10 MIDWEEK THINGS FOR CAPITAL AUTO MALL
What I’m Hearing …
1 – SUMMER BLUES: The first summer in most of our lifetimes without CFL football is not going over well here in the Wheat Province. It’s not that there’s nothing else to do. It’s that people really miss their Saskatchewan Roughriders and fear for the future. What’s to be fearful about? No one knows how this is going to turn out.
2 – A MUST: After careful examination, it’s imperative that the CFL play games in 2020 even if it’s only a 6-game regular season. The reasons are myriad. Players need to play, coaches need to coach, marketers need to market, etc., etc. There’s a definite sense of “out of sight, out of mind” in the major markets I feel, and the CFL was shrinking as it was. Taking a year off could definitely be fatal. Having these new stadiums sit empty isn’t ideal either.
3 – THE GOOD NEWS: Piecing together everything I’m hearing from all corners of the league, my gut tells me they’ll play. Or least they’ll start a season. Whether they finish or not is another thing but at least it would get them the Federal aid they covet. Whether you like it or not, there’s a belief that the CFL can always find players who want to play so if the current CFLPA doesn’t care for the deal being offered by the owners, they’ll find players who will. Is this hardline negotiating? I don’t know but there’s always been a rule in life of: “If you don’t want to do it, we’ll find someone who will.” It applies here.
4 – THE EXPENDABLES: It’s not just the nickname for the staff of The Rod Pedersen Show. I’ve heard it over and over lately: “Players are expendable”. The fact of the matter is EVERYBODY is expendable. Players, coaches, ball boys, presidents, brand managers, sales people, you name it. The sooner you realize this, the better.
5 – HUB CITY: Just like Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week, “We’re learning as we go”. This is Day 125 of the pandemic – as it relates to sports – and things have changed by the day. That includes the location of the CFL hub city, or cities. It’s humorous to see fans trying to pin pundits like me down for our coverage! We’re reporting what we hear guys. Nobody knows for sure where this is going or how it’ll look when it ends up. But thanks for so dutifully reading and watching our coverage every single day. People like you are what keeps us in business … so thanks!
6 – FINANCIAL TURMOIL: I chuckle at the fire and brimstone that’s being used to denounce NFL funding for the CFL. Like it hasn’t happened before! These guys scoffing at the idea have short memories. In 1997 the NFL stroked a cheque for $4-million CDN to save the league from dying. ($500,000 per team). 23 years later, the league has asked for between $30-million and $150-million from the Federal government to save their bacon again. If at anytime the NFL is asked to step up this time around, they’re going to want something in return and it could be a share of ownership of the league. Who could blame them?
7 – NFL CANADA: It seems the only people against the notion of NFL Canada are current CFL team staff and some staunch purists of the game. Group A, I feel, is simply scared spitless that they’ll be out of a job but I don’t see why anything would need to change. This “tweak” would simply be a negotiation and there’s no need to give up the three downs, 150-yard fields, or the rouge. I love the phrase “Evolve or die”. The CFL hasn’t evolved for 15 or so years from a marketing perspective and it’s caught up to them. Now’s the time.
8 – RETURN TO PLAY: The MLS is playing, the NHL is in camp, MLB is holding intrasquad and exhibition games, the NBA says they’ll play no matter what and the NFL says the same. The CEBL opened training camp in some markets this week and junior hockey teams are making plans for training camp and the regular season. What’s held the CFL back is one thing: a lack of money. I don’t know about you but I’m tired of this league having to live hand-to-mouth and transforming into NFL Canada would solve the money worries forever. Instead of fighting with the NFL for eyeballs and ticket sales, we’d work together. Instead of scouring NFL camps for players, they’d be sent here. Thus, your scouting budget shrinks immediately. I fail to see the downside to this merger.
9 – PLAYER REAX: It seems everyone’s denouncing social media but I think it’s a tremendous innovation. It gives the players a voice that they never had before. Stampeders DB Jamar Wall wrote on Twitter this week: “CFL office staff, coaches, team staff, are currently being paid and only taking a 20% cut … according to them. The players are the ones putting everything on the line yet getting treated the worst. Most players haven’t been paid since November 2019!” Montreal QB Vernon Adams Jr. Tweeted, “NO CAP”. Alouettes offensive lineman Tony Washington Tweeted, “Listen! I want to have a season … it’s just reading about the pension, delays if we get injured. We may have to wait to be treated, and yes, 33% (of salary) is low … 105 days isolated and getting my head beat in at practice and games just for $18,000 isn’t worth leaving jobs and families.”
10 – RANDOMS TO END: Coronavirus is no joke. From the stats I’ve read, 10 times as many people have died from this virus in North America as did from H1N1 just over a decade ago. I’m taking it seriously, yet not fearful of dying if I get it. I say, LET’S PLAY. … Hopefully the CFL can do it. As you’ve read they HAVE to or the CFL as we know it will be gone. In the meantime join us Friday at 7:00 pm MT for our computer SIM broadcast of the BC Lions at Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday Night Football! Snicker if you want but last week’s doubleheader drew 25,000 viewers. (We have the stats). You can watch on The Rod Pedersen Show Facebook Live channel … We still feel the Edmonton Eskimos will cave to sponsor pressure and change their team name. That’s what I’ve been told they’ll do by an impeccable source in Edmonton. (I’ve got a pretty good one up there; see Holland, Ken). This is a tough situation since there are reportedly many in the Inuit community who DON’T want to see it changed. … It’s not a secret that First Nations people don’t want to be called “Indians” anymore and you’re seeing that term eradicated from society. The Cleveland Indians may be forced to change their name. My question: What happens to Indian Head, SK? Indian Motorcycle (American’s First Motorcycle Company)? Indian Wells Masters? Indian School Road in Scottsdale? These are just my personal questions, not a criticism as I stand beside First Nations people, and always have. … Join Pat Fiacco, Darren Dupont and me at Kings Park Speedway this weekend for the opening races of the season! Follow K.P.S. on Instagram for details of Saturday’s and Sunday’s events because attendance is limited at 150 spectators. We’ll be dropping the green flag!
Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen
