THURSDAY COMMENTARY – HERE’S A COOKIE

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

I’m sure today the CFL is thinking, “Can the weekend hurry up and get here?”

At the time of year when Canadians should be buzzing about the upcoming Division Semifinal games in Montreal and Vancouver, the focus has turned to what looks to be two major ball-droppings by the CFL.

First, we’re 17 days away from the 2022 Grey Cup game at Mosaic Stadium and we still don’t know who the halftime performer will be, for the biggest day of the year in Canadian football. And entertainment too, likely.

We’ve been assured that a performer has been signed, and they’re just waiting on an announcement. But as each day goes by, I’m not sure I believe that.

I’ve heard everything from the Road Hammers, to Drake, to Shania Twain, to The Sheepdogs. All of those acts are Canadian so I’m good with them, but again, as time goes on, they’re all looking like a compromised choice.

Someone in entertainment told me last night this controversy is generating great hype for the game but I can’t imagine it was planned. Why would you open yourself up to nationwide ridicule and scorn?

I didn’t see that chapter in the PR handbook.

And then Wednesday’s fiasco of the CFL naming its Division All Stars and then rescinding it because of a tabulating error pretty much takes the cake.

I can’t imagine the conversations that went on behind-the-scenes in the CFL office when it was learned the wrong All Stars were named, via press release.

How do you put that genie back in the bottle? But they tried.

I mean … what else is there to say? Most of my good friends who used to be involved in these types of things at the league level got toasted during Covid and not brought back. You didn’t know that did ya?

So I suppose this is all the work of Team Randy Ambrosie – the embattled CFL Commissioner who used to seem to have the Midas Touch but since Covid hit, can’t seem to get anything right. (Government funding, Atlantic expansion, CFL 2.0, declining attendance & ratings, et al)

Does anyone pay for all these mishaps? Or do they all get a cookie and be brought back next season with a pat on the head, and the promise to be better next time?

That seems to be the order of the day. And people wonder why there’s a credibility problem with a league that’s going nowhere fast.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV and WQEE Radio. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)