COMMENTARY – UP THE LATTER
(Listen daily for the RP Commentary on Cat Country 98, Rock 98.5 FM & LTD Radio)
It’s a random thought Wednesday. Here we go …
#1 – It was a good news, bad news kind of night for the Calgary Flames. Or especially for Jonathan Huberdeau. The Flames knocked off Nashville 4-2 in the Saddledome for back-to-back wins. However Huberdeau was benched for the entire third period by head coach Ryan Huska.
I looked up his stat line and it was 0-0-0-0. Honestly there have been nights where I’ve watched the Flames and had to look up the scoresheet to see if he even played.
If there was ever a perfect example of how same places are a fit for some people but not for others, this is it. Jonathan Huberdeau was an All Star in Florida and until last week, the franchise’s career games played leader.
In Calgary he’s taking up space.
#2 – Up the road in Edmonton the Jay Woodcroft Job Watch is getting a little annoying. The Oilers are at San Jose Thursday night and it’s another night of, “If the Oilers lose, Woodcroft will be fired.”
They lost 6-2 in Vancouver the other night, but he wasn’t.
Say it with me: “Teams would rather not fire coaches.”
But in Edmonton, those players are giving GM Ken Holland no choice.
#3 – An RP Show viewer in Arizona wrote in yesterday to say the CFL Playoffs are far more interesting when the Roughriders are relevant. I didn’t really know how to respond. So you’re saying the Riders aren’t relevant? And/0r that you won’t be watching this Saturday?
If that’s the case, I’d suggest you’re missing out. The Toronto Argonauts are 9.5-point home favourites at Bet Regal in the East Final against Montreal while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are 4.5-point home favourites over the BC Lions in the West.
Even Cody Fajardo’s mom doesn’t think the Alouettes will win but they’ve got a great chance to make history here by ruining this historic Argos season. That alone has my interest, and the betting point spread keeps you tuned into the end as well.
However I rarely bet. I can’t separate my head from my heart and at this stage of the game, it would be pointless to try to change. It’s actually got me a long ways in life, just not at the betting window.
#4 – Call it your almost daily Roughriders coaching search update. Honestly I’m just passing along what I’m given and they say Scott Milanovich and the Riders are meeting this week. “They” still say it’s between him and Paul LaPolice.
But honestly we don’t know a timeline, a shortlist, or any of the usual things we hear when a team is making a huge hire like this.
You can call it the new way of doing things, or, they don’t know what they’re doing. Judging by their track record, I’d say it’s the latter.
That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm & 5 pm ET on Game+TV, WQEE Radio, Podcast & YouTube Live)
How can we be considering Paul LaPolice as he has been a head coach a couple of times and his record shows that he is not a good head coach.
How can we be considering Paul LaPolice? Paul LaPolice with the bad head coaching resume? Answer – The Roughriders employ an inept gm plus an equally inept team president. The Saskatchewan Roughriders employ two individuals who should not be in professional sports in any capacity whatsoever anywhere in any league!
I truthfully don’t know how a guy with any experience even sits at a table with Jeremy O’Day and with any crediblity is sold on the vision for the this team and organization? People don’t work for organizations they work with the people that hold their destiny in their hands. To walk into that office knowing only 9 of these jobs exist and maybe if you’re lucky you get a kick at the can. Why would someone credible come here unless they not only were Head Coach, but had a say in personel and what the roster will be week… Read more »
😖 🤥 🤢 🤮 🤧 🤫 🤐 🤣 🤑 😎
I find it disheartening that the Rider search is down to two retreads.
Buck Pierce all the way!
That’s not how it works or you end up with the same situation Hamilton had when they were dumb enough to hire George Cortez. If you’re a Coordinator you need to criss cross the league and show your system can be a plug and play deal. If not go take a gander at how Josh McDaniels with his 6 Super Bowl Rings turned out in Denver and Las Vegas. These guys need to move around like a Bruce Arians, make contacts, and then in the interview be able to say who they are bringing in as a coaching staff. Who… Read more »
Scott Milanovich should only get an interview if he’s willing to drive here and pay his own way. Otherwise he’s not only wasting his time, but Jeremy O’Days’. Orlando Steinhauer is not coming back as Head Coach of the Hamiton Tiger-Cats. That’s not going to happen. Paul LaPolice – as a Head Coach if he didn’t have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all. Look at his time in Winnipeg and ask yourself gee…QB is an important position who did he have? Well in Winnipeg he had – Alex Brink/Justin Goltz/and “Mr. Glass” Buck Pierce…. Well in Ottawa he… Read more »
Rob, just curious on two things. 1. Is Henry Burris officially out of the running? 2. Is Mike Stackhouse out of the running on your blog?