10 Weekend Things

Truth & Rumours

1 – OLYMPICS: The Paris Games hadn’t even officially started, and there were already two major controversies. First, Canada’s Womens Soccer Team being caught spying on their opposition’s practices, then the uproar over the host committee’s Opening Ceremonies where Drag Queens portrayed a scene from The Last Supper a day later. Frankly I was shocked that the host committee apologized on Sunday for offending the Christians around the world, but to me the apology is hollow anyway. An apology is saying you’re sorry for letting the air out of someone’s tire. An amend is putting the air back in it. Otherwise, it’s just words.

2 – TOUGH CONVERSATIONS: I’ll never forget almost 20 years ago when that little voice came from the back seat of the car. “Dad,” she began. “Can two men marry each other?” Hoooo boy. Here we go. Might as well explain life as early as possible! And for the record, I wasn’t offended by the Opening Ceremonies at all. The first person I saw taking offense was Theo Fleury on Facebook saying, “What does this have to do with athletics?” To me, it’s about entertainment! What does a rock star performing at halftime of a championship game have to do with football? But hey – it would be a boring world if we all agreed.

3 – RIDER SLIIIIIIIDE: For the first time since he was hired on November 29, Corey Mace is feeling some heat as head coach of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders. Since then, it’s been nothing but unicorns and rainbows but now after the club blew a 16-3 lead at Montreal in Week 8 and lost 20-16, “they” are lighting fires around him. “Why didn’t they adjust?”, “Why did they stop running the ball?”, “Didja know they’ve lost two of their last three?”, “Why didn’t they start receiver Ajou Ajou?” It’s all part of the fun and make sure you take the time to enjoy it. It’s conversations like this that you miss in January. For the record, I think he can handle it just fine.

4 – CFL NOTES: Happy 88th birthday today to Russ Jackson, the greatest Canadian QB the CFL has ever seen! I’ll never forget at the 2017 Grey Cup in Ottawa, Russ tearing up during his speech at the CFLAA luncheon while discussing what it meant for pro football to return to the Nation’s Capital. First class guy! … They finally have a team to cheer for in Ottawa too, as Bob Dyce’s RedBlacks are off to the best start in franchise history at 5-2. … Speaking of Canadian QBs, the New York Giants released Nathan Rourke on Sunday. Before everyone’s in a rush to discuss a return to the CFL, unless it’s changed, Nathan will be waiting through the NFL waiver period. If that’s wrong, someone please inform me. … “Awful” was the term Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie used to describe the play of his offense under starting QB Cameron Dukes in Saturday’s eventual 16-14 home win over Winnipeg. You can bet suspended star Chad Kelly will be starting as soon as he’s available. The outrage over Kelly’s return will make the drag queen controversy look mild. I still haven’t picked a side on that one, and perhaps never will. .. Will the real Calgary Stampeders please stand up? … The most exciting CFL player in history? Gizmo Williams.

5 – MEDIA: If you knew how much mainstream newsmedia was influenced by big business and government, you’d search for more independent news sources. Just sayin’. As someone who’s seen it from the inside for the past 36 years, I’m pretty confident in saying this. It wasn’t always this way.

6 – MORE CFL: The games have been incredibly tough to predict in 2024 and that’s fantastic for the League. If it helps your bets, home teams are 22-9 this season and that is, by far, a league watermark for this late in the season. … 75% of the games have been decided in the final 3:00, including two of the three games this week. You have to watch right to the very end, always! … I’ve tried to get into soccer. Honestly tried. But just can’t. … For a second consecutive week, Edmonton QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson has been fined for complaining about short weeks in the schedule. McBeth is a great guy, but this just comes off as whining. Plus the Thursday-Sunday schedule remains the best thing the CFL has done in years. Suck it up buttercup!

7 – CEBL: Man it takes awhile, but it’s worth it. On Saturday I sat around with a bunch of basketball guys at Echo Lake, SK watching Canada beat Greece in the mens Olympic opener. We were discussing the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Everyone of them had an opinion; good, bad and in between. The fact that Saskatchewan Rattlers star Jalen Harris – a former Toronto Raptor – set a league record with a 45-point game last month but was then allowed to dip for a new contract in Asia mid-season is something the league needs to address pronto. Sask’s season went down the drain when all their best players bounced. How are you supposed to build a winner, and engage fans, with this going on? … Meanwhile the Niagara River Lions set a CEBL record Saturday night by sweeping their home schedule 10-0. The River Lions are owned by league founder Richard Petko, whom I had the good fortune to visit with at a Rattlers home game this summer. Cool guy! … The sophomore Winnipeg Sea Bears right now are the model franchise of the whole loop. … The league is definitely going in the right direction.

8 – SWING BATTER BATTER: It dawned on me this week that this Western Canadian Baseball League phase of my life has brought on a weird sensation that’s entirely new. As Voice of the Moose Jaw Miller Express, I do not hate the other teams with every fibre of my being like I did in past incarnations in hockey and football. I’m fascinated by the Saskatoon Berries, and fanboy on star outfielder Carter Beck. The Regina Red Sox head honchos – Gary Brotzel, Bernie Eiswirth, Sharon Clarke & Rye Pothakos – are like family to me, and I love them. During a game versus last-place Weyburn a couple weeks back, I found myself pulling a bit for the Beavers (my second hometown). WHAT! Have I grown up? Or gotten soft? Either way, it feels good and I like it. … By the way the WCBL officially surpassed the 300,000 mark in attendance this week – the fastest in league history – and will set an attendance record this summer. Before the Ya But crowd says that’s all due Okotoks and Sylvan Lake fans, the Sask ball clubs are routinely playing to sellouts every night and all that tells me is we need new ballparks! The playoffs are just over a week away. Get on board!

9 – NHL: Baseball will end just in time to get back to Florida and jump on the trail of the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and rival Tampa Bay Lightning with the start of their training camps. The summer has been busy appearing on Florida sports podcasts talking NHL hockey. As mentioned in past weeks, I’ve joined the South Florida Tribune sports department to cover Florida NHL teams and to say I’m thrilled is an understatement! … Meanwhile Hall of Fame Blue Jackets & Panthers broadcaster Jeff Rimer has offered to co-host our Cats N Bolts Podcast since he’s in retirement now, living in nearby Delray Beach, FL. Somebody pinch me!

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: Podcasts are where it’s at in this business but I still feel there’s a place for live radio. … I can’t remember: WTF is a Correction Line for? … You’ve gotta think tacos are good for you. … The Swift Current 57’s have a pitcher from Australia named Lachlan Hockey. Are his parents willing to adopt me? … Ever ordered something online only to learn you’ve been scammed? That may have happened to me. … A lot of people have no lives. … It’s time for the Saskatoon Berry Pie Blizzard. Come on DQ! Make it happen. .. The Downtown Aquarium in Denver has a new resident — a rare orange lobster that was rescued from a shipment of crustaceans delivered to a Red Lobster restaurant in Pueblo, Colorado. A long-term employee spotted the orange lobster while unpacking the shipment last Friday and alerted restaurant managers. The staff named it Crush after the Denver Broncos’ legendary Orange Crush defense from 1976 to 1986. A restaurant manager delivered Crush to the aquarium on Wednesday. Crush will be quarantined for 30 days, with a Denver Broncos helmet in its tank, and will be examined by a veterinarian before being showcased to the public. … AND HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen