10 WEEKEND THINGS FOR TITAN AUTO

1 – COUNTRY THUNDER: Someone once said (I think it was Brad Wall) that Saskatchewan is known for two things: the Roughriders and Craven. This weekend, Craven, SK is the province’s 3rd-largest city as country music fans and party-goers flock to the picturesque valley just northwest of Regina. It appears everyone is having a great time! 10 years ago today I met George Strait courtesy the fine folks at Country Thunder and my life was complete.

2 – RIDE OR DIE: The Green & White are on everyone’s lips too. Which is a good thing, despite the club’s 1-3 record. On all these talkshows across the land, hosts are asking me “What’s the future of Zach Collaros? Will the Riders bring him back?” The answer to that depends on Zach’s rehab from his latest headshot, and how he himself feels. Former players are imploring Zach to shut it down, and ultimately it’s going to come down to his own decision. However as it stands, why wouldn’t the Riders bring him back? But it’s Cody Fajardo’s team now. Ride or die.

3 – CFL HQ: It’s now been over a month since Simoni Lawrence’s killshot on Zach Collaros in Week 1 and through the subsequent suspension, appeal and arbitration, he hasn’t missed a snap of action. My phone lit up from furious CFL types that Lawrence was playing in Saturday’s Hamilton win over Calgary. This is Commissioner Randy Ambrosie’s problem, but he didn’t create it. He inherited it. The arbitration process is one of a long list of things the CFL will need to change this off-season.

4 – GREY CUP PREVIEW: If Saturday’s Hamilton-Calgary game was a Grey Cup preview, then sign me up! That thing was a thrill-a-minute, ending in the Ticats’ 30-23 last-minute win over the Stamps. After a snoozer earlier in the day (Montreal 36 Ottawa 19), this one saved the day. The Ticats could be 5-0 had they not taken their eye off the ball in Montreal in Week 4.

5 – FOR THE W: The Blue Bombers humiliated the Toronto Argonauts 48-21 on Friday Night Football which is one thing, but trolling the downtrodden Argos on Twitter for their poor attendance is another. Winnipeg, this is why you can’t have nice things! To quote the unforgettable Chris Jones, “Win with class”.

6 – 1990: Here’s what was going on the last time the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup: George H. Bush was President, Brian Mulroney was Prime Minister, the #1 songs were Unskinny Bop by Poison, Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi, and U Can’t Touch This by MC Hammer. The top movies were Pretty Woman and Silence of the Lambs. CAN WE PLEASE GO BACK??

7 – LIONS: The Riders’ upcoming home-and-home series with the BC Lions will do one of three things: 1) Make their season, 2) break their season, or 3) split the games and they’ll be no further ahead than they are now. BUT peering at the standings, July 20 has become a must-win for the Jolly Green Giants. No doubt. That’s exciting! See you there.

8 – MORE LIONS: BC’s football team is 1-4 and it’s getting kind of late to say “it’s still early”. QB Mike Reilly rightfully said they were embarrassed in a 33-6 home loss to the Edmonton Eskimos on Thursday Night Football. The Lions marketing team has worked harder than any other in the CFL going into 2019 but still only 17,026 turned out to BC Place. It’s definitely not hopeless, but things could be better. As an aside, I’ve now heard TWICE from trusted sources that there’s a movement afoot for a new outdoor, 25,000-30,000 seat stadium in the Lower Mainland. Presumably the primary use would be cricket, but you could play football there too and it would be home to the Lions. More to come ..

9 – SHIPS AHOY: How is it not HUGE news that the Atlantic Schooners will join the CFL in 2021, playing out of Moncton? The news broke 8 days ago but there’s been nary a peep since. Are people distracted by summer? The Calgary Stampede? No matter, the CFL’s 10th team is happening and good times are ahead. An expansion team this year would’ve been interesting, with the likes of Kevin Glenn, Weston Dressler, Rob Bagg, Adarius Bowman, Chip Cox, etc.

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: #RattleTheRim. The Saskatchewan Rattlers boast a mini-NBA feel and their home game Friday at SaskTel Centre against the Hamilton Honey Badgers was a blast. President Lee Genier rolled out the red carpet for The Rod Pedersen Show and we came away more-than-impressed. The Rattlers are home again on Thursday. Check it out! … The Regina Red Sox are home this week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Currie Field. We WILL see you there. … I love how Jeep owners wave at each other, even though we don’t know each other. #JeepSeason #JeepClub … Happy birthday this weekend to former Riders Tad Kornegay and Kenton Keith. K.K. will be on The Rod Pedersen Show this week. … Yes, our show has exploded on Facebook Live and on digital downloads. Thank YOU for making that happen. … Kudos to CFL referees Tim Kroeker, Blair Brown and Jason Maggio for being selected to participate in the NFL/CFL exchange program. … I will be cheering for the Cleveland Browns this year, because of Chris Jones. … You remember former Lethbridge Hurricanes captain Tyler Wong. He’s left the Vegas Golden Knights organization to play in the KHL, for a new team based in China. My hat was off to that kid everytime I saw him play. … Happy summer!

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen

(Photo: Cody Glydon)