10+ WEEKEND THINGS

Randoms, In No Particular Order

1 – After a 13-game NHL Saturday, here are some musings: The Oilers beat the Canadiens 5-3 in a wild one, and the Flames defeated the Capitals 5-2. Everyone in Alberta will be happy today. … For now. … But the Flames are out of a playoff spot as it stands today. How did this happen? … Leafs fans were too busy celebrating Mitch Marner’s franchise record 19-game point streak to realize that Toronto lost 5-4 in OT to Tampa Bay. Typical. … The old record was set by Darryl Sittler and equalled by Eddie Olczyk. … What’s Anaheim’s biggest problem; Head Coach Dallas Eakins or the loss of captain Ryan Getzlaf? Or both? … What’s with the streaks. Marner, Seattle had won seven in a row before Florida smashed ’em 5-1 Saturday night, and the Boston Bruins have won 14 straight at home to open the season, setting an NHL record. … First-year Bruins coach Jim Montgomery is proving #RecoveryWorks. It’s a disease, not a moral failing. A mental illness. Stories like Jim’s show the world We Do Recover. … Are Jets fans still wanting Barry Trotz over Rick Bowness, errrrrrr? Just checking. … Let’s not forget who advised Winnipeggers to give Bowness a second chance. … Criticize Jordan Binnington all you want but the St. Louis Blues goaltender has something guys like Jacob Markstrom, Sergei Bobrovsky and Carey Price don’t; a Stanley Cup.

2 – The football world is on fire with the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Coordinator Conundrum. After firing three offensive coaches including coordinator Jason Maas after a woeful 6-12 season, it seemed as though the Riders thought it would be easy to replace Maas. Now they’re truly in a panic.

As of this weekend, four big CFL names – Khari Jones, Jarius Jackson, Paul LaPolice and Marc Mueller – have all told Sask they’re not interested in the job. On Saturday evening I was told Winnipeg OL Coach Marty Costello informed the Riders he’s not interested either. 

In commentaries on this website and Sask radio over the past 10 days or so, I told you this was coming. Why is it so hard for some to see? This is not a plum job, for a variety of reasons, and the football world knows it. I’m just reporting the truth. Should I stop?

3 – If you actually thought Marc Mueller was going to leave his stellar situation with the Calgary Stampeders to take a tenous job with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, then you may be forever incapable of seeing clearly, and have no clue how this game works.

4 – As we told you about 10 days ago, current Riders Running Backs coach Kelly Jeffrey is poised to be named Riders Offensive Coordinator unless Argos Receivers Coach Pete Costanza takes it. My Insiders told me about Jeffrey, because I had no idea who he was, but that’s a failing on my part. Jeffrey has a great football resume, including stints with the Elks and Argos, and 10 years as Head Coach at USports Mount Allison.

5 – It hasn’t changed. When you point the finger, you’ve got four fingers pointing back at you. This is what mirrors are for.

6 – Everyone’s applauding the hiring of Bob Dyce as the latest Head Coach of the Ottawa RedBlacks. The Winnipeg product is something of a trailblazer for Canadian pro coaches because when he first joined the Blue Bombers as Receivers Coach in 2003, there weren’t that many Canadian coaches in the CFL. Now they’re scattered across every staff.  Way to go Bobby! He’s waited 20 seasons for his first real shot, and he’s one of the good ones.

7 – “The world’s being run by cowards these days.” – John Dutton, Yellowstone, Season 5

8 – Something doesn’t add up with the Connor Bedard situation. Regina Pats fans and some media have sloughed off the idea of trading the world’s best junior player because “he’s got a no-trade clause”. Somebody told them that. Umm, so what? If Connor Bedard is invoking his no-trade clause, then he’s the first junior hockey player in the history of the world who doesn’t want to play in the Memorial Cup. I don’t buy it.

Bedard needs to be traded. End of story. He’s not the one holding this up, and it’s inexcusable to dump this on him.

9 – I could talk about the Regina Pats for two hours everyday on the RP Show and be quite happy. Unfortunately not enough people would listen.

10 – The Saskatchewan Rush opened the 2022-23 National Lacrosse League season in fine style, smashing the Colorado Mammoth 18-6 in SaskTel Centre on Saturday night. Bravo!

11 – It’s been too long since we’ve done this: Here are the Top 10 cities for audience of the Rod Pedersen Show, the #1-rated program on Game+ TV – 1) Regina, 2) Calgary, 3) Winnipeg, 4) Edmonton, 5) Saskatoon, 6) Ottawa, 7) Cincinnati, 8) Toronto, 9) St. Albert, AB, 10) New York City.

Here are the Top 10 cities for Average View Length (broadcast industry people will understand this) – 1) Regina, 2) Saskatoon, 3) Winnipeg, 4) Calgary, 5) Yorkton, 6) Medicine Hat, 7) Edmonton, 8) Atlanta, 9) New York City, 10) Las Vegas.

As you can see, this is why we’re the Golden Corral of Sports Talk. We have something for everyone and serve markets both large and small, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, and particularly in my home province of Saskatchewan.

We are produced out of the IKS Studios in Regina, SK under the direction of Paul Drouin, and beamed around the continent from control rooms in Toronto (Anthem Sports) and Atlanta (WQEE).

Thank you. Feels awesome.

12) It’s cool to be on the same radio station (WQEE 99.1 Metro Atlanta) that carried the SEC Championship game between Georgia and LSU! The #1 Bulldogs won 50-30 Saturday night in a strangely entertaining game at Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium. Tigers QB Garrett Mussmeier – son of former BC Lions QB & Assistant Coach Doug Nussmeier – went 15/27 for 297 yards, two TDs and one INT in the loss.

Doug Nussmeier is now the QB Coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Love those CFL/NFL/NCAA ties.

Meanwhile WQEE owner/operator Ryan O’Neal (Ryan O’Radio) is my spirit brother and remains me for all-the-world of Cat Country 98’s Steve “Hurricane” Huber.

13) Meanwhile the Kurtis Rourke-less Ohio Bobcats fell 17-7 to Toledo in the Mid-American Conference Championship on Saturday. Rourke, of Oakville, ON, is the younger brother of BC Lions star Nathan Rourke, but had his season ended due to injury a few weeks back. Had the Bobcats had Rourke on the field, they surely would’ve won this game.

14) Down the street from me, the Florida Atlantic Owls have handed the reins to Tom Herman, of Texas Longhorns and Houston Cougars fame. This is less than a week after the Owls turfed Head Coach Willie Taggert, for failing to reach the USA Conference Championship, or RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl. That USA-Conference title went to UTSA, who spanked North Texas 48-27 Friday night in the Alamodome.

15) Overheard during a workout at Orange Theory Fitness this weekend in Coconut Creek, FL: “This is worse than prison.”

AND HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen