and I will be mucking it up on the fourth line.


Later.....

Back at er'

After a very long and drawn out absence I am back. Thanks to my loyal followers who reminded me that they did read this from time to time.

Let's start with MLB. The season is a meagre five months away but I can't recall being this excited about baseball in a long time. We're Canadian and we are supposed to cheer for Canadian teams but ever since Joe Carter took Mitch Williams deep in 1993 to claim the Jays second consecutive World Series crown, it has been tough to be a fan of this club.

The deal they made with the Marlins on Tuesday, aside from including many more players, reminds me a lot of the Fernandez/McGriff to the Padres for Alomar/Carter deal. That deal put the Jays over that proverbial hump. While they play in the toughest division in baseball, and possibly all of sports for that matter, they have made a statement. They are serious about bringing a competitive team to Toronto and are willing to spend money if necessary.

They weren't going to fill any holes in their rotation via free agency. The only pitchers of any value, Annibal Sanchez (too much $$$ for the return) and Zach Grienke (openly stating he did not want to be a Blue Jay) meant a trade was their best option. It is early but if the injury bug takes off, unlike last year, this rotation could be as good as they come in the bigs. Johnson, Buehrle, Morrow and Romero are a great front four. Granted, Romero needs to return to form as does Johnson. As of Sunday, J.A. Happ was looking to be the third man in the rotation. As of today he will be in a dog fight just to grab a spot.

Never mind they brought in Jose Reyes. He along with Bonifacio and Gose will steal bases at a considerable rate. That should set up nicely for the like of Bautista, Encarnacion and Lawrie.

Look I get it is November and a lot can happen, but the one thing the Jays have built through this, and other transactions is a culture of never resorting to mediocrity.

The other team involved in that trade have in the past few days, come across, at least in my opinion as fraudulent and shameful. The City of Miami agrees ot build this very elaborate and fancy new stadium with a bill of more than $600M and in return they were very active in trying to improve their club and build a potential winner to play in front of the fans of Miami who essentially flipped the bill for this thing. One year and a few bumps in the road later, everyone is gone and the team that will take the field in April will be a who's who of minor league players with next to no hope of being a winner anytime soon. It's a shame really.

The NHL; what a bunch of greedy, selfish, self absorbed individuals. And I am speaking about the players. I have never in my life tried to come across as pro - management but when it comes to this lockout, the players and their fearless leader, Donald Fehr sour me more and more daily. Find me another business where the employees are paid as much or more than the owners. There argument that there wouldn't be a game without them is bogus. There are thousands of players around the world who would love to play, and would play for a percentage of what these guys feel they need to be paid.

At the end of the day, Donald Fehr is going to do what he did to baseball, nearly cripple the sport and leave them (the players) with an uphill battle in terms of winning back the hearts, and more importantly dollars of the fans who keep them employed. At this point, I could do without a season. Not because I don't like hockey but because I don't want to see these greedy bastards get what they believe they are entitled to.

One thing that does not help the cause is the fact the TSN, Sportsnet and other major sports networks continue to talk about the lockout daily. Shut up already! Don't give them an audience and soon enough nobody will care anymore. Prove to these guys that the world does NOT revolve around them; it might change their tune pretty quickly.

And now on to my beloved Riders. I love the Riders, I live the Riders and watching Romby Bryant sprint down the field on Sunday just about broke my heart; seriously. A big hug from Mrs. Morin was needed to console me.

Before I provide you my thoughts on the team, let me get something off my chest. The number of part time fans who stab this team in the back during the bad times but quickly jump back on the wagon during the good makes me sick. A true fan sticks with them....good and bad, win or lose.

One of my BIGGEST frustrations all year long was the tendency to blame every loss, or bump in the road on Darian Durant. Darian Durant is a marquee QB; Darian Durant WILL win us a Grey Cup (Hopefully next year at the madhouse that is Mosaic) and the effor the put in on Sunday proved that. Get off his back; he is the third best QB we have ever had, and in time he could supplant Kent Austin as number two behind only the Little General.

Offensively, we have many of the tools needed to be a high powered juggernaut similar to a couple of years ago. Kory Sheets is as good as a back as I have seen dawn the Green and White; fast, elusive and determined. Weston Dressler is a treat to watch week in, week out. Greg Carr gave the Rider Nation a lot of optimisim with his performance on Sunday in Calgary. Chris Getzlaf had an off year and will need to rebound. An effective Getzlaf and hopefully a healthy Rob Bagg can only improve things for next year. A guy I noticed made plays when given the chance was Brooks Foster; given the chance I think this guy can contribute. He didn't make many catches but those he did were more than 50% of the time for first down yeardage.

Jock Sanders was a STUD. A healthy Sanders provides us with a triple threat similar to Chad Owens in Toronto. He makes us much better and more dynamic on the offensive side of the ball.


Odell Willis is a bum; plain and simple. The man can dance as he demonstrated every home game. That being said he appeared allergic to the QB in the second half of the season and he can't take criticism. My friends and twitter followers can confirm that. In my opinion don't bring this headache back. We can get six sacks and less annoying antics out of several.

Defensively I really liked the way they adjusted as the year went on. They realized upgrades were needed and the likes of Joe Lobendahn and Diamond Ferri truly helped. I can only hope these guys are back in the fold come June. Macho Harris, the rookie DB out of Virginia Tech was a guy I really liked on Sunday. He and Maze on the corners would be an upgrade over this year. Tristan Jackson is a more than capable fill in on the corner as well, and his value as a returner makes him a guy we should bring back.

As for who can go? James Patrick was a BUST; zero picks and some of the worst tackling I have seen. I would also not be heart broken to see Eddie Russ and Chris Mackenzie be looking for employment next year. These guys were very inconsistent and when they were bad, they were awful whether it be blown coverage, horrific tackling or dumb penalites I felt they did more to hurt than help.

The Rider Nation loves Richie Hall. Sometimes you have to let good things go. He is a hell of a nice guy but his defense cost us games this year on too many occasions. All allegiances aside, he is not the best fit as our D Coordinator and I can only hope that Chamblin can bring the right guy in. While our D was ranked second when we stunk we stunk. When we needed a play, we couldn't get it. It seemed like 2nd and long was a sure thing for the opposition. Just my thoughts.

That's it. Enjoy.

I Apologize.

I realized that it had been a while since I updated this blog; week two of the CFL season to be exact. I never gave it much thought until the last few days when two people questioned why I hadn't updated it in a while. To be honest I thought there was no interest in it anymore but since there is I am excited to resurrect the open forum for my views, opinions and insights.

Look for an update by the end of the week. Topics will include the Riders; a reflection of 2012 and a look ahead to 2013, the MASSIVE trade the Jays and Marlins swung yesterday, some NFL thoughts and a rant on why I have had about enough of the NHL.

Later,

HM

Riders Get It Done

Before you start complaining about the Riders lack of offence, let's stop and think about a few things:

Darian and the offence did NOT turn the ball over. Heading into this game, the last six games between these two had seen the Riders commit 23 turnovers.

The Riders had very few, if any, two and outs. I understand sustained drives are required, a couple of first downs here and there does indeed keep the ball out of the opposition hands.

Sure we only scored 17 points and didn't find the end zone until the two minute mark when Korey Sheets busted a 34 yard scamper to the north end zone, but I am not panicking. I realize we need to sustain more drives next week and presumably put more points on the board when the B.C. Lions roll into Mosaic, but let's worry about that tomorrow and give credit where credit it due.

Yesterday evening saw one a phenomenal performance by the Roughrider defence. When was the last time the Riders sacked opposition QB's six times? Added to that is the fact they had a LOT of pressure on Stephen Jyles and Kerry Joseph. The play of the linebackers was good as evidenced by Shomari Wlliams five tackle, one sack effort. The area of greatest concern for myself personally heading into yesterday was the secondary. With two new guys on the corners in Woodny Turenne and Terrell Maze I was not sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised; they covered well, tackled well, never got beat deep and did everything Coach Chamblin hoped they would. If you ask me Nick Graham is once again going to be a spectator on Saturday afternoon and healthy or not, Tristan Jackson will arguably not start. His ability to return kicks will help him onto the field though, particularly with the injury to Sinorice Moss.

Injuries is the the only area of concern, and hopefully nothing to worry about too much. Returner Sinorice Moss left with an injury leading to Weston Dressler returning punts. More troubling to me was the apparent arm/shoulder injury to prized free agent acquisition Brendan Labatte. Labatte left the game in the second quarter favoring his right arm and never returned. In his absence Patrick Neufeld stepped in and on a couple of occasions left QB Darian Durant out to dry. We can only hope Labatte will be back on Saturday afternoon.

So the Riders are 2 - 0 and everything is great, right? Let's not plan the parade but let's enjoy the team that works hard, practices hard and thus far has given us more to cheer than jeer. A true test comes this weekend when the defending champion Lions come to town. A win would be great but in my eyes competing with the Lions will be a positive sign.

What a mess they have stirred up in Edmonton. They were back and forth between QB's yesterday and I have to ask why? Kerry Joseph came in the second quarter with his team down 3 - 1. He had not completed many passes but had 'just' missed on a couple of big ones downfield. Then to bring him back for the second half and then sit him again down 6 - 1 is ridiculous. For a guy who has never been the guy, who was the return in the Ricky Ray trade, you need to fill him and the Eskimo fans with confidence, that simply takes confidence away and creates a situation most teams would like to avoid. Oh well, glad that's not us.

I am off to the Lake for the week, plus throw in a trip to Saskatoon for a golf tournament, so unlikely that there will be any blogging this week. Anyways, have a great week and see you at the Mosaic Saturday afternoon.

Bring Em' Out...

While we won't really hear this until next Sunday when the Riders host the Edmonton Eskimos in their home opener, they crack the lid on another CFL season tomorrow in Steeltown against a couple of old friends. Henry Burris and Andy Fantuz know call Hamilton home and tomorrow they will bang heads with the new look Saskatchewan Roughriders.


Coming off of last year's debacle I honestly can not wait to get the pigskin in the air tomorrow. Following a year like last, change is a requirement and the Riders certainly did that in the off - season. New faces abound all over the roster, in particular along the Offensive Line as all five starters are new to the Riders. Clearly that was an area of weakness last year and something GM Brendan Taman along with Jeremy O'Day look to remedy. Time will tell but here is what I really like about the O - Line is the youth. Gone are the likes of Gene Makowsky and Dan Goodspeed who were slow going downhill and in their place are fresh faces like Brendan Labatte, Ben Heenan and recently acquired Chris Patrick.


An area the Riders have to improve this year is putting pressure on the QB. With that in mind Odell Willis was brought in from Winnipeg. If he plays as well as he did for the first half of last year, he is a steal for the Green and White. Throw in a healthy Brent Hawkins, Keith Shologan and Tearrius George and that group should be better.


Linebacker is another area to see a lot of changes as gone are the retired Barrin Simpson and last year's top tackler Jerrell Freeman. In their place are Shomari Williams in the middle, Abraham Kromah and one of the most impressive Riders during training camp, Tyron Brackenridge. I really liked Brackenridge at the end of last season and look for big things out of him. A lot of banter has been thrown around regarding whether or not Shomari Williams is capable of playing the middle. Time will tell but the way Shomari has developed in front of our eyes the last two seasons, I expect him to be fine. He has huge shoes to fill but I am sure he will be up to the challenge.


There were very few changes in the secondary short of releasing seven year Rider, Lance Frazier. In his place will be Eddie Russ inside along with Chris Mackenzie, Nick Graham and Tristan Jackson on the outside and the best safety in the league James Patrick patrolling centre field. I myself was guilty of criticizing this group last year, in particular Nick Graham. A new year is a new year and in my eyes this group has a lot to prove to us but I am going to take my time before calling for changes and jobs.


Offensively we lost Andy Fantuz and Wes Cates. Big blow? Yes and no. The more I think about it Fantuz really only had one stellar season. There are very few teams who could stand to lose a player of his calibre but I see this group as one of them. The rest of the recieving corps remains plus the return of a healthy Rob Bagg along with Justin Harper and Sinorice Moss. Harper is a big target and Moss is in many ways similar to Weston Dressler...small and quick.


In the backfield, one of the most exciting areas for me this year, we have Korey Sheets who was a monster in the pre - season. He along with incumbent Brandon West and Louis Rankin could make for a terrifying three headed monster of speed with West and Sheets and size with Rankin.



A lot of fans were down on Durant last year, but you know what, it is hard to play well when you have no time. Our O - line was slow and looked similar to Swiss Cheese at times last year. With that shored up, plus the threat of a solid running game, Durant should have more time to make plays. He, along with OC Bob Dyce must remember that when he is able to use his legs and get outside of the pocket, he is a much better football player.


Last year I went on here with a full summary and predictions for the season. Naturally I picked the Riders to go all the way. While I won't go that far this year I will say that they will be better. I will say that a play - off spot is a real possiblity. And lastly I will say that July 8th, the atmosphere at Mosaic will be electric. Here's to a great season of Rider football in 2013.

Almost Time...

With the Riders slated to kick off their pre - season on Wednesday night on the left coast I figured it time to sit down and provide you with my thoughts as we grow closer and closer to the season opener on June 29th in Hamilton. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am always skeptical about a new coach; I am always fearful if they are the right man for the job. One needs to not look any further than last season to realize that some jobs just aren't the right fit for individuals and their philosophies. Everything I hear about or from Corey Chamblin gives me hope that this ship is headed in the right direction. He is keeping players accountable; see Shomari Williams and Odell Willis and does not shy away from saying this team needs to get better and that they are not a Grey Cup calibre team yet. While part of this is obviously motivation, it is also truthful. At this point I don't see the Riders as a Grey Cup team, I see light at the end of the dark tunnel that was 2012 but I have limited aspirations of having to make a trip to Toronto at a moment's notice to watch the Green and White play for the 100th Grey Cup. I am not saying it isn't possible, I am saying they need to prove to me, you and the entire league that last year was simply a blemish. Long story short, I think Chamblin is the man for this job and will take us back to where we as Rider fans expect to be each and every year; gearing up for a home play - off game at the grand old girl that is Mosaic. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Offensively, there is one less hand in the cookie jar when it comes to the QB position. Today the Riders cut ties with Colt Brennan. While I know he has come a long way from nearly dying in a car wreck a few years ago, at the end of the day he not only looked tentative but lacked the arm strength to be an elite QB in this league. I said that on this blog the day he was signed; he had the potential to be a stud but arm strength to make that wide side throw was a question. Well today that question was answered leaving three guys to battle for two positions. Durant is the guy, and I would think that with his experience and ability, J.T. O'Sullivan is the probable back up. That leaves Levi Brown and Drew Willy left to battle it out for the third QB on the roster with the odd man out arguably being offered a spot on the practice roster. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The battle in the back field appears to be tough as incumbent Brandon West is recieving stiff competition from the likes of Korey Sheets and former NFL'er Louis Rankin. Time will tell who is in there at the end of the month but I sure hope that new OC Bob Duyve realizes these guys have the speed to get outside and can catch the ball in the flat which hopefully leads from the traditional and predictable off tackle runs of the past. I truly believe that style was utilized as it was what Wes Cates did best but with Cates gone, the approach to the running game should be more dynamic and creative. Honestly, all we lose with Cates is great blocking but with a beefed up O - Line, that is less imperative. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The O - Line has to be better than last year. Those needs were obvioulsy addressed with the signings of Brendan Labatte and Dominic Picard. This weekend's acquisition of Chris Patrick is one that Dan Goodspeed needs to take notice of. Too many times Goodspeed got beat outside last year; if this continues to happen look for Goodspeed to be slowly making his way out of town. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The most intriguing aspect of camp this year, and most years is to me the battle at reciever. The likes of Dressler, Getzlaf and Bagg are clearly not penciled in, but rather sharpied in. That leaves a plethora of recievers battling for the remaining spots. From what I hear Justin Harper has been ultra - impressive, not to mention solid play from Sinorice Moss and Jason Cherry. The retirement of Dwayne Jarret was good in my mind; he had been nothing but a distraction from the moment Rookie Camp started. Regardless, at the end of the day with the recievers Taman and O'Day brought in, one thing is for sure; some very good recievers will be looking for work elsewhere by the end of the month. I sure hope Harper is as good as they say but let's remember two words from last year -- Terrence Nunn. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Defensively, our D -Line must improve. If Hawkins can stay healthy, he is the fastest D - Lineman in the league, maybe on the planet. Shologan is Shologan up the middle; big and solid. Odell Willis is not guaranteed to start on this team but either way, the combination of himself along with a healthy Brent Hawkins and Kenny Rowe, if he can live up to the hype will be a trio who should make opposing QB's lives a little more miserable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The battle at linebacker and in the secondary are very interesting as I am not sure anyone short of James Patrick is assured of a job outside of the big boys up front. From what I hear Tyron Brackenridge has been the beast of camp on the D - side of the ball. I am not surprised. Last year when he got time at the end of the year he looked really good. He becomes even more valuable in the sense he can play in the secondary or as a linebacker. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The team that takes the field on June 29th will be much different not only from this group of men, but of signficant importance, quite different than the team that kicked off 2011 and after that train wreck change is surely a good thing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Can't blog without mentioning the NHL and Game Six of the Finals tonight in Los Angeles. Even though they are down a game there is no pressure on the Devil's tonight. Rather the Kings, who have failed to hoist the cup twice in the last week have all the pressure on them. A loss tonight means a trip back to the Swamp, talk of a historic melt down and a whole bunch of words, thoughts and anxiety the Kings want to avoid at all costs. If the Devil's win tonight, they win the Cup...tonight is in my mind the deciding game of the series. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Later.....HBM

Riders Get Things Started

With Rider Mini - Camp set to get going tomorrow, it is time to start thinking about another summer in the sun at Mosaic. Believe it or not, the Riders are t - minus 67 days away from kicking it off for real on Friday, June 29th. The day before camp was highlighted by the Riders announcing some roster moves. To start with they signed three imports to the roster, all of whom have NFL experience at some level. Included in this group was Wide Reciever Sinorice Moss, who has spent the last six seasons in the NFL and won a Super Bowl ring in 2007 with the Giants. The Riders have signed a LOT of former NFLer's this year. In fact, there are many more than usual coming up north to the CFL. While I am excited about many of these signings, I think one needs to remain cautious before passing judgement. Too many people get excited at the notion of signing a guy who has played good football in the past. Until the season kicks off and the guys get out there for real you never know what you have. Case in point: Terrence Nunn. Last year some were anointing him the next great thing. A year, a handful of catches and an achilles injury later we realize that he was not as good as he appeared to be. Sticking out in camp is one thing; bringing that to the field is another. While I like the shape the team is taking and the work done by Brendan Taman and Jeremy O'Day to this point, time will be the ultimate tale. The CFL draft is coming up and the Riders hold the top pick. Consenus #1 Ben Heenan is no longer the top ranked player having being supplanted by Boise State DL Tyrone Crawford. The issue I have with taking either guy is the NFL. Tyrone Crawford will go in the first three rounds of the NFL draft and Heenan is going to get some looks down south. I know taking Heenan makes the most sense but look, if he is going to be another Matt O'Donnell who never shows up, I would rather take Wilfrid Laurier Recieved Shamawd Williams...just saying. A light night in the NHL as the Panthers look to move on in New Jersey. How happy can one be for Shane Doan. The guy has been a class act his entire career, never left the Jets/Coyotes organization and always answered the bell for Team Canada when asked. For the first time in his career, Shane Doan has tasted playoff success after last nights 4 - 0 victory over Chicago. I don't think it could happen to a better guy. On a side note I hope Sidney Crosby has no taste of playoff success ever again. Good day to you...

What a Weekend!

Is it just me or has this year's NHL Playoffs been the most enjoyable first round ever. Tension, hostility, OT galore and just overall great hockey has made the past two weeks a wonderful time to be a hockey fan. Take into account my dislike for certain teams and players and short of the Oilers sitting in the second round, nothing could be much better right not, and here is why: Example A: The world will not be forced to watch Sidney Crosby bitch and whine endelessly until at least September. Of even greater importance to me is not having to watch his poor excuse for a beard. With yesterday's 5 - 1 loss to the Flyers, Sid and the boys have once again made an early exit after winning the Cup just three seasons ago. Example B: I don't hate the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks but in recent years they always seem to be in the equation. I love watching a changing of the guard and with the elimination of these two, you could argue the changing of the guard has begin in the west. Example C (and the highlight of my weekend): Watching Dam Hamhuis blow a tire trying to make an extra move, only to turn the puck over to a good ol' Sasky boy who in turn goes roof - daddy over Corey Schneider and turning the lights out on the season for the Vancouver Canucks. I know they are Canadian but honestly there is no team I detest more. As an Oiler fan I would much rather root for the Flames than the Canucks; sounds weird but it is so true. With a little luck the Panthers can move on along with the Senators and since they won it last year, let's get rid of the Bruins again. Time will tell...my picks for tonight; Ottawa gets it done at home and the Panthers finish off the Devils to adcvance to the second round for the first time since they lost to Colorado in the Finals sixteen years ago. Wow, hard to believe it has already been sixteen years since then; I was only in Grade Twelve! I don't talk about basketball much but last night Metta World Peace, aka Ron Artest gave James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder an absolutley disgusting elbow to the back of the head. Harden left the game with a possible concussion while World Peace was ejected much to his surprise as he claimed it was purely accidental. Given World Peace's track record, 111 games missed due to suspension in his career, including an 86 gamer for fighting fans in Detroit a few years back, coupled with the NBA's willingness to throw out stiff penalites, expect no less than 30 games. In the world of sports, lack of respect for the opponents is on the rise, and Metta World Peace demonstrated that in full yesterday afternoon. To him I give the one finger salute! Later....

Another Day....another Rant.

Another night in the NHL Playoffs and low and behold there is more controversy. The venom spewing out of Chicago relates to last nights game in which Raffi Torres of the Coyotes delivered an open ice hit on Hawks forward Marian Hossa. No penalty was called on the boom - boom play but watch the replay, and I have issues.

Sure Hossa had his head down and never saw the hit coming. However, Torres still leaves his feet to propel himself at the defenceless Slovak. Fortunately Hossa was released from a Chicago hospital last night after being removed from the ice on a stretcher. My issue??? Raffi Torres has made this an annual habit. Last night was a year to the day he drove Brent Seabrook into next week behind the Hawks net while he was with the Canucks; again leaving both feet. Earlier this year he was suspended for head butting Nate Prossed of Minnesota and on four seperate occasions the NHL has suspended him, twice for leaving his feet to hit a defenceless player.

I am a hockey fan and the golden rule is keep your head up and you shouldn't get hurt. I am all for a clean, open ice hit on a guy with his head down, but why jump Raffi Torres? You have done this over and over and I sincerely hope you get the message this time in the form of a suspension of no less than ten games. Matt Cooke finally learned his lesson, let's hope Torres either learns how to play within the rules or NHL teams stop bringing him in as an energy player. Fingers crossed that Brendan Shanahan get it right on this one.

The Washington Capitals take on the Boston Bruins tonight in Game Four of their Eastern Conference QF and will do so without Nicklas Backstrom who will be serving a one game suspension for his cross check to the face of Boston's Rich Peverley. This morning the Capitals organization released a statement that voiced this displeasure and disappointement with the decision of the league to uphold the suspension that came with the match penalty he earned at the end of Game Three. Really, you don't think a guy should be punished for driving a guy in the face with a hockey stick? I wonder what the opinion of the Capitals would be if Zdeno Chara does the same to Ovechkin tonight? My guess is there tune would shift in a millisecond. That is what I find frustrating; all teams want to clean up the game but nobody thinks their players deserve to be punished.

I wish I could say something about the Riders for Tad who occassionally drops a comment but I have been so engrained by the playoffs and the intensity that goes with it, I have been completely naive of anything going on in Rider Nation. Patience please, camp is only a month and a week away and then this blog will be nothing BUT Riders.

I would like to add I tweeted my picks to score the winners in last night's Hawks/Coyotes game and don't you think I called it...Boeddker for the desert dogs. In saying that, I did only get one game right last night. Tonight look for the following; the Flyers end the Penguins season in a game that could be VERY ugly if things go the way of the Flyers early and often, the Bruins take a 3 - 1 lead on the Caps which will only enhance the wine and cheese smell emanating from the American capital, the Blues fall to the Sharks as the Sharks square things up heading back to the heartland and the Los Angeles Kings assure us all of a new Western Conference Champion as they break out the broom at Staples and sweep the Canucks, a result most Canadians outside of BC will embrace.

Lastly, seventh heaven in the WHL tonight as both Western Conference series goes the distance, Spokane goes to Kennewick, WSH to take on Tri - City while the Kamloops Blazers look to do the unthinkable and move on after falling behind 3 - 0 in the series. For the record the Blazers were also down 5 - 2 heading into the third period of Game Six. I for one #believe in the Blazers....


Later....

Another day...another suspension

Before I start, let me be clear that I love the hostility and tension that seems to exist in most of the first round play - off match - ups. With the exception of the Florida/NJ and SJ/STL series, each of the other six have been witness to old time hockey which while some dislike, I thoroughly enjoy.

Now, onto last night. At the conclusion of the Bruins 4 - 3 victory over the Capitals, Caps forward Nicklas Backstrom attempted to rearrange the teeth of Boston's Rich Peverely with a vicious cross - check to the mouth. Backstrom was assessed a match penalty which carries an automatic game suspension. While I don't care for the cheap shot, it gets better. This morning Caps Head Coach Dale Hunter commented that he was pretty sure the league would overrule the match penalty and not force Backstrom to miss Game Four because he said Backstrom was merely defending himself from Peverley who already had his stick raised. Watch the highlight; the only time Peverley's stick is raised is when he realizes what is about to take place. He did nothing visibly to instigate this situation. In saying that I think Dale Hunter is out to lunch; not only should the league uphold the match penalty, but Backstrom should be suspended for more than one single game. And furthermore, Hunter felt that Backstrom's head has been targeted by the Bruins. This may or may not be the case but who is Dale Hunter to question the antics of other players? Certainly not the same Dale Hunter who recieved a 25 game suspension for the cheapest of cheap shots on the Islanders Pierre Turgeon in the 1993 playoff's. That year after Turgeon scored a game, and series clinching goal late in Game Six of the Islanders and Capitals Patrick Division playoff series, Hunter checked a completely unprepared Turgeon into the boards. Turgeon seperated his shoulder and missed the remainder of the Isle's run to the Conference Final. Past record alone tells me Dale Hunter is one of the last guys I would take any advice from in terms of supplemental discipline.

Brendan Shanahan continues to mystify me...first he gives Zenon Konopka a fine for the same amount given to Shea Weber for 'turnbuckling' Henrik Zetterberg and then today he gives the Blackhawks Andrew Shaw a three game ban for his 'hit' on Mike Smith of the Coyotes on Saturday night. That was not a hit, if anything it was incidental contact that came about as a result of Shaw hustling his butt in after a loose puck. BRUTAL call on Shanahan's part. While Shaw isn't Toews or Keith or Kane, it is still a call that will have some impact on the Blackhawks.

And that sets up tonight...and here is what will transpire. The Predators, who I would love to see take a two game lead home against Detroit won't get it done and will return home with if nothing else, having regained home ice, the Flyers dust off the Penguins in a game that gets ugly in the third as Sidney Crybaby and those not so lovable losers from Pittsburgh realize they are done, and in a great game in New Jersey the Panthers steal on OT victory from the Devils.

Later.....

Where do I Start?

I am at a loss for what I think of Sidney Crosby at the moment. I have been following sports for as long as I remember and I struggle to find an athlete who I have less respect for. His actions at the end of the regular season and into his Penguins first round series with Philadelphia have been emabarrasing. The guy has missed substantial periods of time due to concussions and was the first to speak out about the NHL needing to eliminate the blows to the head and other cheap shots. Yet, who has had his nose in every scrum chirping and generally causing more sh#t than necessary? The same little golden boy who is apparently the greatest player on the face of the earth. Well, to that I would say does the greatest player on earth need to shoot away an opponents glove as they bend down to pick it up, and then later explain his actions by saying "I hate him"? Come on, that is in my opinion BRUTAL! I am so sick of wathcing him and his poor excuse for a moustache whine and complain after every shift. Don Cherry said it best when he said the kid needs to just shut up and score. He has all the talent in the world but is sticking out for all the wrong reasons. At this point he is to the NHL what Tiger Woods is to the PGA...a disgrace and someone no youngster should look up to and aspire to be like.

On a side note I think the Philadelphia Flyers have done a tremendous job of getting the Penguins off of their game. They are in their heads and in the process are on the verge of sweeping them away. All I can say is look out because when the clock nears midnight and the Penguins realize their season is over, there is still a lot of bad blood that could spoil over.

Still with this series, Aaron Asham is a guy who at times you have to respect and at times you have to shake you head at. His cross check to the throat of Brayden Schenn was horrific and the penalty should match the narcissitic nature of the hit. In my mind, anything less than five games is a joke. I mean if Carl Hagelin can be given three games for his hit on Daniel Alfredsson, Asham will should certainly be a lot lighter in the pocket.

Other random NHL play - off notes:

* The Vancouver Canucks are one game away from elimination, and I love it. Alain Vigneualt should be looking for employment within the month. Too bad they gave Roberto Luongo all that money because they are now stuck with him, and to be honest, I don't even see him as a top five goaltender in the league anymore. Shoot, he isn't even the best goalie on his team.

* Brendan Shanahan has dropped the ball yet again. I love Shea Weber and the game he plays but to allow him to slam the face of Henrik Zetterberg into the boards and recieve only a $2, 500 fine is not right. Again, love Weber but a game was what he deserved.

* Mike Smith's antics on Saturday night were laughable. He got run into by the Hawks' pest Andrew Shaw, not that hard I might add, and went down like he had been shot only to return to the night shortly thereafter in the Coyotes 4 - 3 loss in Game Two. Some have said Andrew Shaw deserves a suspension; I don't even think he deserved a five minute major on the play. If anybody needs to be fined and suspended it is Mike Smith. Apparently he didn't practice with the team today but my gut tells me that is a ploy by the Coyotes to try and influence the decision of the NHL on this matter.


Moving away from the NHL and onto the Riders, who by the way open the regular season is just a little more than two months. News out of Atlanta last week was that Odell Willis had been arrested for DUI. And then the madness erupts; Rider fans everywhere are livid at Brendan Taman for trading for him, he should never be allowed to play a game in the CFL again. Are you kidding me? The guy is a human who made a mistake, got caught and luckily enough harmed nobody else in the process. For those fans who feel that he should be done with the team, how many of you have a crystal clear record and conscience having never done ANYTHING wrong? Just another classic example of how Rider Nation can be such cynics. If he struggles early they will bring this up as the problem and if he has five sacks in the first month of the season, it will all be water under the bridge. To me it is a mute point, if the Riders can get him into Canada, he starts at DE and provides us with the legitimate pass rushing threat we have been lacking since John Chick and Stevie Baggs left. Case closed!

I am not one to talk about the SJHL very often but the Humboldt Broncos won the Canalta Cup on Friday with a 6 - 0 victory over the Weyburn Red Wings. Not that losing the series appears to be the issue in Weyburn though; rather they are upset at the suspension of their top player and SJHL Player of the Year, Jesse Ross for Games six and seven of the series. Look, he two handed a guy in the ankles, got caught and had to pay the piper. It happens, and for those of you who may read this and think the SJHL and Bill Chow did this to ensure the Broncos win, something smells over there.

WHL Play - off's continue tonight as the Kamloops Blazers look to force a seventh and deciding game against the Portland Winterhawks after fallig behin 3 - 0. As you may know, a good friend of mine, Jon Keen is the voice of the Blazers and for him alone I hope the Blazers not only force a one game showdown, but continue onwards to the Memorial Cup.

Have a great night, and talk to you soon.

Manning a Bronco

The Denver Bronco's have managed to land the biggest free agent in the history of the NFL. Less than two weeks after being released by the only team he has ever known, Peyton Manning has decided he would like to join the Denver Bronco's and has instructed his agent to initiate negotiations on a contract with the defending AFC West Champions.

While the question of where Peyton will land has been answered, with this news come another question. What does this mean for the future of Tim Tebow? What it tells me for certain is that John Elway and the Bronco's management does not forsee Tebow as the answer at QB for the team who has been missing that franchise QB since Elway's retirement after back to back Superbowl titles. The fact that they are willing to bring in Manning who still has a number of questions surrounding his ability and conditioning following a fourth surgical procedure on his neck is all you need to know Tebow is done as a Bronco. So, who, if anybody wants Tebow and his wonky left arm, but an innate ability to win games? I can not really think of anyone in need of a QB, let alone somebody willing to take a chance on him. I would suggest that if Tebow does indeed land elsewhere, which is more than likely, he will not be a starter in his new home. The only teams I can think of who have questions at QB for next season are Miami and San Francisco, and Alex Smith will be the answer for one of them. Even then, I don't think either one brings in Tebow to run the show.

The question was posed on Twitter by Mitchell Blair as to who owns his CFL rights. I am not aware of who does but in a league with a bigger field, that left arm would not be successful in the Canadian game. Perhaps the sun is finally settling on a career that I never thought had a chance in the first place.

The Western Hockey League play - off's kick off this weekend, and without a doubt the best opening round series has the Moose Jaw Warrior's set to battle the Regina Pats. They had a very even season series, have despised one another for years, and should put on a pretty good show. I am not going to get into a ton of detail as to my thoughts on the WHL post - season but will conclude that I really would like to see the Kamloops Blazers come out of the west and see the East as being wide open. Edmonton may have been the best team in the league all season but let's not forget that this is just the second play - off berth for the Oil Kings. If you make me pick a final, give me Kamloops against Medicine Hat.

The NCAA touranment has eliminated 54 teams, leaving us with just the 'Sweet Sixteen'. My bracket was ruined Friday with my two National finalists, Michigan and Missouri BOTH losing. Not to mention Duke taking a first round exit for the first time that I can remember. Added to the confusion are key injuries suffered by both North Carolina and Kentucky. This tournament is far from over and I have no clue as to who, if anybody, has emerged as the favorite.

Just Cause.....

Not that I have anything particular to say but as I sit here waiting for my sister - in - law to finish up with her Badminton practice, I thought I would provide you with my views and opinions on an array of sports related topics.

* The Riders open Rookie Camp on May 31st. For those of you who are not mathematically inclined that is less than two months. The season itself kicks off in a little less than four months. I hear a lot of people talking about how this will be a difficult year for the Riders again. I know we aren't going to be the 'team to beat' but I have a lot of confidence in this group. The O - Line is much better which gives Darian more time to throw as well as open more holes for whoever it is we have in the backfield. My gut tells me that will be Brandon West but time will tell.
Sure, Andy Fantuz may be gone but I really think our receiving corps is still the envy of the CFL...Dressler, Getzlaf, Bagg (who it appears is finally healthy), Hill, and Wheelwright to name a few. You need to add to that list potentially names like Jordan Sisco and recently signed Justin Harper.
On defence, we have made some moves at the linebacker position hoping to replace the retired Sean Lucas and NFL bound Jerrell Freeman. Not to mention Michigan product Chris Graham is still here who had a great pre - season last year and played well in the middle at the end of last season.
While my predictions come later, I really and truly believe we have a play - off team in Regina this year. Only time will tell though.

* Calvin Johnson is one RICH man today. Megatron as he is referred to signed an eight year extension to stay in Detroit until the end of the decade. The Lions gave him $132 million reasons to stay in the Motor City, $60 million of which are guaranteed.

* What the NFL did to the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins last week is just wrong. In case you missed it, both teams have been told they have less money to spend in terms of salary cap over the next two seasons. Why? Not because they broke any rule that existed but rather because they 'front - loaded' too many contracts a few years back. This means a player was paid a greater percentage of their salary in the early years of their contract. So maybe a guy signed for $40 million, but the Skins chose to pay him $32 of that in the first three years and the last $8 in the final two. I don't see it as breaking any rules; I see it rather as a smart way to improve your football team while dealing with the salary cap. Apparently somebody didn't like it and the NFL agreed.

* The 'Bounty Hunting' issue that has come to a head in New Orleans, and now other NFL cities is despicable. I know football is a tough, physical, contact sport but providing financial incentives to hurt the opposition is wrong at so many levels. Gregg Williams, the Saint`s D - Coordinator at the time apparently has had this type of system im place for years with other teams. If you ask me, he should never be allowed to coach another game of football again, be it the NFL, NCAA, CFL, High School, nothing. As for the teams that it happened with? If you knew about it and never stopped it, penalties such as fines and loss of draft picks need to be dolled out.

* I can no longer stand to watch the NBA. Why you ask? They don't follow their own rule book. Travelling is against the rules in the sport of basketball yet every time a player takes it to the rack whether it be for a dunk or a lay - up they travel and it NEVER gets called. When the best players in the world are allowed to break the rules blatantly, that is just shameful.

* Speaking of basketball, the NCAA Tournament, better known as March Madness kicked off last night with two of four 'play - in' games. I love this tournamnet. It could be the best annual event in all of sports right now. 68 teams; one champion, one month. It is riveting, heart - breaking and exciting all in one. My bracket has been filled out and it has Michigan taking out Missouri in the Final. Maybe some wishful thinking, but who cares; GO MICHIGAN!

* While he probably never reads this, Graham Delaet, who happens to call Weyburn home and who humbled me on the links many times in the 90's had a ninth place finish at the Puerto Rico Open last week, and is back at it again this week at the Transitions Championship. This young man is the BEST Canadian golfer we have right now. His game has gotten better and better as the weeks have progressed and I have a feeling he is close to something big. All the best to you this week and this season Graham.

Later....

Random Rumblings

Prior to getting to what it seems most of my loyal followers come here for, the Riders, a quick thought on the yesterday's NHL Trade Deadline. Like always, the hype that is generated by this day was overwhelming, and like most years, it was highly disappointing. Rick Nash was not traded and essentially the biggest deal of yesterday was Cody Hodgson being sent to Buffalo for Zack Kassian in a move that the Canucks made obviously in an attempt to get bigger and stronger as they move forward.
Do you ever stop and think why there is so much hype which in turn leads to disappointment? It is because that is all TSN and Sportsnet have talked about seemingly since the moment the World Junior's ended in early January. They talk about it daily, analyzing potential deals, talking about salary cap, who needs what and so forth. At the same the fact that both of these networks devote eight hours of live coverage to this day essentially dooms it to disappointment. Honestly, watching James Duthie and the guys wait for the second trade of the day, a lull of two hours after the Canadiens shipped Kostitsyn to the Predators was painful and I truly felt for them as they sought to make live television entertaining.
At the end of the day, here is what stands out for me from yesterday's NHL movement or lack of:
* Clearly Rick Nash is playing out his days as a Blue Jacket. I thought GM Scott Howson threw him under the bus for telling the world that Nash asked to be dealt. At the same time, I think Nash is feeding the Blue Jackets fan a line by saying he only wants whats best for that organization. Clearly Rick Nash you want what is best for you, and to be honest, you deserve it after enduring nine years in Columbus.
* The Nashville Predators will be a force in the play - offs. They have great goaltending, a solid back end and the addition of Paul Gaustad provides them with a little more sand up front. If I am in the west I am hoping to avoid a date with the Predators.


Not a great deal new with the Riders short of a couple of signings today. Canadain FB Graeme Bell has re - upped with the Green and White. And a pair of import QB's were signed today, Drew Willy and COlt Brennan. While little is known about Willy by myself, I know quite a bit about Brennan. I tweeted earlier that in a pass first league, Colt Brennan has the potential to be good. He put up astronomically big numbers as a Senior at the University of Hawaii, throwing for 58 touchdowns. For those accomplishments he was a runner up for the Heisman Trophy. After NFL stops in Washington and Baltimore, he has been out of football for two seasons following a nearly fatal car accident. The kid can throw the ball and can read a defense, there is no denying that. What might hold him back is the same thing that help Todd Reesing back two years ago. He came as a much heralded pivot from the University of Kansas but he lacked the arm strength to make the cross field throw. Sure, Reesing was more of a mobile QB whereas Brennan is a pocket passer. While his arm might hold him back, it also might be the very tool to earn a spot on the Riders roster this season. Only time will tell.


Later.

And It Begins....

Essentially from this point until approximatley November, short of my job and my family, I will be consumed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. This will be the first of what you can expect to be dozens of blogs, discussions, rants and so on dealing with this great organization.

Unless you live under a rock you know CFL Free Agency started on Wednesday. At the same time, if you follow the Riders you know that many have been publicily calling out Brendan Taman as being a poor GM who has 'never signed anyone'. Well I would say after the first two days, Brendan Taman has been the most succesful GM in the league thus far. A glaring problem with the Riders in last years debacle was the O - Line. Marc Parenteau struggled with the simple things like snapping the ball, Makowsky and Goodspeed looked every bit like late 30 something's and the list goes on. By yesterday at noon, enter Dominic Picard from Toronto to replace Parenteau and Brendon Labatte from the Bombers, a guy who was as much coveted as Andy Fantuz was and continues to be. What makes the Labatte signing that much sweeter is ET and the Evil Empire was hot on his trail and never got it done. They also reportedly wanted Fantuz desperately but does not look like they will get him. As the magic run out for Eric Tillman.

The hot debate continues to be where Andy Fantuz will land. Rumor has it that it comes down to Hamilton and the Riders with Hamilton offering more money. At the end of the day, I would love to keep Fantuz as much as the next. However, at the same time the additions to the O - Line were far more important. I mean we can have the best receivers in the world but without any quality protection, how can Darian find them? Seriously, it is not like our receiving corps is weak without Fantuz. Time will tell; I am hearing early next week we will know as Fantuz is presently wrapping up a three week holiday in Africa.

On a side note, but no less important the Riders also brought in local product Paul Woldu from the Als. Woldu will provide some insurance on the corner and is an absolute beast on the teams. He will bring a lot of energy to an already much improved group led by Craig Dickenson.

What have we lost...Stu Foord. Sad to see him go but wasn't really utilized all that much with the exception of Special Teams, and with three new backs being brought in to go with Brandon West, the writing was on the wall for STUUUUUUUUUU!.

Lastly, a Roughrider Press Conference at 10:30 this morning will prsumably announce the retirement of Gene Makowsky. A great Rider two years ago, it's his time to walk away. Let's face it, the O - Line needs to get younger and faster and with the two additions to go with the kids already around from last year, Geno would struggle to make this team anyways.

Have a great weekend.

What's that Smell???

I am not going to do anything to belittle the performance of Edmonton's Sam Gagner last night. He did something only thirteen players had done before him in the history of the league. At the same time his eight point night tied an Oiler record for most points in a game with a couple of fellows you may have heard before; Paul Coffey and Wayne Gretzky. A great night for a guy who has struggled to find his place with the Oilers this year, and as an Oilers fan I hope this is the break out performance he needed. While he might not have another eight point night again, the way he played last night was something to watch. He was quicker to the puck, stronger on the puck and hands down the best player on the ice.
HOWEVER, the performance was tainted for me by TSN who chose to name him the 1st, 2nd and 3rd star of the game. Was he that much better than all the other players on both the Hawks and Oilers last night? No..he wasn't. Lost in his performance were solid efforts by both Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall, each of whom had a goal and three apples. While it is only half of an eight point performance, four points is also a very good night in the best league in the world.
Don't get me wrong, Gagner was awesome last night but to name him the three best players on the ice..well that is just a little bit ridiculous if you ask me. Gord Miller...shame on you.

Head Scratcher....

I tend to stick with the professional sports on this blog, but today was the WHL trade deadline and was left scratching my head and wondering....

Why did the Regina Pats do what they did? They not only chose to keep Jordan Weal but at the same time were what you would refer to as 'buyers'. They picked up Martin Marincin from the Prince George Cougars. In return they sent a forward to the Cougars as well as some bantam picks, a 1st, a 2nd and a 4th. So here are my questions:

Do the Regina Pats really think they are going to make a run at the WHL Title this year? Next year? I don't see them being anywhere close to an elite team in this league. So WHY give up the future (the picks to PG along with the kids and picks they would have gotten for Weal) for this? Seriously this could truly backfire on GM Chad Lang.

Secondly, the Pats know have 8 defencemen on their roster, 9 if you include Tyler Bortsmayer who is playing in the SJHL and could be called up at anytime. Not only that but their back end was pretty good to start and probably didn't need to be tinkered with. If they are going to make a run, what they needed was some front line scoring to take some of the pressure off of Jordan Weal. That never happened, and come play - off time, stick one of those diggers out there to make Weal's life miserable and who is going to put the puck in the net for the Pats? I mean honestly, I thought the bad decisons of this organization would have disappeared as quickly as Brent Parker stepped down as GM. Oh well...if I were a Regina Pats season ticket holder..I would not by happy. While it is okay to be optimistic, far too often the Pats think they are on thr brink of greatness...only when the definition of greatness is a fifth place finish at best and with any luck possibly a second round of play - off's.

One more note about the trade deadline...Brett Connolly who played with Team Canada at the WJHC and up to that point played the entire season in Tampa Bay had his rights dealt from Prince George to Tri - City for get this....three draft picks including a first and a second. Is it just me but is that basically like Tri - City just giving up picks for nothing. Look...if Brett Connolly was going to play in the WHL this year Tampa would have sent him down before he played ten games at which point they are not required to pay the entire year of his NHL salary. Do you honestly think Steve Yzerman and the Lightning want to pay this guy $900, 000 to play in the WHL the remainder of the year? I would think not.

Surprisingly enough, really the only team I see as a contender who made a substantial move was the Brandon....doesn't change my pick to win the league. I will take the Kamloops Blazers to host the Ed Chynoweth trophy this season. Go Blazers!!!!

I am Back....

It has been a while since I have blogged. Rather than try to explain my absence, know only that I will try my best to blog more regularly in the New Year. I realize that all five of my followers yearn for my knowledge and insight so I will provide it as necessary.

Let's start with the topic of choice most days on this blog...the Riders. We are now preparing for the free agency season to start in February 15th as a coaching staff is now in place. Rather than get into a long winded spiel about what I like and dislike about each member of Cory Chamblin's staff I will say this...he brought in young new faces to replace the old boy's club. He kept only two coaches from last years staff, Craig Dickenson and Richie Hall, both of whom I see as being worthy of another season in green and white. The more I hear and read about Chamblin the more I am excited for the season to start...the fact that he was able to put a staff such as this together speaks a lot about him and the respect he has of others within the coaching fraternity.

Free Agency starts in February as has been stated and that is always a finger crossing period. Will Andy Fantuz leave? Well the choice is his but bringing in Khari Jones and Jason Tucker is a tremendous addition to Darian Durant and the offense in general. In saying that I would think we have as good a chance as any to retain Andy's services. Other than that, I will just throw this out there...Justin Hickman is a FA this year....is it possible he follows his old DC to the prairies? Would sure help us out a lot. Offensive Line is a glaring need and these is a local grown product from Weyburn who if the NFL doesn't pan out is a great lineman in this league...Brendan Labatte would be a huge upgrade over now MLA Makowsky. As far as who we sign and who we lose; that's not my doing and regardless of what I think or hope, what will happen will happen but I still anticipate the 15th of next month.

On to the NFL and what a ridiculous OT rule the apparent greatest league in the world has adopted. While the NFL has the most talented players in the world, you have to wonder who is making the rules. Case in point, one play into OT yesterday and the Pittsburgh Steelers season is over. I am in no way, shape or form a Steeler fan but that is brutal the way it ended. Essentially their season is over because they lost a coin toss. A good analogy would be an extra inning game in baseball where the visiting squad hits a homerun in the top of the inninng..Game Over; or a shootout in hockey in which Team A scores on their first shot and that's it. Come on NFL...be like the CFL and NCAA where at least you get an opportunity to match your opponent. I can only hope that the Superbowl is not decided that way.

Speaking of Superbowl, is anybody going to touch New Orleans???? And what IF Tim Tebow takes out the Patriots???? I love the playoffs.

The NHL is our final stop today and Brad Marchand had a hearing with the NHL over a hip check on Sami Salo which led to a concussion. While the check has been brought into question, I can't help but yell when I hear Canucks bench boss Alain Vigneault go off about how Brad Marchand is going to get hurt if he continues to play like that. How can this guy say that without looking down his bench at two of the biggest jabroni's in the league (yeah I used the word jabroni) in Maxim Lapierre and Alex Burrows. While Marchand is at least willing to back up his actions, those two clowns just talk and talk but never answer the bell. Now those are two guys who are about due to have their rectums handed to them on a platter. Not condoning the Marchand hit, just saying Alain Vigneault can't point the finger at somebody who is twice the player those two clowns are.

Lastly the WHL trade deadline is tomorrow. Will the Regina Pats do the right thing and trade Jordan Weal? The Pats are going nowhere in the post season and they could get a lot in return for Weal. Two years ago they dropped the ball by keepign Jordan Eberle and Colten Teubert only to finish eighth and lose in the first round. That put that club back three years. They had a jackpot coming in return for Eberle by what I hear and balked. If they don't trade Weal this year they may as well just admit to their fan base that they are fine with being irrelevant for the next half decade. That is the way things go in Junior Hockey...take advantage of things when you can because you know there will be lean years, but you accept that. Unfortunately for Pats fans upper management always sees the glass as half full when the rest of us can see it is half empty.



Have a good one,

HM