Sunday evening saw the Saskatchewan Roughriders cap off a successful season. A 45 - 23 destruction of the Hamilton Ti - Cats (the score flatters Hamilton) saw the Riders hoist the Grey Cup for only the fourth time in their 103 years of existence. While the Riders victory is meaningful for a lot of reasons. With just thirty minutes before basketball practice, I will try to illustrate my thoughts.
* This victory is special for Brendan Taman. The Rider GM has been accused by many since taking over the position that he was inadequate at assembling a team capable of capturing a Championship. His scouting was inferior and he chose to bring in more 'wash - up's' as many said that bring in fresh talent. To this I bring up the name Kory Sheets; he was scouted and brought in. To this I say Dwight Anderson. Many resented this signing but boy was he big for us all year. To this I say Geroy Simon (more later). The Winnipeg team that lost to BC in 2011 was Brendan's work for the most part. Sure they never won but it was a good team. What Brendan Taman did two years ago after the debacle that was a 5 - 13 campaign was circle November 24th, 2013 on his calendar. He wanted to assemble a team that would stand a chance of playing in this game. Not only did he assemble arguably the most talent laden team this organization has even seen, but he put togeter a team that won convincingly in the division finals and Grey Cup game. While the Stamps may have had a better record, the way this team played the last two weeks, including the beat down at McMahon proved to everyone that when clicking, this was the best team in the CFL. Thank you Brendan.
* I have been a supporter of Darian Durant since he took the reigns of this team in 2009. While many have questioned his ability and performance, I have never given up faith in the man they affectionately refer to as 'Doubles'. Ask anyone I know and they will attest to that unwavering faith. While some stayed faithful, many chose to criticize him over and over again to the point of nausea. For Darian to play the way he did in the play - offs is testament to the fact that he is so much more than most gave him credit for. He is a natural leader, a elite QB, and very much a part of the reason we are the Champions of 2013. All you who questioned him and called for Drew Willy, and you know who you are, can politely shut up and eat crow. You are the best QB in this league, and thankfully you are our QB.
* Geroy Simon; he was washed up and overpaid. Why did we bring him in? We brought him in to make plays like he did on Sunday. Two TD receptions, surprisingly his first two TD receptions in a Grey Cup that A) got us rolling, and B) pretty much sunk the Ti - Cats at the end of the first half. Again, BT knew something when he brought in Geroy. Great players make plays at opportune times and Geroy made those on Sunday in the biggest game of the history of the Riders.
* Richie Hall's defense is no good. They can't make a stop at critical times. Even I jumped on that train occasionally. Richie Hall's defense crushed the Stamps and Ti - Cat's in consecutive weeks. While many talk about Kent Austin's contributions to Rider folklore, Sunday was Hall's third Grey Cup victory with this organization. He played in 89 and was DC in 07. Again, thank you Richie for doing your job and not listening to the nutjobs that make up some of the fan base.
* This is a victory that means so much to the fans and the province. We are often laughed at as being the 'space between Manitoba and Alberta'. Not only did we put on the greatest party one could imagine, we capped it off with a Grey Cup victory in front of 45, 000 faithful fans of the green and white. To all the players and coaches in that locker room who were on the front lines on Sunday, to those who were scratched Sunday, to those who played at some point during the year or even those who spent the year on the practice roster helping prepare for the following week, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You gave me the greatest season of Rider football I could ever expect. You gave me a chance to witness Rider history with my Dad in Section 24. You made me so very proud to be a Rider fan. You guys are the greatest. You often refer to us as the greatest fans in the league. It is easy to be the greatest fans when you are fortunate enough to cheer for the greatest team. See you in June; I can't wait!!!!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Worth It.
It was moderately cold on Sunday at Mosaic Stadium. I would say short of Grey Cup '95 it was the coldest weather I have ever watched football in. For three quarters it looked like I might leave not only cold, but grumpy and disappointed as the season looked to be ticking away. And then......
When his team needed him, Darian Durant put them on his shoulders (or legs) and willed them to a thrilling 29 - 25 victory and a berth in the Western Final Sunday in Cowtown. For most of the latter part of the season, the play of Durant was questioned by many. He wasn't good enough, would never take us where an 'elite' QB would, etc. I am proud to say I never wavered in my belief that not only is he our best QB but one of the best the league has to offer. If being named the Western All - Star QB didn't squash the 'Durant Haters', his play on Sunday should have.
I have stated a couple of times in the past on this very blog that Darian Durant is a much better QB when he uses his legs. He become the double - edged sword; what will you work to prevent; his legs or his arms? On Sunday what first downs were needed and time needed to be taken off the clock, he just took off and made it happen. How many times did he fight off arm tackles? He is like trying to bring down a linebacker. They would never say it, but honestly I would be inclined to think the Calgary Stampeders watched the game on Sunday and went 'Oh s#%T, he's back.' Like a good season wasn't enough reason for concern amongst the Stamps, the play of Durant on Sunday only compounds those concerns and makes game planning doubly difficult.
While the play of Darian was refreshing, the ability to stop the run was a bit concerning on Sunday. The efforts of Andrew Harris, Stefan Logan and even Travis Lulay created headaches for the Rider D as well as the faithful in the stands. Some players didn't have their best games of the season but that is something I look to see change this week. It may have been me, but did the Riders send a blitz once in the entire game? From what I saw they went with only the front four the entire game, and had next to no pressure on Travis Lulay in the process. Yes, our D - Line is presumably the envy of the league but you have to send a different look on occasion to mix things up. That will be something that I would look to change heading into the weekend.
All said and done, this is exactly where we all wanted the team to be; one game for a chance to play in the Grey Cup on home turf. While I would rather the game be taking place in Regina, part of me feels like we are due for a victory in McMahon to catapult us back home for the big one.
Moving to hockey, Nail Yakupov and his agent, Igor Larionov apparently have some issues with the role he has played thus far. Larionov has gone so far as to say he is travelling to Edmonton to meet with the team and speak with management and Head Coach Dallas Eakins about the role they see Yakupov playing with the organization. Honestly, Yakupov is starting to wear thin on my nerves; he earlier in the year said that he doesn't like skating without the puck and having to play the body. When a twenty year old kid and his agent want to call the shots, it may be time to move him before he becomes a serious problem. He may have said that he is committed to Edmonton, and I get that he may be frustrated. Use that as motivation to get back into the line - up and prove you are what you claim to be, a top notch NHL calibre forward. Just my thoughts.
Steven Stamkos injury could be a devastating blow to the Men's Hockey team in Sochi come February. Let's face it; he was permanent markered in as a top six, probably top line forward. A broken tibia and three to four month recovery time does not bode well for him lacing it up. He will be on the roster obviously but could be one of those injury shuffles 24 hours prior to the opening game of the tournament.
Not much else to say today. Loved the effort of Darian Durant on Sunday and eagerly look forward to Sunday afternoon. Some cool 'pops', some good friends, maybe some chips and dip and what I hope will be a green and white victory. Have a great week. Enjoy the W but be ready for Sunday. Those of you travelling to attend the game; I envy you.
When his team needed him, Darian Durant put them on his shoulders (or legs) and willed them to a thrilling 29 - 25 victory and a berth in the Western Final Sunday in Cowtown. For most of the latter part of the season, the play of Durant was questioned by many. He wasn't good enough, would never take us where an 'elite' QB would, etc. I am proud to say I never wavered in my belief that not only is he our best QB but one of the best the league has to offer. If being named the Western All - Star QB didn't squash the 'Durant Haters', his play on Sunday should have.
I have stated a couple of times in the past on this very blog that Darian Durant is a much better QB when he uses his legs. He become the double - edged sword; what will you work to prevent; his legs or his arms? On Sunday what first downs were needed and time needed to be taken off the clock, he just took off and made it happen. How many times did he fight off arm tackles? He is like trying to bring down a linebacker. They would never say it, but honestly I would be inclined to think the Calgary Stampeders watched the game on Sunday and went 'Oh s#%T, he's back.' Like a good season wasn't enough reason for concern amongst the Stamps, the play of Durant on Sunday only compounds those concerns and makes game planning doubly difficult.
While the play of Darian was refreshing, the ability to stop the run was a bit concerning on Sunday. The efforts of Andrew Harris, Stefan Logan and even Travis Lulay created headaches for the Rider D as well as the faithful in the stands. Some players didn't have their best games of the season but that is something I look to see change this week. It may have been me, but did the Riders send a blitz once in the entire game? From what I saw they went with only the front four the entire game, and had next to no pressure on Travis Lulay in the process. Yes, our D - Line is presumably the envy of the league but you have to send a different look on occasion to mix things up. That will be something that I would look to change heading into the weekend.
All said and done, this is exactly where we all wanted the team to be; one game for a chance to play in the Grey Cup on home turf. While I would rather the game be taking place in Regina, part of me feels like we are due for a victory in McMahon to catapult us back home for the big one.
Moving to hockey, Nail Yakupov and his agent, Igor Larionov apparently have some issues with the role he has played thus far. Larionov has gone so far as to say he is travelling to Edmonton to meet with the team and speak with management and Head Coach Dallas Eakins about the role they see Yakupov playing with the organization. Honestly, Yakupov is starting to wear thin on my nerves; he earlier in the year said that he doesn't like skating without the puck and having to play the body. When a twenty year old kid and his agent want to call the shots, it may be time to move him before he becomes a serious problem. He may have said that he is committed to Edmonton, and I get that he may be frustrated. Use that as motivation to get back into the line - up and prove you are what you claim to be, a top notch NHL calibre forward. Just my thoughts.
Steven Stamkos injury could be a devastating blow to the Men's Hockey team in Sochi come February. Let's face it; he was permanent markered in as a top six, probably top line forward. A broken tibia and three to four month recovery time does not bode well for him lacing it up. He will be on the roster obviously but could be one of those injury shuffles 24 hours prior to the opening game of the tournament.
Not much else to say today. Loved the effort of Darian Durant on Sunday and eagerly look forward to Sunday afternoon. Some cool 'pops', some good friends, maybe some chips and dip and what I hope will be a green and white victory. Have a great week. Enjoy the W but be ready for Sunday. Those of you travelling to attend the game; I envy you.
Monday, October 28, 2013
The Monday After....
Saturday night was the biggest game of the season for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Riding a three game win streak, the green and white invaded McMahon Stadium in Calgary looking to knock off the hometown Stampeders and cling to their hopes of first place in the CFL's Western Division. In the end a 29 - 25 loss was the result and one that has brought with it much controversy and an abundance of different reactions. From it being a small bump in the road to pack it in, the season is over; Rider fans have lashed out and reacted in a number of different ways. In a nutshell, here are my thoughts:
* Once again everyone wants to blame this on Darian Durant. Let's stop and think for a moment. He didn't play great, but did he lose us this game. He did march us down the field to take the lead with under five minutes remaining. He got sacked seven times and hit a bunch. He didn't turn the ball over until the bitter end but even then the game had in my opinion been lost. Could he have been better? Sure. Did he put us in a position to win? Yes. Is this on him? No. According to my calculations this is the third time he has marched us down field and gave us a chance to win a game only to see the defence unable to hang on to the lead. Those of you who pin everything on him and say we will never win a Grey Cup with him at the helm, I would like to remind you of the Nealon Greene days. Aah, good times.
* That being said, I do not want to appear critical of the defense as I thought they were pretty good for most of the game on Saturday. A pile of pressure in the first half leading to four turnovers which could have been turned into more points. That being said, this team seems to have a bad reputation for being unable to make that key stop when needed.
* That takes me to my next point. With the Stamps down three they faced a 2nd and long. Terrell Maze plays it perfectly, knocking the ball down which forces a 3rd down gamble but more likely a punt with that much time remaining. A couple of first downs and the game is won, but wait!! There is a flag on the play; pass interference for playing it exactly as the rule book says is acceptable. Whoa, another flag?! Here's another 15 yards for objectionable conduct on the bench. The extra fifteen yards was unnecessary because it came on the heels of a terrible call in the first place. Turn the clock back to the first half and Dwight Anderson gets a 15 yarder for what? From what I can tell for being flagged in the past. Reputation and not action was the reason for that flag. The officiating in this league has become atrocious. Sadly, the ineptitude of these men to get it right, or at least less wrong than they have been is going to cost somebody a title at some point. What is the answer to increasing the consistency and quality of officiating at this CFL level? If someone has it, Tom Higgins could sure use it.
* Kory Sheets had a meltdown on Saturday night. A meltdown rivalled by my two year old son when told I refuse to watch the 'Cat in the Hat' for the eighth time in three days. That being said, I am unsure how to react to this. On one side it looks selfish and self - centred. He did after all spend the week talking about how he is better than Calgary's Jon Cornish, something he was unable to prove on Saturday; something that clearly upset him. On the other hand, the guy was given three carries in the first half. Twice we were inside the ten with first and goal and he never touched it on either occasion. Is it just me or do you want the ball in the hands of your play - makers? Perhaps they abandoned the run far too quickly. I mean Cornish fumbled twice in the first half but they kept feeding him the ball. I can see the argument that Cortez slighted Sheets and his abilities. At the end of the day, he maybe had a reason to be upset but didn't have to act the way he did. In my books, water under the bridge, move forward, have it make you hungrier, prove your worth in the post - season. Fair enough?
* All that aside, as I said on this blog last week, Saturday night was NOT the game I wanted to beat Calgary in. Rather, I want to beat them on November 17th. Provided we take care of BC at home on November 10th, let's go in there and prove as Dwight Anderson so eloquently stated that the Riders are better than Calgary. I, unlike many of the loyal fans refuse to turn my back on the team, any players, management, etc. I remain a loyal supporter of this football team. After all, that is what 'real fans' do.
The Edmonton Oilers continue to struggle.
The New York Islanders got robbed yesterday. Right before their very eyes the Buffalo Sabres walked in and fleeced them. Headed to the Island is Thomas Vanek. On the way back to Buffalo, Matt Moulson, the Isles 1st this year and 2nd next. All that for a guy who is a UFA at the end of the season and could very well leave. That is a hefty price to pay for a glorified 'rental'. Moulson is a guy I have liked more and more every year. A guy who quietly puts up good numbers and never complains. A guy who was there through some very thin times in New York and right when it appears they are turning the page and becoming a legitimate force in the East he get's a one way ticket to Buffalo, arguably the only team in the league worse than Edmonton. The 'unfairness' of sport at its best.
Willie Middlebrooks tripped Allen Craig on Saturday night giving the Cardinals a 5 - 4 victory in Game Three of the World Series, a series that has now been evened up by the Red Sox. Jake Peavey called it a joke, John Farrell wanted a rule that has been in place for more than 150 years taken from the books. Really? The guy cheated, got called on it and his team lost because of it. I give Jim Joyce credit for having the 'balls' to call it. I don't care if it is the World Series or game 34 of the season, the rules are the rules. Middlebrooks says he was trying to get 'up'; lie down on your belly right now and try to get up....what do your legs do? I know what mine do and they look nothing like Willie Middlebrooks on Saturday night.
* Once again everyone wants to blame this on Darian Durant. Let's stop and think for a moment. He didn't play great, but did he lose us this game. He did march us down the field to take the lead with under five minutes remaining. He got sacked seven times and hit a bunch. He didn't turn the ball over until the bitter end but even then the game had in my opinion been lost. Could he have been better? Sure. Did he put us in a position to win? Yes. Is this on him? No. According to my calculations this is the third time he has marched us down field and gave us a chance to win a game only to see the defence unable to hang on to the lead. Those of you who pin everything on him and say we will never win a Grey Cup with him at the helm, I would like to remind you of the Nealon Greene days. Aah, good times.
* That being said, I do not want to appear critical of the defense as I thought they were pretty good for most of the game on Saturday. A pile of pressure in the first half leading to four turnovers which could have been turned into more points. That being said, this team seems to have a bad reputation for being unable to make that key stop when needed.
* That takes me to my next point. With the Stamps down three they faced a 2nd and long. Terrell Maze plays it perfectly, knocking the ball down which forces a 3rd down gamble but more likely a punt with that much time remaining. A couple of first downs and the game is won, but wait!! There is a flag on the play; pass interference for playing it exactly as the rule book says is acceptable. Whoa, another flag?! Here's another 15 yards for objectionable conduct on the bench. The extra fifteen yards was unnecessary because it came on the heels of a terrible call in the first place. Turn the clock back to the first half and Dwight Anderson gets a 15 yarder for what? From what I can tell for being flagged in the past. Reputation and not action was the reason for that flag. The officiating in this league has become atrocious. Sadly, the ineptitude of these men to get it right, or at least less wrong than they have been is going to cost somebody a title at some point. What is the answer to increasing the consistency and quality of officiating at this CFL level? If someone has it, Tom Higgins could sure use it.
* Kory Sheets had a meltdown on Saturday night. A meltdown rivalled by my two year old son when told I refuse to watch the 'Cat in the Hat' for the eighth time in three days. That being said, I am unsure how to react to this. On one side it looks selfish and self - centred. He did after all spend the week talking about how he is better than Calgary's Jon Cornish, something he was unable to prove on Saturday; something that clearly upset him. On the other hand, the guy was given three carries in the first half. Twice we were inside the ten with first and goal and he never touched it on either occasion. Is it just me or do you want the ball in the hands of your play - makers? Perhaps they abandoned the run far too quickly. I mean Cornish fumbled twice in the first half but they kept feeding him the ball. I can see the argument that Cortez slighted Sheets and his abilities. At the end of the day, he maybe had a reason to be upset but didn't have to act the way he did. In my books, water under the bridge, move forward, have it make you hungrier, prove your worth in the post - season. Fair enough?
* All that aside, as I said on this blog last week, Saturday night was NOT the game I wanted to beat Calgary in. Rather, I want to beat them on November 17th. Provided we take care of BC at home on November 10th, let's go in there and prove as Dwight Anderson so eloquently stated that the Riders are better than Calgary. I, unlike many of the loyal fans refuse to turn my back on the team, any players, management, etc. I remain a loyal supporter of this football team. After all, that is what 'real fans' do.
The Edmonton Oilers continue to struggle.
The New York Islanders got robbed yesterday. Right before their very eyes the Buffalo Sabres walked in and fleeced them. Headed to the Island is Thomas Vanek. On the way back to Buffalo, Matt Moulson, the Isles 1st this year and 2nd next. All that for a guy who is a UFA at the end of the season and could very well leave. That is a hefty price to pay for a glorified 'rental'. Moulson is a guy I have liked more and more every year. A guy who quietly puts up good numbers and never complains. A guy who was there through some very thin times in New York and right when it appears they are turning the page and becoming a legitimate force in the East he get's a one way ticket to Buffalo, arguably the only team in the league worse than Edmonton. The 'unfairness' of sport at its best.
Willie Middlebrooks tripped Allen Craig on Saturday night giving the Cardinals a 5 - 4 victory in Game Three of the World Series, a series that has now been evened up by the Red Sox. Jake Peavey called it a joke, John Farrell wanted a rule that has been in place for more than 150 years taken from the books. Really? The guy cheated, got called on it and his team lost because of it. I give Jim Joyce credit for having the 'balls' to call it. I don't care if it is the World Series or game 34 of the season, the rules are the rules. Middlebrooks says he was trying to get 'up'; lie down on your belly right now and try to get up....what do your legs do? I know what mine do and they look nothing like Willie Middlebrooks on Saturday night.
Monday, October 21, 2013
The Weekend Randoms...
It was a little wet and damp, but even the weather couldn't ruin the mood at Mosaic Stadium Saturday evening. The Saskatchewan Roughriders took advantage of eight, that's right, EIGHT B.C. turnovers en route to a 35 - 14 victory over their western foes. The win assures the Riders no worse than second place in the CFL's West Division meaning there will be play - off football in Regina for the first time since Jason Clermont sent the fans home happy in 2010.
In all of the excitement of the victory and the home play - off berth, still people find reasons to complain. Go on twitter or Rod Pederson's blog and still some bemoan the play of Darian Durant and the Rider offence. To this, I say the following:
* By the numbers B.C. came into the game with the top rated defence in the CFL
* It was raining most of the game, can't imagine gripping the football was at a premium which could hinder accuracy
* He wasn't Thomas Demarco
* After sixteen games, DD leads the league in TD passes, is second in yards and near the top when it comes to interceptions
* He ran the ball which a lot of people have called for recently
* WE WON!!!!
The odds may be against us but hosting the Western Final is not out of the realm of possibility. I will not get ahead of things yet though. What I really look forward to about this weekend's clash at McMahon agains the Stamps is to see how well we play against undeniably the best team in the league at the moment. Can we shut down Jon Cornish, something most teams have been unable to do the last two months? Can we move the ball with consistency? Can we continue to get the pressure on the opposing QB against a very good Calgary O - Line? Win or lose on Saturday, this will be a very good litnus test to see where we are at this point in the season. A close lose will not bother me. And besides, is this really the game we want to beat Calgary in? I say no, I would expect to play them in November, and THAT is the game I want to surely beat them in.
What a horrific weekend for the NFL in terms of injuries. Lost for the season are Sam Bradford, Reggie Wayne and Doug Martin. Out for extended periods of time are Jay Cutler and Arian Foster. As I said to a friend this morning who talked about the roughness of football, yeah it's a contact sport and these things happen. It is just unfortunate for these individuals and their teams.
Spark up the band, the Edmonton Oilers won a game. The Oilers jumped out to a 2 - 0 first period and hung on for a 3 - 1 victory over the Senators in Ottawa on Saturday. With good news come potentially bad news as Taylor Hall injured his knee and was sent home for an MRI. As of now, the results are not public. Here is to hoping that he is ok. Here is to also hoping that MacT hasn't hung up the phone simply because Devan Dubnyk has put together back to back quality outings. I am still not sold that he is the guy to get us to where we have the potential to be.
Interesting story on sportsnet.ca today as one of their columnist's made a list of the top twenty teams to watch in sports. He took a world wide approach pointing out teams from the big four as well as European soccer. According to this guy, the 17th best team to watch in the world is the University of Western football team. Are you kidding me??? Absent from the list, all eight CFL teams. I can tell you one thing, I love sports of all varieties but I can guarantee you that there are much more than sixteen others teams I would rather watch than the Western Mustangs. I would honestly watch the Jacksonville Jaguars before I watched them. Speaking of the Jaguars, they are yet to score a TD at home in three games. Can you imagine if that took place with the Riders? My god, it would be anarchy. It would be a provincial disaster.
Later,
HM
In all of the excitement of the victory and the home play - off berth, still people find reasons to complain. Go on twitter or Rod Pederson's blog and still some bemoan the play of Darian Durant and the Rider offence. To this, I say the following:
* By the numbers B.C. came into the game with the top rated defence in the CFL
* It was raining most of the game, can't imagine gripping the football was at a premium which could hinder accuracy
* He wasn't Thomas Demarco
* After sixteen games, DD leads the league in TD passes, is second in yards and near the top when it comes to interceptions
* He ran the ball which a lot of people have called for recently
* WE WON!!!!
The odds may be against us but hosting the Western Final is not out of the realm of possibility. I will not get ahead of things yet though. What I really look forward to about this weekend's clash at McMahon agains the Stamps is to see how well we play against undeniably the best team in the league at the moment. Can we shut down Jon Cornish, something most teams have been unable to do the last two months? Can we move the ball with consistency? Can we continue to get the pressure on the opposing QB against a very good Calgary O - Line? Win or lose on Saturday, this will be a very good litnus test to see where we are at this point in the season. A close lose will not bother me. And besides, is this really the game we want to beat Calgary in? I say no, I would expect to play them in November, and THAT is the game I want to surely beat them in.
What a horrific weekend for the NFL in terms of injuries. Lost for the season are Sam Bradford, Reggie Wayne and Doug Martin. Out for extended periods of time are Jay Cutler and Arian Foster. As I said to a friend this morning who talked about the roughness of football, yeah it's a contact sport and these things happen. It is just unfortunate for these individuals and their teams.
Spark up the band, the Edmonton Oilers won a game. The Oilers jumped out to a 2 - 0 first period and hung on for a 3 - 1 victory over the Senators in Ottawa on Saturday. With good news come potentially bad news as Taylor Hall injured his knee and was sent home for an MRI. As of now, the results are not public. Here is to hoping that he is ok. Here is to also hoping that MacT hasn't hung up the phone simply because Devan Dubnyk has put together back to back quality outings. I am still not sold that he is the guy to get us to where we have the potential to be.
Interesting story on sportsnet.ca today as one of their columnist's made a list of the top twenty teams to watch in sports. He took a world wide approach pointing out teams from the big four as well as European soccer. According to this guy, the 17th best team to watch in the world is the University of Western football team. Are you kidding me??? Absent from the list, all eight CFL teams. I can tell you one thing, I love sports of all varieties but I can guarantee you that there are much more than sixteen others teams I would rather watch than the Western Mustangs. I would honestly watch the Jacksonville Jaguars before I watched them. Speaking of the Jaguars, they are yet to score a TD at home in three games. Can you imagine if that took place with the Riders? My god, it would be anarchy. It would be a provincial disaster.
Later,
HM
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
So You Want to take Fighting out of Hockey? Still......?
As I wrote about last week, one of the hot button topics as it relates to the NHL is the possibility of taking fighting away. The George Parros incident had many questioning the validity of fighting, and sought to avoid future brain injuries by banning fighting. At the time I also spoke of the need to keep fighting in the game. Part of my rationale was to keep all players accountable for their actions on the ice.
With that in mind, two of the league's finest (tongue in cheek) put on full display why fighting should NOT be taken out of the game. Both Patrick Kaleta and Max Lapierre are facing harsh suspensions from the NHL for their actions in games over the last week. Kaleta was given a ten game ban for his blow to the head of Columbus' Jack Johnson while Lapierre is dealing with his hit from behind on the Sharks Dan Boyle. Low and behold both instances led to fisticuffs. Kaleta was instantly challenged by Jared Boll, and even though Randall Pelech never got his mitts on Lapierre, the need to confront him was still obvious. Had Ryan Reaves not gotten in the way, it was clear that Lapierre may not have been smiling much longer.
So guys like Damien Cox can tweet all they want about removing fighting to prevent injuries, but without fighting, there would be more of these Kaleta and Lapierre hits which, oh my, look, lead to injuries. Go ahead take fighting out, but who then, becomes accountable for their on - ice actions. Who will step up and let Lapierre, Kaleta and the others know that plays like this are unacceptable? Sure, suspensions can be handed out and become more severe over time. That being said, that has done nothing to deter this plays from happening. A right in the jaw is in my opinion, a far more punitive action than having to sit out a couple of games.
Penalties for obviously staged fights can and should increase; that wouldn't bother me. Taking fighting out completely is not only ridiculous, but in my opinion, dangerous. I am only one person with one opinion but that is mine.
Here is my pet peeve for the day; sportscasters who tweet constantly and seem to never have anything good to say about the league, the style of play or the abilities of these professional athletes. We all have our opinions, but can I remind you that there is a reason you are behind the desk talking about sports rather than being on the field as part of the action? Until you are in that situation I take little analysis from some of these guys as meaning anything. These guys know who they are, I won't say simply out of respect. I may judge and question from time to time but I am a mintue offender compared to some. Do you know how sickening it is to read tweets of a reporter in Regina that do nothing but criticize the Saskatchewan Roughriders from kick - off to final whistle? Sure, throw the CFL as a league under the bus as that will do a lot to boost the credibility of your station/network in the eyes of the only truly Canadian professional sports league; brilliant. Put your ego aside, tell me the score, maybe try to make me laugh or cry but know when to stop talking or typing. On that note, goodbye.
With that in mind, two of the league's finest (tongue in cheek) put on full display why fighting should NOT be taken out of the game. Both Patrick Kaleta and Max Lapierre are facing harsh suspensions from the NHL for their actions in games over the last week. Kaleta was given a ten game ban for his blow to the head of Columbus' Jack Johnson while Lapierre is dealing with his hit from behind on the Sharks Dan Boyle. Low and behold both instances led to fisticuffs. Kaleta was instantly challenged by Jared Boll, and even though Randall Pelech never got his mitts on Lapierre, the need to confront him was still obvious. Had Ryan Reaves not gotten in the way, it was clear that Lapierre may not have been smiling much longer.
So guys like Damien Cox can tweet all they want about removing fighting to prevent injuries, but without fighting, there would be more of these Kaleta and Lapierre hits which, oh my, look, lead to injuries. Go ahead take fighting out, but who then, becomes accountable for their on - ice actions. Who will step up and let Lapierre, Kaleta and the others know that plays like this are unacceptable? Sure, suspensions can be handed out and become more severe over time. That being said, that has done nothing to deter this plays from happening. A right in the jaw is in my opinion, a far more punitive action than having to sit out a couple of games.
Penalties for obviously staged fights can and should increase; that wouldn't bother me. Taking fighting out completely is not only ridiculous, but in my opinion, dangerous. I am only one person with one opinion but that is mine.
Here is my pet peeve for the day; sportscasters who tweet constantly and seem to never have anything good to say about the league, the style of play or the abilities of these professional athletes. We all have our opinions, but can I remind you that there is a reason you are behind the desk talking about sports rather than being on the field as part of the action? Until you are in that situation I take little analysis from some of these guys as meaning anything. These guys know who they are, I won't say simply out of respect. I may judge and question from time to time but I am a mintue offender compared to some. Do you know how sickening it is to read tweets of a reporter in Regina that do nothing but criticize the Saskatchewan Roughriders from kick - off to final whistle? Sure, throw the CFL as a league under the bus as that will do a lot to boost the credibility of your station/network in the eyes of the only truly Canadian professional sports league; brilliant. Put your ego aside, tell me the score, maybe try to make me laugh or cry but know when to stop talking or typing. On that note, goodbye.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Random Thoughts & Rider News
The Saskatchewan Roughriders look to build off of last week's victory in BC place heading into this weekend's showdown with the Edmonton Eskimos. The game will mark the debut of Alex Hall who was acquired this week in a trade with Winnipeg.
How much did the acquisition of Hall potentially improve the pass rush. While it has yet to be seen on the field but the insertion of Hall into the line - up leads to what looks like a seat onthe bench for Jermaine McElveen, who is no slouch himself having recorded seven sacks thus far.
The Riders can't seem to kick the injury bug. Cornerback Rod Williams who was signed last week, started in BC and provided some stability on the edge will be out for four weeks after fracturing his arm in practice today. What I see this doing is marking the return of Prince Miller who sat out last week. That is a move that doesn't hurt us too much given that Miller has started most of the season and has graded out fairly well in my opinion.
It is no secret that the Eskimos aren't the most loved team in this province. In fact, beating the Evil Empire is trumped only be defeating the Stamps. That being said, this season for me it hasn't so much been beating Fred Stamps, Mike Reilly, etc. Rather it has been beating Ed Hervey, the Eskimos GM who has done nothing good for his reputation and public image this season. In my opinion, he has been a first class jerk from the opening of free agency to today, and that is putting it nicely. He exumes cockiness, coming across as he is bigger than the team and league for that matter. He may have been a good reciever; he has a lot of work to do if he hopes to become a staple in Edmonton. That being said, I look for a boisterous atmosphere Saturday afternoon at Mosaic. Here's to hoping for a second consecutive 'up' week.
The talk of the NHL as of late has been two things I would like to address: fighting and Thomas Hertl.
Yes, George Parros fell and smashed his face on the ice. Yes, he was concussed. Does that mean we need to take fighting out of hockey? Absolutely not. Fighting is a part of the game and it always has been. While I don't at all agree with some of these staged fights, I do believe in the role these guys play when necessary. It is these guys who keep others accountable for their actions on the ice. It is these guys who can provide a lift when necessary. They have a meaningful role on their respective teams. If you were to ask them, along with many others directly associated with the NHL if hockey should be removed, most would without hesitation say no. So why then, does the media feel the need to seemingly beat this thought to death over and over everytime someone takes a shot. For the record, Colton Orr had nothing to do with Parros being hurt. George Parros stumbling and falling is why those events transpired.
Let's just calm down. Yes, Thomas Hertl had four goals the other night, and I know he is a teenager. Let's not hand him the Calder Trophy and annoint him the next great in this league. A couple of things need to be considered here. The Sharks clobbered the Rangers that night. In fact, the Rangers looked uninspired. While it is a credit to anybody to score four goals in a game, it has happened before and will happen again. While the kid could turn out to be a stud, he is three games into a career, and all be it a very promising start, I am not giving him anything...yet.
This tendency to place unbelievable expectations on young players in any sport is not good. Look at Jadaveon Clowney, the coveted DE in South Carolina of the NCAA. Clowney is a very good football player. Last season he had a remarkable play in his team's Citrus Bowl victory over Michigan. Well rather than take it for what it's worth, the media, almost onvernight turned him into the number one pick in this year's NFL draft, annointed him one of the greatest to play College football and so on. What has he done this year; not much? And now they (the same media who once loved him) are questioning his work ethic and true abilities. I am sure Clowney loved the attention at the time but inhindsight probably wished they would have shut up.
Sad night in baseball as the Pittsburgh Pirates got smacked around in Game Five of the NLDS against St. Louis. If Oakland is to lose tonight to Detroit, all is lost for those hoping to see a small market team win the World Series. I mean, in all honesty, unless you are a diehard fan of the Dodgers, Cardinals, Red Sox or Tigers, the playoffs will becoming mundane and like a bad re - run for me.
Should be all for today.
How much did the acquisition of Hall potentially improve the pass rush. While it has yet to be seen on the field but the insertion of Hall into the line - up leads to what looks like a seat onthe bench for Jermaine McElveen, who is no slouch himself having recorded seven sacks thus far.
The Riders can't seem to kick the injury bug. Cornerback Rod Williams who was signed last week, started in BC and provided some stability on the edge will be out for four weeks after fracturing his arm in practice today. What I see this doing is marking the return of Prince Miller who sat out last week. That is a move that doesn't hurt us too much given that Miller has started most of the season and has graded out fairly well in my opinion.
It is no secret that the Eskimos aren't the most loved team in this province. In fact, beating the Evil Empire is trumped only be defeating the Stamps. That being said, this season for me it hasn't so much been beating Fred Stamps, Mike Reilly, etc. Rather it has been beating Ed Hervey, the Eskimos GM who has done nothing good for his reputation and public image this season. In my opinion, he has been a first class jerk from the opening of free agency to today, and that is putting it nicely. He exumes cockiness, coming across as he is bigger than the team and league for that matter. He may have been a good reciever; he has a lot of work to do if he hopes to become a staple in Edmonton. That being said, I look for a boisterous atmosphere Saturday afternoon at Mosaic. Here's to hoping for a second consecutive 'up' week.
The talk of the NHL as of late has been two things I would like to address: fighting and Thomas Hertl.
Yes, George Parros fell and smashed his face on the ice. Yes, he was concussed. Does that mean we need to take fighting out of hockey? Absolutely not. Fighting is a part of the game and it always has been. While I don't at all agree with some of these staged fights, I do believe in the role these guys play when necessary. It is these guys who keep others accountable for their actions on the ice. It is these guys who can provide a lift when necessary. They have a meaningful role on their respective teams. If you were to ask them, along with many others directly associated with the NHL if hockey should be removed, most would without hesitation say no. So why then, does the media feel the need to seemingly beat this thought to death over and over everytime someone takes a shot. For the record, Colton Orr had nothing to do with Parros being hurt. George Parros stumbling and falling is why those events transpired.
Let's just calm down. Yes, Thomas Hertl had four goals the other night, and I know he is a teenager. Let's not hand him the Calder Trophy and annoint him the next great in this league. A couple of things need to be considered here. The Sharks clobbered the Rangers that night. In fact, the Rangers looked uninspired. While it is a credit to anybody to score four goals in a game, it has happened before and will happen again. While the kid could turn out to be a stud, he is three games into a career, and all be it a very promising start, I am not giving him anything...yet.
This tendency to place unbelievable expectations on young players in any sport is not good. Look at Jadaveon Clowney, the coveted DE in South Carolina of the NCAA. Clowney is a very good football player. Last season he had a remarkable play in his team's Citrus Bowl victory over Michigan. Well rather than take it for what it's worth, the media, almost onvernight turned him into the number one pick in this year's NFL draft, annointed him one of the greatest to play College football and so on. What has he done this year; not much? And now they (the same media who once loved him) are questioning his work ethic and true abilities. I am sure Clowney loved the attention at the time but inhindsight probably wished they would have shut up.
Sad night in baseball as the Pittsburgh Pirates got smacked around in Game Five of the NLDS against St. Louis. If Oakland is to lose tonight to Detroit, all is lost for those hoping to see a small market team win the World Series. I mean, in all honesty, unless you are a diehard fan of the Dodgers, Cardinals, Red Sox or Tigers, the playoffs will becoming mundane and like a bad re - run for me.
Should be all for today.
Monday, October 7, 2013
A Busy Few Days
As the title says, it was a busy weekend in the wonderful world of sports. So much went on that I am afraid I will leave you having forgotten something important. Nonetheless, here we go...
The Saskatchewan Roughriders looked like a whole new football team on Friday night. Coming off of a short week which say them practice only once, Darian Durant played as well as he has in a long time, the defense smothered the Lion's at every opportunity and the Riders walked out of BC Place with a 31 - 17 victory. Not only does the win break the funk the team had been in, it also moved them back into 2nd place in the West and basically leaves their fate in their own hands in terms of a home play - off date. Worth mentioning from Friday night:
* Craig Butler was awesome
* The Defensive Line was as good as it has been all year
* Kory Sheets is terribly important to this offense
* Chris Milo had an off - game; no concern is necessary until this becomes a habit. One has to think he has those 'posts' in the back of his mind given the past month
* It is crazy how quiet message boards get following a Rider victory. Suddenly not everyone in the province is calling for changes everywhere, most notably at the QB position.
The Riders were not done making news on Friday however. Sunday afternoon brought news of the acquistion of CFL sack leader Alex Hall from Winnipeg for Patrick Neufeld. Draft picks changed hands as well. Some will scoff at this move as being a poor decision given a potential 'rental' was acquired in exchange for a Canadian O - Linemen. Let me say this, Patrick Neufeld has not played great this year. Did anyone else notice that Darian had much more time in the pocket on Friday night? Part of this was due to the fact the Devin Tyler played on the edge in place of Neufeld. There was a good chance Neufeld would have been gone in the expansion draft anyways so being able to get Hall as well as a 2nd round pick is fine in my books. What makes this deal even better in my eyes is not only does it allow Chick and Foley to take a breather while not hurting the pass rush, but I heard that Calgary was heavy after Hall themselves. Keeping this guy out of Calgary is certainly a benefit to us moving forward.
To golf and the President's Cup where Weyburn's Graham Delaet was on full display this week at Muirfield Village in Columbus, Ohio. The young man did not disappoint, going 3 - 1 - 1 in his debut on this stage. He along with Aussie Jason Day were the best the International team had to offer this weekend. Two hole outs on the 18th hole yesterday were awesome to watch. If the world hadn't taken notice before this weekend, they have now. Graham Delaet is a force to be reckoned with on the world golf stage. That first win is coming; hopefully soon.
The Edmonton Oilers were a disgrace to watch on Saturday night. They were terrible in their own end, turning over far too many pucks. To make matters worse, Devan Dubnyk stuggled mightily for the second game in a row. If Jason Labarbera is not between the pipes tonight when the New Jersey Devils invade Rexall, something is wrong. Thankfully the Taylor Hall down the middle experiment ends tonight with the return of RNH. I get that learning a new position is difficult but Hall is - 5 on the young season and has not played well at all. Desite the 0 - 2 start, it is refreshing to me to hear Dallas Eakins talk of the disappointment of the first two games. Ralph Kruegger had a tendency to sugar coat everything while Eakins doesn't. I like a guy who can call a spade a spade. Here's to hoping for a different result tonight.
The Philadelphia Flyers fired Head Coach Peter Laviolette this morning and replaced him with Craig Berube. Really, you gave the guy three games? Clearly this was something that management has been thinking off prior to the start of the season. I am left to wonder why they would allow him to run camp, introduce systems and begin the season only to make a change that was apparently inevitable. Make this change in the off - season and start fresh rather than do this to Laviolette and the organization as a whole. Furthermore, making this move in the off - season would have given them greater leverage in terms of hiring a coach they see fitting with them long term.
Is it just me or are the Cincinnati Bengals a little schizophrenic. How do you lose to Cleveland and then dominate Tom Brady and the New England offense only seven days later?
The Jacksonville Jaguars are still terrible.
I love the fact that the New York Giants are 0 - 5.
On to baseball and the play - offs are in full swing. With the Blue Jays being eliminated since early June (seems like that anyways), how can you not root for the small market teams such as Pittsburgh and Oakland. Could you imagine a Pittsburgh / Oakland World Series. MLB would hate it, FOX would hate but many fans of the game would love it. It would completely disspell they myth that money buys championships. As I write this, both the A's and Pirates are a win away from advancing to their respective League Championship Series.
That's it....
HM
The Saskatchewan Roughriders looked like a whole new football team on Friday night. Coming off of a short week which say them practice only once, Darian Durant played as well as he has in a long time, the defense smothered the Lion's at every opportunity and the Riders walked out of BC Place with a 31 - 17 victory. Not only does the win break the funk the team had been in, it also moved them back into 2nd place in the West and basically leaves their fate in their own hands in terms of a home play - off date. Worth mentioning from Friday night:
* Craig Butler was awesome
* The Defensive Line was as good as it has been all year
* Kory Sheets is terribly important to this offense
* Chris Milo had an off - game; no concern is necessary until this becomes a habit. One has to think he has those 'posts' in the back of his mind given the past month
* It is crazy how quiet message boards get following a Rider victory. Suddenly not everyone in the province is calling for changes everywhere, most notably at the QB position.
The Riders were not done making news on Friday however. Sunday afternoon brought news of the acquistion of CFL sack leader Alex Hall from Winnipeg for Patrick Neufeld. Draft picks changed hands as well. Some will scoff at this move as being a poor decision given a potential 'rental' was acquired in exchange for a Canadian O - Linemen. Let me say this, Patrick Neufeld has not played great this year. Did anyone else notice that Darian had much more time in the pocket on Friday night? Part of this was due to the fact the Devin Tyler played on the edge in place of Neufeld. There was a good chance Neufeld would have been gone in the expansion draft anyways so being able to get Hall as well as a 2nd round pick is fine in my books. What makes this deal even better in my eyes is not only does it allow Chick and Foley to take a breather while not hurting the pass rush, but I heard that Calgary was heavy after Hall themselves. Keeping this guy out of Calgary is certainly a benefit to us moving forward.
To golf and the President's Cup where Weyburn's Graham Delaet was on full display this week at Muirfield Village in Columbus, Ohio. The young man did not disappoint, going 3 - 1 - 1 in his debut on this stage. He along with Aussie Jason Day were the best the International team had to offer this weekend. Two hole outs on the 18th hole yesterday were awesome to watch. If the world hadn't taken notice before this weekend, they have now. Graham Delaet is a force to be reckoned with on the world golf stage. That first win is coming; hopefully soon.
The Edmonton Oilers were a disgrace to watch on Saturday night. They were terrible in their own end, turning over far too many pucks. To make matters worse, Devan Dubnyk stuggled mightily for the second game in a row. If Jason Labarbera is not between the pipes tonight when the New Jersey Devils invade Rexall, something is wrong. Thankfully the Taylor Hall down the middle experiment ends tonight with the return of RNH. I get that learning a new position is difficult but Hall is - 5 on the young season and has not played well at all. Desite the 0 - 2 start, it is refreshing to me to hear Dallas Eakins talk of the disappointment of the first two games. Ralph Kruegger had a tendency to sugar coat everything while Eakins doesn't. I like a guy who can call a spade a spade. Here's to hoping for a different result tonight.
The Philadelphia Flyers fired Head Coach Peter Laviolette this morning and replaced him with Craig Berube. Really, you gave the guy three games? Clearly this was something that management has been thinking off prior to the start of the season. I am left to wonder why they would allow him to run camp, introduce systems and begin the season only to make a change that was apparently inevitable. Make this change in the off - season and start fresh rather than do this to Laviolette and the organization as a whole. Furthermore, making this move in the off - season would have given them greater leverage in terms of hiring a coach they see fitting with them long term.
Is it just me or are the Cincinnati Bengals a little schizophrenic. How do you lose to Cleveland and then dominate Tom Brady and the New England offense only seven days later?
The Jacksonville Jaguars are still terrible.
I love the fact that the New York Giants are 0 - 5.
On to baseball and the play - offs are in full swing. With the Blue Jays being eliminated since early June (seems like that anyways), how can you not root for the small market teams such as Pittsburgh and Oakland. Could you imagine a Pittsburgh / Oakland World Series. MLB would hate it, FOX would hate but many fans of the game would love it. It would completely disspell they myth that money buys championships. As I write this, both the A's and Pirates are a win away from advancing to their respective League Championship Series.
That's it....
HM
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Pointless...
Believe it or not, there will be NO Rider news/discussion in this post. Rather I just wanted to take a few minutes to share my thoughts on the NHL's decision making over the last couple of days.
First off, yesterday I spoke of how, even though it was against the team I cheer for, the Edmonton Oilers, I didn't feel Zack Kassian deserved a suspension for the incident involving Sam Gagner and his broken jaw. That being said, he got the remainder of the regular season and the first five games of the regular season. Tell me how Brendan Shanahan deems this intentional and worhty of much more than a game or two? If Sam Gagner doesn't break his jaw on the play, is there any supplemental discipline? Does this mean that if Milan Lucic hits a guy into the boards and tears the guy's knee up that he needs to sit? Call it what you will, but it is essentially the same principle. I get that you should be in control of your stick but the broken jaw was a freak incident to go with the freak play. If Gagner skates away unharmed, am I wrong to think that Kassian gets a double minor and we move on?
What compounds this and makes it more aggravating for me is that Dale Wiese, who deliberately sticks out his elbow and pastes Taylor Hall on the chin gets only the remainder of the pre - season. Dale Wiese has presumably made this team so this is essentially a holiday for him. Truly the fact that Taylor Hall was fine probably played into this, and should it have? Absolutely not. Give Dale Wiese the five game regular season ban if anyone.
And then there was the showdown at the ACC on Sunday between the Leafs and Sabres. Granted John Scott acted like a moron, and granted Phil Kessel was probably scared spitless but the way he swung his stick at Scott TWICE followed by a spear was complete abuse of the stick in your hand. While he was protecting himself from a bit of a pummelling, how does he NOT get a single game for those actions? I mean really NHL, when are you going to wake up and move in the right direction when it comes to these rulings? I don't care who you are or the scenario that is playing out, you can NOT use your stick as a weapon the way Kessel did and walk away scott free.
All this adds up to for me is presumably several more blog posts over the next eight months bemoaning the NHL discipline and trying to make sense of it, something I, along with several other NHL fans will probably never accomplish.
On that note, how can you not be cheering for the Pittsburgh Pirates. If you are Canadian and like the sport of baseball, they have two great Canadian kids on the team in Catcher Russell Martin and 1B Justin Morneau. Add that to the fact this is their first winning season and post - season berth since 1992 and you have to be a fan. Can you imagine an Oakland / Pittsburgh World Series?
Off to bike ride with the kids...
HM
First off, yesterday I spoke of how, even though it was against the team I cheer for, the Edmonton Oilers, I didn't feel Zack Kassian deserved a suspension for the incident involving Sam Gagner and his broken jaw. That being said, he got the remainder of the regular season and the first five games of the regular season. Tell me how Brendan Shanahan deems this intentional and worhty of much more than a game or two? If Sam Gagner doesn't break his jaw on the play, is there any supplemental discipline? Does this mean that if Milan Lucic hits a guy into the boards and tears the guy's knee up that he needs to sit? Call it what you will, but it is essentially the same principle. I get that you should be in control of your stick but the broken jaw was a freak incident to go with the freak play. If Gagner skates away unharmed, am I wrong to think that Kassian gets a double minor and we move on?
What compounds this and makes it more aggravating for me is that Dale Wiese, who deliberately sticks out his elbow and pastes Taylor Hall on the chin gets only the remainder of the pre - season. Dale Wiese has presumably made this team so this is essentially a holiday for him. Truly the fact that Taylor Hall was fine probably played into this, and should it have? Absolutely not. Give Dale Wiese the five game regular season ban if anyone.
And then there was the showdown at the ACC on Sunday between the Leafs and Sabres. Granted John Scott acted like a moron, and granted Phil Kessel was probably scared spitless but the way he swung his stick at Scott TWICE followed by a spear was complete abuse of the stick in your hand. While he was protecting himself from a bit of a pummelling, how does he NOT get a single game for those actions? I mean really NHL, when are you going to wake up and move in the right direction when it comes to these rulings? I don't care who you are or the scenario that is playing out, you can NOT use your stick as a weapon the way Kessel did and walk away scott free.
All this adds up to for me is presumably several more blog posts over the next eight months bemoaning the NHL discipline and trying to make sense of it, something I, along with several other NHL fans will probably never accomplish.
On that note, how can you not be cheering for the Pittsburgh Pirates. If you are Canadian and like the sport of baseball, they have two great Canadian kids on the team in Catcher Russell Martin and 1B Justin Morneau. Add that to the fact this is their first winning season and post - season berth since 1992 and you have to be a fan. Can you imagine an Oakland / Pittsburgh World Series?
Off to bike ride with the kids...
HM
Monday, September 23, 2013
Another One Slips Away
More than 39, 000 left disappointed yesterday afternoon as the Saskatchewan Roughriders let another victory elude them. Paul McCallum's 42 yard field goal as time expired was the difference as the B.C. Lions improved to 8 - 4 and took over second place in the CFL's West Division while the Riders fall to third after their third consecutive set back. The result is more unfortunate given what Zach Collaros and the Toronto Argonauts did the night before in Calgary.
All that aside, I have said this before and I will say it again; it sickens me to read/listen to supposed Rider fans jump down the throat of Darian Durant whenever adversity shows up in Riderville. Was Darian perfect yesterday? No. Did he turn the ball over a couple of times? Yes. Could he have been better? Yes. But most importantly, at least to me, did he put us in a position to win with less than a minute remaining? ABSOLUTELY. A 352 yard performance with a couple of scores is a not bad afternoon of football.
I am not in any way pinning this on Chris Milo, but he has had the unfortunate luck of hitting three up - rights in two weeks, including two yesterday. Make one of those, and we win. Go back a week, and if he misses the upright either way, we either win or take the game to OT. Adversity has appeared and it is time for this group to overcome it. Here are my general thoughts in no particular order, take them for what they're worth:
* Darian Durant is a good QB. While we couldn't move the ball at times yesterday, I see two explanations, neither of which are Darian himself. (1) George Cortez seems to be running a play book similar to the eight play book used by the Alexandrai Titans in the film "Remember the Titans". How many times have we seen Taj Smith run that crossing route? A lot have, including opposing coaches as it isn't working anymore. (2) We are a much different team with Kory Sheets in the line - up. Nothing against Chris Garret who played all right when given the ball but Sheets make our offence much more two - dimensional. The last two games have seen Darian thrown the ball 101 times. An effective run game not only brings that number down, it also gives the opposition a second element to look out for.
* That being said, why is Darian not using his legs. We all know he is a much better QB when on the move; he himself knows that. I am almost convinced they have told him not to run out of fear that he will get hurt. If you are playing with fear, or coaching for that matter with fear, you are not nearly as effective as you could and should be.
* Our secondary needs to be better in clutch moments. We all knew that Thomas Demarco was looking sidelines yesterday on 3rd and 10, but still the corner; not sure which one it was gave him a pile of space to make that catch and get out of bounds. That is on Richie Hall and the D. I get it that injuries and last minute scratches weren't on our side but that is simple Football 101.
* We will get better, and we will get over this. That is what I believe, and that is because I am a true fan. I despise the fickle who speak only during down times and even then couldn't find an ounce of positive in a pound of gold. Ask anyone, I am as loyal as they come.
* Montreal on Sunday afternoon; look out Alouettes as you are going to meet a composed, hungry football team.
* On to the NHL, and as much of an Oiler fan as I am, Vancouver's Zack Kassian should not be suspended for the stick incident which broke the jaw of Sam Gagner on Saturday night. That is as freak an incident as you will see. He had no intention of hitting Gagner; none. Dale Wiese on the other hand, he will get a few for the elbow he planted on the chin of Taylor Hall.
* John Scott is the laughing stock of the NHL today as the Sabres 6'8 hooligan went after mighty Phil Kessel last night. The Leafs will lose David Clarkson for the first ten games of the season as per league rules which is right. I found humour in the story reported this morning that Joffrey Lupul had to hold back Nazem Kadri from jumping the boards. I get team unity and sticking up for teammates but Kadri coming to the rescue of Kessel would be like trying to extinguish a fire with gasoline; good luck.
* I LOVE the fact that the Giants and Steelers are both 0 - 3.
* If they leave the horses to run, the Broncos may put up 60 on the Raiders tonight.
* The Jaguars are still terrible.
* Can't help but feel good for Marc Trestman as his Chicago Bears are now 3 - 0 and atop the NFC North. Also shines a positive light on the CFL.
* Congratulations to Weyburn's Graham Delaet on a great season which wrapped up yesterday at the Tour Championship. All told the young man won nearly $3 million, moved up to 32nd in World Rankings and opened a pile of doors for next year. The Majors, WGC events will all see the kid who grew up playing golf in Weyburn teeing it up with the world's best; something he has earned through hard work and determination.
* I am outta here.
All that aside, I have said this before and I will say it again; it sickens me to read/listen to supposed Rider fans jump down the throat of Darian Durant whenever adversity shows up in Riderville. Was Darian perfect yesterday? No. Did he turn the ball over a couple of times? Yes. Could he have been better? Yes. But most importantly, at least to me, did he put us in a position to win with less than a minute remaining? ABSOLUTELY. A 352 yard performance with a couple of scores is a not bad afternoon of football.
I am not in any way pinning this on Chris Milo, but he has had the unfortunate luck of hitting three up - rights in two weeks, including two yesterday. Make one of those, and we win. Go back a week, and if he misses the upright either way, we either win or take the game to OT. Adversity has appeared and it is time for this group to overcome it. Here are my general thoughts in no particular order, take them for what they're worth:
* Darian Durant is a good QB. While we couldn't move the ball at times yesterday, I see two explanations, neither of which are Darian himself. (1) George Cortez seems to be running a play book similar to the eight play book used by the Alexandrai Titans in the film "Remember the Titans". How many times have we seen Taj Smith run that crossing route? A lot have, including opposing coaches as it isn't working anymore. (2) We are a much different team with Kory Sheets in the line - up. Nothing against Chris Garret who played all right when given the ball but Sheets make our offence much more two - dimensional. The last two games have seen Darian thrown the ball 101 times. An effective run game not only brings that number down, it also gives the opposition a second element to look out for.
* That being said, why is Darian not using his legs. We all know he is a much better QB when on the move; he himself knows that. I am almost convinced they have told him not to run out of fear that he will get hurt. If you are playing with fear, or coaching for that matter with fear, you are not nearly as effective as you could and should be.
* Our secondary needs to be better in clutch moments. We all knew that Thomas Demarco was looking sidelines yesterday on 3rd and 10, but still the corner; not sure which one it was gave him a pile of space to make that catch and get out of bounds. That is on Richie Hall and the D. I get it that injuries and last minute scratches weren't on our side but that is simple Football 101.
* We will get better, and we will get over this. That is what I believe, and that is because I am a true fan. I despise the fickle who speak only during down times and even then couldn't find an ounce of positive in a pound of gold. Ask anyone, I am as loyal as they come.
* Montreal on Sunday afternoon; look out Alouettes as you are going to meet a composed, hungry football team.
* On to the NHL, and as much of an Oiler fan as I am, Vancouver's Zack Kassian should not be suspended for the stick incident which broke the jaw of Sam Gagner on Saturday night. That is as freak an incident as you will see. He had no intention of hitting Gagner; none. Dale Wiese on the other hand, he will get a few for the elbow he planted on the chin of Taylor Hall.
* John Scott is the laughing stock of the NHL today as the Sabres 6'8 hooligan went after mighty Phil Kessel last night. The Leafs will lose David Clarkson for the first ten games of the season as per league rules which is right. I found humour in the story reported this morning that Joffrey Lupul had to hold back Nazem Kadri from jumping the boards. I get team unity and sticking up for teammates but Kadri coming to the rescue of Kessel would be like trying to extinguish a fire with gasoline; good luck.
* I LOVE the fact that the Giants and Steelers are both 0 - 3.
* If they leave the horses to run, the Broncos may put up 60 on the Raiders tonight.
* The Jaguars are still terrible.
* Can't help but feel good for Marc Trestman as his Chicago Bears are now 3 - 0 and atop the NFC North. Also shines a positive light on the CFL.
* Congratulations to Weyburn's Graham Delaet on a great season which wrapped up yesterday at the Tour Championship. All told the young man won nearly $3 million, moved up to 32nd in World Rankings and opened a pile of doors for next year. The Majors, WGC events will all see the kid who grew up playing golf in Weyburn teeing it up with the world's best; something he has earned through hard work and determination.
* I am outta here.
Monday, September 16, 2013
General Football Commentary
The sky is not falling. Regardless of what many Roughrider fans might say, there is no need to panic in Riderville yet. Sure we lost on Saturday for the second week in a row, and the third time in our last six outings but still we hold our fate in our own hands. We are one game behind Calgary for first, and one ahead of BC for second. Three games with BC and one with Calgary will determine where we line up come play - off time.
In no particular order, here are my thoughts on Saturday's 31 - 29 loss to Toronto:
*Once again the offensive line struggled to give Darian time. Patrick Neufeld has not looked good in his two starts and we sure missed Ben Heenan on Saturday. We needed the two - point conversion to force OT and Darian had absolutely no time to make anything happen.
*George Cortez appears to be getting stagnant in his play calling.
*If/when Jock Sanders gets healthy and back into the line - up, we must find ways to utilize him the way he was used last year. Coming out of the backfield or lined up in the slot made Jock very dangerous.
*Our DB's were not good on Saturday. There were too many occasions where they were simply running to catch up to their man, having no clue as to where the ball was. This led to some penalties and big plays against. Carlos Thomas sticks out as having had an off game. What happened to the coverage being played in the early weeks of the season?
*Hopefully Eljiro Kuale, brought in recently can help be the run stopper we lost when Rey Williams went down. Jerious Norwood ran roughshot up the middle in the waning moments of Saturday night.
*Kierre Johnson has to make some catches on Saturday. He dropped some balls at inopportune times. Here's to hoping Weston Dressler will be back on Sunday.
*Given the week he had, I was not surprised at the body language of Taj Smith. He looked lost and generally uninterested.
*Too bad injuries cost Chris Milo a shot at Rider history. With Huculack and Dressler out, Peters and Schmitt made a mess of the snap and hold resulting in a missed FG which would have been 29 in a row and a record that has stood for a long time. It also cost us the game if you think more about it. If he makes it, the Getzlaf TD wins it. If he misses but avoids the upright, all we need is the single to tie.
*A lot of people are writing the Riders off; season is all for not, Durant's a bum, blah, blah, blah. I buy none of it. This team has as much talent as we have seen in a long time. They also have leadership which needs to come front and centre this week. With the likes of Simon, Durant, Labatte, etc. leading the charge this week and for the remainder of the season for that matter, I have no worries with the direction of the team. This is a bump in the road, not the dead end sign many have taken it for.
*Good teams find ways to overcome adversity; the Riders simply need to prove what we all know, they are indeed a good team.
And in regards to the NFL:
*Jacksonville is awful. They won't win a game all year.
*New England may have the record for the most unimpressive 2 - 0 start in NFL history.
*Peyton Manning and the Broncos are ridiculously good.
*If I am an NFC team, I am scared of the Seattle Seahawks, particularly on their home turf. What a beating they laid on the 49ers last night.
*The NFC East has proven to be a huge disappointment with a collective 2 - 6 record after Week Two.
In no particular order, here are my thoughts on Saturday's 31 - 29 loss to Toronto:
*Once again the offensive line struggled to give Darian time. Patrick Neufeld has not looked good in his two starts and we sure missed Ben Heenan on Saturday. We needed the two - point conversion to force OT and Darian had absolutely no time to make anything happen.
*George Cortez appears to be getting stagnant in his play calling.
*If/when Jock Sanders gets healthy and back into the line - up, we must find ways to utilize him the way he was used last year. Coming out of the backfield or lined up in the slot made Jock very dangerous.
*Our DB's were not good on Saturday. There were too many occasions where they were simply running to catch up to their man, having no clue as to where the ball was. This led to some penalties and big plays against. Carlos Thomas sticks out as having had an off game. What happened to the coverage being played in the early weeks of the season?
*Hopefully Eljiro Kuale, brought in recently can help be the run stopper we lost when Rey Williams went down. Jerious Norwood ran roughshot up the middle in the waning moments of Saturday night.
*Kierre Johnson has to make some catches on Saturday. He dropped some balls at inopportune times. Here's to hoping Weston Dressler will be back on Sunday.
*Given the week he had, I was not surprised at the body language of Taj Smith. He looked lost and generally uninterested.
*Too bad injuries cost Chris Milo a shot at Rider history. With Huculack and Dressler out, Peters and Schmitt made a mess of the snap and hold resulting in a missed FG which would have been 29 in a row and a record that has stood for a long time. It also cost us the game if you think more about it. If he makes it, the Getzlaf TD wins it. If he misses but avoids the upright, all we need is the single to tie.
*A lot of people are writing the Riders off; season is all for not, Durant's a bum, blah, blah, blah. I buy none of it. This team has as much talent as we have seen in a long time. They also have leadership which needs to come front and centre this week. With the likes of Simon, Durant, Labatte, etc. leading the charge this week and for the remainder of the season for that matter, I have no worries with the direction of the team. This is a bump in the road, not the dead end sign many have taken it for.
*Good teams find ways to overcome adversity; the Riders simply need to prove what we all know, they are indeed a good team.
And in regards to the NFL:
*Jacksonville is awful. They won't win a game all year.
*New England may have the record for the most unimpressive 2 - 0 start in NFL history.
*Peyton Manning and the Broncos are ridiculously good.
*If I am an NFC team, I am scared of the Seattle Seahawks, particularly on their home turf. What a beating they laid on the 49ers last night.
*The NFC East has proven to be a huge disappointment with a collective 2 - 6 record after Week Two.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Labour Day Thoughts
Nearly 45, 000 people packed into Mosaic Stadium on a beatiful afternoon for football on Sunday to watch the Riders and Bombers clash in what I believe was the 46th Annual Labour Day Classic. In the end the Riders came out with a rather convincing 48 - 25 victory. While the Bombers hung around in the first half and actually took a four point lead into the break, the Riders showed their mettle in the second half outscoring the Bombers 34 - 7. In fact the only Bombers score came on a busted play brought on by a poor snap. In no particular order, here are my thoughts from the weekend:
* Darian Durant was on full display Sunday utilizing his legs when required. We all know when DD is able to scramble he is simply a more effective QB. While he threw his first pick of the season (to be discussed later), he countered that with four scoring passes bringing his season total to 22.
* John Chick had what I saw as his best game of the season. There were times he was unblockable.
* I have complete confidence in Christopher Mile moving forward. He is 23 / 23 this year and had plenty of leg to spare in making a 48 yarder.
* Geroy Simon may not have had huge numbers but Sunday was the type of game we all hoped we would get from Geroy when the trade was made earlier this year. While he only had five grabs for 44 yards, three were for first downs and two were for scores.
* Say what you will about Dwight Anderson losing his cool on Sunday. Given what had transpired in the quarter and a half prior I can't say I wouldn't have had choice words for the official as well. Anderson plays with his heart on his sleeve and I can honestly say I love having him on this team. He brings in on every play and while he might talk a lot, he generally backs it up with his on field performance. Speaking of talking, did anyone else see Chad Simpson right in the face of the Riders prior to kick off. I had a chuckle then made sweeter by the Riders ability to keep Simpson almost competely in check.
* The Officials were BRUTAL. The only points the Bombers seemed to score in the first half came about on drives sustained by rubbish calls against the Riders. Dwight Anderson was called for PI simply because the reciever fell back - pedalling. Meanwhile, it what led to Darian Durant's first interception of the season, Weston Dressler was being mauled by one of the Muamba brothers well before the ball arrived. It is so hard to tell what is and is not pass interference anymore. It seems to vary from week to week. Let's add to that the fact that not only do the calls they make leave something to be desired they are not calling a lot of stuff that needs to be. At one point on Sunday, DD gets facemasked while scrambling in the backfield but no flag. On the QB dive by the Bombers late in the 1st half, one of the Bomber linemen came up swining but no flag is thrown. I would seriously hope that Tom Higgins and the CFL is doing something to improve the officiating; if not the quality, at least the consistency.
* The Riders have never been 8 - 1 in their history. Let's still be cautious that the last nine games will be sligthly more difficult as we have BC three times, Calgary one more time in Cowtown as well as an ever improving Eskimo squad twice. (More on them shortly as well).
* Regardless of the schedule we have had and have in front of us, this is a great Rider team that I love watching. Here's to hoping the wonder of the first half of the season carries through to Nov. 24th.
* And things just got a little crazy in Edmonton. One day after nearly pulling off a tremendous comeback against the rival Stamps, Eskimo GM Ed Hervey went OFF. He basically shamed his football team and its coaching staff while singling out Linemen Simeon Rottier saying that he hopes the team never sees him play another down this season. Really Ed Hervey, you want to point the finger. Sure Eric Tillman made some questionable moves but who is responsible for the team on the field now? You! This is no way to motivate a team that is so close to getting a win. Mike Reilly is as tough as nails and this team is getting better each week. Sure they played like hell for three quarters yesterday but I thought showed a lot of composure and maturity by never giving up and fighting right until the final horn. Personally I would think you acknowledge the tremendous finish from yesterday and use that to build on heading into next week's rematch. Blasting the team publicly like that can only cause more problems short and long term. The only coach he seemed to still care for was Kavis Reed who I personally think is part of the problem there. A team that came out the way they did yesterday was clearly lacking motivation and a lot of that needs to fall on the coaches shoulders. In closing, I am very glad to not be an Eskimos fan at this point in time.
* Graham Delaet, you are a beauty. I love the beard, I love his game and I think his results are a true testament to working hard to get to where you want to be. Well done! Can you imagine if he wins the Fed Ex Cup? Weyburn might never be the same.
* Darian Durant was on full display Sunday utilizing his legs when required. We all know when DD is able to scramble he is simply a more effective QB. While he threw his first pick of the season (to be discussed later), he countered that with four scoring passes bringing his season total to 22.
* John Chick had what I saw as his best game of the season. There were times he was unblockable.
* I have complete confidence in Christopher Mile moving forward. He is 23 / 23 this year and had plenty of leg to spare in making a 48 yarder.
* Geroy Simon may not have had huge numbers but Sunday was the type of game we all hoped we would get from Geroy when the trade was made earlier this year. While he only had five grabs for 44 yards, three were for first downs and two were for scores.
* Say what you will about Dwight Anderson losing his cool on Sunday. Given what had transpired in the quarter and a half prior I can't say I wouldn't have had choice words for the official as well. Anderson plays with his heart on his sleeve and I can honestly say I love having him on this team. He brings in on every play and while he might talk a lot, he generally backs it up with his on field performance. Speaking of talking, did anyone else see Chad Simpson right in the face of the Riders prior to kick off. I had a chuckle then made sweeter by the Riders ability to keep Simpson almost competely in check.
* The Officials were BRUTAL. The only points the Bombers seemed to score in the first half came about on drives sustained by rubbish calls against the Riders. Dwight Anderson was called for PI simply because the reciever fell back - pedalling. Meanwhile, it what led to Darian Durant's first interception of the season, Weston Dressler was being mauled by one of the Muamba brothers well before the ball arrived. It is so hard to tell what is and is not pass interference anymore. It seems to vary from week to week. Let's add to that the fact that not only do the calls they make leave something to be desired they are not calling a lot of stuff that needs to be. At one point on Sunday, DD gets facemasked while scrambling in the backfield but no flag. On the QB dive by the Bombers late in the 1st half, one of the Bomber linemen came up swining but no flag is thrown. I would seriously hope that Tom Higgins and the CFL is doing something to improve the officiating; if not the quality, at least the consistency.
* The Riders have never been 8 - 1 in their history. Let's still be cautious that the last nine games will be sligthly more difficult as we have BC three times, Calgary one more time in Cowtown as well as an ever improving Eskimo squad twice. (More on them shortly as well).
* Regardless of the schedule we have had and have in front of us, this is a great Rider team that I love watching. Here's to hoping the wonder of the first half of the season carries through to Nov. 24th.
* And things just got a little crazy in Edmonton. One day after nearly pulling off a tremendous comeback against the rival Stamps, Eskimo GM Ed Hervey went OFF. He basically shamed his football team and its coaching staff while singling out Linemen Simeon Rottier saying that he hopes the team never sees him play another down this season. Really Ed Hervey, you want to point the finger. Sure Eric Tillman made some questionable moves but who is responsible for the team on the field now? You! This is no way to motivate a team that is so close to getting a win. Mike Reilly is as tough as nails and this team is getting better each week. Sure they played like hell for three quarters yesterday but I thought showed a lot of composure and maturity by never giving up and fighting right until the final horn. Personally I would think you acknowledge the tremendous finish from yesterday and use that to build on heading into next week's rematch. Blasting the team publicly like that can only cause more problems short and long term. The only coach he seemed to still care for was Kavis Reed who I personally think is part of the problem there. A team that came out the way they did yesterday was clearly lacking motivation and a lot of that needs to fall on the coaches shoulders. In closing, I am very glad to not be an Eskimos fan at this point in time.
* Graham Delaet, you are a beauty. I love the beard, I love his game and I think his results are a true testament to working hard to get to where you want to be. Well done! Can you imagine if he wins the Fed Ex Cup? Weyburn might never be the same.
Monday, August 26, 2013
As August Draws to a Close....
As the heat of August continues, the days left in my summer vacation are now down to one. While the summer was great for spending time with family and friends fishing, golfing and watching the Riders, it did nothing for the blog. In saying that, since I am back in 'the office' today I think it's time to provide my insights into the summer that was, and the fall that is in front of us.
First off, today is August 26th. The Winter Olympics kick off in Sochi in approximately six months time. This morning, in a rink in Calgary, a group of men hoping to represent Canada in Men's hockey are playing ball hockey, and from what I read on twitter are practicing line changes amongst other things. Are you kidding me? Look, I love hockey as much as the next and nothing gives me more national pride than watching our hockey teams perform at a high level in international competitions, but really, ball hockey in August? In all reality, these next three days are in my opinion, a colossal waste of both time and effort. Why? There are probably ten players who have already made the team. Guys like Crosby, Stamkos and Doughty are already on the team, don't kid yourself. In saying that, do you honestly think that Bob Nicholson, Kevin Lowe and others on the managment team are going to look back at how well Player A performed playing road hockey in Calgary in August to determine whether or not he goes to Russia or stays home? Not a chance, it will be all based on what they have done in the first few months of the NHL season. I don't usually poke fun at Hockey Canada but this is laughable. TSN has their entire hockey crew there reporting on every bounce of the ball which just adds to the comedic value of this event.
The NFL season is only two weeks away. Not going to say much other than I am excited.
For a stretch in June and July the Toronto Blue Jays gave us reasons to be optimistic. They won eleven in a row and were crawling back into contention. It look like the dogs days of summer were going to provide us with meaningful baseball games to watch. That evaporated quickly. While, injuries have to be taken into account, this group has set the bar in terms of underachievement. As such, the absolute first thing that Alex Anthopoulos needs to do at the end of the season is terminate the contract of John Gibbons. He was fired for a reason three years ago, and his hiring in the off - season raised a lot of eyebrows. The concerns of Blue Jays fans at the time have proven to be warranted over and over.
Graham Delaet has gone from making a name for himself on the PGA to officially having made a name. With yesterday's T2 finish at the Barclay's a bunch of firsts have arisen for the Weyburn product. He cracked the top 50 in the Offical World Rankings as he jumped to #48. He eclipsed the $2 million dollar mark in earnings this season, not to mention jumping him up to #7 in the FedEx Cup stadings which gives him a very legitimate, if not almost, guaranteed spot in the Tour Championship. As if that wasn't enough, he has also jumped into the Top 10 in President's Cup standings which means there is a very strong likelihood that he will be part of Nick Faldo's International squad in Ohio in early October. And to think, he hasn't even won an event yet. While we all talk about how he is close to his first victory, I think we now need to think of how many times will he win once he get's over that proverbial hump.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are somewhere they have not been since 1970. They are 7 - 1 and alone atop the CFL standings. With back to back games against the greatest circus show in Canada presently, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers a 9 - 1 record in two weeks is very much a possibility. Here are my random observations about their season thus far:
* Kory Sheets is a monster. He set a goal of 2,000 yards along the ground this year. He is more than half way home with 10 games to go.
* Darian Durant is having his finest season as a Rider. To date he has thrown 17 TD's without an interception. Sure, he may have had a poor showing at home against Montreal but he was a warrior to the end and made the play he needed to make to give us an opportunity to win. While many in this province have a serious 'hate on' for DD, if you are a true football fan, you can appreciate his abilities. Be thankful he is on our team as there aren't anymore I would rather have running my team at this point in time.
* Dwight Anderson may be obnoxious but he makes plays when they need to be made.
* So much for that concern with the kicking game. Chris Milo is the only kicker in the leaague to make every kick this season. The stats would tell you that Calagary's Rene Paredes is also perfect but he has had a kick blocked and if not for ridiculous CFL rules, that perfection would be erased.
* The officiating throughout the CFL is at times horrific. There is absolutely no consistency from one week to the next. What is pass interference this week may not be next week and I don't think anybody, officials included, truly know what roughing the passer entails. What is called one week won't be the next. As a fan, all I can ask for is consistentcy. If the officiating is going to be poor, be poor every week. How some of these guys can even accept a pay cheque is beyonhd me.
* I could go on and on with who has impressed me from the green and white all day but at some point I have to get some work done.
Later,
HM
First off, today is August 26th. The Winter Olympics kick off in Sochi in approximately six months time. This morning, in a rink in Calgary, a group of men hoping to represent Canada in Men's hockey are playing ball hockey, and from what I read on twitter are practicing line changes amongst other things. Are you kidding me? Look, I love hockey as much as the next and nothing gives me more national pride than watching our hockey teams perform at a high level in international competitions, but really, ball hockey in August? In all reality, these next three days are in my opinion, a colossal waste of both time and effort. Why? There are probably ten players who have already made the team. Guys like Crosby, Stamkos and Doughty are already on the team, don't kid yourself. In saying that, do you honestly think that Bob Nicholson, Kevin Lowe and others on the managment team are going to look back at how well Player A performed playing road hockey in Calgary in August to determine whether or not he goes to Russia or stays home? Not a chance, it will be all based on what they have done in the first few months of the NHL season. I don't usually poke fun at Hockey Canada but this is laughable. TSN has their entire hockey crew there reporting on every bounce of the ball which just adds to the comedic value of this event.
The NFL season is only two weeks away. Not going to say much other than I am excited.
For a stretch in June and July the Toronto Blue Jays gave us reasons to be optimistic. They won eleven in a row and were crawling back into contention. It look like the dogs days of summer were going to provide us with meaningful baseball games to watch. That evaporated quickly. While, injuries have to be taken into account, this group has set the bar in terms of underachievement. As such, the absolute first thing that Alex Anthopoulos needs to do at the end of the season is terminate the contract of John Gibbons. He was fired for a reason three years ago, and his hiring in the off - season raised a lot of eyebrows. The concerns of Blue Jays fans at the time have proven to be warranted over and over.
Graham Delaet has gone from making a name for himself on the PGA to officially having made a name. With yesterday's T2 finish at the Barclay's a bunch of firsts have arisen for the Weyburn product. He cracked the top 50 in the Offical World Rankings as he jumped to #48. He eclipsed the $2 million dollar mark in earnings this season, not to mention jumping him up to #7 in the FedEx Cup stadings which gives him a very legitimate, if not almost, guaranteed spot in the Tour Championship. As if that wasn't enough, he has also jumped into the Top 10 in President's Cup standings which means there is a very strong likelihood that he will be part of Nick Faldo's International squad in Ohio in early October. And to think, he hasn't even won an event yet. While we all talk about how he is close to his first victory, I think we now need to think of how many times will he win once he get's over that proverbial hump.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are somewhere they have not been since 1970. They are 7 - 1 and alone atop the CFL standings. With back to back games against the greatest circus show in Canada presently, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers a 9 - 1 record in two weeks is very much a possibility. Here are my random observations about their season thus far:
* Kory Sheets is a monster. He set a goal of 2,000 yards along the ground this year. He is more than half way home with 10 games to go.
* Darian Durant is having his finest season as a Rider. To date he has thrown 17 TD's without an interception. Sure, he may have had a poor showing at home against Montreal but he was a warrior to the end and made the play he needed to make to give us an opportunity to win. While many in this province have a serious 'hate on' for DD, if you are a true football fan, you can appreciate his abilities. Be thankful he is on our team as there aren't anymore I would rather have running my team at this point in time.
* Dwight Anderson may be obnoxious but he makes plays when they need to be made.
* So much for that concern with the kicking game. Chris Milo is the only kicker in the leaague to make every kick this season. The stats would tell you that Calagary's Rene Paredes is also perfect but he has had a kick blocked and if not for ridiculous CFL rules, that perfection would be erased.
* The officiating throughout the CFL is at times horrific. There is absolutely no consistency from one week to the next. What is pass interference this week may not be next week and I don't think anybody, officials included, truly know what roughing the passer entails. What is called one week won't be the next. As a fan, all I can ask for is consistentcy. If the officiating is going to be poor, be poor every week. How some of these guys can even accept a pay cheque is beyonhd me.
* I could go on and on with who has impressed me from the green and white all day but at some point I have to get some work done.
Later,
HM
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Week One Analysis / Previewing Friday Night
The 2013 CFL season started exactly as Ridernation hoped it would. Saturday afternoon's 39 - 18 drubbing of the Eskimos in Edmonton got the Riders off on the right foot. The end result was truly flattering to the Eskimos as they trailed 36 - 1 miidway through the third quarter before the Riders called off the dogs. In many ways the season opener gave us plenty of reasons for optimism along with the usual issues that people want to over analyze which I will also bring up.
First up, the bright spots:
* Darian Durant looked calm and poised in the pocket. He made some things happen with his legs and he made ZERO mistakes. Three TD scores without an INT. Great start to the season for Darian in that it should shut a lot of Durant haters up for the meantime. I, along with many others also know DD is capable of more which is promising as a Rider fan and scary for future opposition. I look forward to unveiling my spanky new Durant #4 jersey on Friday night.
* Kory Sheets is a beast. Sheets is part of the reason why the passing game was less active as he got it done on the ground for most of the afternoon. I know Sheets would like to eclipse 2000 yards on the ground this season which is something that is not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
* Chris Getzlaf looked like an entirely different reciever. He caught everything thrown his way and was able to gain additional yardage after the catch, or the YAC yards as they are commonly referred to. I think Getzlaf is the one who will truly benefit this season from the presence of Dressler and Simon (when healthy) along with the emergence of Smith and Sheets. He could have a real good year.
* Mitchell Blair, AKA Scruffy called for Keith Shologan to have a big year and so far, he is absolutely correct. Two big sacks for #74 up the middle along with eating a lot of eating up space and minimizing the effectiveness of Hugh Charles.
* Macho Harris and the secondary played great. I haven't seen a Rider secondary cover like that in years. There was nothing being given and they were all over the ball. I was in conversations with Mrs. Morin yesterday about potentially purchasing a #3 Harris jersey. That is how much he impressed me on Saturday.
* Ben Heenan was under the gun all week. He had been moved outside with the injury to Neufeld and hadn't looked particularly good against Calgary in the pre - season finale. I thought Heenan played very well on Saturday as did the entire line who gave DD lots of time in the pocket.
* I could go on and on which about the players who played well. I won't but I could and this is refreshing because it shows just how complete a game the Riders played on Saturday.
* One more, Diamond Ferri is one tough SOB. He got nailed by Matt O'Donnell but got up and walked off. He has so much left in the tank from what I see. He is a true asset to the Riders.
Now, the issues people need to leave alone...
* Yes, Dwight Anderson had a melt down. Yes, Dwight Anderson has a history. Yes, many of you never wanted him in the first place. How much did Fred Stamps do on Satruday afternoon? Next to nothing. Who covered him for most of the game? Yes, that's right Dwight Anderson. Look, Anderson is not going to cost us thirty yards every week, and he is one hell of a cover guy to have. I will take a little Tom Foolery with that type of play every week. I look for him to be a real thorn in the big ass of Nik Lewis this week. If he can shut down Nik Lewis, I can completely forget his moment of weakness which meant little to nothing in a game that was in the bag.
* Geroy Simon was ruled out for Friday night this afternoon by Coach Chamblin following practice. People are going to bitch and people are going to call for his release and bemoan the release of Greg Carr. Look, Geroy is 37 years old. I would much rather we get Geroy back at 100% than have him rush back at 80% only to see him make it worse. Those that are calling for his release need to sit back and think; this is the greatest reciever the CFL has ever seen. If we get 75% of a season out of him, and 60% of his season averages he is still bringing a lot to the table, not to mention what else had does aside from simply stats. He is a true leader on and off the field. Geroy, I doubt you read this but if you do, don't listen to the no - mind's who think they know everything. Take your time and get healthy. Ridernation is ready for the arrival of Superman whenever Superman is ready to go.
* Greg Carr got cut yesterday. People on Rod Pederson's blog had a running debate as to whether it was a salary thing, a Geroy thing or what was the reasoning. Here it is; Greg Carr isn't that good. The guy is 6'6 but is afraid to get hit. He won't go over the middle to make a catch and his hands are just slightly better than average. He had chances to become a household name and never got there. I also had high hopes following last year's Western Semi but he just didn't fit into the plans this year.
And then there was Friday. In approximatley 52.5 hours I will be right back in my favorite place in the world, Section 24, Row 23, Seat 19 for the Rider's home opener. As of today, 34, 000 tickets had been sold for the game and there is a realistic chance the old girl could house 40, 000 for Friday night. That is going to be one electric atmosphere.
Friday should be a real good litnus test for the Riders and also one that does a little more to clear up the debate as to how things might shape up in the west. Calgary looked pretty good against BC on Friday night and many have them ahead of the Riders at the end of the season. I am not one of those people but still think BC is the team to beat. That being said, Friday could give us a real indication as to whether both or one of these two teams are as good as they looked in their season openers.
As mentioned earlier you can expect Nik Lewis to get a face full of Dwight Anderson all night. Those two will beak and battle all night long and if Anderson can do half the job he did on Fred Stamps last week, we are in great shape. At the same time, if our front seven, stronger this week than last with the return of Tearrius George can keep Jon Cornish and his gigantic ego in check, things will be even better. I can not wait for Friday; is there any better way to start the seasn than a smacketh of the Eskimos followed by a beat down of the Stamps? Hang on to your hats, crack open the Pil and get ready for some good old fashioned Rider football. WOOOOEEEEE!
And in other, unrelated to the CFL News:
* Apparently Aaron Hernandez has been a despicable loser for quite some time.
* Yasiel Puig is a decent baseball player
* I shot 61 on nine holes last week. Fortunatley I didn't have any rope laying around the garage when I got home.
* I also suck at fishing; two trips up north on consecutive days resulted in the filleting of exactly ONE fish. Maybe I need to revoke my 'we eat only what daddy catches this summer' rule. Kruze could stand to lose a few but Kylie already struggles to keep straight in a slight prarie breeze.
* NHL Free Agency has open. Teams can talk to UFA's but not sign until Friday. While there are no real marquee names on the market this year, that doesn't mean stupid amounts of money won't be agreed to on Friday. If you had more than eight goals and twenty points last season, daddy will surely be getting more than a new pair of shoes.
* The Philadelphia Flyers are really an interesting group aren't they. They just saved a bunch of money buying our Danny Briere and Ilya Bryzgalov only to turn around and give Vinny Lecavalier $22.5 million. To me that's a stretch for Lecavalier who hasn't been at his best since the Lightning's Stanely Cup run of 2005. I think I would rather give that kind of money to Vinny Damphousse.
* That move could help the Oilers however as needed to clear cap space could mean the Flyers may be more willing ot discuss a potential deal for Brayden Coburn which the Oilers have made no secrets regarding their desire to acquire him.
* Speaking of the Oilers, what a refreshing move they made on Sunday, taking Darnell Nurse at #7. That is exactly the type of player this club needed and if he molds into the form many expect him to, he could become a staple on the Oil blue line for years to come. And if nothing else, perhaps his Uncle, Donovan McNabb could move to Edmonton in search of work. I know a football team not far from Rexall Place with with a bit of a stench to them.
And with that I have said about all I have to say, or can think of to say. It's hot out there, avoid milk.
First up, the bright spots:
* Darian Durant looked calm and poised in the pocket. He made some things happen with his legs and he made ZERO mistakes. Three TD scores without an INT. Great start to the season for Darian in that it should shut a lot of Durant haters up for the meantime. I, along with many others also know DD is capable of more which is promising as a Rider fan and scary for future opposition. I look forward to unveiling my spanky new Durant #4 jersey on Friday night.
* Kory Sheets is a beast. Sheets is part of the reason why the passing game was less active as he got it done on the ground for most of the afternoon. I know Sheets would like to eclipse 2000 yards on the ground this season which is something that is not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
* Chris Getzlaf looked like an entirely different reciever. He caught everything thrown his way and was able to gain additional yardage after the catch, or the YAC yards as they are commonly referred to. I think Getzlaf is the one who will truly benefit this season from the presence of Dressler and Simon (when healthy) along with the emergence of Smith and Sheets. He could have a real good year.
* Mitchell Blair, AKA Scruffy called for Keith Shologan to have a big year and so far, he is absolutely correct. Two big sacks for #74 up the middle along with eating a lot of eating up space and minimizing the effectiveness of Hugh Charles.
* Macho Harris and the secondary played great. I haven't seen a Rider secondary cover like that in years. There was nothing being given and they were all over the ball. I was in conversations with Mrs. Morin yesterday about potentially purchasing a #3 Harris jersey. That is how much he impressed me on Saturday.
* Ben Heenan was under the gun all week. He had been moved outside with the injury to Neufeld and hadn't looked particularly good against Calgary in the pre - season finale. I thought Heenan played very well on Saturday as did the entire line who gave DD lots of time in the pocket.
* I could go on and on which about the players who played well. I won't but I could and this is refreshing because it shows just how complete a game the Riders played on Saturday.
* One more, Diamond Ferri is one tough SOB. He got nailed by Matt O'Donnell but got up and walked off. He has so much left in the tank from what I see. He is a true asset to the Riders.
Now, the issues people need to leave alone...
* Yes, Dwight Anderson had a melt down. Yes, Dwight Anderson has a history. Yes, many of you never wanted him in the first place. How much did Fred Stamps do on Satruday afternoon? Next to nothing. Who covered him for most of the game? Yes, that's right Dwight Anderson. Look, Anderson is not going to cost us thirty yards every week, and he is one hell of a cover guy to have. I will take a little Tom Foolery with that type of play every week. I look for him to be a real thorn in the big ass of Nik Lewis this week. If he can shut down Nik Lewis, I can completely forget his moment of weakness which meant little to nothing in a game that was in the bag.
* Geroy Simon was ruled out for Friday night this afternoon by Coach Chamblin following practice. People are going to bitch and people are going to call for his release and bemoan the release of Greg Carr. Look, Geroy is 37 years old. I would much rather we get Geroy back at 100% than have him rush back at 80% only to see him make it worse. Those that are calling for his release need to sit back and think; this is the greatest reciever the CFL has ever seen. If we get 75% of a season out of him, and 60% of his season averages he is still bringing a lot to the table, not to mention what else had does aside from simply stats. He is a true leader on and off the field. Geroy, I doubt you read this but if you do, don't listen to the no - mind's who think they know everything. Take your time and get healthy. Ridernation is ready for the arrival of Superman whenever Superman is ready to go.
* Greg Carr got cut yesterday. People on Rod Pederson's blog had a running debate as to whether it was a salary thing, a Geroy thing or what was the reasoning. Here it is; Greg Carr isn't that good. The guy is 6'6 but is afraid to get hit. He won't go over the middle to make a catch and his hands are just slightly better than average. He had chances to become a household name and never got there. I also had high hopes following last year's Western Semi but he just didn't fit into the plans this year.
And then there was Friday. In approximatley 52.5 hours I will be right back in my favorite place in the world, Section 24, Row 23, Seat 19 for the Rider's home opener. As of today, 34, 000 tickets had been sold for the game and there is a realistic chance the old girl could house 40, 000 for Friday night. That is going to be one electric atmosphere.
Friday should be a real good litnus test for the Riders and also one that does a little more to clear up the debate as to how things might shape up in the west. Calgary looked pretty good against BC on Friday night and many have them ahead of the Riders at the end of the season. I am not one of those people but still think BC is the team to beat. That being said, Friday could give us a real indication as to whether both or one of these two teams are as good as they looked in their season openers.
As mentioned earlier you can expect Nik Lewis to get a face full of Dwight Anderson all night. Those two will beak and battle all night long and if Anderson can do half the job he did on Fred Stamps last week, we are in great shape. At the same time, if our front seven, stronger this week than last with the return of Tearrius George can keep Jon Cornish and his gigantic ego in check, things will be even better. I can not wait for Friday; is there any better way to start the seasn than a smacketh of the Eskimos followed by a beat down of the Stamps? Hang on to your hats, crack open the Pil and get ready for some good old fashioned Rider football. WOOOOEEEEE!
And in other, unrelated to the CFL News:
* Apparently Aaron Hernandez has been a despicable loser for quite some time.
* Yasiel Puig is a decent baseball player
* I shot 61 on nine holes last week. Fortunatley I didn't have any rope laying around the garage when I got home.
* I also suck at fishing; two trips up north on consecutive days resulted in the filleting of exactly ONE fish. Maybe I need to revoke my 'we eat only what daddy catches this summer' rule. Kruze could stand to lose a few but Kylie already struggles to keep straight in a slight prarie breeze.
* NHL Free Agency has open. Teams can talk to UFA's but not sign until Friday. While there are no real marquee names on the market this year, that doesn't mean stupid amounts of money won't be agreed to on Friday. If you had more than eight goals and twenty points last season, daddy will surely be getting more than a new pair of shoes.
* The Philadelphia Flyers are really an interesting group aren't they. They just saved a bunch of money buying our Danny Briere and Ilya Bryzgalov only to turn around and give Vinny Lecavalier $22.5 million. To me that's a stretch for Lecavalier who hasn't been at his best since the Lightning's Stanely Cup run of 2005. I think I would rather give that kind of money to Vinny Damphousse.
* That move could help the Oilers however as needed to clear cap space could mean the Flyers may be more willing ot discuss a potential deal for Brayden Coburn which the Oilers have made no secrets regarding their desire to acquire him.
* Speaking of the Oilers, what a refreshing move they made on Sunday, taking Darnell Nurse at #7. That is exactly the type of player this club needed and if he molds into the form many expect him to, he could become a staple on the Oil blue line for years to come. And if nothing else, perhaps his Uncle, Donovan McNabb could move to Edmonton in search of work. I know a football team not far from Rexall Place with with a bit of a stench to them.
And with that I have said about all I have to say, or can think of to say. It's hot out there, avoid milk.
Friday, June 28, 2013
It's FINALLY here...
After months of what seemed like the longest, coldest winter ever, the CFL lifted the curtain on their 101st season last night. Before I get to my rant and predictions, here are some general sports thoughts from the last few days.
* Aaron Hernandez had forty MILLION reasons not to be an idiot. It is these guys, of which there are very few who give sports a bad reputation.
* While I agree with the compliance buyout NHL teams are able to exercise twice annually, it really proves one thing. Long term contracts are ridiculous and completely unnecessary. Like really Tampa Bay, was it a good idea to sign Vinny Lecavalier to his ridiculous contract? Obviously not but it will still cost you $32 million over the next fourteen years. To make this even more aggravating is he will be receiving this money from the Lightning all the while being paid what will likey be a pretty good salary to play for another team.
* It is also contracts like that which is the sole reason why Roberto Luongo is still a Vancouver Canuck
* The Colorade Avalanche have gone on record as saying they will NOT pick Portland Winterhawk Seth Jones with the first pick in the NHL draft on Sunday in Newark. Having watched the 'big three' if you will at the Memorial Cup last month, Nathan McKinnon has to be the pick. Florida will not pass up on the big guy though as they have a need on the back end. In my books that leaves Jonathon Drouin with a ticket to Tampa.
* My surprise pick won't be a huge surprise but Max Domi will go higher than many think. I can see him being a top ten pick.
* The Edmonton Oilers pick at #7 and I can only hope they do the right thing and take the absolute best defenceman on the board at the time. The big kid out of London, Nikita Zadorov looked pretty good at the Memorial Cup. Other players like Darnell Nurse, Ryan Pulock and the Finn Rasmus Ristolainen could come into play. Kevin Lowe can think it is never a bad thing to have too many forwards but look down the bench, you don't need skilled forwards you need grit and you don't address grit in the top ten of an NHL Draft. The pick of a skilled forward at this spot would be in my mind, awful. That is unless moves are made this year to address the team's real needs which are not skilled forwards.
* Apparenlty Dave Nonis is willing to trade pretty much any player the Leaf's have. I find this somewhat confusing as I thought the Leafs had proven they were a team on the rise. Why play around with what has the potential to be a pretty good hand?
* John Tortorella being hired in Vancouver is an absolutely stupid move by GM Mike Gillis and one I firmly believe will lead to his dismissal. Tortorella may be the 'cool' pick but he is not a good coach. His tactics are awful as you can't use public humiliation as a motivating tool. Secondly, look at what he had on that team last year in New York and they were terrible underachievers. Sure he won a ring in 2005 but that was eight years ago. How do you think the Sedin sisters will relate to his tactics? I thought the Canucks were really interested in Dallas Eakins who ended up in Edmonton. Funny thing is Edmonton still had a coach when Gillis should have been wining and dining Eakins. At the end of the day, I really could care less as I despise the Vancouver Canucks with every morsel of my being. This just makes hating them easier.
* History in the NBA Draft last night as a Canadian, Anthony Bennet was taken first overall. I don't talk basketball much, however, every mock draft I read was nowhere close. Nothing I read had Bennett in the top thre let alone at the top. That being said with fellow Canuck Kelly Olynyk taken 12th and Andrew Wiggins the apparent top pick in next year's draft, Canada Basketball is shaping up nicely.
And then there was the CFL...
* The Winnipeg Blue Bombers kicked off the season by hosting the Montreal Alouettes the brand new $200 million Investor's Group Field. In a game that I thought would be a blow out, the Bombers actually had a real chance to win the game well into the fourth quarter. Let's be realistic here, a lot of factors were working in favor of the Bombers, who in my opinion are hands down the worst team in the league. They had the home crowd in their favor which was a full house due to the new field and it's easy to get jacked up for the opener. Mitchell Blair had a 4.5 over under on his blog this morning as to how many games the Bombers win this season. I am strongly saying UNDER.
* The Riders kick it off for real tomorrow afternoon in Edmonton. For me I am full of optimisim. The defence, our achilles at times last year is greatly improved and could be something special. For all thos naysayers about the age of some of our acquisitions on that side of the ball, age is a number and nothing more.
* Anyone and everyone calling for Geroy Simon to be cut or released because he is nicked up and won't play tomorrow, kindly take your head out of your ass. This is football people, injuries are going to happen. Sure he was brought in amidst a lot of fan fare, some negative but at the end of the day it is one game in an eighteen game grind. Would you rather he play, only to worsen the situation and miss half the season. Those fans are embarrassing to listen to and at times I am ashamed we cheer for the same team. Those aren't fans, they are morons living in their parents basement who have no perception of anything outside of their Game Cube.
* And now my fearless CFL predictions. Last time I tried this I didn't do so well so...... I will also avoid the long winded analysis of why each team will finish where.
EAST
1. Toronto -- Build off of last year. Chad Owens is scary. Defence is pretty good.
2. Hamilton -- Can score points but don't see a whole lot of improvement on the defensive side of the ball.
3. Montreal -- Can still play but they are getting old on both sides.
4. Winnipeg -- May be better to play in the PFC this season. Buck Pierce can't stay healthy all year and he is the achilles heel of that team.
WEST
1. B.C. -- Best QB with the best all around team.
2. Saskatchewan -- Improvements made in all required areas from last season. When on, DD is as good as anybody in the league and we have the best recieving corps.
3. Calgary -- Just don't like them.
4. Edmonton -- A good team who may make the play - offs with the cross over but the weakest of the four in the west.
Let's remember one thing before tomorrow's home opener. I want to win as badly as you do. That being said, if we lose, let's not call for Durant to be traded, Taman fired, Jim Hopson removed as President and extradited to Manitoba, et al. It get's really depressing and at times aggravating to listen to some fans. There are eighteen games. We have a solid management group in place. We have good coaches, a group that includes a tremendous Head Coach with a lot of passion who will not settle for anything but the best from the 46 players on the field. Here's to a great summer of Rider football and hoping we can freeze our nads off watching them on November 24th.
* Aaron Hernandez had forty MILLION reasons not to be an idiot. It is these guys, of which there are very few who give sports a bad reputation.
* While I agree with the compliance buyout NHL teams are able to exercise twice annually, it really proves one thing. Long term contracts are ridiculous and completely unnecessary. Like really Tampa Bay, was it a good idea to sign Vinny Lecavalier to his ridiculous contract? Obviously not but it will still cost you $32 million over the next fourteen years. To make this even more aggravating is he will be receiving this money from the Lightning all the while being paid what will likey be a pretty good salary to play for another team.
* It is also contracts like that which is the sole reason why Roberto Luongo is still a Vancouver Canuck
* The Colorade Avalanche have gone on record as saying they will NOT pick Portland Winterhawk Seth Jones with the first pick in the NHL draft on Sunday in Newark. Having watched the 'big three' if you will at the Memorial Cup last month, Nathan McKinnon has to be the pick. Florida will not pass up on the big guy though as they have a need on the back end. In my books that leaves Jonathon Drouin with a ticket to Tampa.
* My surprise pick won't be a huge surprise but Max Domi will go higher than many think. I can see him being a top ten pick.
* The Edmonton Oilers pick at #7 and I can only hope they do the right thing and take the absolute best defenceman on the board at the time. The big kid out of London, Nikita Zadorov looked pretty good at the Memorial Cup. Other players like Darnell Nurse, Ryan Pulock and the Finn Rasmus Ristolainen could come into play. Kevin Lowe can think it is never a bad thing to have too many forwards but look down the bench, you don't need skilled forwards you need grit and you don't address grit in the top ten of an NHL Draft. The pick of a skilled forward at this spot would be in my mind, awful. That is unless moves are made this year to address the team's real needs which are not skilled forwards.
* Apparenlty Dave Nonis is willing to trade pretty much any player the Leaf's have. I find this somewhat confusing as I thought the Leafs had proven they were a team on the rise. Why play around with what has the potential to be a pretty good hand?
* John Tortorella being hired in Vancouver is an absolutely stupid move by GM Mike Gillis and one I firmly believe will lead to his dismissal. Tortorella may be the 'cool' pick but he is not a good coach. His tactics are awful as you can't use public humiliation as a motivating tool. Secondly, look at what he had on that team last year in New York and they were terrible underachievers. Sure he won a ring in 2005 but that was eight years ago. How do you think the Sedin sisters will relate to his tactics? I thought the Canucks were really interested in Dallas Eakins who ended up in Edmonton. Funny thing is Edmonton still had a coach when Gillis should have been wining and dining Eakins. At the end of the day, I really could care less as I despise the Vancouver Canucks with every morsel of my being. This just makes hating them easier.
* History in the NBA Draft last night as a Canadian, Anthony Bennet was taken first overall. I don't talk basketball much, however, every mock draft I read was nowhere close. Nothing I read had Bennett in the top thre let alone at the top. That being said with fellow Canuck Kelly Olynyk taken 12th and Andrew Wiggins the apparent top pick in next year's draft, Canada Basketball is shaping up nicely.
And then there was the CFL...
* The Winnipeg Blue Bombers kicked off the season by hosting the Montreal Alouettes the brand new $200 million Investor's Group Field. In a game that I thought would be a blow out, the Bombers actually had a real chance to win the game well into the fourth quarter. Let's be realistic here, a lot of factors were working in favor of the Bombers, who in my opinion are hands down the worst team in the league. They had the home crowd in their favor which was a full house due to the new field and it's easy to get jacked up for the opener. Mitchell Blair had a 4.5 over under on his blog this morning as to how many games the Bombers win this season. I am strongly saying UNDER.
* The Riders kick it off for real tomorrow afternoon in Edmonton. For me I am full of optimisim. The defence, our achilles at times last year is greatly improved and could be something special. For all thos naysayers about the age of some of our acquisitions on that side of the ball, age is a number and nothing more.
* Anyone and everyone calling for Geroy Simon to be cut or released because he is nicked up and won't play tomorrow, kindly take your head out of your ass. This is football people, injuries are going to happen. Sure he was brought in amidst a lot of fan fare, some negative but at the end of the day it is one game in an eighteen game grind. Would you rather he play, only to worsen the situation and miss half the season. Those fans are embarrassing to listen to and at times I am ashamed we cheer for the same team. Those aren't fans, they are morons living in their parents basement who have no perception of anything outside of their Game Cube.
* And now my fearless CFL predictions. Last time I tried this I didn't do so well so...... I will also avoid the long winded analysis of why each team will finish where.
EAST
1. Toronto -- Build off of last year. Chad Owens is scary. Defence is pretty good.
2. Hamilton -- Can score points but don't see a whole lot of improvement on the defensive side of the ball.
3. Montreal -- Can still play but they are getting old on both sides.
4. Winnipeg -- May be better to play in the PFC this season. Buck Pierce can't stay healthy all year and he is the achilles heel of that team.
WEST
1. B.C. -- Best QB with the best all around team.
2. Saskatchewan -- Improvements made in all required areas from last season. When on, DD is as good as anybody in the league and we have the best recieving corps.
3. Calgary -- Just don't like them.
4. Edmonton -- A good team who may make the play - offs with the cross over but the weakest of the four in the west.
Let's remember one thing before tomorrow's home opener. I want to win as badly as you do. That being said, if we lose, let's not call for Durant to be traded, Taman fired, Jim Hopson removed as President and extradited to Manitoba, et al. It get's really depressing and at times aggravating to listen to some fans. There are eighteen games. We have a solid management group in place. We have good coaches, a group that includes a tremendous Head Coach with a lot of passion who will not settle for anything but the best from the 46 players on the field. Here's to a great summer of Rider football and hoping we can freeze our nads off watching them on November 24th.
Monday, June 24, 2013
The Weekend
Another weekend has come and gone, and an important weekend for a couple of reasons. First off, this is the last weekend of pre - season, meaningless football as the CFL schedule gets underway this week. Secondly, this is the last week of school for most in the province, including myself. Here they are; the thoughts that filled my weekend:
* The Riders made the necessary cuts to get down to their 46 man roster and really only one surprise, and not that big of a surprise at that. Amongst the cuts on Saturday morning were DB Eddie Russ. Russ was the model of inconsistency last year. Even then, his great games weren't that good. I remember once driving home and listen to Coach Chamblin say on the post - game show that Eddie to figure it out if he wanted to be a great football player or an average football player. All to often he was simply average, and from what I have been told he was awful in Thursday's loss to Calgary. The play of guys like Macho Harris and Carlos Thomas to name a few probably made this an easier decision.
* Quick note: The Riders secondary is drastically different than the one that started last season.
* The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are going to be bah - roooo - tal this year. Like that phonetc thing I just did; witty eh? Anyways the Bombers lost their pre - season finale 52 - 0 last Thursday and were outscorted 76 - 6 in their two warm - ups. How do you assess talent on a team that was so bad? The only move they made of any significance this season was re - sign Buck Pierce, a guy who spends more time on the bench or press box. It will be a long season in the Manitoba capital, and let's remember that when things don't go our way for a week or two this year; at least we aren't Bomber fans.
* Already the calls for Geroy Simon's release are rampant. Yeah, he never caught a pass last week. Yeah, he is nursing a bit of a leg injury. Shut up!
* Graham Delaet was oh so close to making a dream come true this weekend. Delaet shot a 69 yesterday to finish as -11 and one back of Ken Duke and Chris Stroud. For his efforts, he earned $418K, jumped to #74 in the World Rankings as well as up to #15 in the standings for the International side in October's President's Cup. If he plays as well as he has between now and then, International Captain Nick Faldo will certainly have to get Delaet in mind as a Captain's pick if he doesn't earn a spot out right.
* Johnny Boychuk is not being suspended for a reason. The hit he laid on Jonathon Toews on Saturday night was in no way, shape of form, illegal or dangerous. Game Six by the way goes tonight in Beantown where apparently 100F heat is playing games with the ice in TD Garden Centre.
* If the Blue Jays repeat this week what they did last they will be owners of an 18 game winning streak. A tough order I know but great to see them turn it around with all summer left to play meaningful baseball. Jose Reyes coming back can only help.
* The Edmonton Eskimos are really tough to respect. They signed Odell Willis five minutes after free agency opened (no big loss anyway), hold an illegal mini camp in Florida and then were 14 hours late annoucing their final cuts. Whether it is arrogance or lack of intelligence, I really dislike the evil empire.
* That's all...CFL preview to come later in the week.
* The Riders made the necessary cuts to get down to their 46 man roster and really only one surprise, and not that big of a surprise at that. Amongst the cuts on Saturday morning were DB Eddie Russ. Russ was the model of inconsistency last year. Even then, his great games weren't that good. I remember once driving home and listen to Coach Chamblin say on the post - game show that Eddie to figure it out if he wanted to be a great football player or an average football player. All to often he was simply average, and from what I have been told he was awful in Thursday's loss to Calgary. The play of guys like Macho Harris and Carlos Thomas to name a few probably made this an easier decision.
* Quick note: The Riders secondary is drastically different than the one that started last season.
* The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are going to be bah - roooo - tal this year. Like that phonetc thing I just did; witty eh? Anyways the Bombers lost their pre - season finale 52 - 0 last Thursday and were outscorted 76 - 6 in their two warm - ups. How do you assess talent on a team that was so bad? The only move they made of any significance this season was re - sign Buck Pierce, a guy who spends more time on the bench or press box. It will be a long season in the Manitoba capital, and let's remember that when things don't go our way for a week or two this year; at least we aren't Bomber fans.
* Already the calls for Geroy Simon's release are rampant. Yeah, he never caught a pass last week. Yeah, he is nursing a bit of a leg injury. Shut up!
* Graham Delaet was oh so close to making a dream come true this weekend. Delaet shot a 69 yesterday to finish as -11 and one back of Ken Duke and Chris Stroud. For his efforts, he earned $418K, jumped to #74 in the World Rankings as well as up to #15 in the standings for the International side in October's President's Cup. If he plays as well as he has between now and then, International Captain Nick Faldo will certainly have to get Delaet in mind as a Captain's pick if he doesn't earn a spot out right.
* Johnny Boychuk is not being suspended for a reason. The hit he laid on Jonathon Toews on Saturday night was in no way, shape of form, illegal or dangerous. Game Six by the way goes tonight in Beantown where apparently 100F heat is playing games with the ice in TD Garden Centre.
* If the Blue Jays repeat this week what they did last they will be owners of an 18 game winning streak. A tough order I know but great to see them turn it around with all summer left to play meaningful baseball. Jose Reyes coming back can only help.
* The Edmonton Eskimos are really tough to respect. They signed Odell Willis five minutes after free agency opened (no big loss anyway), hold an illegal mini camp in Florida and then were 14 hours late annoucing their final cuts. Whether it is arrogance or lack of intelligence, I really dislike the evil empire.
* That's all...CFL preview to come later in the week.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Fickle Fans Suck...
Today won't be so much sports specific as in football or hockey, but sport specific in general and an issue that continually burns my ass but today just sort of hit an all time high, or low if you will.
Sports are a wonderful thing. To the fan of the game, regardless of the league or team, sport brings so much to a person's life. Life is life and things have to be done and things have to go a certain way in order to maintain your desired standard of living and so on. Sports aren't like that; they provide us with the opportunity to relax, spend time with friends, give us a common topic of discussion around the water jug, etc.
From a young age, a sports fan will gravitate to a team and as the years go on they become YOUR team. They are loyal and optimistic regardless of the circumstances. Whether you are 10 - 0 or 0 - 10, you can't wait for the next game. Whether it is a chance to continue a hot streak or curb the tide of complacency, each game bring a new set of circumstances but more importantly a tie game and a new opportunity.
With Rider season right around the corner, it sickens me to read all of these blogs in which people post comments lamenting how badly their team is going to be, and belittle those with optimism and hope for the season to come. Today alone, I responded to a blog post from an individual, he posted as an anonymous of course, who thinks the Riders suck and have no chance to host a play - off game. You would think in a football crazy province like this, some would agree with me when I was optimistic about our chances this year. Nope, nothing but negativity and 'piling on' if you will. You know the Riders have hosted two play - off games in twenty five years so why would we expect change? We may not expect it, but we certainly hope for things to go well. That is why you play an 18 game schedule...to see who is and is not worthy of moving on. According to some of these fickle fans, we may as well just fold up the tent, play out the string only to relocate in the off - season.
Regardless of the moves made by Brendan Taman, Jeremy O'Day and the Rider's front office, that has nothing to do with the point I am trying to make. If you want to be seen as a true fan remain loyal, and be optimistic rather than pessimistic. Or if that is too much, keep your negativity to yourself. Sure the Riders struggled last year, that was our reality. That never once stopped me from going to every home game with the firm belief that the team WAS going to win. Not hope that they would win, but be almost certain today would be their day.
Granted there are times I have taken to this blog to lament a poor showing and suggest ways the team could improve moving forward. That is what a true fan does, they look to the positives and think of ways next week could be better. Even when I was suggesting changes need to be made at certain positions, I never once stopped being a fan of the team. And even those players I may have pointed the finger at as not playing to the level required, you can be damn sure I hoped for their sake, and the sake of the team that next week would be better.
Did the Riders win the Grey Cup last year? No. Did they look strong all season long? No. Did I continue to cheer for them all year? Yes. Do I enter this season with high expectations and optimism? You bet. This is what a true fan does, he cheers and supports and remains optimistic. If you can't do these things for your 'team' cheer for someone else and shut your mouth as nobody who is a sports fan for the right reasons want to listen to you.
Sorry about the rant. Go Riders.
Sports are a wonderful thing. To the fan of the game, regardless of the league or team, sport brings so much to a person's life. Life is life and things have to be done and things have to go a certain way in order to maintain your desired standard of living and so on. Sports aren't like that; they provide us with the opportunity to relax, spend time with friends, give us a common topic of discussion around the water jug, etc.
From a young age, a sports fan will gravitate to a team and as the years go on they become YOUR team. They are loyal and optimistic regardless of the circumstances. Whether you are 10 - 0 or 0 - 10, you can't wait for the next game. Whether it is a chance to continue a hot streak or curb the tide of complacency, each game bring a new set of circumstances but more importantly a tie game and a new opportunity.
With Rider season right around the corner, it sickens me to read all of these blogs in which people post comments lamenting how badly their team is going to be, and belittle those with optimism and hope for the season to come. Today alone, I responded to a blog post from an individual, he posted as an anonymous of course, who thinks the Riders suck and have no chance to host a play - off game. You would think in a football crazy province like this, some would agree with me when I was optimistic about our chances this year. Nope, nothing but negativity and 'piling on' if you will. You know the Riders have hosted two play - off games in twenty five years so why would we expect change? We may not expect it, but we certainly hope for things to go well. That is why you play an 18 game schedule...to see who is and is not worthy of moving on. According to some of these fickle fans, we may as well just fold up the tent, play out the string only to relocate in the off - season.
Regardless of the moves made by Brendan Taman, Jeremy O'Day and the Rider's front office, that has nothing to do with the point I am trying to make. If you want to be seen as a true fan remain loyal, and be optimistic rather than pessimistic. Or if that is too much, keep your negativity to yourself. Sure the Riders struggled last year, that was our reality. That never once stopped me from going to every home game with the firm belief that the team WAS going to win. Not hope that they would win, but be almost certain today would be their day.
Granted there are times I have taken to this blog to lament a poor showing and suggest ways the team could improve moving forward. That is what a true fan does, they look to the positives and think of ways next week could be better. Even when I was suggesting changes need to be made at certain positions, I never once stopped being a fan of the team. And even those players I may have pointed the finger at as not playing to the level required, you can be damn sure I hoped for their sake, and the sake of the team that next week would be better.
Did the Riders win the Grey Cup last year? No. Did they look strong all season long? No. Did I continue to cheer for them all year? Yes. Do I enter this season with high expectations and optimism? You bet. This is what a true fan does, he cheers and supports and remains optimistic. If you can't do these things for your 'team' cheer for someone else and shut your mouth as nobody who is a sports fan for the right reasons want to listen to you.
Sorry about the rant. Go Riders.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Friday's Analysis and Others
If the Rider season is going to play out like Friday night's pre - season opener in Edmonton, hang on to your hats! In what was a very exciting football game, the Riders were able to win the game on a late Gavin Newman pick six. In no particular order, here are my thoughts:
* The D - Line which was clearly the weakness last year was solid. John Chick appeared to be dominant coming off the edge. Tearrisu George had two sacks in what was a solid game for George who can play both inside or on the edge if need be. The newcomers also showed they could play the game. They were impressive enough to let Kenny Rowe go today. If you ask me, Kenny Rowe had ample opportunities to prove himself and he just couldn't become the guy that many expected him to become after a very good career at Oregon.
* I love the George Cortez offence for a couple of reasons. For one, it appears that he is not only willing, but looks to stretch the field as often as possible. Secondly, the QB' were using their legs. Tino Sunseri's legs were very much responsible for the late game TD which tied the game. We all know that Darian Durant is a much better QB when he uses his legs. If given the green light to do so, we become a much more dynamic group on the offensive side of the ball.
* Kory Sheets was average but I expect him to be better this week against Calgary. With Stephon Green's release today does that mean DeDe Dorsey has gained the back - up spot?
* The reciever's played pretty well for the most part. Greg Carr, who is in my opinion seriously battling for a roster spot had a good game nabbing 4 for 101. Taj Smith also looked good except for a first half fumble.
* The DB's played like ball hawks as no matter who was on the field, they seemed to be all over the ball. While part of this is attributed to a more aggressive coverage scheme, Edmonton's QB's were pressured for most of the evening leading to some poor throws.
* The biggest question for me remains to be answered; who will be doing the place kicking when things get rolling for real on June 29th?
* With eight cuts today, there are still quite a few roster moves to be made. The Calgary game on Thursday will be the last chance for those on the bubble to impress.
* Mike McCullough's placement on the Nine - game has me wondering. Is he really hurt that bad or is this just the beginning of the end for the savvy veteran? Let's face it, we have some depth at that position and Sam Hurl can easily step in and fill that role.
* I thought the O - Line looked pretty good. In the end though there are only a couple of jobs up for grabs in that group.
* What else can't be forgotten is that Rider team on Edmonton was without Weston Dressler, Geroy Simon, Rey Williams, Keith Shologan and Ricky Foley. The insertion of these guys only improve our situation.
* Given the cap situation as it presents itself at the moment, there will be a couple of moves that may be shocking and upsetting to some. Just my thoughts.
* T - minus 18 days to July 5th
* Game Three of the Stanley Cup Finals go tonight in Boston as the Bruins look to maintain the momentum from Dan Paille's OT winner Saturday night. So far, the series has been what was expected, close, fast hockey. Given that they were up 3 - 1 midway through the first in Game One only to have two goals scored on them including a greasy one off Andrew Ference's skate, the Hawks are lucky to go to Boston with the split. They could easily be in an 0 - 2 hole.
* The Blue Jays weren't as disappointing this week. While I am still not going to hold my breath, they have crawled within 5.5 games of the second Wild Card spot.
* The Miami Heat are one game away from losing the NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs. Here's to hoping.
* I wonder if Danny Green is still unconscious?
* The Philadelphia Flyers looked to improve their defence today signing a four year agreement with recently acquired Marc Streit. Heard rumors that the Oilers may have had some interest so today's signing makes me happy as I don't think Marc Streit is the answer for any struggling back end.
* Justin Rose captured the US Open outside Philadelphia, beating out Phil Mickelson who has now been the bridesmaid six times in his national championship. While I have never been a huge Phil fan, I do feel for the guy as this seems to be the one tournament that means the most to him. He has sure blown some chances over the years.
* While a die hard Saskatchewan Roughrider fan, I do struggle with the notion that they have to hold a lottery to sell the remaining Grey Cup tickets. While I have no issue with season ticket holders scooping up tickets, I do have a bit of an issue with the corporate tickets being sold. I understand private money has really helped this team in the past, and continues to do so but a lot of public money has been spent by thousands within Ridernation and their inability to get a ticket is mildly frustrating. Glad I already have mine. I wonder if the corporate groups are the ones responsible for the inability to get a hotel room in Regina that weekend. I tried one year to the day to get a room and had zero luck.
* While I doubt they read it, a great big shout out to all those who helped to organize the Teacher's Golf Tournament this weekend at the Golf Kenosee resort. A great event was once again put on, and I am proud to say that I continue to be the best of the best when it comes to the golfing population of Norquay School.
*That's all...time to go home and see my kids. Haven't seen them since Friday.
* The D - Line which was clearly the weakness last year was solid. John Chick appeared to be dominant coming off the edge. Tearrisu George had two sacks in what was a solid game for George who can play both inside or on the edge if need be. The newcomers also showed they could play the game. They were impressive enough to let Kenny Rowe go today. If you ask me, Kenny Rowe had ample opportunities to prove himself and he just couldn't become the guy that many expected him to become after a very good career at Oregon.
* I love the George Cortez offence for a couple of reasons. For one, it appears that he is not only willing, but looks to stretch the field as often as possible. Secondly, the QB' were using their legs. Tino Sunseri's legs were very much responsible for the late game TD which tied the game. We all know that Darian Durant is a much better QB when he uses his legs. If given the green light to do so, we become a much more dynamic group on the offensive side of the ball.
* Kory Sheets was average but I expect him to be better this week against Calgary. With Stephon Green's release today does that mean DeDe Dorsey has gained the back - up spot?
* The reciever's played pretty well for the most part. Greg Carr, who is in my opinion seriously battling for a roster spot had a good game nabbing 4 for 101. Taj Smith also looked good except for a first half fumble.
* The DB's played like ball hawks as no matter who was on the field, they seemed to be all over the ball. While part of this is attributed to a more aggressive coverage scheme, Edmonton's QB's were pressured for most of the evening leading to some poor throws.
* The biggest question for me remains to be answered; who will be doing the place kicking when things get rolling for real on June 29th?
* With eight cuts today, there are still quite a few roster moves to be made. The Calgary game on Thursday will be the last chance for those on the bubble to impress.
* Mike McCullough's placement on the Nine - game has me wondering. Is he really hurt that bad or is this just the beginning of the end for the savvy veteran? Let's face it, we have some depth at that position and Sam Hurl can easily step in and fill that role.
* I thought the O - Line looked pretty good. In the end though there are only a couple of jobs up for grabs in that group.
* What else can't be forgotten is that Rider team on Edmonton was without Weston Dressler, Geroy Simon, Rey Williams, Keith Shologan and Ricky Foley. The insertion of these guys only improve our situation.
* Given the cap situation as it presents itself at the moment, there will be a couple of moves that may be shocking and upsetting to some. Just my thoughts.
* T - minus 18 days to July 5th
* Game Three of the Stanley Cup Finals go tonight in Boston as the Bruins look to maintain the momentum from Dan Paille's OT winner Saturday night. So far, the series has been what was expected, close, fast hockey. Given that they were up 3 - 1 midway through the first in Game One only to have two goals scored on them including a greasy one off Andrew Ference's skate, the Hawks are lucky to go to Boston with the split. They could easily be in an 0 - 2 hole.
* The Blue Jays weren't as disappointing this week. While I am still not going to hold my breath, they have crawled within 5.5 games of the second Wild Card spot.
* The Miami Heat are one game away from losing the NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs. Here's to hoping.
* I wonder if Danny Green is still unconscious?
* The Philadelphia Flyers looked to improve their defence today signing a four year agreement with recently acquired Marc Streit. Heard rumors that the Oilers may have had some interest so today's signing makes me happy as I don't think Marc Streit is the answer for any struggling back end.
* Justin Rose captured the US Open outside Philadelphia, beating out Phil Mickelson who has now been the bridesmaid six times in his national championship. While I have never been a huge Phil fan, I do feel for the guy as this seems to be the one tournament that means the most to him. He has sure blown some chances over the years.
* While a die hard Saskatchewan Roughrider fan, I do struggle with the notion that they have to hold a lottery to sell the remaining Grey Cup tickets. While I have no issue with season ticket holders scooping up tickets, I do have a bit of an issue with the corporate tickets being sold. I understand private money has really helped this team in the past, and continues to do so but a lot of public money has been spent by thousands within Ridernation and their inability to get a ticket is mildly frustrating. Glad I already have mine. I wonder if the corporate groups are the ones responsible for the inability to get a hotel room in Regina that weekend. I tried one year to the day to get a room and had zero luck.
* While I doubt they read it, a great big shout out to all those who helped to organize the Teacher's Golf Tournament this weekend at the Golf Kenosee resort. A great event was once again put on, and I am proud to say that I continue to be the best of the best when it comes to the golfing population of Norquay School.
*That's all...time to go home and see my kids. Haven't seen them since Friday.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
It's Getting Closer...
As I sit down to write this post, the Rider season is for all intent and purposes over a week old. However, that being said things don't get 'real' until Friday when they travel to Edmonton to open up the pre - season against the Eskimos. After a return home for the finale of the pre - season, June 29th sees them kick it off for real once again in Edmonton before hosting the Stamps on what has become my favorite day of the year, the home opener. While I haven't been to watch camp in Saskatoon, here are my random thoughts about the club as we approach the start of what I desperately want to be a 'magical' season at Mosaic.
* Kory Sheets got himself into a little bit of hot water over the winter, having faced domestic violence charges in Florida. Nobody was aware of this until yesterday when the story broke which prompted a statement from the club. While I don't like the fact he was in front of a judge, the fact that the charges were dropped and he met any and all requirements ordered by the courts ends it for me. He did what he had to do to be able to come back to play for the Riders which says a lot about the type of guy he is. Sheets was a guy who dabbled here and there for a few years after his career at Purdue ended. Last year he earned an opportunity and made the most of it and looks to build on it this year. We all make mistakes and I don't think Kory will put himself in that position again. While some talk about the Riders record in this department, let's fact it. Kory Sheet is not even close to being compared to the likes of Trevis Smith and Kenton Keith. In my books, this issue is over, done with, been addressed and let's concentrate on football. The fishbowl that is Saskatchewan is small enough without these types of problems being continually brought up by the media and fickle fans. If you want what's best for this team and the player, in this case Kory Sheets, one of our most dangerous offensive weapons, shut up and support him.
* It has been a while since Weston Dressler has appeared at camp. He is currently listed as day to day with what is being called an abdomen injury. I can only hope that this is simply a strain or small tweak and his absence is simply the Riders carrying out due diligence when it comes to our marquee receiver. If you ask me, Weston will be there on June 29th, if not earlier playing with the same gumption and heart that we all love about him. I have read several reports that when active at camp, he went all out, refusing to give up on a single play. We all know he has made the team and could not catch a single pass in camp but still line up for real in the season. The fact he play's 110% on every play is a testament to how hard he has worked to get here and how he refuses to ever take that for granted.
* Patrick Neufeld will be out for a while with a broken fibula. That being said, I don't think the Riders have terrible reasons for concern as Ben Heenan can quickly fill that hole and maintain the Canadian ratio. On the other hand, the ability to play Canadians elsewhere could very well open up a spot for Jose Valdez, the biggest of the linemen in camp, any by most accounts a player who has been more impressive with each passing day. It was reported he handled John Chick very well in camp yesterday which is no small task.
* It will be interesting to see who wins the final spots at reciever. As I said last year there is an abundance of talent and potential in that group. Find me another team who can sport the names of Dressler, Simon, Getzlaf, Smith, Bagg, Sisco, Johnson, etc. Maybe BC has players equal to the quality of the the starters but I don't think they have the depth we have at this point.
* I could go on and on about the Riders but won't. But elsewhere in sports....
* The Stanley Cup Final drops the puck on Saturday in the Windy City when the Hawks welcome the Boston Bruins to town in what should be a great series. My pick? Boston in six.
* After being eliminated in four straight while scoring only two goals, Pittsburgh Penguins captain said that he didn't think the Bruins did so much a good job of shutting them down as the Penguins failed to score. Huh? Uh Sid, the reason you couldn't score has a LOT to do with the system the Bruins played which minimized your chances. Sure Rask played great but give the Bruins some credit. It is one thing to have a rough game here and there but to struggle so mightily for four games with the line - up the Penguins boast, credit needs to fall on Claude Julien's system that was designed to slow down the high - powered Penguin offense.
* How must Jarome Iginla feel? Could have been a Bruin, should have been a Bruin, instead he watches the Bruins play for the Cup while he sits at home contemplating where he will end up next year. Where does Iginla end up next year? Surely he has to go to a contender, right?
* The Edmonton Oilers parted ways with Ralph Kruegger this week after one very short, disappointing season in the City of Champions. I have no issue with this move, or with how it was done. While many have bemoaned Craig MacTavish for doing so via Skype, I would argue he had to do it this way. For starters he clearly liked what Dallas Eakins brought to the table. Eakins was avery hot commodity in coaching circles and MacT didn't want to miss out. Ralph Kruegger lives in Switzerland, and there was not enough time to fly there for what amounted to a five minute discussion. There were far worse ways this could have been done and at least MacTavish realized it had to be done face to face and Skype provided that opportunity.
* Apparently John Tortorella is interviewing for the Vancouver Canuck job. When will teams realize that he is not a good coach. His actions and words do more to belittle and embarrass his best players when a good coach should be a motivator. Calling out a guy in public for a poor game or streak of inconsistency is not how you get guys to play their best.
* Back to the Oilers and in a press conference last week management more or less said Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky will not be back next year. Great by me. Hemsky has always been that guy who should do more and has had more than enough time to make the next step. He won't bring much in return but does clear up some cash. As for Horcoff, I can't see anyone wanting him to be honest. The guy was great the year they went to the Finals and then cashed in with a big contract. Since then? DUD. Thank god for the buyout option which I believe get's used on Horcoff.
* Heard a rumor this week; Sam Gagner to Toronto for Jake Gardiner. I truly don't think the Leafs make that deal.
* The Blue Jays still stink. Jose Baustista should be embarrassed. When you are hitting .250 and making $11M, don't act like a child after striking out. If it weren't for Edwin Encarnacion and the work of the bullpen I would hate to see where the Jays are at this point. Oh wait, they are the fourth worst team in the Major's so I guess it can't get much worse.
* US Open goes this week and I can only pray that Tiger shoots 80 - 80 and misses the cut so my Father's Day weekend doesn't have to include painfully watching Tiger hit every single shot and listen to Johnny Miller basically confess his man crush for Tiger on every hole. Interestingly enough Tiger is paired with Adam Scott for Thursday and Friday. If you don't recall Tiger's old caddy, Steve Williams now carries the clubs of Scott and didn't exacltly have a cordial ending with Tiger.
* Tim Tebow is still in the NFL. How does this happen? The guy is terrible. He can't throw a football worth a hoot but has landed a job in New England to back up Tom Brady. I wonder if Tebow will break down and cry during one of Bill Belichick's profanity laced tirades at the half?
That's all.
* Kory Sheets got himself into a little bit of hot water over the winter, having faced domestic violence charges in Florida. Nobody was aware of this until yesterday when the story broke which prompted a statement from the club. While I don't like the fact he was in front of a judge, the fact that the charges were dropped and he met any and all requirements ordered by the courts ends it for me. He did what he had to do to be able to come back to play for the Riders which says a lot about the type of guy he is. Sheets was a guy who dabbled here and there for a few years after his career at Purdue ended. Last year he earned an opportunity and made the most of it and looks to build on it this year. We all make mistakes and I don't think Kory will put himself in that position again. While some talk about the Riders record in this department, let's fact it. Kory Sheet is not even close to being compared to the likes of Trevis Smith and Kenton Keith. In my books, this issue is over, done with, been addressed and let's concentrate on football. The fishbowl that is Saskatchewan is small enough without these types of problems being continually brought up by the media and fickle fans. If you want what's best for this team and the player, in this case Kory Sheets, one of our most dangerous offensive weapons, shut up and support him.
* It has been a while since Weston Dressler has appeared at camp. He is currently listed as day to day with what is being called an abdomen injury. I can only hope that this is simply a strain or small tweak and his absence is simply the Riders carrying out due diligence when it comes to our marquee receiver. If you ask me, Weston will be there on June 29th, if not earlier playing with the same gumption and heart that we all love about him. I have read several reports that when active at camp, he went all out, refusing to give up on a single play. We all know he has made the team and could not catch a single pass in camp but still line up for real in the season. The fact he play's 110% on every play is a testament to how hard he has worked to get here and how he refuses to ever take that for granted.
* Patrick Neufeld will be out for a while with a broken fibula. That being said, I don't think the Riders have terrible reasons for concern as Ben Heenan can quickly fill that hole and maintain the Canadian ratio. On the other hand, the ability to play Canadians elsewhere could very well open up a spot for Jose Valdez, the biggest of the linemen in camp, any by most accounts a player who has been more impressive with each passing day. It was reported he handled John Chick very well in camp yesterday which is no small task.
* It will be interesting to see who wins the final spots at reciever. As I said last year there is an abundance of talent and potential in that group. Find me another team who can sport the names of Dressler, Simon, Getzlaf, Smith, Bagg, Sisco, Johnson, etc. Maybe BC has players equal to the quality of the the starters but I don't think they have the depth we have at this point.
* I could go on and on about the Riders but won't. But elsewhere in sports....
* The Stanley Cup Final drops the puck on Saturday in the Windy City when the Hawks welcome the Boston Bruins to town in what should be a great series. My pick? Boston in six.
* After being eliminated in four straight while scoring only two goals, Pittsburgh Penguins captain said that he didn't think the Bruins did so much a good job of shutting them down as the Penguins failed to score. Huh? Uh Sid, the reason you couldn't score has a LOT to do with the system the Bruins played which minimized your chances. Sure Rask played great but give the Bruins some credit. It is one thing to have a rough game here and there but to struggle so mightily for four games with the line - up the Penguins boast, credit needs to fall on Claude Julien's system that was designed to slow down the high - powered Penguin offense.
* How must Jarome Iginla feel? Could have been a Bruin, should have been a Bruin, instead he watches the Bruins play for the Cup while he sits at home contemplating where he will end up next year. Where does Iginla end up next year? Surely he has to go to a contender, right?
* The Edmonton Oilers parted ways with Ralph Kruegger this week after one very short, disappointing season in the City of Champions. I have no issue with this move, or with how it was done. While many have bemoaned Craig MacTavish for doing so via Skype, I would argue he had to do it this way. For starters he clearly liked what Dallas Eakins brought to the table. Eakins was avery hot commodity in coaching circles and MacT didn't want to miss out. Ralph Kruegger lives in Switzerland, and there was not enough time to fly there for what amounted to a five minute discussion. There were far worse ways this could have been done and at least MacTavish realized it had to be done face to face and Skype provided that opportunity.
* Apparently John Tortorella is interviewing for the Vancouver Canuck job. When will teams realize that he is not a good coach. His actions and words do more to belittle and embarrass his best players when a good coach should be a motivator. Calling out a guy in public for a poor game or streak of inconsistency is not how you get guys to play their best.
* Back to the Oilers and in a press conference last week management more or less said Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky will not be back next year. Great by me. Hemsky has always been that guy who should do more and has had more than enough time to make the next step. He won't bring much in return but does clear up some cash. As for Horcoff, I can't see anyone wanting him to be honest. The guy was great the year they went to the Finals and then cashed in with a big contract. Since then? DUD. Thank god for the buyout option which I believe get's used on Horcoff.
* Heard a rumor this week; Sam Gagner to Toronto for Jake Gardiner. I truly don't think the Leafs make that deal.
* The Blue Jays still stink. Jose Baustista should be embarrassed. When you are hitting .250 and making $11M, don't act like a child after striking out. If it weren't for Edwin Encarnacion and the work of the bullpen I would hate to see where the Jays are at this point. Oh wait, they are the fourth worst team in the Major's so I guess it can't get much worse.
* US Open goes this week and I can only pray that Tiger shoots 80 - 80 and misses the cut so my Father's Day weekend doesn't have to include painfully watching Tiger hit every single shot and listen to Johnny Miller basically confess his man crush for Tiger on every hole. Interestingly enough Tiger is paired with Adam Scott for Thursday and Friday. If you don't recall Tiger's old caddy, Steve Williams now carries the clubs of Scott and didn't exacltly have a cordial ending with Tiger.
* Tim Tebow is still in the NFL. How does this happen? The guy is terrible. He can't throw a football worth a hoot but has landed a job in New England to back up Tom Brady. I wonder if Tebow will break down and cry during one of Bill Belichick's profanity laced tirades at the half?
That's all.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Hallelujah!!!
Sometimes in my world it is hard to be a fan. 'My teams' as I refer to them have in the past been rather, well let's just say, underperforming. The Oilers were nowhere close to a play - off spot this year despite lofty expectations. The Blue Jays have been a colossal disappointment in my eyes. The Washington Redskins were a bright spot this year. And the NBA is, well, the NBA and something I will watch only when required. That being said, the only NBA mention today is that I sincerely hope that the Indiana Pacers knock off Miami tonight in Game Seven. What a treat that would be for all those who root for the underdog.
That being said, every year around this time something pops up which will more or less consume me for the next five plus months. I will read as much as I can, watch as much as I can, and just generally immerse myself in much of the CFL, in particular the Roughriders, as humanly possible.
Training Camp kicked off yesterday in Saskatoon as the Riders kick off the 2013 season, one which will see Mosaic Stadium host the 101st Grey Cup in November. The eternal optimist I am when it comes to being a fan, I have very high hopes for this club this season and want nothing more than to sit there with the old man in Novemeber and watch the Riders play for the Cup on their home turf. My Dad and I have been to a Grey Cup featuring the Riders before but let's just say 2009 wasn't really a bright spot in my sporting experiences.
Camp got off to an even better than expected start with the return of John Chich after a four year hiatus in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars. Chick, who says he is better than he was when he headed south in 2009 instantly makes our defence that much better. If he is 75% of what he was when he left, we have truly improved the strenght of our D - Line. It is not out of the question to say that a healthy, productive Chick, along with likely starters Keith Shologan, Tearrius George and Ricky Foley could have turned our biggest weakness into a strenghth on the that side of the ball. Throw in the recently acquired Jermaine McElveen and we could be the envy of the league when it comes to pressuring the QB and stopping the run.
I love the fact that Chich was very open about his decision to come to Regina for a second time. He loved it here the last time, knew what Ridernation has to offer and he embraces that. His wife is on board as well which provides us the hope that he could be around for a few years to come. There are those naysayers who will say he is old and past his prime. To them I would say time will tell.
One bit of news which surprised me somewhat was the fact that the Riders have Tyron Brackenridge playing Safety. I know he has the skillset required to play in that position but thought Craig Butler was very effective at Safety. Then again moving Butler to the WILL linebacker position could provide us better coverage over the middle against the likes of Nik Lewis. Again, before I render judgement I would point out that Corey Chamblin and Richie Hall know a lot more about running a CFL defense than I do, so again, time will tell. We all know from last year Coach Chamblin is not afraid to make adjustments so things could very well change between now and July.
Offensively, the sky is truly the limit for this club in my mind. The addition of George Cortez, who we all know likes to stretch the field and 'go big' if you will is music to this fans years. Darian Durant can on any given day be the best QB in this league. If the system works like it should, you add that skillset to the recieveing corps we have along with the likes of Sheets and Sanders in the backfield and look out. Taj Smith, Weston Dressler, Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg, Geroy Simon, Greg Carr, and the list goes on. I realize Smith and Carr in particular have a lot to prove and Bagg needs to stay healthy but who wouldn't like that crop of recievers in camp. Not to mentions Kierrie Johnson who apparently was very impressive from what I understand on Day One of camp.
Whether or not Butler stays at LB, they still have two quality men there. Rey Williams just makes his way to the ball and prior to an ankle injury last seaosn Abraham Kromah was quite impressive as well.
In the secondary, there are a lot of decisions to be made as evidenced by the turnover back there last season. All I can say based on last season is prior to injust Milt Collins was pretty good, Terrell Maze was the most consistent all season despite the fact people still want to pin the loss in the WSF on him and I really liked the play of Macho Harris at the end of the season. I would not be surprised to see Harris line up at one of the Halfback positions on June 29th in Edmonton.
Again, the Riders become my second life this time of year, and if you come to this blog semi - regularly you will quickly realize that. Please, keep coming back, see what I have to think and don't be afraid to throw in your two cents from time to time. It would be vey much appreciated.
On to the NHL, and here are my random thoughts as both Conference Finals are underway:
* Johnathon Quick looks human after LA's Game Two loss in Chicago. Don't count out the Kings quite yet though. Despite being in an 0 - 2 hole they are very tough to beat at home.
* I love watching the Pittsburgh Penguins grow frustrated as they did on Saturday night against Boston. The Bruins are clearly trying to goad the more skilled Pens into the style of play the Flyers made them play in the opening round last year and we all know how well that went. Crosby needs to get his nose out of those scuffles if the Pens have any hope of winning. His skating into Tukka Rask was in a word, classless and what is he thinking playing with the big boys like Chara. Unless the Pens get back to the puck control game they need to play for success, Boston will win that series in short order.
* Damien Cox still thinks he knows everything about all that is sports. For an increased sense of frustration on your part coupled with a not so subtle hint of egotistical rhetoric give him a follow on Twitter. He could be incensing you in a matter of seconds.
* The Edmonton Oilers HAVE to make some moves this year to address their glaring needs on the back end as well as provide them with some grit. Ryan Jones is a keeper but the Ben Eager isn't getting it done. Shawn Horcoff should probaly start concerning himself with that inevitable phone call also. I would not be shocked to see Mactavish do something big. It might not work, but at least it will show an effort on his part to make necessary changes unlike his predecessor.
* Tiger Woods weekend at Muirfield was delightful; at least from a fan's perspective it was. He said after the conclusion of yesterday's round the greens didn't look fast but they rolled fast to account for his poor putting. Uh, wouldn't he have figured this out by, oh I don't know, Friday?
* Another solid week for Graham Delaet, T21 and a coold $50K in his pocket.
* Got to run, it's been fun.
That being said, every year around this time something pops up which will more or less consume me for the next five plus months. I will read as much as I can, watch as much as I can, and just generally immerse myself in much of the CFL, in particular the Roughriders, as humanly possible.
Training Camp kicked off yesterday in Saskatoon as the Riders kick off the 2013 season, one which will see Mosaic Stadium host the 101st Grey Cup in November. The eternal optimist I am when it comes to being a fan, I have very high hopes for this club this season and want nothing more than to sit there with the old man in Novemeber and watch the Riders play for the Cup on their home turf. My Dad and I have been to a Grey Cup featuring the Riders before but let's just say 2009 wasn't really a bright spot in my sporting experiences.
Camp got off to an even better than expected start with the return of John Chich after a four year hiatus in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars. Chick, who says he is better than he was when he headed south in 2009 instantly makes our defence that much better. If he is 75% of what he was when he left, we have truly improved the strenght of our D - Line. It is not out of the question to say that a healthy, productive Chick, along with likely starters Keith Shologan, Tearrius George and Ricky Foley could have turned our biggest weakness into a strenghth on the that side of the ball. Throw in the recently acquired Jermaine McElveen and we could be the envy of the league when it comes to pressuring the QB and stopping the run.
I love the fact that Chich was very open about his decision to come to Regina for a second time. He loved it here the last time, knew what Ridernation has to offer and he embraces that. His wife is on board as well which provides us the hope that he could be around for a few years to come. There are those naysayers who will say he is old and past his prime. To them I would say time will tell.
One bit of news which surprised me somewhat was the fact that the Riders have Tyron Brackenridge playing Safety. I know he has the skillset required to play in that position but thought Craig Butler was very effective at Safety. Then again moving Butler to the WILL linebacker position could provide us better coverage over the middle against the likes of Nik Lewis. Again, before I render judgement I would point out that Corey Chamblin and Richie Hall know a lot more about running a CFL defense than I do, so again, time will tell. We all know from last year Coach Chamblin is not afraid to make adjustments so things could very well change between now and July.
Offensively, the sky is truly the limit for this club in my mind. The addition of George Cortez, who we all know likes to stretch the field and 'go big' if you will is music to this fans years. Darian Durant can on any given day be the best QB in this league. If the system works like it should, you add that skillset to the recieveing corps we have along with the likes of Sheets and Sanders in the backfield and look out. Taj Smith, Weston Dressler, Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg, Geroy Simon, Greg Carr, and the list goes on. I realize Smith and Carr in particular have a lot to prove and Bagg needs to stay healthy but who wouldn't like that crop of recievers in camp. Not to mentions Kierrie Johnson who apparently was very impressive from what I understand on Day One of camp.
Whether or not Butler stays at LB, they still have two quality men there. Rey Williams just makes his way to the ball and prior to an ankle injury last seaosn Abraham Kromah was quite impressive as well.
In the secondary, there are a lot of decisions to be made as evidenced by the turnover back there last season. All I can say based on last season is prior to injust Milt Collins was pretty good, Terrell Maze was the most consistent all season despite the fact people still want to pin the loss in the WSF on him and I really liked the play of Macho Harris at the end of the season. I would not be surprised to see Harris line up at one of the Halfback positions on June 29th in Edmonton.
Again, the Riders become my second life this time of year, and if you come to this blog semi - regularly you will quickly realize that. Please, keep coming back, see what I have to think and don't be afraid to throw in your two cents from time to time. It would be vey much appreciated.
On to the NHL, and here are my random thoughts as both Conference Finals are underway:
* Johnathon Quick looks human after LA's Game Two loss in Chicago. Don't count out the Kings quite yet though. Despite being in an 0 - 2 hole they are very tough to beat at home.
* I love watching the Pittsburgh Penguins grow frustrated as they did on Saturday night against Boston. The Bruins are clearly trying to goad the more skilled Pens into the style of play the Flyers made them play in the opening round last year and we all know how well that went. Crosby needs to get his nose out of those scuffles if the Pens have any hope of winning. His skating into Tukka Rask was in a word, classless and what is he thinking playing with the big boys like Chara. Unless the Pens get back to the puck control game they need to play for success, Boston will win that series in short order.
* Damien Cox still thinks he knows everything about all that is sports. For an increased sense of frustration on your part coupled with a not so subtle hint of egotistical rhetoric give him a follow on Twitter. He could be incensing you in a matter of seconds.
* The Edmonton Oilers HAVE to make some moves this year to address their glaring needs on the back end as well as provide them with some grit. Ryan Jones is a keeper but the Ben Eager isn't getting it done. Shawn Horcoff should probaly start concerning himself with that inevitable phone call also. I would not be shocked to see Mactavish do something big. It might not work, but at least it will show an effort on his part to make necessary changes unlike his predecessor.
* Tiger Woods weekend at Muirfield was delightful; at least from a fan's perspective it was. He said after the conclusion of yesterday's round the greens didn't look fast but they rolled fast to account for his poor putting. Uh, wouldn't he have figured this out by, oh I don't know, Friday?
* Another solid week for Graham Delaet, T21 and a coold $50K in his pocket.
* Got to run, it's been fun.
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