TUESDAY COMMENTARY – WHY THE WEST IS BEST

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

I COULD BE COMPLETELY OUT TO LUNCH HERE, BUT STICK WITH ME.

THERE WAS A PREPOSTEROUS THEORY COMING OUT OF THE EAST THIS SPRING THAT THE CFL’S EAST DIVISION WAS FINALLY GOING TO BE BETTER THAN THE WEST FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES. I THINK I SAW IT ON TWITTER.

I DIDN’T AGREE WITH IT AT THE TIME BUT BIT MY LIP AND SMILED, CONTENT TO SEE HOW IT ALL PLAYS OUT. (BESIDES, SOCIAL MEDIA ARGUMENTS ARE ALWAYS SILLY AND LOOK BAD).

AND NOW WITH WEEK 4 CLOSING MONDAY NIGHT WITH A REMARKABLE LAST-MINUTE WINNIPEG WIN AT TORONTO, THE SMOKE IS CLEARING AND THE RESULTS COULDN’T BE MORE CLEAR:

CFL WEST DIVISION TEAMS ARE 14-4 THIS SEASON WHILE EASTERN CLUBS ARE 2-12.

NOT ONLY IS THE WEST STILL DOMINANT IN CANADIAN FOOTBALL, BUT IT MAY BE MORESO THAN EVER.

SO IT BEGS THE QUESTION, “WHY?”

WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT IT MONDAY NIGHT, MY INTERNAL VOICE BLURTED OUT ALMOST INSTANTLY, “BECAUSE WE TAKE THE GAME MORE SERIOUSLY OUT HERE.”

STICK WITH ME. AND BEFORE EASTERN TEAM PERSONNEL GET THEIR HACKLES UP, HEAR ME OUT. (WHAT EXACTLY IS A HACKLE ANYWAY?)

THE FACT IS WE DO TAKE IT MORE SERIOUSLY OUT HERE AND I’VE BEEN COVERING THE CFL SINCE 1991. I’VE SEEN THE EROSION OF THE CFL’S POPULARITY IN EASTERN CANADA OVER THAT TIME.

OUT HERE, IF YOU DROP A PASS OR MISS A BLOCK, YOU’RE VERY LIKELY GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER FOR IT THE NEXT DAY WHEN A FAN STOPS YOU IN THE SUPER MARKET OR AT THE GAS STATION. YOU MAY EVEN HAVE TO ANSWER FOR IT TO ANGRY FANS ON TWITTER.

PRETTY SURE ARGOS KICKER BORIS BEDE – WHO MISSED A GAME-TYING EXTRA POINT WITH 25 SECONDS TO GO LAST NIGHT – WON’T BE ASKED ABOUT IT ON THE STREETS OF TORONTO THIS WEEK.

AND SPEAKING OF … DID YOU SEE THE CROWD AT BMO FIELD LAST NIGHT? SORRY TO SAY, BUT THE ROUGHRIDERS ROUTINELY DRAW MORE FANS TO THEIR PRACTICES.

I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY TOUGH TO GET PSYCHED UP FOR A BIG MATCH WHEN ALL YOU SEE ARE FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN THE CROWD.

MEANWHILE IN THE WEST, THE CROWDS ARE GETTING BIGGER EACH WEEK AND THE LEAGUE IS TREATED LIKE A MUCH BIGGER DEAL OUT HERE.

THIS IS NOT AN INDICTMENT OF THE PLAYERS, COACHES OR MANAGEMENT IN THE EAST. SHOOT, THEY GO BACK AND FORTH AT WILL IN THE OFF-SEASON. THAT’S A WASH. BUT IT’S ALL BETWEEN THE EARS, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN LIFE.

IT’S JUST MY TWO CENTS. WHAT ARE YOURS?

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)

(Photo: Daniel Judah)