THROWIN’ ELBOWS WITH BRENDAN MCGUIRE

1. RIDER PRESEASON: Football fans everywhere loathe the preseason. But here in Saskatchewan, especially this year, I think it’s different. We live through hellish long winters and our first real shot at celebrating summer usually comes by way of that home preseason game. It felt that way Tuesday night. This year we appreciate preseason more than ever after we saw what no preseason did to the product last year.   

2. BEST TRAINING CAMP BATTLES: Mason Fine battling Jake Dolegala and Troy Williams for the backup quarterback spot and the three-way fight for two running back/kick return spots between Shaquille Cooper, Jamal Morrow and Frankie Hickson. My money is on Cooper being the odd man out but I’m also the guy who predicted Weston Dressler was too small to make it out of his rookie training camp way back in 2008.  

3. NEW CFL CBA: Glad it’s a 7-year pact. Even more glad some players chose to think about the betterment of players to come after them before rubber-stamping such a long-term deal. I’m hearing a lot of criticism being levied at the CFLPA’s leadership of Brian Ramsay and Solomon Elimimian which is fair. However, let’s not forget they have an incredibly complicated job in managing so many athletes from diverse economic and cultural backgrounds and juggling all of that is not easy. They got a better deal for their members and that’s what matters. If nothing else, the Canadian public now takes the CFL Players Association seriously and I’m not sure that was ever the case prior to the last few weeks.

4. RIDER RADIO CHANGES: Michael Ball replacing Derek Taylor in the broadcast booth has been getting most of the chatter. And while I didn’t catch Ballsy’s first call from in the stadium, I am delighted to learn that Pete Paczko has been brought back to host the halftime show and thoroughly enjoyed listening to the new roundtable of Daniella Ponticelli, Don Hewitt and Wes Cates. They’ve covered all the bases with the young female mixed in with the grey hair and the ex-jock which is probably what makes it all so wonderful. Daniella’s cheery style in hosting the roundtable couldn’t be more different from her predecessor (Ballsy) and yet it still seems like must-listen-to-radio like it was before the pandemic. Goes to show us all that a great broadcast has no roadmap other than to just be authentic and be yourself.   

5. REGINA RED SOX OPEN SEASON: The Sox were jerked around by the CFL strike as much as anyone. The rescheduling of the home preseason game Tuesday night was supposed to be played 8 days sooner and not overlap with the Sox home opener versus the Swift Current 57s. The rosters have been all turned over almost completely since prior to the pandemic which makes it really hard for us know-it-alls to gain a grip on what’s ahead. But judging from the Sox 7-2 loss in Speedy Creek on Sunday and then 6-0 win in the rematch Tuesday night, this season is shaping up to be a dogfight between these two. So glad to have the Sox back again at Currie Field after a 1,020-day absence. Sometimes we don’t know what we have until it’s gone and over the last two years we learned all about what we have and need with the Sox.

6. CENTENNIAL CUP: So happy to see folks from all around North America fall in love with Estevan, one of Canada’s greatest secrets. Almost as happy to see Brooks win it all after Pickering played an unwatchable defensive style right til the bitter end. I’m all for player safety but watching the jabs given by the full caged Pickering Panthers against the half-visored Brooks Bandits turned me off the idea of mandating full cages completely. It’s a bad idea.

7. STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS: Great to see another track meet by way of Tuesday’s 12-goal match between the Oilers and Avalanche. It is clear that Edmonton plays a style to entertain us all. I’ve been hearing a push from the likes of Bobby Orr, Brett Hull and Mike Keenan to bring back the red line and make it a ‘thinking man’s game’ again. It’s a noble thought but unless they figure out a way to outlaw the neutral-zone trap crap that ruined the late 90s and early 2000s, I can’t support the idea. Hockey isn’t perfect today but it’s a lot better than it’s been for a long time.

8. NBA FINALS: Glad to see Golden State get at least one last kick at the can with this core of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson andDraymond Green. I hope the Warriors win this and even a few more championships so at the end of their dynasty they can all look back and remember the only team they could never beat in the finals was the Toronto Raptors. That would make the Raps accomplishment just that much more special.

9. IN THE HUDDLE THIS WEEK: Mike Abou-Mechrek’s advice to all rookies was to “Make me remember your name!” on Tuesday’s special pre-game edition. Rookie running back Frankie Hickson appears to be doing just that. I expect him to make a dynamite duo with Jamal Morrow in the Rider backfield this season. 

10. IN THE HUDDLE NEXT WEEK: We’ll finally have a normal week with a real football game to tee up for the first time this season. Check us out on Access Now TV or the Access Now App Tuesday night at 7 or check your local listings for replays. 

(Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendanhowardmc)