THROWIN’ ELBOWS WITH BRENDAN MCGUIRE
1. RIDER CUTS: The ones who stood out to me were veteran receiver Paul McRoberts and veteran defensive back AJ Hendy. McRoberts just never improved after struggling to crack a receiving corps last year that wasn’t as deep as this year’s pass-catching crew. Hendy’s walkout on the team in its hour of need before last year’s playoff run was always going to hang over him like a dirty cloud. Don Hewitt suggested on Friday night’s Roughrider Roundtable that Hendy had probably played himself off the roster. And once again, The Professor was right. Some things never change.
2. NOBODIES ABOUT TO BECOME SOMEBODIES: Frankie Hickson was the running back who made us all remember his name after rattling off a strong debut in the first preseason game. Samuel Emilus has the Riders boasting an embarrassment of riches when it comes to Canadian receivers and Justin McInnis might be ready to start, too. Look for imports Terran Vaughn and Na’Ty Rodgers to patch up an O-line that was gashed on several occasions in 2021. Nelson Lokombo could have an impact but the jury is still out on him, too.
3. RIDER RADIO BROADCAST CREW: Ballsy taking over the game-calling gives it all some badly needed juice that was missing. Love the setup of the postgame round-table show with Daniella Ponticelli, Wes Cates and Don Hewitt, too and Pete Paczko is the perfect guy to host the halftime. After a three-year absence, I’m starting to think that maybe, just maybe, the Rider radio broadcast has finally got its MOJO back.
4. RIDERS HOTTEST RIVALRY: Wanted to choose Edmonton because of the Chris Jones factor. But they’re not even in the same class as the Roughriders and probably won’t be until Jones gets his quarterback situation stabilized. The Elks are nowhere ready to compete with the Riders. Winnipeg is the best rivalry today and that won’t change anytime soon.
5. SOXCASTS: Did my first one of the year Monday night at Currie Field. Sox blew a 1-0 lead in the 8th inning to cough up 7 more in the 10then route to an 8-4 loss to the Moose Jaw Miller Express for Regina’s first homefield loss of the season. Had a blast doing the call with Leo MacDonald. We have an exciting stable of talent in the broadcast booth that I’m trying to brainwash this year including Dante De Caria, Elliott Wagner, Cameron Wright, Ryan McNally, Landon Adelman and Pete Paczko. So amazing to have ball back and some good crowds at Currie Field already, too.
6. WHL FINALS: Does anyone even care anymore?
7. DID YOU KNOW: Legendary Roughrider linebacker Dan Rashovich is not in the CFL Hall of Fame? Bizarre, isn’t it.
8. THEY SAID IT: “No team is going to play us one on one and I know that for a fact.” — Duke Williams on the Riders newly retooled receiving corps.
9. THIS WEEK I’M JEALOUS OF: Duke Williams. I’m jealous of Duke every week.
10. IN THE HUDDLE THIS WEEK: Marshall Hamilton, Olivia Lawrence and I are joined by 3 Down Nation CFL Insider Justin Dunk with all the latest CFL news. We go over the final Rider cuts, who’s hot and who’s not, and finally get to make predictions for week one. Watch us on Access Now TV or the Access Now App Tuesday nights at 7. Check your local listings.
(Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendanhowardmc)
Great column 3) Ray Liotta died recently. The kids would know him from appearances on Modern Family and recently The Many Saints of Newark. My generation knows him from when he was the man in Goodfellas. Great scene where the owner of the lounge is getting squeezed by Joe Pesci. He asks Paul Sorvino for help with Ray sitting there. His words, “I mean Tommy takin’ over this place is like putting a silk hat on a pig. No offense Henry I know he’s your friend” ….that sums up your 2022 CKRM broadcast and we will agree to disagree. Keep… Read more »
RE #3… I DIDNT HEAR MUCH OF THE RIDER BROADCAST, BUT THE INTERVIEW WITH JOHN RYAN SEEMED A BIT TONE DEAF… OH HOW COME YOU AREN’T A RIDER ANY MORE? ARE YOU WORKING OUT? EVER GOING TO PLAY FOOTBALL AGAIN? OH IF ONLY YOU COULD BE A RIDER? JUST IMAGINE IF WE COULD SEE YOU KICKING IN THE GREY CUP GAME IN REGINA ETC. LIKE FFS!!! THE MAN WANTED TO KEEP PLAYING AND WAS PLAYING WELL, BUT HE GOT NICKED UP AND THEN CUT FOR THE YOUNGER CHEAPER PLAYER, AS TENDS TO HAPPEN. CAN YOU NOT BRING THE ‘LOCAL LEGEND’… Read more »
Jon Ryan would still be a Rider if he had kicked a few ‘coffin corners’ like the coaches wanted instead of going for the stats and booming them through the endzone for a single.
I don’t buy the Bomber hype. They deserve to be rated #1 going into the season but too many pieces missing. Here’s where I see things playing out, for what it’s worth. My rankings were done after free agency as much of the roster gets set there & pre-season games haven’t changed my mind. West – 1. Stamps 2. Riders 3. Bombers 4. Elks 5. Lions East = 1. Argos 2. TiCats 3. Als 4. REDBLACKS Why I see the Bombers dropping. I see the same questions there as I did last year – Collaros has yet to play a… Read more »