10 WEEKEND THINGS

Rodservations –

1 – We were reminded this week of what’s great about the CFL courtesy a chance encounter between two of the league’s biggest rivals. Saskatchewan Roughriders icon George Reed was lunching with Darren Dupont and me at Smokin’ Okies BBQ when the door swung open and in walked Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea and defensive coordinator Richie Hall! O’Shea was in Regina to hand deliver Richie’s 2019 Grey Cup ring and a good time was had by all. Photos posted to social media evoked a flood of memories and good feelings from CFL fans far and wide. It’s what’s been missing.

2 – The history of the Canadian Football League means a lot of different things to different people. When I think of it, I think of the league’s all-time characters and of course its great games. The personality of the CFL is what I prefer to celebrate. However right now, there is no personality to identify with. The 2020 season’s cancelled and the tumbleweeds are blowing.

3 – When the CFL does come back I’d like to see it celebrate the players more. This was illustrated to me recently by a fan who pointed out the 2-story high banner at the northeast corner of Mosaic Stadium depicting two faceless players. We don’t know who those players are. In my opinion it should be a banner of Cody Fajardo. Or a banner of Cody Fajardo and Charleston Hughes. This is incredibly symbolic of the notion that the corporation is bigger than its people. The current PC movement and idea that “everything needs to be fair”, to me, is killing society. In my experience, that’s not the way it is.

And a guy like Duron Carter would’ve been celebrated from coast-to-coast 20 years ago in the CFL. Now he’s exiled.

4 – The other ideas of how to “fix” the CFL are really interesting. We’ve heard about a CFL video game for years but it’s only been talk. However it seems we’re really close right now with Canuck Play, the maker of Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football. Scoff at our SIM games if you like, but it’s connected with the younger fans which is something the CFL’s struggled to do for years. Others are suggesting sports betting as an additional revenue stream for the CFL. That is a sure-fire way to go. There are only nine teams but betting is betting and fantasy, prop bets and all different forms of wagering can provide a windfall for the CFL if partnered with the right company.

5 – Woodbine Entertainment (Racetrack) in Toronto partnered with The Rod Pedersen Show to promote their Dark Horse betting app and the 161st running of the Queen’s Plate on September 12. We’re a digital show (which also airs on Game+ TV across Ontario on Rogers and Cogeco cable systems and in Quebec on VideoTron) and theirs is a digital product. Voila! The companies that are agile and forward-thinking have been able to pivot and survive in this global crisis, and even grow.

6 – The Grey Cup Fan Base campaign is what it is. For sure it’s creative but it just appears like the league has its hand out again and now we hear stories of teams approaching their biggest partners for large loans. It seems like we’re seeing the final stages of CFL 1.0 and preparing for an exciting CFL 3.0 which will truly be the bigger, stronger, bolder CFL that Commissioner Randy Ambrosie has long talked about. Can’t wait!

7 – Black Roughrider players have been very vocal this week during the Black Live Matters movement and Mike Stackhouse covered the Shaq Evans situation well in his column below. This is all a very wild time and while it’ll never totally calm down, I’m just dipping my toe in it from time-to-time and otherwise watching from the sidelines. Literally everyone in the fight has an agenda and you have to wonder sometimes where they’re coming from. (i.e. What’s their angle?) However one thing has become very clear to me; Lebron James is the most powerful man in sports at the moment. More powerful than any other player, Commissioner, or owner. It’s a responsibility I hope he uses wisely.

8 – People have tried to drag me into the fight (like suggesting I organize a BLM walk on Labour Day Weekend). Nice try, and thanks for volunteering my time. But my well-known personal cause is Mental Health & Addiction Recovery and I also stand with other racial minorities, and the LGBT community. I don’t need to be a face for every movement. The black players know where I stand with them, and I don’t need to prove anything. I similarly don’t EXPECT my friends to attend our events nor do I assume they’re AGAINST our cause if they don’t. Wake up.

9 – All the CFL players opting out of their contracts has caused a lot of hand-wringing around these parts. Last I saw, the Riders had nine players opt out. It’s brought about many questions like: Will they come back? Does this signal the end for the Riders? And will they have a league to come back to? Fans need to realize that these are purely business transactions because the players are their own personal businesses. Very few of them even have NFL opportunities but being a free agent positions them to pursue one. The players also need to realize that they’ll be replaced in a heartbeat no matter how big of a name they are. The fact is, they already know that.

10 – Another plain fact is that there will be a CFL and a Saskatchewan Roughriders once we emerge from the pandemic. They likely won’t look anything like what we remember, but they’ll be back. Perspective is also important right now. I’m always reminded of a saying I heard years ago regarding Tiger Woods’ legacy. The saying goes, “Would there be a PGA without Tiger Woods? The answer is yes. Would there be a Tiger Woods without the PGA? The answer is no.”

The same thing goes for the Green & White. Will there be a Saskatchewan without the Roughriders? Yes. Would there be a Roughriders without Saskatchewan? The answer is no. That has become very clear over the past six months, but had gotten lost over time.

And some fans fear that Mosaic Stadium will become a gigantic white elephant. I’m even hearing from many who feel the new stadium was a bad idea. WRONG! For one, nobody foresaw the pandemic coming. For two, it’s the finest outdoor stadium in Canada and simply needs to be utilized (are you listening health officials?). And three, the Riders’ share of the stadium cost has been largely paid down thanks to a creative, innovative capital funding campaign constructed by Steve Mazurak and Jim Hopson.

Sit tight, be good to each other, and use this time to get better. The good times will return and they might even be better than they were before!

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen