10 THINGS FOR FAMOSO NEAPOLITAN PIZZERIA

Keith Hershmiller Photography

1 – GAME 4: The Regina Pats host the Swift Current Broncos Wednesday night in the Brandt Centre, trailing their first round WHL series 2-1 in games. The Broncos got the upperhand with a weird 4-1 victory on Monday in Game 3 under the Orange Top. It was weird because the Pats outshot the visitors 40-24 and their work ethic couldn’t be criticized. We all know that in junior hockey a series can change on a dime and that’s what Pats fans are hoping for on Wednesday. The ratings for this series have been huge. Can’t wait!

2 – PESKY WARRIORS: Moose Jaw scored twice in the final 2 minutes with their goalie pulled Tuesday in P.A., and came away with a 5-4 OT victory over the Raiders and a 2-1 series lead. Dub insiders say the Raiders won’t be able to recover from a gut-wrenching loss such as that and the rest of the series will go Moose Jaw’s way. It says here that both the Broncos and Warriors are only halfway to series wins and there’s a ton of hockey left to play. Let’s see what the Pats and Raiders are made of!

3 – SJHL: Saskatchewan’s Junior A league is down to the Conference Finals which begin on Friday. Estevan visits the Battlefords and Humboldt travels to Nipawin in the series openers. Go Bruins!

4 – MCDAVID THE MAGNIFICENT: Not since Mario Lemieux in 1988 has the NHL’s Hart Trophy winner as league MVP gone to a player on a non-playoff team. That 30-year drought has to end this season with the Oilers’ Connor McDavid, doesn’t it? Or am I just buying into the Canadian media hype?

5 – GO JOHNNY GO. LITERALLY. GO.: The comeback by Johnny Manziel is the car crash that football fans and media just can’t stop staring at. Johnny Manziel’s latest Pro Day at Texas A&M drew dozens of pro football scouts and even more media, including TSN’s Dave Naylor. Manziel’s agent – Erik Burkhardt – gave a rambling interview in which he wouldn’t be pinned down on where his client will play in 2018. Please! UNCLE! Just make up your mind Johnny, and get to work. It sure makes me glad the Roughriders are set at the QB position.

6 – FAKE NEWS: BC Lions Special Teams Coordinator Jeff Reinebold called out the Canadian media for its infatuation with Manziel on Tuesday saying there are far better – and more positive – stories to be written about the players who are actually IN the CFL right now. Hey, as they say in our business, “If it bleeds, it leads”. Johnny Manziel is click-bait and TSN and 3DownNation know where their bread is buttered. I’d tell the coaches to stick to coaching, but Reinebold’s comments are fair since the coaches’ moves are second-guessed endlessly by the media and fans.

7 – CFL WEEK: You know the CFL has a hit on its hands when teams are fighting over who gets to host the league’s premiere off-season event next. Last week we reported that Edmonton, Hamilton and Ottawa are eager to play host to Marks CFL Week in 2019 and now rumours suggest the Riders will make a play for it again as well. At some point, this event is going to have to go to Halifax and then why not Saskatoon, Kelowna or Quebec City? The CFL is hot, hot, hot baby!


8 – RIDER PRIDE: It seems quiet in Riderville but it’s not. The team is advertising upcoming free agent camps in Virginia Beach, Baltimore, Memphis, New Orleans, Bradenton, Miami, Detroit, L.A., Houston, Dallas and Oakland. Meanwhile this week’s signing of shutdown corner John Ojo has observers feeling the 2018 Riders are going to be a major juggernaut. The Florida minicamp is less than a month away! The Rider Nation is bubbling with anticipation and the season is right around the corner.


9 – FEEL THE RUSH: The NLL’s Saskatchewan Rush are big time – if you haven’t noticed – and another 15,000 crammed SaskTel Centre on Saturday to witness a wild 13-10 loss to Rochester. There was a sea of charter buses in the parking lot from all across the 306. Imagine how popular the Rush will be when the roster features some actual players from Saskatchewan? Owner Bruce Urban and Coach/GM Derek Keenan say that’s just a few years off. … Meanwhile the league will welcome expansion franchises in San Diego and Philadelphia next year. I’d like to see new teams in Winnipeg, Phoenix and Las Vegas along with an expansion franchise in Regina, contingent on the construction of a new 15,000 seat arena.

10 – OKAY BLUE JAYS: Jays prospect Vladimir Guererro Jr. electrified Olympic Stadium Tuesday night with a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 9th for a 1-0 exhibition win over St. Louis. Alas, experts tell us the son of the Expos great won’t start the season in Toronto. Awwww, why not? Meanwhile I continue to be befuddled by the Jays’ outlook in 2018. The pundits say the Jays are “One year away from the rebuild”. So why can’t they just start it now? Please explain.

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen