10 WEEKEND THINGS

Taking shots …

1 – ASSINIBOIA: Holy smokes was it fantastic to be in a jam-packed Prince of Wales Centre in Assiniboia, SK on Saturday night for the town’s bi-annual Sports Celebrity Gala along with sports icons Lanny McDonald and Chris Walby. And man oh man, are they icons! I had the opportunity to host the Hot Stove panel but for one of the first times ever, I turned the mic over to the pair and sat in the crowd. Those two were on that much of a roll! I shot a glance to event organizer Curtis Nelson to see if it was okay, and the Nelson Motors czar gave the approving nod. So I got to sit with my childhood buddies from Avonlea, Rouleau and Briercrest and enjoy the show along with the sold-out house! All proceeds from the event went to the new Assiniboia arena, and the Assiniboia Civic Improvement Association.

2 – NUGGETS: I’d never done an event with Walby before (Canadian Football Hall of Fame Class of 2003), but he was a riot. He wasn’t as interested in talking football as he was about shower stories and pranks but we DID pry some information out of him. The 16-year veteran Blue Bomber – and 9-time All Star, which he’ll remind you – doesn’t favour a move to four downs and feels the Canadian football game is fine the way it is. (Although he’d prefer to get rid of the rouge). Obviously he expects the Blue Bombers to play in the 2022 Grey Cup at Mosaic Stadium and he didn’t get much of an argument in Assiniboia. At 6’7″, 325 lbs, who’s going to argue with him?

3 – RING OF FIRE: And of course Lanny McDonald (Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 1992) was his usual classy, humble, but hilarious self. The Hanna, AB product is referred to as “One of the most popular players to ever skate in the NHL” so you can imagine how floored the patrons were to hear him speak. Lanny told Harold Ballard stories from his time with the Leafs, Don Cherry stories from their time together with the Colorado Rockies, and gave several thoughts on the current and past Calgary Flames. Lanny is “the light”, and it’s an honour just to be in his presence. True story.

4 – CFL NOTES: Walby’s a little like me. He’s been around the CFL block a time or two and has entered the “I’ll believe it when I see it” phase. Questions from the crowd in Assiniboia included CFL ratio talk (the naturalized Canadians concept) and expansion to Atlantic Canada. The 3-time Grey Cup champion offered that the league talked about the naturalized Canadian idea way back when he was a player rep in the CFLPA for the Blue Bombers 40 years ago and nothing ever came of it. Obviously, the same holds true for the expansion talk. Do it, or do not do it, but please stop dancing outside the fire.

5 – ATLANTIC SCHOONERS: CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie reportedly told Alouettes reporter Joey Alfieri last week that the chances of an expansion team for the Maritimes are an “11 out of 10” and that the CFL has enlisted the help of “the experts” to help oversee this exciting new development. I hope they’re not the same experts who told the CFL not to play in 2020!!!

I recall in 2018 Ambrosie saying the Schooners project was a situation where the CFL was “1st-and-goal with two minutes to go” or something like that. Having had some time to think about it this weekend, I’m going to submit that Covid caused a turnover on the goalline and now the CFL & the Schooners are back starting 1st-and-10 from their own 10-yard line. In the interview, Ambrosie said they still have to convince the league governors and local stakeholders that this is a good idea. And the last I heard, the Halifax stadium idea was dead.

So they’ve got a long field to march. I wish them luck.

6 – RESTORE THE ROAR: What a pleasure it was to welcome BC Lions co-GM Neil McEvoy to the RP Show this week! With Neil, we never have enough time but this interview was quality over quantity. The longtime Lions front office man got pretty heated when defending the decision to go with Canadian quarterbacks Nathan Rourke and Michael O’Connor this season. He admitted it may look like a gamble, but feels Rourke is every bit as good as ANY sophomore QB in the CFL, regardless of nationality.

The Lions are coming off another season where they missed the playoffs and are hoping the tandem of Rick Campbell and McEvoy will lead them out of the wilderness, where they’ve been pretty much since Wally Buono left.

Can’t wait for CFL season!

7 – NHL NOTES: Today we’re headed back to Calgary for another 4-week residency at Grey Eagle Resort & Casino and it’s going to be AWESOME to be dropped back into Flames Fever. Calgary’s won four in a row after a 4-1 victory over the Kraken Saturday night. They’ve got a 7-point lead atop the Pacific Division and their biggest concern is being faced with meaningless games in the stretch drive. Don’t worry; Darryl Sutter will have them ready for the playoffs. He is this year’s Jack Adams Award winner and it shouldn’t be close. … Auston Matthews netted 50 in 50 Saturday night and is the first NHLer to do it since Mario Lemieux. Having seen Matthews play live last week in Florida, I can report that he’s the real deal. He gives 100% in all three zones and obviously has the best shot in the NHL. I’m a believer in HIM. Just not the Maple Leafs. … The Florida Panthers – aka the Comeback Cats – overcame a 3-1 deficit on Friday to beat Buffalo 4-3 at FLA Live Arena. The players were asked after the game why they keep digging a hole and need to claw back and none of them had the answer. Two things are very concerning for me regarding the Panthers’ Stanley Cup chances: 1) their refusal to play 60 minutes and 2) the hot & cold play of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. They will not win it all because of this, but the excuse is already ready-made due to the removal of head coach Joel Quenneville who was having a Jack Adams-worthy season until being forced to step down.

8 – CONNOR McBEDARD: The Regina Pats wonder kid scored his 48th and 49th goals of the season Saturday night in a 5-3 victory over Prince Albert before 5,123 fans. Bravo Regina for nearly filling the barn! Bedard has now set the Pats record for goals and points by a 16-year old, held previously by Jeff Friesen (45) and Doug Wickenheiser (88). Now we’re getting somewhere with the discussion that Connor Bedard may be the best Regina Pat ever. He’s not going to be around long enough to reach the career point totals put up by the likes of Dale Derkatch, Mike Sillinger, or even Jordan Weal and Jordan Eberle, but these single season marks at least make it a reasonable discussion. But as yet, I don’t think he’s the greatest Pat ever and having spent 15 years in the Regina Pats radio booth and fashioning myself as a Pats historian, I feel qualified to lead the debate.

9 – BLUE JAYS: Somewhere I saw someone post on social media that they haven’t been this excited about a Blue Jays season since 1993. I’d have to agree! Admittedly, I’m a fairweather Jays fan – I follow them when they’re good – but I make no apologies for that. There’s enough on my plate with the throes of the NHL, CFL, NFL, NLL, WHL, SJHL, etc. but it’s hard to ignore what Toronto’s doing, including this 2-0 start. Even more interesting was the fact Pearson Airport in Toronto was jammed on Saturday with Jays fans from all across the country whom were at Rogers Centre for the home-opener Friday night. It produced a sellout of 45,000-plus.

Question as a non-baseball aficionado: If you’re going to travel all that way, why wouldn’t you spend the dough and take in at least two games? You’ve obviously saved up all year for it. Or is this just an MLB/Opening Day thing? Please advise.

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: Looks like Tiger won’t be able to pull off the miracle at Augusta after shooting his worst Masters round ever – 78 – on Saturday. Still, just competing this weekend makes him a winner. … Found out this week that it’s very difficult to drive on sand. Good thing for 4×4. … What a tragic story regarding Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins losing his life while walking on a freeway in the Boca Raton/Fort Lauderdale area Saturday morning. There’s a very good chance I whizzed by him on the way to the airport that morning. Wild, strange, and sad. … The Power of the Media; as I write this, I’m watching the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Before the Netflix series Drive To Survive, I wouldn’t have given two hoots about this race or this racing league. Now I do, and I feel like I know the drivers. … TV & streaming are where it’s at. … BELL SUBSCRIBERS: There’s a free preview of Game+ on your cable or satellite carrier for the month of April. Call your provider and check us out! This free preview means our show is now carried in 3-million Canadian homes. … The NLL’s Saskatchewan Rush notched a massive 15-13 victory over the Vancouver Warriors Saturday at SaskTel Centre before just under 10,000 fans. The win means the Rush are still in the playoff hunt, and perhaps vindicated GM Derek Keenan for making a coaching change last weekend. I’m shocked anybody had counted the Rush out before this weekend. If that was the case, they would’ve waited till the end of the year to fire Jeff McComb. … For the first time since 1989, I’m considering buying Wrangler jeans. I’ve been invited to Tuesday night’s Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Tarp Auction. THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING! Where do you get Wranglers these days? Claypools is closed. … How do AHL teams pay their salaries? I watch the games on NHL Network and the stands are empty. … When it’s over, it’s over. You’re best to move on, and stop wallowing in the swamp. … SJHL playoff update: Estevan swept Yorkton and is now in the Canalta Cup Final awaiting the winner of Flin Flon/Humboldt in the other semifinal. The Broncos avoided a sweep with a 3-2 OT win Saturday night at Whitney Forum and host Game 5 Tuesday at EPA. … I’m staying in a Canalta Hotel as we speak. I love it! Why don’t you book a stay-cation next weekend and enjoy one of the many Canalta Hotels across the prairies? Or, come visit us at the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino, Calgary’s Entertainment Destination.

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen