10 WEEKEND THINGS

Taking shots …

1 – THE SQUARED CIRCLE: It was a trip back in time in more ways than one. On Saturday at the Edmonton Oil Kings/Calgary Hitmen game in the Saddledome (Edmonton won 6-1), after the game they assembled a wrestling ring on the ice and the stars of Alberta’s PWA Wrestling Tour entertained the crowd of 7,494 with a 5-fight card! It was a trip back in time for three reasons: 1) I hadn’t watched pro wrestling in years, 2) One of my childhood heroes Bret “The Hitman” Hart was in attendance but with his trademark locks long turned gray and having health issues, he watched from a luxury suite, and 3) It was a throwback to the days of out-of-the-box marketing in the WHL where we used to have outlandish “theme” nights on a weekly basis. More …

2 – WWF: Just on the pro wrestling note, the World Wrestling Federation brought its biggest stars to Taylor Field in the 1980s and I couldn’t sleep for a week in anticipation. I can’t remember whom all was featured, but that didn’t matter. My heroes – the Hart Foundation featuring Bret Hart and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart – were set to take on the Killer B’s and that’s all that mattered. We wondered how they were going to set up the ring but they dragged it against the west side stands and it made for a PERFECT setting. I gave up pro wrestling once I discovered girls and college in Calgary but these memories all came up on Saturday.

Brainstorming those theme nights was one of the funnest parts of working in junior hockey! The Silver Fox Kelly Remple and I are cut from the same cloth and he was the man behind the most memorable theme nights in Moose Jaw and Regina history.

I don’t want to be the old fart stuck in the past, droning on about the good ol’ days, however all I know is those wild theme nights were fun and the barns were packed. For at least one night, the Hitmen brought it back. These days junior teams are in a struggle just to survive but it would be great to see the really creative marketing return.

3 – TRASH TALK: I had no clue the names of the wrestlers but one guy, who looked like Pitbull’s twin, was adorned in an Oil Kings jersey and sunglasses and spat into the mic, “Tonight I’m gonna ruin you stupid Calgary fans’ night just like the Oil Kings did to the Hitmen! The best part of my night is going to be leaving this city. I hate Calgary so much that when my sister moved here, I disowned her!” The little kids from Calgary booed and hissed, and threw popcorn at him.

I. loved. it.

4 – HOCKEY, HOCKEY, HOCKEY: No, we haven’t moved to Calgary. Yet. But we have a 60-show contract between Grey Eagle Resort & Casino and The Rod Pedersen Show and it’s gone 10-times better than we even predicted. They’ve got me in a top floor suite with a mountain view and I feel like Elvis. On top of that, the Calgary sports community has rallied. (Lanny McDonald’s coming down to the show this week and joins a list which includes Catriona Lemay Doan, John Hufnagel, Kelly Hrudey, Lee Genier, Mark Stephen, Peter Loubardias, Craig Button and more).

And, as I’ve noted here previously, there’s a high level hockey game every night. If you follow my social media, you’ll see I’ve attended games in the NHL, WHL, AJHL & Canada West and the most exciting action is still to come. My Florida friends are all hockey fans and they said awhile back, “You’re so lucky to have so much hockey available every night.” In truth, I took that for granted my whole life but now I appreciate it even more and am taking full advantage. It’s very similar to the views of the Rocky Mountains. I never noticed them till now, and now I can’t get enough. So yes, we’re making the most of our time before it ends.

5 – CIAO TO CHOW: It’s funny; the AJHL people mentioned they feel the SJHL plays a rougher style of hockey yet I’ve found exactly the opposite. It’s been a fun debate. (I’ve always loved Junior A hockey just as much as the NHL or WHL and that’s why I wrote the SJHL 50-year history book in 2018). Anyway, I had a great chat with outgoing SJHL President Bill Chow on the phone this week and when I asked him why he’s declined a new contract, he answered “It’s time”. Boy, do I get that. After navigating the league through the Humboldt tragedy and then Covid, Bill’s leaving the league in good hands. I’ve loved the man since we first met in 1992 in his hometown of Prince Albert and promised to stay in touch.

6 – ENERGY CITY: We’ll meet again at the Centennial Cup in May. The Canadian Junior A Hockey Championship will be waged at Affinity Place and The RP Show will be on hand to broadcast live daily on Game+ TV and YouTube. The CJHL will be announcing an exciting new tournament format in about a week and I think it’s a wonderful “tweak”! Stay tuned for that. Along with hosting our show, I’ve offered my services to host any and all banquets, breakfasts and rallies the organizing committee requires, plus perhaps call some games. THIS IS GOING TO BE FANTASTIC. Right down my alley.

7 – CFL NOTES: If the RP Show’s going to be in Alberta this summer – and I have a feeling it may – we’ll be attending as many games at McMahon Stadium and Commonwealth Stadium as possible. Not sure about you, but I feel a palpable, fresh, exciting vibe around the 2022 CFL season. Honestly having the youthful energy of Calgary Stampeders coaches Mark Kilam and Marc Mueller on The RP Show on Friday really got the adrenaline flowing. THIS IS WHY THE LEAGUE NEEDS TO BE VISIBLE IN THE OFF-SEASON. Kilam gushed how Calgary faces Edmonton five times this season (including preseason) and I got the sense the Elks have returned as the Stampeders’ top rival. Let’s get it on cuz we don’t get along.

And when we had Elks President Victor Cui on the show, he couldn’t stop bobbing and weaving in front of the camera, similar to a prize fighter. Lions owner Amar Doman has been on our show too, and I was impressed with his vision. It’ll be interesting to see what the Lions do to match the Elks and Stamps buzz.

All the CFL needs is for you to buy tickets.

8 – FEAR THE DEER: Let the record show that the elk is the largest member of the deer family. Anyway, kudos to the Elks for their new helmet design unveiling on Thursday. Personally, I liked the elk horns on the helmet better but that’s just me. They just went through a million dollar rebrand! Elk antler helmets seemed very appropriate, and now they’re going back to the famed E.E. logo, which also looks good. Hey, Victor Cui is from Edmonton, is a lifelong Eskimos/Elks fan, and it’s his team. Have at it.

9 – BRIER: The Canadian Mens Curling Championship is going on just down the road in Lethbridge and the drama at the Enmax Centre is at a peak. This Darren Moulding/Brendan Bottcher stuff has all the vitriol of a 1990s WWF feud, and the raucous crowd seemed behind Moulding’s Team New Brunswick Saturday night despite a 6-4 loss to Bottcher’s Team Canada. There’s just as much steam between Saskatchewan teams Flasch and Dunstone – both of whom are in Lethbridge – but those guys have done well to keep a lid on it. For now. This is like Nascar and I’m into it! Go Sask.

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: I’m getting texts from the homeland saying “The natives are restless with the state of the Riders”. Newsflash: they’re always restless with the state of the Riders. Go to a Pats game or go for a walk around Wascana Lake. You have no control over it. … One bad thing about mic drops; they can cause serious damage to the mics. This, from a career broadcaster. … The Winnipeg Jets just aren’t good enough. It’s time to face facts. … NOBODY does more community work than junior hockey teams. The Pats just had their Mental Health Awareness Night and the Hitmen had their Bret Hart Night (bringing awareness to prostate cancer), Every Child Matters Night is coming up and they just hosted Be Brave Night (anti-bullying). Proud of these guys and gals. … The Saskatchewan Rush took a punch to the face Saturday night with a 17-16 overtime loss at last-place Panther City (Fort Worth, TX). I guess I should cover the Calgary Roughnecks too, and they lost 9-4 at San Diego on Friday. The NLL is entering the home stretch, and you’re probably going to want to pay attention! … If anybody knows why NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz stepped down, they’re not saying. But from what I hear, it tells you why Commissioners are hyper sensitive over their relationship with the owners. … REMINDER: I have never said one cross, nor negative word about CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie. …. We’ve attended three movies at RP Show sponsor Landmark Cinemas in Calgary and here’s how I’d rate them: 1 – Jackass Forever, 2 – The Batman, 3 – Uncharted. Jackass is the same old crew including Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville doing even more outlandish and outrageous stunts to destroy their bodies. A must-see. As I said about the Batman movie, “Of all the Batman movies, The Batman is one of them”. This new guy (Robert Pattinson) doesn’t touch Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck, Val Kilmer or even Adam West, but he’s still BATMAN! Three hours for the flick seemed a little long though. And as far as Uncharted goes, any movie with Mark Wahlburg is worth attending but I found my mind wondering a lot and that’s not what I go to a movie for. Check em out out for yourself and let me know if you agree or disagree!

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen