10+ CHRISTMAS THINGS

Taking shots …

1 – The end of the year has snuck up on us, but it also seems to be coming with perfect timing. After an adventure-filled 2022, our plane is landing and the destination is in sight. Please return to your seats, fasten your seatbelts, and return your tray tables to their upright positions. “We hope you enjoyed your flight!”

We sure did.

2A – While shooting the sh*t at the Hilton West Palm Beach this week after our Boca Raton Bowl broadcast, I was whining to one of my new, older & wiser, football buddies about what was going on with the Roughriders, how I wasn’t keen on it, nor the falsehoods being spread. “Who cares?” he barked. “The Roughriders aren’t in your life anymore. This is.”

It was a figurative slap across the chops that I used to get from my Dad, or still get from my Recovery mentors when I need it. So impactful were those two little words – Who cares? – that I’ve considered getting them tattooed inside my left wrist for when I need a reminder. The next day I thanked him for the guidance.

Onwards and upwards into 2023. Let’s see what it has in store for us.

2B – I’ll be in Sask in the New Year for public speaking appearances in Regina, Saskatoon and Pense, plus in Red Deer in April. Hope to see you at one of the events! 

3 – The analysis won’t stop however. Somewhere this week I heard that there are only five really good head coaches in the NFL and only five really good quarterbacks. If you have one, you should consider yourself lucky. And if you have one of each, it’s like discovering plutonium.

Honestly I thought the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders had that combo in Craig Dickenson and Cody Fajardo but that seems to have all unravelled. Forgive me, but them being named Division Coach of the Year and MVP in 2019 led me to believe that!

What that tells me is they aren’t the problem.

4 – When we were walking out of Rogers Place in August at the end of the 2022 World Juniors, our reps and friends from Hockey Canada said, “See you in Halifax!” So that was the plan for these Christmas Holidays. Unfortunately, plans changed so the RP Show will not be attending this tournament in the Maritimes. However it still astounds me that the highest ratings we’ve ever had were for that event last summer so we’re still offering plenty of coverage on this website, on our social media channels, and of course with our annual World Juniors special which airs Tuesday on Game+ TV, WQEE and YouTube TV with several hockey guests. I promise you’ll enjoy it.

5 – WJ Notes: I’d hate to be a goalie in practice with Connor Bedard. Those shots would hurt. … I don’t hate the Team USA jerseys. … This is the second World Junior tournament on TSN without Darren Dreger and personally, I don’t like that. … The tandem of Gord Miller & Mike Johnson is already better than Miller & Ferarro. And I like Ray a lot, but I love Mike Johnson …. TSN/NHL Network’s Mike Johnson was born in Moose Jaw and his father worked at the Robin Hood flour plant. Maybe that’s why I’m so fond of Mike. … Didn’t really notice Shane Wright in Canada’s 5-3 win over Finland on Friday. At least, not nearly as much as Bedard and Stankoven.

6 – One of the last items on Gregg Drinnan’s popular WHL blog was Regina Pats GM/Head Coach John Paddock huffing that Connor Bedard doesn’t want to be traded, won’t be traded, and to please stop asking about it. So … does this mean he won’t be traded? The Trade Deadline is in about two weeks so I guess we’ll have an answer soon. (Sorry but after decades in this business I don’t believe anything I hear). It’ll be a shame if Connor Bedard isn’t playing in the Memorial Cup and an even bigger shame if the Pats don’t get anything for the future after Connor leaves for good this spring.

7 – The Ovi Watch was a helluva lot of fun while it lasted. He hit 802 goals Friday night by burying a pair against the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg goalie David Rittich hung his head on the first one – a 5-hole number for #801 – almost wincing, because he just became the answer to a trivia question. But no one will remember. Quick: Who allowed Wayne Gretzky’s 894th career goal?

NY Islanders goalie Wade Flaherty in 1999.

See? No one remembers.

8 – Back to Ovi. He’s now 92 goals behind The Great One for #1 all-time. According to NHL game notes, Ovechkin’s scoring at a rate of 0.61 goals per game, which is no slower pace than 10 years ago! A mathematician will have to tell us how long it’ll take The Great 8 to reach the record but my guess is around two years. We’ll catch back up with the Ovi Watch then! It’s been a fun couple of weeks following him around.

9 – One thing I *miss* about Alberta is the daily back-and-forth between Oilers & Flames fans. I say that tongue-in-cheek because it gets a tad exhausting – similar to Rider talk in Regina or Dolphins talk in South Florida – but fans are the same everywhere you go. Write this down: both the Calgary Flames & Edmonton Oilers will be in the playoffs in 2023.

The Florida Panthers? Not so much. They’ve never been the same since Joel Quenneville stepped down.

10 – 102,000 viewers tuned in on ESPN2 for the first-ever home game for the National Lacrosse League’s expansion Las Vegas Desert Dogs last Friday against Panther City (Fort Worth). Among the dignitaries in attendance at MGM’s Michelob Arena were team owners Wayne Gretzky and Steve Nash, along with Raiders receiver Davante Adams and Sask Rush great Jeff Shattler. The attendance was 7,500. The Desert Dogs are just another great entertainment option in Sin City.

11 – The NLL is off this week but returns in Week 4 with some great match-ups including San Diego at Calgary and Halifax at Buffalo on Dec. 30 and a New Years Eve clash at SaskTel Centre with Panther City at Saskatchewan. … Rochester is 3-0 while three teams are 2-0: Calgary, San Diego and Halifax. … My Georgia Swarm are 0-2! #Buzzing

12 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: The Game of the Weekend in Week 16 in the NFL is Christmas Day between the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Each team’s playoff hopes are flickering. Eagles/Cowboys is pretty tantalizing too. … I’d love to say that you can’t believe the rumour of Tom Brady finishing his career in New England in 2023 but at this point, I’ll believe anything. A year ago I scoffed at the Tom Brady/Sean Payton-to-Miami rumour but it turned out to be true and got Dolphins owner Stephen Ross suspended for half a season for tampering. Don’t ya just wish teams would be up-and-up?? … In a poll of the top CFL stories of 2022, the emergence of Canadian BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke was by far #1. Finishing #2 was the Toronto Argonauts winning the 109th Grey Cup, #3 was the Roughriders/Fajardo Drama and #4 was Garrett Marino. … On September 2 the RP Show debuted on WQEE Radio in Metro Atlanta. It was one of many highlights of 2022. The other was forging such a strong bond with Grey Eagle Resort & Casino in Calgary and River Cree Resort & Casino in Edmonton. Mîkwec! … Merry Christmas

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV, YouTube TV & WQEE Radio)