TUESDAY CAT COUNTRY COMMENTARY: CFL’S CHICKEN & THE EGG

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

HOCKEY RETURNS TONIGHT WITH THREE NHL GAMES INSIDE THE BUBBLE AND IT APPEARS WE’LL HAVE TWO MONTHS TO TALK ABOUT THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS ON THESE COMMENTARIES.

BUT THE OUTLOOK IS NOT SO ROSY FOR THE CFL SO LET’S EXAMINE THEIR SITUATION WHILE WE STILL CAN.

WHAT WE KNOW IS THE CFL AND ITS PLAYERS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SHORTENED SEASON IN 2020 INSIDE A BUBBLE IN WINNIPEG. WE ALSO KNOW THE OWNERS AND PLAYERS CAN’T AGREE ON A SALARY STRUCTURE FOR THE 6-GAME SEASON AND THE DEADLINE FOR AN AGREEMENT KEEPS GETTING EXTENDED.

WE ALSO KNOW THERE WILL BE NO SEASON IN 2020 IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN’T PICK UP THE TAB FOR IT.

HOWEVER WHAT WE LEARNED MONDAY IS THAT THE FEDERAL – AND SOME PROVINCIAL – GOVERNMENTS WANT TO KNOW HOW THE CFL BUSINESS MODEL WILL LOOK BEFORE THEY COMMIT ANY FUNDS.

DO YOU SEE HOW THIS HAS BECOME A MASSIVE CHICKEN-AND-THE-EGG SCENARIO THAT REALLY HAS NO CLEAR ANSWER?

I’VE WORKED IN SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT FOR 30 YEARS AND THE BIGSHOTS HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE ATTITUDE OF “EVERYTHING WILL COME TOGETHER IN THE END”. AND TO THEIR CREDIT, IT USUALLY HAS.

BUT WE’VE NEVER FACED A SITUATION LIKE CORONAVIRUS BEFORE, AND A PANDEMIC THAT HAS BROUGHT THE CFL TO ITS KNEES. IT’S FROM THAT POSITION WHERE THEY’RE BEGGING THE GOVERNMENT FOR A BAILOUT AND TO THEIR SURPRISE, OTTAWA ISN’T RUSHING TO THEIR DEFENSE.

ALL THIS WHILE THE OTHER LEAGUES ARE PLOWING THROUGH AND PLAYING GAMES. YOU CAN DEBATE AT WILL THE WISDOM OR CARELESSNESS OF LEAGUES PLAYING DURING THIS PERIOD BUT AT LEAST THEY’RE DOING ALL THEY CAN.

AS FOR THE CFL, THEY HAVEN’T EVEN LINED UP IN THE STARTER’S BLOCKS YET AND IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE THEY CAN’T AFFORD TO EVEN GET IN THE RACE.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.