10 MIDWEEK THINGS FOR REALTY ONE & TITAN AUTO

1 – THANK YOU BAGGER: Rider icon Rob Bagg announced his retirement on Tuesday after 11 CFL seasons, and as he pointed out, 12 CFL training camps. He’s alluding to a great story where he actually made the 2007 Rider roster but informed HC Kent Austin that he planned to return to Queen’s University to finish his degree. Kent was beyond shocked! Well, everything happens for a reason and Rob wound up getting his Grey Cup ring in 2013. Along the way, he provided countless memories for the Rider Nation and embodied Saskatchewan Tough. Thanks Rob!

2 – WHERE’S THE BEEF?: Remember Saskatchewan Tough? Tuesday evening I spoke with Sask beef producers who are understandably livid at the Riders’ role in this A&W Beyond Meat controversy, and the TV ads which use the Rider Nation to market their anti-Canadian beef stance. The ranchers and farmers wonder how the Riders don’t understand the Ag Industry, nor what it’s meant to this franchise for 100 years? The bigger picture here is that the Beef Industry is under attack. May I suggest you get a burger for lunch today? And maybe even a steak for supper. #beefbelongs

3 – GOOD HEADACHES: Rider GM Jeremy O’Day has created a good problem. Their offense has been clicking along just fine thank you, but they’ve got receivers Kenny Stafford and Jordan Williams-Lambert chomping at the bit to get onto the field. Too many excellent players and not enough spots on the field for them is an excellent problem to have. You can’t keep ’em all happy, but that’s not management’s job. Winning is, and they’re doing that at 8-4.

4 – HOME FOR THE PLAYOFFS?: With the path they’re on, there’s no reason to expect the Riders won’t finish at least 2nd-place in the West Division. Football maven John Frenzy figures the Riders’ home game October 5 against Winnipeg will tell that tell. A win over the Bombers will seal that season series and put the Riders in good shape for 2nd.

5 – SALUTE TO SERVICE: That Oct. 5 game is the Riders’ Military Appreciation Night. Please make plans to attend and honour the people of the Military. Speaking of, there is a plaque unveiling ceremony today (Wednesday) near Maple Creek to honour Lieutenant Hampden Cockburn who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his role in the Boer War in 1900. He was wounded in that battle but survived to found a large ranch in SW Sask. He was killed by his own horse in 1913. He’ll be honoured at 2 pm Wednesday and the ceremony is being put on by the Sask Ministry of Parks, Culture & Sport as well as The Royal United Services Institute of Regina. R.U.S.I. is always looking for new members and it’s a great collection of people. If you’d like to join, message me.

6 – OWN WORST ENEMY: Sometimes the CFL is its own worst enemy. On one hand the league wants to further its Fantasy Football component while on the other, the Edmonton Eskimos want to hide the condition of QB Trevor Harris who was injured in the Labour Day rematch against Calgary (their last game). In the NFL, the injuries to Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger were known within 24 hours of Week 2 and Fantasy players set their rosters accordingly. The secrecy in this league needs to go.

7 – THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDIA: The WHL and CFL lost two huge media figures when Gregg Drinnan and Drew Edwards walked away from their blogs (Taking Note and 3DownNation). They left for different reasons, but now a huge hole has been created in coverage of both leagues. 3DownNation will be okay because Justin Dunk has assumed control but as far as the Dub goes, there will never be another Gregg Drinnan. He doesn’t just belong in a Hall of Fame for WHL Writers; it should be named after him. Teams and head offices sometimes saw these guys as a pain, but we’re going to see now why the media is so important to what happens on the field, the ice, in the stands and at the turnstiles.

8 – LUCKY RIDERS?: I think we’ve covered this before but the “insiders” still feel the Riders have gotten lucky this year. From the Montreal rainout game, to facing Winnipeg and Hamilton without their top guns, to the unsuspected stardom of Cody Fajardo, the critics say it adds up to one big ball of luck. I continue to maintain two phrases: “Luck favours the prepared” and/or “There’s no such thing as luck” (Thanks for that, Todd Strueby). And even if it is “luck”, why would the Riders apologize?

9 – JR NOTES: Hockey fans on the prairies have forced us to look at how we do things on The Rod Pedersen Show. Their appetite for coverage and chatter is insatiable despite the fact we pointed out the Top 10 cities for RP Show audience are: 1) Regina, 2) Saskatoon, 3) Calgary, 4) Winnipeg, 5) Edmonton, 6) Montreal, 7) Toronto, 8) Hamilton, 9) Moose Jaw, and 10) Ottawa. Consider this: all are CFL cities, but all are major junior cities too. So we are considering instituting a 30-minute weekly segment covering junior hockey, and that includes Jr. A because I love the S-Jay just as much as the Dub. YOU will decide if it goes longer than 30 minutes.

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: *BREAKING* The CJAHL is renaming its championship trophy the Centennial Cup. It was known as the Royal Bank Cup for 20 years.** … Kelly Bates arrives in Vancouver and in the Lions’ 2nd game with Bates in charge of the O-line, they don’t give up a sack and win. Coincidence? … The insiders say Mike Reilly is just as responsible for all the sacks, and he needs to get rid of the ball quicker. … The difference between the NFL in Toronto and the CFL in Halifax — Toronto wants the NFL but we’re not sure the feeling is mutual. Conversely, the CFL wants Halifax but we’re not sure the feeling is mutual. … The Regina Pats named Austin Pratt from Lakeville, MN as their 89th captain this week. I wondered aloud if he’s the first American captain of this club? Fact checkers Kevin Shaw and Chris Clark came up with two other American-born Pats captains: Howie Milne (1920’s) and Jake Leshyshyn (2018) … Humboldt Broncos HC & GM Scott Barney tells me they may have the youngest team in SJHL history. I replied, “It’s a good thing you just got a new 3-year contract”.  … The Estevan Bruins’ road white jerseys, pants, socks, gloves and helmets are the talk of hockey. But not for all the right reasons! I admire HC & GM Chris Lewgood’s boldness. … If you haven’t noticed yet, the SJHL has been EXTREMELY progressive and it makes me so happy and proud of these guys. … A stat that should scare the bejeezus out of you: 54% of the NFL’s international ticket sales come from Canada and the top three cities for ticket sales are Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton (source: Stubhub PR). … The Pats host the Warriors Friday night in the WHL opener and Access TV has the call. Let’s Pack the Dome! Theo Fleury said Pats/Warriors is no different than the Battle of Alberta.

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen