10 THINGS I THINK I THINK
1 – We are one day into CFL Free Agency and the pundits are already saying the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the winners. Didn’t they win it last year? And the Riders the year before that? If memory serves, Toronto and Ottawa won the last two Grey Cups. I’d rather win November than February!
2 – The Riders look solid right now and although some knees are knocking over the offensive line, I’m not sure why. There’s a stockpile of talent there already (Clark, Labatte, Coleman, Dyakowski, Bladek, St. John, Zver, Adusei, Meredith, Sprukulis and Vaughn) and now we hear the Riders have landed prized FA Travis Bond. Panic if you must, but it’s not necessary.
3 – When the Commissioner came through Rider Nation on Saturday, we steered clear of contract talk and labour unrest in the CFL. However it’s evident that the 2018 season will be played under protest by the players, with considerable discontent. They’re mad coaches’ salaries are guaranteed and they get let out of their contracts to go to the USA while the players aren’t. That’s just two things they’re steaming about. If this doesn’t get looked at seriously, I can see a strike happening in 2019. (Which would be a first in the history of the CFL).
4 – Has anybody checked their Weather App? Mine says it’s going to be -18 in Regina on Sunday, which is the day the Pats and Warriors were supposed to play outside at Mosaic Stadium. Pulling the plug on that concept might be the best idea of 2018.
5 – The Pats and Warriors collide in the Brandt Centre Wednesday night in the first of three between junior hockey’s top rivals. Warrior coach Tim Hunter told the SportsCage on Tuesday that “The Pats are as good as anybody in the WHL but aren’t playing as well as John Paddock would like”. An hour later on the show, Pats forward Matt Bradley said, “I agree” with Hunter. SO WHAT GIVES? These next three games – IMO – will make or break the Regina Pats.
6 – One thing about sports fans in this town: They’ll put up with losing but they won’t put up with less than 100% effort. And that goes for all of our teams. The Pats seem to be working hard enough (at times), but they don’t play like their life depends on it and that’s a concern for the ticket-buying public. However captain Sam Steel gives everything he has every time he’s on the ice and is worth the price of admission alone. He should go down as one of the all-time franchise greats.
7 – Is this the year a Saskatchewan team finally wins the WHL championship? It hasn’t happened since the 1993 Swift Current Broncos. If it’s going to happen this year, who’s it going to be?
8 – Some people wondered how I can promote a sober lifestyle, yet support Duron Carter at the same time? Because – as I’ve said hundreds of times – I’m Pro Choice with your life. But when you’ve had enough of the drinking and/or drugging and want to quit but can’t, that’s where we can help. And that’s why I say don’t let substances take your life down the drain. Anyone can get help when they want to and no one is beyond hope. I’m living proof.
9 – The Saskatchewan Rush may be on the way to their best season ever as they only have one loss all year. Team owner Bruce Urban told Coach/GM Derek Keenan at the start of the season, “I only want you to do three things this year: 1) Win, 2) Win and 3) Win”. At 15,000 fans per game at the SaskTel Centre, is Saskatoon proving they can support an NHL franchise with ease?
10 – So long to Manfred Joehnck. The television and radio news icon in this town was laid to rest on Monday and his Celebration of Life was jam-packed. As they say, you can tell a lot about a man by the number of people at his funeral. When I first walked through the doors of CKRM in 1995, I went to work with Manny, Lorne Harasen, James Allen, Fred King & Willy Cole, Perry Nyhus and Geoff Currier. That was a lineup as good as any in North America! And Manfred was the leader of the pack. Rest easy old friend.
Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen
