DAYTONA HOMES FRIDAY RODSERVATIONS
MY $0.02, AND A CONTEST AT THE END
– GLENN AGAIN IN RIDERVILLE?: I was hoping to hang onto this tidbit until Friday but the news broke late Thursday-afternoon. Ottawa REDBLACKS quarterback Kevin Glenn has asked for a trade after having his request to be released declined by GM Marcel Desjardins.
This started swirling awhile go and the first teams in on the action were reportedly the Blue Bombers, Alouettes and Roughriders. Saskatchewan confirmed that rumour but said they’re only “kicking tires”. Kevin will be a nice insurance policy for whomever acquires his services but nothing more.
What a conundrum. You can’t blame Kevin for being upset yet you can’t blame Desjardins for doing what’s best for his team.
It’s another case of – say it with me – “A great game but a crappy business”.
– BUCK’S BACK: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced this morning that Buck Pierce has joined the team as running backs coach. Buck retired from the CFL on Tuesday after nine seasons. We’ll hear from Mr. Pierce on the SportsCage today along with BC Lions assistant coach Kelly Bates.
– AND THE AWARD GOES TO: The awards continue to roll in for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. At last month’s CFL Congress in Ottawa, the Riders took home two prestigious Rouge Awards. One was for “Best In-Game Feature” which was the Riders’ jaw-dropping, spine-tingling Bring ‘Em Out intro at the start of games. The other was for “Best Interactive Feature” which was for the Riders’ game day fan Twitter photos.
– OH, AND ONE MORE: The Riders were also one of eight companies honoured at a marketing conference in Banff last week for achieving “Cult Status” with their brand. Some of the other companies include the City of Las Vegas, Red Bull, Madden (EA Sports), Harley Davidson and GoPro. The Riders were quick to point out the Rider Nation is responsible for this prestigious award.
– TWEET OF THE WEEK: It comes from some guy named Todd K. who guys by @Krepadoodle. He wrote: “In the spirit of the Oscars the award for Worst Website in CFL reporting goes to Rod Pedersen. (I’d help fix it, but it’s Riders news.)”
I graciously accept the award and would like to quote Justin Bieber by saying, “This one’s for the haters!”
– ANOTHER HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Happy birthday to former Roughrider, Eskimo and Alouette linebacker Kitwana Jones! His Facebook says he turns 25 today but he’s actually 33. He joined the Riders in 2005 and won a Grey Cup in 2007 but may be best known for foiling a downtown mugging in Edmonton as a member of the Eskimos. Happy birthday Kit.
– GET YOUR REDBLACKS TICKETS!: Rider Season Ticket Holders have until April 1st to purchase their Redblacks tickets and secure their regular seats for preseason Game 1 at Mosaic Stadium. After that the Riders will be selling those seats to non-Season Ticket Holders so the Riders are trying to reinforce to our Season Ticket Holders that they need to purchase their Redblack tickets before end of March.
– ARGOS A HOT TOPIC: News 1130 radio in Vancouver reported this week that the pending sale of the Toronto Argonauts and the expiring CBA were two of the hotter topics at CFL meetings in Florida. The Roughriders were represented by Chairman Roger Brandvold and Executive member Wayne Morsky.
Meanwhile a poll in a Toronto newspaper asked readers if BMO Field should be renovated on the city’s dime to accomodate the Argos. 53% said yes while 47% voted no.
– MARSHALL LAW: Former Roughrider Head Coach and long-time defensive coordinator Greg Marshall will be the D.C. at Queen’s University this season.
– SHOULD’VE KNOWN: As noted last week, if the Regina Pats capture the division pennant and go on a deep enough playoff run, GM Chad Lang will merit Executive of the Year honours. If he wins it, he WILL become the first to win the award with two different teams. Tim Speltz, Kelly McCrimmon and Bob Brown are multiple winners, but with the same teams. I have that WHL Record Book memorized after spending 35,000 hours on the bus per season over 17 years. It dawned on me this week if I’d been reading law books or medical journals, I might have actually made something of myself.
– WHAT? NO WAPPLE?: Chad Lang may not be winning anything if star goaltender Daniel Wapple is seriously injured. The Pats’ fortunes could have gone up in smoke when Wapple left Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to Edmonton after a crease crash. The Pats are keeping his status a secret but I’m told he won’t play in this weekend’s road games. For those who haven’t seen Wapple in a Pats uniform, he reminds me of former All-Star Regina goalie Chad Mercier with his style and stature. He even wears the same number; 35.
– A TRUE ATHLETE: Defenceman Colby Williams of the Regina Pats is the only local product on the team’s roster. In an interview on the SportsCage, Colby revealed he’s played hockey, football, basketball and lacrosse all at a high level and was also a member of Canada’s national handball team!
– CLOSE IT OUT: Note the venue change for tonight’s SMAAAHL playoff game in Regina. The Pat Canadians host the Moose Jaw Generals at the Al Ritchie Arena at 7:30 pm. Regina leads the first round Best-of-5 series 2-1.
– A LOTTA TRAVEL: The SJHL playoffs open tonight with two long distance series. Flin Flon visits Estevan and Notre Dame is at Nipawin. Both are Game 1s of Best-of-5 series.
– TRADE DEADLINE COME AND GONE: Is there anything more closely-scrutizined and agonizingly analyzed as the NHL Trade Deadline? Sheesh! It’s almost a national holiday. It would be interesting to see who won the ratings war between TSN and Sportsnet but to me the star of it all was Sportsnet’s Doug MacLean. He may not have broken the most stories but his stories of deadlines-past as an NHL Coach and GM were riveting.
– A LONG-AWAITED MEETING: We learned during TSN’s coverage that reporters Brent Wallace (Ottawa) and Jermaine Franklin (Calgary) had never met until this week! This despite the fact Wallace has worked for the network for 16 years and Franklin for 11.
– THE RUMOUR MILL: One name being floated as the possible next General Manager of the Calgary Flames is Ross Mahoney. The long-time Regina-based head scout for the Washington Capitals had his name come up amongst NHL personnel at the Brandt Centre this week.
– ANOTHER MOSAIC PLACE RODPEDERSEN.COM CONTEST: Enter to win 2 tickets to Avenged Sevenfold with special guests HellYeah at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw April 16, 2014. To enter, simply text ‘mosaic’ to 393939. Contest closes Monday at 11am. For more information on tickets to Avenged Sevenfold visit http://tickets.mosaicplace.ca.
THAT’S ALL! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND
RP
@sportscage
REDBLACKS pre-season tickets @ $50 each for season ticket holders? They can sell mine to who ever wants to cough up that kind of coin for a game of no names who will never even make the practice roster. There was a day when we received extra free tickets for the pre season. Success breeds greed. (And yes I realize this is an Ottawa home game and they recive the money generated.)
Count me in as another season ticket holder who won't be purchasing redblacks tickets. I understand it's their first game but like the last guy said, I can't justify $50 for a game that means nothing. Plus having to drive in to Regina and the extra expense that comes with that? No thanks. I'm not much of a fan of the Riders going after Kevin Glenn. We need to develop quarterbacks for the future and Tino Sunseri looks like he can have a bright future ahead of him. He'll be learning from one of the best offensive minds in Cortez… Read more »
@Krepadoodle an Eskimos fan with 56 followers, hahahahahahahahahah He sure told you.
If Glenn refuses to be a team player and be #2 to Burris, why would he want to come to SK and be #2 to Durant? His odds of playing in SK would be worse then Ottawa. Rod, A LOT of goalies wear and have worn #35 through the years in hockey And I also has a season ticket holder (sec 40) wont be shelling out the money for the Ottawa home game in SK. Its like the CFL picked SK cause they knew the odds of a sell out were better for a pre season game. Why not pick… Read more »
Rod reminds me of the great Willie Nelson song, Me and Paul,…"We got our education in the cities of this nation me and Paul." – good enough is good enough.
I remember a long time ago Billy Ray Cyrus won a big CMA award and said to Travis Tritt, "here's a quarter call someone who cares."
'ol Billy Ray opened for George Strait at Craven, and sadly Travis Tritt makes the annual stop at Casino Regina.
Obama
You quoted Bieber? Ouch!
May want to share that award with Todd Ripplinger, as it is his draft picks that are carrying the load for this team.
If Moose Jaw loses this game and goes out early again, Ray Wareham has to go.
To the Rider Season Ticket holders above – firstly, it $40/ticket for season ticket holders (at least until March 31), according to the letter & e-mail I rec'd from the team. Bought my 4 seats for the game for $160. That's cheaper than regular Rider tickets.
Secondly, you do realize the Redblacks are playing the SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS at this game, right? Personally I'm not passing up a 2nd opportunity to see MY favourite team play.
Of course if you'd rather bitch and moan about it, suit yourself.
Who has $50 to waste on a REDBLACKS preseason game or any preseason game for that fact?
Even donating the $50 to a charity is better than buying the preseason ticket. You at least help a worthwhile cause and get a tax deduction out of it.
Is this why Hunt made a couple of trips to Rider games? Knew Rider fans like seeing their team play and figured they’d pay to see the Riders play a meaningless game?
I'd have no problem with K. Glenn as backup for one year then make him QB coach after that. This old bugger can still win football games.
Roddy would be interested to know your thoughts on the $55,000 the Riders are asking for re: taxes. It seems kind of strange given how much money they have made the past decade (unlike when they really needed that $$ and was a big help). I find it odd that the team that is 3rd in Canada in sports merch sales and easily the most successful financially in CF(even before this Grey Cup year which brought in millions) is competing for money with non profits that really need it.
They're entitled to it. Who wouldn't? Bad business if you don't.
I will give you my thoughts regarding the tax abatement. If it extends to their office on Albert Street, and their stores, well it is their right to ask for it. The lesson in all of this is if you don't ask you will not receive. There are many organizations on the list that are solvant and could pay taxes per se. There are many organizations on that list who could pay along with the Riders, but it is their right to rely on the fact the City of Regina misses the boat on many items so why not this… Read more »
I can understand why they thought it would go over well, but I can't afford $40.00 for a pre-season game either.
The money probably goes to Ottawa anyways..
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Hey anon, it's not just the $40 you spend on the ticket. It's also the money you spend at the concessions, gas for the trip into Regina and money that you spend while you are there. I make that commitment for regular season games but would rather not bother with this one. I don't care if the Riders are playing, Rod and Carm's PBP is just fine in this case. Plus, it is in the middle of busy season in ag, you can't just take off to watch football. Keep in mind, bud, that many of the team's fans come… Read more »
Busy in Ag…hold the bus, yes life revolves around the Farmers.
Actually the Farmers and the Riders have plenty in common. Neither ever wants to pay what they should or owe.
Nice try cupcake!
Y'er welcome!
Really!
And that's the truth!
Has anybody mentioned how lucky the Riders are to have two home exhibition games and not have to worry about transporting the troops and missing potential practise or meeting times at home.
Gee not only does Lingenfelter post anonymously here, apparently Pat Lorje does too!