10 THANKSGIVING THINGS

1 – SWEAT PANT SEASON: Hopefully your Thanksgiving weekend has included some time with family and a traditional turkey meal. It’s been nice seeing people list on Facebook, Twitter, etc. what they’re thankful for. Now if you really want to throw your life a curveball, try listing what you’re thankful for on a DAILY basis! That’s a game-changer.

2 – STAMPS STILL #1: Until someone proves otherwise, the Calgary Stampeders are the CFL’s top team. (i.e. Until someone upends their season along the Grey Cup trail). Forget about the Power Rankings or goofy Grey Cup simulation. The Stamps proved it again Friday night with a 30-28 win over the upstart Roughriders. To be the best, you have to beat the best. And no one’s done that yet.

3 – BO KNOWS: I’ve long wondered why Calgary QB Bo Levi Mitchell plays with such a large chip on his shoulder. Now we know why. Football maven John Lynch said on Friday’s The Rod Pedersen Show that BLM feels he should be in the NFL, but the NFL scouting report on him is that he’s not an accurate enough thrower. Anyone who’s watched Bo the past six seasons knows that’s hogwash, as he’s won 2 Grey Cups, appeared in 4 title games, and has the highest winning percentage of all-time! Bo knows he should be in the NFL but for some reason he hasn’t been handed the golden ticket. I totally get it.

4 – POSTGAME THOUGHTS: Some jottings from Friday’s Rider loss in Calgary: Back-up QB Brian Bennett was another very savvy pick-up … Riders seemed to get away from their game plan, dabbling in a Huck N’ Chuck offense … God must be a Stamps fan too … Riders won’t beat the Stamps until they win the line of scrimmage battle. It’s nearly impossible to get to Bo. … In other news, Rider QB Cody Fajardo Tweeted that he had his truck broken into overnight on Saturday. Cody, sir, you are now an honorary Reginan! You haven’t lived here till … 

5 – OFFICIATING: Was too much made of the officiating in that game? It says here that there was. You had Rider DB Ed Gainey mugging in the camera, completely calling out the Command Centre saying they were “cheating” the Riders. On the other hand you had Bo Levi saying live on TSN at halftime that the officiating was one-sided, favouring Saskatchewan. Here’s a tip: Calling out the refs doesn’t make them want to do you any favours. Trust me, I know.

6 – KUDOS COWTOWN: While attendance seems to have taken a nosedive across the CFL this season – BMO Field looked EMPTY Friday night – the Calgary Sun’s Danny Austin points out that the Stampeders are actually averaging 1,000 more per game than last year. We are already seeing some signage and hype in Calgary for the 2019 Grey Cup which will be played in the Foothills. Well done!

7 – ELSEWHERE: Of all the hellacious hits that BC Lions QB Mike Reilly took this year, the one that finished his season seemed rather incident. Reilly fell awkwardly on his left wrist Saturday night in Edmonton, after executing a hand-off, and he appeared to know it was broken right at that moment. It didn’t appear BC was going to win that game even with Reilly at the helm, but this is was a shame regardless. He is the CFL’s Ultimate Warrior. Now, there’s not much intrigue left over the last 3 weeks with all six playoff spots sewn up.

8 – CAMBIE BRIDGE: 3DownNation’s Justin Dunk reports the BC Lions have signed free agent QB Brandon Bridge for the remainder of the CFL season. This should be interesting to watch. Air Canada had a somewhat meteoric rise in his CFL career, but he’s been grounded since being released by both the Argos and Alouettes earlier this season. Hopefully the layoff jolted him into realizing he has several God-given gifts, and BC is the tarmac he needs!

9 – STREBOW: 20,901 populated Investors Group Field Saturday afternoon to watch Winnipeg’s 35-24 clutch win over Montreal. They tell us the massive storm is the reason for a crowd which was barely over 50% capacity. (How come 20-thousand others were able to make it?) Anyway, this Bomber season has turned into must-see TV the rest of the way because The Blue has found a way to play just enough complimentary football around Chris Streveler to allow them to win. Don’t sleep on this team yet! That’s exciting.

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: If turkey meat is full of Tryptophan and that causes us to be tired from eating it, shouldn’t that make turkeys really tired too? Maybe they are?? … Note to Oiler fans: This team spiked initially under Todd McLellan and Ken Hitchcock too. However, I agree, this feels different. … The Regina Pats have lost 9 in a row and that has caused some people, even veteran hockey folk, to question the security of head coach Dave Struch. But don’t. Struch is loved by the owners and GM John Paddock and he can only coach what he has. Mike Babcock couldn’t do any better with this year’s team. Why that is, is another question however. … Do flies sleep? … The movie El Camino is AWFUL! B-A-D. And that’s a shame since we were such huge fans of Breaking Bad (this movie is a sequel to the Netflix series). It’s too slow and Jessie Pinkman didn’t have enough lines. His character is what made the series so successful in the first place! Two thumbs down from the MMG … Congrats to former Rider Assistant GM John Murphy for landing on his feet in the Toronto Argos front office. Good things happen to good people! … Are moustaches making a comeback? What do the women think of that? … I’ve got plenty more, but we’ll save it for Thursday.

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen