10 Weekend Things

Truth & Rumours

1 – MVP! MVP!: Saskatoon Berries slugger Carter Beck was named MVP of the 2024 Western Canadian Baseball League All Star Game on Saturday, driving in three RBIs as the East Division toppled the West 13-6 at a sold-out Seaman Stadium in Okotoks, AB. Earlier, the Carnduff, SK product blasted 16 bombs in the Homerun Derby and on our RP Show pregame special on-field, I told I him I dated his Aunt Carla in high school – I didn’t say I voted for her! – and we had a few chuckles. Headed to Indiana State University this Fall, Carter said during our interview that his goal is to represent Canada in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics! Beck is the kind of player that sells tickets, and you might want to check him out as the WCBL heads into the playoffs in August. Or, he’ll be on a TV screen near you before long.

2 – WCBL: Other franchises are green with envy at the Okotoks Dawgs, who play before crowds of 6,000 nightly at the basically brand new, glitzy Seaman Stadium. However those teams don’t mind when the WCBL is distributing cheques from a widly successful All Star Weekend, which the Dawgs will host for a fourth straight year in 2025. Kevin Costner had it right: “If you build it, they will come.”

3 – TAKE THE STAIRS: The highlight of the weekend for me was interviewing and spending good time with 2008 World Series champion and Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Matt Stairs. The Saint John, NB product still holds the MLB record for most career pinch hit homeruns with 23, and remains a legend in Philadelphia for hitting the series-winning homerun in the 2008 NLCS. Post-career, Matt spent years as the Phillies color commentator. He came out to Okotoks just for All Star Weekend however he was also getting a tour of the facilities as he’s spearheading an effort to get something built in the Maritimes. We talked about our careers, helping young people, and exchanged numbers. What a great guy.

4 – WCBL II: So many people asked how I got involved with the League, as Voice of the Moose Jaw Miller Express this summer. In truth, I don’t really recall however it’s been one of the greatest experiences of my career. My vision meshes with the WCBL, which is enjoying a historic summer in terms of attendance, revenue and publicity. I enjoy the players, their families, and the short season suits my life perfectly. No one knows exactly why Major Leaguers like Stairs, Jamie Campbell, and more have started carrying the WCBL flag but everyone is just incredibly grateful. It’s always been a tremendous league with quality baseball – I’ve attended Regina Red Sox games for years – but there’s more expansion on the horizon (the Saskatoon Berries story is miraculous), a regional TV deal and lots more exciting things. Glad to be on board, and very happy to promote the new baseball stadium project for Regina!

5 – CFL: Things are turning in the CFL a bit. The previously winless Hamilton Tiger-Cats upset the Toronto Argonauts 27-24 at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday, which tells me that teams are starting to figure things out. I’ve got Calgary picked to upset BC in Sunday’s “Wally Bowl” at McMahon Stadium and if they do, that’ll prove my point. … Several Okotokians told me this weekend they gave up their Stampeders season tickets for Dawgs tickets which stands to reason; they can simply drive down the street for a quality sports experience rather than dodge traffic and sit in the CFL’s worst stadium. Just sayin’. … Looks like Montreal QB Cody Fajardo is going to miss more time with a hamstring injury which is going to bring the Alouettes back to the pack. Refer to Point 1 of this Point. It’s a long season. … Sorry V.A., but Cody is the MVP.

6 – RIDERS: A few weeks ago I told all and sundry that I’m sold on the 2024 Saskatchewan Roughriders. Rookie head coach Corey Mace is ahead of schedule and his best hire was offensive coordinator Marc Mueller, which surprises nobody. … Finding a way to win without Trevor Harris earns the Riders double checkmarks. … I can honestly say I’m happy for the Green & White, and wish them well. In fact I picked them to win on Friday, and was rewarded. … However if I hear the term Obsidian Green one more time, I may turn that color. I’m not too sure what to think about that new style, however they’ve sold a boatload so congrats! … Regarding the hit by Winnipeg linebacker Adam Bighill on Sask QB Shea Patterson at the end of Friday’s game, all Biggie had to do was “touch” the QB however instead he pulverized him. It was unnecessary, and worthy of a fine.

7 – CAN IT: McLeod Bethel Thompson is complaining about short weeks. … The kickers were complaining about the footballs. … The fans are bitching about the Thurs-Sunday schedule. … The Blue Bombers are complaining about the officiating. … Wally Buono wants U.S. expansion but the owners, presidents and fans don’t and will fight you over it. … The “Elks” name change in Edmonton is still a hair trigger topic and people lose their cotton-picking minds at the mere mention of the term “Eskimos”. It’s going to take years to turn that franchise around. … It’s all really volatile stuff that turns me off. 

8 – JONES: Was Chris Jones laughing when his Edmonton Elks lost 20-14 at Ottawa on Friday, five days after they canned him? It’s doubtful because Jones isn’t that way. It’s just one more distasteful story. That was the first in-season coach firing in the CFL since Kent Austin was punted in Hamilton in 2017. RP Show football analysts Jim Barker and Matt Dubuc both said on Friday’s show that the firing of Jones would work against the E.E. in Week 7 and they were right. They say this wasn’t a case of Jones losing the locker room, and the team was thisclose to winning games. Now they’re a million miles away from getting it together. On the flipside, I’m told C.J. has his next job lined up already.

9 – NHL: You don’t need to spend much time in Southern Alberta before you hear excitement over the Calgary Flames beginning construction on their brand new facility on Monday. The fans are excited about the new digs, but not overly excited about the team. “I feel sorry for Hush (head coach Ryan Huska)” said one hockey guy this weekend here in the Foothills. Hopefully they figure it out one of these seasons! … Coach Don Nachbauer fled the AHL Calgary Wranglers for the WHL’s Wenatchee Wild this summer. Winnipeg Jets assistant coach Brad Lauer was named head coach of the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs this week as well. … It was a treat to join the Florida Panthers podcast Cats ‘N RATS this week (not to be confused with our Cats ‘N Bolts show). I proclaimed that Panthers fans haven’t yet truly realized that they’ve won the Stanley Cup, and that’s fine. They’re still partying! That comment got lots of reaction – positive and negative – but I stand by it and they’ll get it soon. One of the most monumental things out of this is that the Panthers have moved from that gross pool of franchises who’ve never won a Cup (Vancouver, Columbus, San Jose, Winnipeg, Utah, etc.) to the Winners Circle. Forever. That’s a great club to be in.

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: How can you be a Canadian hotel but not have TSN nor Sportsnet????? …. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. … Not sure which I hate more: ice or gravel. … Familiarity breeds contempt. … FYI being a talkshow host is WAYYY harder than doing play-by-play. When you call a game, you simply describe what you see. However when you host a show, you’d better damned well be entertaining or ELSE! Fortunately, I enjoy both immensely. … I wouldn’t want a farm located on a highway. Just wouldn’t. … “Tweets are my own.” What the hell does that even mean? I know, I know. That they don’t reflect the views of your employer but if you step in it on social media, that disclaimer isn’t going to save you. … If you don’t wear headphones while watching videos on our device in public, you’re a jerk! I’m too nice to say it face-to-face, so I’ll say it here. … Saskatchewan Taylor Swift fans are wooing the world’s biggest pop star to come back to the province. Swifties have gone as far as making hundreds of friendship bracelets, holding a massive dance party and pledging to temporarily change a city name to get her attention. Swift has been on her Eras world tour and plans to perform in Canada later this year in Toronto and Vancouver.  She’s not coming to Saskatchewan but there’s a wellspring of never-say-die Swifties promoting events to find ways to lure the star. She was last in Saskatchewan in 2009 to perform at a country music festival. The City of Swift Current says it will change its name in honor of the singer-songwriter if she visits. … AND HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen