Scruffy’s This N That

1 – FALLOUT: Safe to say last week’s column had people talking. I had people call me every name under the sun and I also had people agreeing with me 100 percent. What was funny was those who were so mad are people already going to games and who are invested and engaged in the day-to-day business of the Riders.  Many of those who were in agreement gave me a variety of reasons why, and most of them weren’t surprising:

• I hate the game-day experience.
• The cost of going to a Riders game is too much.
• I don’t feel valued as a fan.
• I can stay home and be just as entertained.
• US College Football is more important to me because it is a better product.
• I go, but my kid doesn’t for reason above or he would rather hang out with his friends.

But the most surprising one which I heard more than once.

• I don’t care anymore!

The list goes on and on. Some said they didn’t go because it was Thanksgiving Weekend.  Others said they went because it was Thanksgiving Weekend, but it was the only game they had been to.

When the team has its biggest home game since the 2019 Western Final and they are 4000 shy of a sellout even when there was a 2-for-1 ticket promotion with other tickets being given away to a big organization, you have to start asking questions. More questions when you see there was very little walkup. Is there that much apathy out there? That’s not a question for those who are going because they are already signed, sealed and delivered but a question for those who aren’t going for whatever reason with some of those reasons likely listed above.

With the younger demographic deciding to stay home because they don’t care, will the day come that they do start to care? If not, you have problems because that 18-49 demographic, especially the lower half of that demographic are the people you need to sell both the team and the league on. Maybe it is time to revive the Rider Rookies section.  That is where a lot of us got our first Rider experiences isn’t it? I always thought it was a huge mistake when they took that section out of Taylor Field and never brought it back.

Do I think next weekend’s game will be sold out knowing a much bigger game is on the horizon? No, I don’t. Do I think the Western Semi-Final or Western Final will be sold out. I hope so. I certainly hope Corey Mace doesn’t have to go to Twitter to tell fans to come to the game as he had to earlier this season. The atmosphere and energy need to be what it is on Labour Day.  The ball is firmly in the Riders court and to that matter the CFL’s as well to get the younger demographic back.  If you can’t do that, you’ve got problems that need to be addressed now.

Criticize away!

2 – SILENCING THE CRITICS: Riders GM Jeremy O’Day is and has been a target for the haters. The outrage there was when it was announced he was coming back as was CEO Craig Reynolds was immense. Some said they won’t be back. This just in—they are!  The Board of Directors gave O’Day a vote of confidence and what has he done? Well, he has silenced the critics and has rewarded the organization with a home playoff game and maybe, just maybe a first-place football team and much, much more. At the start of the year, I had this football team being a nine or ten win team that would challenge for 3^rd. With the West being a little odd this year, the win total is what I expected, but not the final standing.

At the end of the day, Reynolds made the decision to keep O’Day and it was one that might have cost him his job had the gamble failed.  It didn’t as O’Day has done what is necessary to rebuild from a disastrous ’22 and ’23.  Once again, it would seem that the loud voices who demand change should leave the decision-making to the people who know. Good on ya J-O! Let the good times roll. You and Brett Lauther should sit back over a cold one and laugh.

3 – SILENT SAM: With the campaign on for Rolan Milligan to be named not only the Riders MOP this year, but the CFL MOP, there are others who are seeing a fine season not get recognized. One of those would be quarterback Trevor Harris who has put up great numbers in a second straight season derailed by injuries, but while people talk about him and Milligan, is anyone talking about Samuel Emilus?

With one game to go, Emilus has quietly had a fantastic season. 87 catches for 1064 yards and 5 TD’s is nothing to sneeze at folks.  Jeremy O’Day knew what he was doing when he took Emilus with the team’s first round draft pick in 2022 surprising some.

He leads all receivers going into the final week of the campaign with 439 yards after catch and 132 targets. He is also second in receptions.

Like many of you, I think Milligan will get the Rider team nominee for MOP, but Emilus is certainly deserving of some recognition as is Trevor Harris.

4 – THE STATE OF THE LIONS: When Amar Doman got the rights to the 2024 Grey Cup, he did so thinking his team would be in the game. Barring something major, the Lions won’t get close to having a chance at doing what the Riders did in 2013. What a dysfunctional unit. Me and many others thought the Lions were the best team going into the season and adding Nathan Rourke would make them better. Nope! Rourke may have torn them apart. Vernon Adams Junior says there are no problems, but one has to think there is after the effort or lack of it BC gave at Mosaic Stadium last week. Why was Adams (the backup QB) the one to perform the pre-game pump up. Why didn’t Rick Campbell put Adams in to get some much-needed reps and why did he call for just an awful 3^rd down play on 3^rd and almost 3 deep inside Riders territory? It was almost as if he was looking for that result to happen. Something is not right there. The only question now is can they correct it and if not, what exactly did go down after Rourke returned? Adams started against the Alouettes this weekend and if I were Campbell, I might want Adams under center for the West semi because BC has been better with him under center than they have been under Rourke to the surprise of many.

Some have said that once he signed, the Lions should have Rourke off the field to decompress and let Adams do his thing. You can say that now, but those people are probably right considering what has happened.

5 – THERE ARE GAMES THIS WEEKEND: Week 21 of the CFL season is next weekend and not this. There are only two games that matter on the final weekend as far as Rider Nation is concerned. One has Winnipeg in Montreal while the other has Calgary here. You know the story. A Winnipeg loss and a Riders win and Corey Mace’s men finish first in the West. The man that holds the cards is Jason Maas. What type of lineup do the Alouettes come out with? I am guessing Davis Alexander will start in place of Cody Fajardo and other regulars will sit this one out due to the fact Montreal has nothing to play for. Winnipeg should be favoured to win just because of lineup alone, but that doesn’t guarantee a victory. Some will be choked with Maas if he doesn’t field a top-notch roster. He can do what he wants and you have to deal with it like it or not. You would be as angry as anything if Corey Mace risked any of his important players in a nothing game.

By the way, was it just me or did Calgary look like they have checked out with that effort in Hamilton. YIKES!

6 – NFL WEEK 7: Here are some storylines to pay attention to Sunday as Week 7 of the NFL season is on us.

• The Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) visit the San Francisco 49ers (3-3) in a rematch of Super Bowls LIV and LVIII. The Chiefs overcame a 10-point deficit en route to a 25-22 overtime win in Super Bowl LVIII. It marked the second Super Bowl ever to go to overtime as Kansas City became the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since the 2003-04 New England Patriots. Kansas City recorded the seventh comeback of 10-or-more points in a Super Bowl, including the team’s Super Bowl LIV and LVII victories. Kansas City, the last remaining undefeated team in the AFC, is looking to become the seventh reigning Super Bowl champion to begin the following season 6-0 since 2000, joining the 2019, 2015 and 2004 New England Patriots, 2011 Green Bay Packers, 2007 Indianapolis Colts and 2000 St. Louis Rams.
• The Baltimore Ravens lead the NFL with 1,232 rushing yards this season, the fourth-most rushing yards by a team in its first six games of a season since 1980. The Ravens, who meet Tampa in one of two Monday Night Football games this week, became the second team in the Super Bowl era to record at least 150 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in each of its first six games of a season, joining the 1971 Oakland Raiders.
• Since entering the NFL in 2018, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen has totaled 234 offensive touchdowns (177 passing, 56 rushing, one receiving) in 99 starts, the second-most offensive touchdowns in the NFL over that span. With three touchdowns against Tennessee , Allen – making his 100th career start – will tie Patrick Mahomes (237 touchdowns) for the second-most offensive touchdowns by a player in his first 100 career starts in NFL history. Only Aaron Rodgers (241) has more.

7 – CLARITY IS NEEDED: It has only taken a week and some in the NHL for me to once again not know what is and what isn’t goaltender interference. I am not alone as determining what is and what isn’t goalie interference is as confusing as what is and what isn’t pass interference or a catch.

In the Oilers game against Philadelphia on Tuesday, a goal wasn’t allowed because a player brushed by the goalie and was not in the blue paint. It was basically a perfectly executed screen, but it was disallowed. In an Edmonton game against Calgary, another Edmonton goal was disallowed when the player didn’t even touch the goalie. These are just two instances and yes, they both involve Edmonton as those are the games I am watching, but there have been others that leave me scratching my head as to the call is made. As mentioned, the same can be said with pass interference US/Canadian college ball, the NFL and CFL. I don’t know if that frustration as a fan will ever go away because there seemingly is no set rule and it is just to the discretion of those making the call. Clarity is needed though.

8 – WHAT’S ON THE MENU? If you are a golf fan, you know that the winner of the Masters is responsible for the traditional Champion’s dinner that is served just days before the tournament begins. Scottie Scheffler said this week it will be cheeseburger sliders served “Scottie style,” firecracker shrimp and tortilla soup. For the main course, it’s Texas ribeye steak or blackened redfish served with sides of macaroni and cheese, jalapeno creamed corn, fried brussels sprouts and seasoned fries. And for dessert, a warm chocolate chip skillet cookie with ice cream.

My question to you is if you were planning such a feast, what is on your menu? You really can’t go wrong since it would be your favourites. Yes, safe to say that a big ol’ steak or some brisket might be involved for yours truly.

9 – RANDOM THOUGHTS:

• When was the last time the PFC Final didn’t feature the Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder.? It’s great to see both teams battling it out again but is it good for the league when it’s the same two teams in the final year-after-year?
• Sid, Mario or Jagr. Who is the greatest player to wear a Penguins uniform? Sorry Colby Armstrong, it’s not you.
• Who are the next voices on Hockey Night in Canada when Chris Cuthbert and Harnaryan Singh are no more? Is anyone waiting in the wings? Hopefully when it comes to Chris, we don’t have to worry about this for years because he is the gold standard in this country, and it isn’t even close.
• Does anyone in the 306 feel sorry for the Stampeders? I didn’t think so.

Have a great weekend everyone!