THROWIN’ ELBOWS WITH BRENDAN MCGUIRE
1. BLAME McADOO: To steal a line from NFL coach-turned-broadcaster, Bruce Arians, “How bout we get a first down before we try to score a touchdown, hmm?” He was talking about one of Jon Gruden’s Oakland Raider receivers Sunday but he might as well have been talking to Roughrider Offensive Coordinator, Stephen McAdoo. Lots of short passing mixed with long bombs is a losing combination any day of the week. It’s like the Riders went all in on bunts and swinging for the fences in Saturday night’s loss to the Redblacks. No one ever won a World Series without a healthy dose of doubles and triples and Saskatchewan won’t win a Grey Cup without some better play selection on offense. 10 to 15 yard outs and crossing patterns are the bread-and-butter of this game but McAdoo hasn’t seemed to figure that out yet.
Zach came to play Saturday night. Some of his receivers did too. The O-line did their job, as did running back Tre Mason. Special Teams rewarded those of us who braved the rainy forecast with 2 kick return touchdowns for crying out loud!
Just about everyone did their part. Except our OC. Sorry Stephen, but this one’s on you pal.
2. SHAQ EVANS OVERRATED: If you offered me a dollar for each time we’ve seen Shaq Evans drop a ball he should easily catch, I’d have enough money to buy at least one game ticket. As I told one of my coworkers inquiring about Shaq’s butterfingers Saturday night, ‘This isn’t a new thing with him’. We can blame Zach Collaros all we want but any quarterback can only take so many drops and such bad play-calling.
3. LOSING TO REDBLACKS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE: Nothing will hide your warts better than a 4-game winning streak. Problem is, those warts can get awful big by the time November rolls in. And CFL teams never get through November without the warts being removed.
The Riders have big problems on offense and never was that more clear than Saturday night. There’s still time to fix this before it’s too late. How do you fix it? That’s for Chris jones to figure out but I will say this: The Baltimore Ravens won a championship a few years back just a couple of months after firing their offensive coordinator. Not saying that will happen here or that it even needs to happen but there is still time to fix this.
4. WHAT I WANT FROM THE CFLPA: Before head honcho Brian Ramsay and the Players Association even get down to business over the next CBA, they had better demand a joint solution with the Commissioner and team owners on how to reimburse Jonathan Hefney’s medical expenses which have left him nearly broke. The retired CFL linebacker suffered his injury while playing in the CFL and his medical coverage lapsed as the one-year window from the end of his playing days had closed before his medical bills skyrocketed. Thank goodness he can use his right hand again but we should all be outraged that he has racked up more than $80,000 in doctor bills trying to live a normal life.
Before we hear anything about pensions, higher salaries, more Canadian quarterbacks or anything else, this issue needs to be addressed yesterday and so far, we’re not hearing much on what the 2 sides are willing to do to help one of their own.
5. MANZIEL STILL DOESN’T GET IT: Boy, Johnny sure showed us all his true colors last week, didn’t he? No time like a 2-game win streak on the sunniest week of the Alouettes otherwise cloudy existence these days to whine and complain about playing time. Antonio Pipkin finally had something to celebrate but Johnny just had to make the story all about him. Classic narcissist behavior. Was hoping for him to succeed but now I’m not so sure. His coaches and teammates deserve so much better.
6. CFL KICKERS JUST AS GOOD AS NFL KICKERS: Don’t believe me? Just ask the Vikings or Browns. I’d take Brett Lauther or Tyler Crapigna over anyone those teams have.
7. NO MORE MITCHING FOR THE REGINA RED SOX: Not surprised to break the news last week about Mitch MacDonald stepping down as Sox Manager to take a reduced role in the team’s front office. Fans don’t see how many hours managers, coaches, and everyone else in the organization grind out to run a good sports enterprise. And trust me, no-one, not even the manager, does it for the cash. Of the 7 managers who have run the Red Sox since their return in 2005, none of them have stayed longer than 3 years in a row. Disappointing, as I thought MacDonald was really hitting his groove as the manager but I still say we haven’t seen the last of Manager Mitch in a Red Sox uniform. In the meantime, we get to see what Jason Veyna can cook up after being rewarded for making a difference with the Red Sox pitching staff this past summer. #Isitmayyet?
8. BEST PART OF NFL SEASON: Monday Night Football parties! Went to Famoso downtown this week and had the most fun I’ve had on a Monday night in years. Treat yourself!
9. ENOUGH WITH THE WHINING ABOUT CAPITAL POINTE: Regina desperately needs more people living downtown. Let’s spend less time complaining about what should have been and what could still be built in that open hole. We need to push/encourage politicians and investors to get the core of our city moving!
10. BOOK/DOCUMENTARY OF THE WEEK: Shocked and honored to be a part of the Access Communications broadcast crew for the Regina Pats home opener against the Prince Albert Raiders this coming Saturday night! (Lots of the usual suspects are out of town on football broadcasts so they’re scraping the bottom of the barrel for this one. LOL). Found my love of broadcasting through hockey on the TV and radio and that’s where I started back in the day. Save for the odd U of R Cougar women’s game, I’ve drifted away from the rink in recent years but all full of piss and vinegar to do it again this weekend. The WHL is a much better product than the NHL. More odd-man rushes and shinny in the dub than the tennis matches and chess games we see in the NHL. Check us out!
