FRIDAY RODSERVATIONS
HAPPY HOLIDAY OBSERVATIONS
* EXPANSION DRAFT: First off let’s discuss Monday’s 2013 CFL Expansion Draft as it pertains to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. As unflinching as I was about the Ottawa RedBlacks taking the Rider offensive lineman James Lee in Round 1 ( he’s not even a household name in his own house ), I was stunned to see Keith Shologan’s name come up in Round 2. Stunned only to learn that he was unprotected. Keith was on everybody’s mock list! And that’s why they’re called “mock” but they did provide endless discussion.
The definition of “mock” — to tease or laugh at in a scornful or contemptuous manner.
Maybe it’s time to do away with mock drafts and lists??
* QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Regardless, has anyone heard from Keith Shologan in the newspapers since the draft? Here’s what he told me via email while vacationing in Ottawa:
“I really don’t know what to say Rod,” Shologan wrote. “I loved playing for and being a Rider. This is a business though and Ottawa will be a great city and we will be a great team. We’re visiting wife’s family now in Austria and won’t be back until after Christmas. We’ll see where life takes us in June!”
* LONG GOOD-BYES: Sholo also wishes to come on CKRM’s SportsCage to wish Rider fans farewell. What a class act. Rider GM Brendan Taman said his phone conversation with Keith on Monday informing him about Ottawa’s selection was “not phone” and that’s little surprise. Shologan avoided free agency the last time his contract came up, signing in December to show his teammates and the Riders that he was committed to the franchise. He then married a local girl and bought an acreage at Craven. Next thing you know it’s “Sayonara”.
But I get it. I don’t question Taman and Chamblin — especially after they have the Grey Cup. It’s just tough to lose good people.
* BUILT FORDE TOUGH: Quote from TSN’s Duane Forde after the draft: “Shologan is a terrific citizen and a great teammate.”
* SACK EVANS: Same goes for Zack Evans but after you lose your starting Canadian defensive tackle, you might as well lose your back-up if you plan to go with an American at that spot. However I wouldn’t be surprised if Zack doesn’t even report to Ottawa. We will see. It’s doubtful RedBlacks coach Rick Campbell and GM Marcel Desjardins were able to talk with unprotected players before the draft to gauge their interest. They shoulda called me!!! NHL teams do before their drafts from time-to-time.
* GLUEY HUGHIE: Maybe it’s because I’m with the Saskatchewan Roughriders that I notice this, but Rick Campbell speaks with that same haunting, spooky tone of his father Hugh Campbell. For Rick’s sake, I hope he has the success of Hugh. For the rest of the CFL, I hope he doesn’t.
* WHY OTTAWA?: I hear it a lot – even from my Mom this week – “Why give Ottawa a team at all? They screwed it up twice before?” My Mom’s old enough to know, or she should, that Ottawa is a tremendous football town. They’ve just been screwed over by horrible teams and even worse owners. Give them one more chance and they’ll make the most of it.
* STATESIDE: There really is nothing new to report regarding Weston Dressler’s pursuit of an NFL contract. His agent texted me this on Thursday: “3 teams currently very interested. Hoping to bring a couple more into the mix.”
* BEWARE OF THE GODFATHER: Quote from Pat Riley of the NBA: “The problems begin not when chasing a championship, but after it’s won.”
* ESPN CLASSICS: Enjoyed watching the 2007 Grey Cup the other night. It’s the first time I’ve watched the Riders’ 23-19 victory over Winnipeg since that November day seven years ago. Of course I watch it from a broadcaster’s perspective and was startled to hear Khari Jones on the CBC telecast providing sideline analysis. I forgot he performed that role because he seems so seamless in his role as a coach now. Also it was disappointing to see Bomber receiver Milt Stegall waving the cameras out of his face in the waning seconds of the game. How hypocritical since he’s a TSN panelist now. I’ve had nothing but first-class dealings with Milt and his former teammates and coaches love him so he’s not a jerk. But for sure he has the odd lapse in judgment.
Don’t we all.
* COACHING CAROUSEL: Sorry but it was shocking to me that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers named Marcel Bellefeuille as their offensive coordinator this week. Not that Marcel won’t do a great job, but I thought the position was tailor-made for Khari Jones. He’s a Bomber legend, is in business in the Manitoba capital and we heard along team President Wade Miller was pushing for Jones’s hire. What that tells me is Wade is letting his GM and head coach run their own show. That’s wonderful but where does a worthy Khari end up? If BC doesn’t hire him, they’re nuts. However he’s welcome back here anytime I’m sure.
* EXPANSION: What happens first: expansion in the NHL or CFL? They’re talking about Seattle and Las Vegas for the NHL and the league wants to be the first of the Major Four leagues to get into Sin City. If they do, I know a play-by-play guy who would be interested.
* WORLD JUNIORS: They begin Friday with a pre-tournament game between Canada and Finland on TSN. This will be the 19th World Juniors for TSN play-by-play man Gord Miller. As for World Junior radio broadcasts, they’ll simulcast the TV feed on radio and then move in Dave Randord and Craig Button for the playoff and medal games from Sweden.
* GETTIN’ IGGY WITH IT: Regina Pats forward Morgan Klimchuk signed with the Calgary Flames this week and he can always say he got traded for Jarome Iginla. That’s the first round pick the Flames got in the package deal from Pittsburgh for Iginla.
* NO WINTER CLASSIC FOR ME: On Monday I mentioned I was invited by Tiger Williams to attend the Winter Classic Oldtimer’s Game in Detroit on New Year’s Eve with the Maple Leafs Alumni. Alas, after pouring over flights, I couldn’t find any suitable so I’ll be around here with family over the holidays. Suits me fine.
* MOOSE JAW NEW YEAR’S: The Moose Jaw Warriors are planning a heckuva New Year’s Eve party. For $35 you get a ticket to that night’s Warriors game ( I’m not sure who they’re playing but does it matter? ) plus a ticket to the cabaret in the adjacent curling rink at Mosaic Place. I’m considering it, but not sure if I’ll know too many people. However it sounds like a great time!
* SUNNY AND 75: That Joe Nichols song is the best on country radio right now. Perhaps it’s the best song of the year. It’s also real nice they got Joe’s daughter to appear in the video with him. At least it must be — the girl in the video is half his age!
* DOG DAYS: The Phoenix Coyotes have the worst home attendance in the NHL and sell the fewest tickets at road games. That means they are the worst-attended team in the league. What a crying shame.
* JERSEYS: One of the many things that’s wrong with the NHL is that teams keep screwing with their jerseys. It seems on any given night if you flip the TV on, you have no idea who’s playing because they’re wearing some third/special occasion jersey. That is, except for the stalwarts like Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Detroit and Chicago. THEY NEVER CHANGE! The other teams could take a lesson from that.
* WHITES AT HOME: While we’re at it here’s one last pitch for NHL teams to wear their whites at home so we can get a look at all the other teams’ colourful dark road jerseys. For instance NHL fans in Tampa Bay see the Lightning’s blues every home game and the other team’s whites. How unbelievably boring and bland.
* SCROOGE: Bah humbug! The NHL has put me in a non-Christmasy mood. Enough of that! Time to get back to the vacation.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
RP
@sportscage
Hi Rod since you're on vacay you missed the news story with Zack Evans where he talked about how excited he is to start the new chapter of his football career in Ottawa.
No worries just thought you'd want to know. Enjoy your holidays!
Totally agree with the "whites at home" comment. Always like seeing the road team's colours. I assume they do this so that they can wear/sell those terrible third jerseys at home, right?
CFL wears colours at home too though, correct? Why?
If I was Ottawa I would be concerned with Shologans comments. His connections to Saskatchewan are vast and I am even more sad to see him leave. Your comments about knowing your players before you pick are bang on. I remember Al Ford taking 2 players in the first round of the Canadian draft, pictured the players up for the media then they both did not show up here because they wanted to play down east. Nice to see our boys like Labatte and Woldu wanting to come home and play.
I read it but I don't believe it.
So the home fans get to see all the sweaters wear the dark at home before Christmas and the White after Christmas. The best of both worlds. I think the WHL does that but I could be wrong on that.
Rod does that mean that you'd be interested in being the play-by-play guy for a team in Vegas? There are definitely pro's and con's to that. Warm weather all the time and cheap flights into Minot to see the extended family whenever you want but on the same token you or any other broadcaster would have to have a laser-sharp focus on the job to keep from being swept up in the non-stop party. I know you could do it but just saying. The guys at Rogers and CBC deciding the lineup for HNIC next year had better have your… Read more »
A few points: 1) Joe Nichols is great and he played a show at Casino Regina over the past year which I went to. It's good to see country stay country and he's back on track with his problems behind him. I saw Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers at Casion Regina on Wednesday. They blew the doors off the place, but Larry said something about Taylor Swift and these new people. When he got to Nashville in 1971 he did it different than how it was done, and these people are no different. The genre is big enough so… Read more »
I really can't see Shologan spending any more than one year in Ottawa (correct me if I'm wrong but he is in his option year). I see him in Edmonton or Sask..maybe even Calgary. As for Zack Evens I would be surprised if I see him in Ottawa. Really tuff break for him. His roots are here but more importatly his job is here. You know the job that pays his bills. He stands to loose alot if he leaves the Upgrader. Not alot of non-goverment jobs in Ottawa. I beleive he also only has one more year on his… Read more »
Obama I'll challenge you on that point. There is already a team in the minors that is based in Vegas, I forget what they are called and what league. They were interviewing the coach on TV and he admitted is that one of the challenges they have for new recruits is steering them away from the constant party going on. Obviously the seasoned veterans and those that have been there awhile get used to it. That's why I say that some people can handle it and some can't which is unfortunate. You don't need distractions if you are a young… Read more »
I think that Kerry Joseph would make a good QB coach for the Ottawa RedBlacks.
@ Rex,
You can get into trouble in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan and La Ronge as easy as you can Las Vegas.
That will never change. Guys who are serious about their careers and set goals regardless of their jobs do fine.
Las Vegas has nothing to do people getting distracted. People with low executive functioning which in simple terms is a command and control button in their make up get into the trouble.
Interesting the new information you pick up on this blog. If the younger Riders are picking up jobs in the community at places like the upgrader, you can see why the Riders are doing the right things. A 35 year career at the Refinery is better career management than say a 6 as a Starting Tackle….I say 6 because that's how long Shultz stayed. Helping these guys position themselves for after football makes so much sense and probably reduces your payroll costs today. I just don't think the other teams get it, even Ottawa should have factored that into their… Read more »
Have to give credit where credit Is due. It's the Individual men who have moved on who have the mindset of direction to their personal lives figured out post on field careers. Riders?
I just want to get this straight. Go to college to get this supposed education the NCAA offers then choose to play in Regina, and stay in Regina so you can work at the Upgrader? Work as an Operator or in the Oil Patch when football is done? Aim higher please. Larry Gatlin's song All the Gold in California was about these Okies that were packing up and going to California and he said, they miss the point because today all the gold in California is in a bank in the middle of Beverly Hills in somebody else's name. Apply… Read more »
The Las Vegas team is in the ECHL and they are the Wranglers. I have known players who have played for them and the "Vegas" lifestyle is always and will always be a problem to the players. Like Obama stated, locals see it day in and out and its "old news" to them to new players and young guys, Vegas is Vegas.
I think Shologan was a casualty of the salary cap and what could likely be a cap penalty for the Riders . They will no doubt be going Import and cheaper at his position next year.
Re: Sholo and Evans, hate to disagree or take off the green-tinted glasses, but why wouldn't they go to Ottawa? Yes it's hard leaving a GC champ for an expansion team (and a hometown in Evans' case) but bottom line is, these guys are FOOTBALL PLAYERS first. If they want to play in 2014, then they're going to Ottawa. Sholo will be well-paid and will be a leader there, Evans will be his understudy and one play away from starting. It makes no sense football-wise for either guy not to go there. The hometown and off-season job stuff is just… Read more »
Sorry Shultzie…..9 years with the Riders heard your correction on the show.
you're right about ottawa. it's a cfl town. they were screwed over by horrible owners each time. the fans a little fairweather… but most city is when they lose all the time (see even our riders in the 80's). but the town has one of the biggest minor league football programs in the world. 3 semi-pro teams. the town loves football. with good owners they should do well.
Riders picking up jobs in Regina is nothing new. I remember Ed McQuarters from the sixties. He played on the D line and was great, he had a job as a PR man for Sask Power and Sask Power had a monopoly, they needed a PR man like I need a cold.
Old Cuss
Here is a bit of a historical note for Regina football people:
This year marked the 100th anniversary of Charlie Leibel's arrival in Regina from Austria,where he was born in 1904.
He founded the Queen City Football league in 1947 and was the first Canadian to be recognized by the National Pop Warner Football Conference in the US for his effort with setting up football programs for youth.
Regina's Leibel Field is named in his honour. He died in 1968.