THROWIN’ ELBOWS WITH BRENDAN MCGUIRE

1. THE CFL COMEBACK: After watching the Sunday Night Baseball broadcast of the Chicago Cubs playing in front of their first full capacity crowd without restrictions and the pandemonium of cheering, partying and beer cup snakes that came with it, I am just convinced that people everywhere are champing at the bit to get out and let their hair down at a sporting event somewhere. Predictions of the Canadian Football League’s demise were premature and greatly exaggerated. This thing, and not just the Riders, will come roaring back.

2. LEAGUE GOVERNORS VOTE: The mere notion that the Toronto Argos might’ve been the last holdout to this “enthusiastically unanimous” vote to play is another red flag for the increasingly incompetent leadership of their team president, Bill Manning. Instead of taking on a real leadership role that could shape the future of the league, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment has chosen to sit back and leave it in the hands of this guy who openly questions the future of our league. We should all be so grateful that MLSE bankrolls the Argonauts but where they come up short is in having any real meaningful vision for the game. 

3. ROUGHRIDER SCHEDULE: As long as we get Labour Day weekend against Winnipeg at home, does anyone care about anything else?

4. ROUGHRIDER CHANCES: Hard to say after the missed season but let’s not forget the last Grey Cup champions had to win a western final here in Regina. The Riders are instant contenders for Grey Cup 2021 but I’m even more curious to find out if Cody Fajardo is the guy nominated for Most Outstanding Player award in 2019 or the career backup who wallowed around in obscurity over the four seasons prior to that. Will the real Fajardo please stand up? I think we’re about to find out.

5. WHO WILL BE THE WORST: The Argos. Incompetent, awful leadership. I love Pinball Clemons (who doesn’t?) but I’m skeptical they’ll get much out of Charleston Hughes on defence or Nick Arbuckle at quarterback.

6. JOHN FRENZY RETIRES: John Lynch is an icon and should be recognized as such. If the Plaza of Honour wanted to generate some new life in that event, they could start by adding a biography of that man as a start. Has had a role in at least SEVEN different decades of Rider coverage in one form or another dating back to 1969 when he hosted CFL football on CJME radio. I’ve always thought putting media people into a sports hall of fame was and is cheesy. But John Lynch is an exception who stands alone. And even in watching the old man appear on the show in his final few episodes, it’s easy to tell that to this day, nothing excites him to get out of bed each morning more than to talk about the Riders. And there’s something pretty great about that.

7. HABS PLAYOFF RUN: A bit of a disadvantage in playing in front of mostly empty crowds for sure. But remember, Doug Flutie won two Grey Cups playing in front of empty seats at the Skydome. Crowds are nice but they aren’t everything and the game is still the game. I want a Habs-Islanders final and think I’m in the majority with most of you on that.

8. BASEBALL CRACKDOWN: They’re going to crack down on the pitchers using all the pine-tar and rosin and other crap they’ve been putting on the baseball. The game needs less strikeouts and homeruns for more singles, walks, doubles and triples. Variety is the spice of life and it’s great to see MLB finally deal with this. I actually enjoy collegiate ball more than the majors these days for this very reason.   

9. MORE PROOF WE NEED TO CRACK DOWN ON ‘ROIDS: Have a look at how badly Lenny Dykstra has aged in recent years and find an interview he’s done in the last little while. He’s in rough shape following a life in the fast lane as a Steroid-popping leadoff man for the Phillies in the 90s. If you’re wondering why we need to drug-test these athletes, then I’m going to suggest that you aren’t paying very close attention.

10. GREAT YOUTUBE VIDEO PODCAST LISTEN: PLAYING FOR PEANUTS is a several part mini-series as a behind-the-scenes look at disgraced Arizona Diamondbacks hired-and-then-fired manager Wally Backman through his return to baseball managing the semi-pro baseball team, South Georgia Peanuts. Lots of hilarious stuff in there and something to re-connect us all with the grand old game at a time when a good chunk of us have missed being at the park.

(Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendanhowardmc)