Scruffy’s This ‘N That

1 – COME HOME NATHAN: Nathan Rourke is good enough to be an NFL quarterback. The only problem is that Nathan’s birth certificate says he is a Canadian. The New York Giants released Rourke on Sunday and it’s safe to say he never really got a chance to show the G-Men what he had.

I am not going to go through the list of quarterbacks in the NFL, but Rourke has shown he is better than many and there are spots where he could be the number one guy and would be if he was an American. It’s as simple as that folks.

It is time for Nathan to return to the CFL and continue what was an outstanding career until he got hurt in Regina.

When you look at the CFL landscape whether it be for this year or starting in 2025, and I would suggest the latter, it is safe to say that the only team that really doesn’t need him is BC as they have current MOP Vernon Adams Junior. One could say he isn’t needed in Montreal, but an argument could be made that Rourke could make a Cody Fajardo-led team even better.

He could supplant Jake Maier in Calgary, he could supplant Dru Brown in Ottawa, he would definitely be welcomed in Saskatchewan even though Shea Patterson is progressing, he could land in Toronto if Chad Kelly does not return ( what is happening there anyway?) and he could take over in Hamilton as Bo Levi Mitchell isn’t getting any younger. He might be what Edmonton needs to get that organization’s head back above water and yes I know that would halt the development of Tre Ford again.

One can not blame Rourke for wanting to exhaust every opportunity he has to make it south of the border and now he will try to gain employment with the Atlanta Falcons. I want to see him get his chance and so do many others, but I also want to see him do his thing on a week-to-week basis and right now it appears as if this path is in the CFL.

2 – BOUNCE BACK GAME: For the first time since becoming head coach, Corey Mace felt the heat after the Riders gassed it in the 2^nd half losing to Montreal.  Why didn’t Frankie Hickson get more touches in the second half? How do you keep Hickson on the roster? Why did a 3^rd string quarterback have so much success? Why wasn’t Ajou Ajou given more targets? Etc, etc.

The best thing for the green-and-white is a game against the pitiful Edmonton Elks or Elkimos as Twitter demi-god Fake Gainer or whatever he goes as these days has referred to them.

Yes, the Elks are going to finally start Tre Ford and yes, he will present some challenges for the defence as he runs around looking to make plays. Some are worried about a possible upset, but I think the only upset emanating from Mosaic Stadium are stomachs from fans perhaps eating too much fair food before going on a ride. DO YOU WANNA GO FASTER!!!

I don’t see the Riders dropping this one, but in the CFL one never knows for sure.

3 – LOGAN FERLAND: When I was first introduced to a young man named Logan Ferland at a Regina Thunder game, I was told by many including head coach (and overall good schmuck) Scott McAulay that Ferland was going to be a stud. He wasn’t wrong. The Saskatchewan product has not disappointed since joining the green-and-white. He was recognized this past week as the top-rated offensive lineman in the CFL in July.

Many said years ago, and I was one of them, that he had the potential to be the next great Saskatchewan-born offensive lineman in the CFL and that a top o-line award or two might come his way. That seems to be trending in the right direction for a guy who is just as good a human as he is a player.

4 – NEW LOOK NEEDED: Last week I was searching for some old CFL footage. I came across the game at Taylor Field where Anthony Calvillo “ran” for two 20-yard touchdowns in a victory over the Riders. The game was in October 2012. What struck me is that the TSN scorebug is the EXACT SAME ONE that is being used now.

The TSN production hasn’t really changed over the years, but can the three letter not change it up when it comes to the scorebug?  It’s only been more than 12 years.  TSN does a lot of good things for the league and that is evident come Grey Cup week, but the overall broadcast package is stale and needs to be freshened up. That isn’t a shot against the on-air talent because I like the personalities they have, but a new look is needed.

5 – REALLY SCOTT? I just want to make sure I have this straight: The Ti-Cats are mollywhopping the Elks 41-8 with six minutes left in the game last week when Edmonton scores a touchdown. Ti-Cats coach Scott Milanovich decides to challenge that call. Seriously? Had that happened in the NFL, the cries of disgust would have been many but here it just went by as if no one cares. Sorry, but that is a d-bag move Mr. Milanovich.

6 – OLYMPICS: Have you been watching? I haven’t been a hardcore watcher like some have been, but I have been checking it out nightly and enjoying what we are seeing from Summer McIntosh, the men’s basketball team and the women’s soccer team. What that squad is doing is simply amazing. You can argue what has gone on with this drone story forever, but to see that squad rebound the way it did after getting a six-point penalty docked to them has been amazing.

It’s also been good to see former CTV Regina sports anchor Julie Stewart-Binks doing a great job hosting Olympic coverage on the Canadian consortium while Saskatoon’s Devin Heroux has been outstanding with his work in Paris. Does that guy ever slow down? Some have asked me since getting out of radio how much I miss it. The truth is I don’t because of some people in the industry—an industry which I believe is dying, but I do miss seeing and talking with people like Heroux at curling events or the various CFL media that come rolling through Mosaic Stadium like Dustin Nielson, Farhan Lalji, Dave Campbell and Herb Zurkowsky. All of those guys are top-notch individuals, and it was always good catching up with them.

One other Olympic note. I was checking out the NBC broadcast this week and they talked about how in the early days of the Olympics, Tug-o-War used to be contested. BRING THIS BACK!! If we can have some sports that in my mind don’t really deserve to be there, bring back Tug-O-War.  6 man (women), 8 or 10 I don’t care, just do it! Tell me you wouldn’t watch!

7 – THE DRAISAITL DEAL: Many who know I am a huge Oilers fan have asked me what I think about the pending Leon Draisaitl deal if there is going to be one or if he will be traded. First off, all signs point to Leon signing a seven- or eight-year deal. If he had no intentions of returning to Edmonton, you would think talk would have “leaked out” about a possible trade. That hasn’t happened.

All signs point to Draisaitl wanting to come back to try and finish the story alongside Connor McDavid who will likely re-sign as well when his time is ready.

An eight-year deal for both means they will stay in Edmonton for the rest of the decade and the Oilers should be a Stanley Cup contender. When will the deal come? That’s anyone’s guess, but it will.

8 – AUGUST HAS ARRIVED: You know what that means right? It means we are in the middle of the CFL season, the NFL pre-season is here meaning the regular season is right around the corner and CIS and NCAA football will be starting as is Canadian junior football. I have zero problem with that. ZERO!

9 – PLAYOFF TIME:  Before concentrating on football at all levels, we need to see how the WCBL season is going to pan out. This is the last weekend of regular season play and it appears as if the Regina Red Sox are going to hold off the Medicine Hat Mavericks for first place in the East.

WCBL playoffs are Best-of-3’s meaning anything can happen so just get in and hope.  The league said this week that for the second straight year that an attendance record has been broken. The return to Saskatoon has been a win for everyone and the Red Sox games I have been to have seen crowds in the 800-1100 range. It will be a great day Sunday for the regular season home finale so go check the team out and ignore the schmuck doing P-A. 😊

That’s all I’ve got.  Enjoy the long weekend!