The Monday Morning Goalie For SUDS
Photo: Devin Heroux
TRUTH & RUMOURS FOR SUDS CAR WASH
1 – WAKING UP IN DENVER: A funny thing happened on the way up to Western Canada for the summer. Flight snafus landed me in Denver overnight Saturday with no luggage, and no paddle. The same thing’s happened before in Bloomington, MN and Columbus, OH and the airlines have always been real nice about it. Oh well! I was able to watch CFL football and keep tabs on the Stanley Cup Playoffs so you won’t be hearing me complain. I’ve got two friends battling Stage 5 cancer who’d love an all expenses paid trip to Denver, Colorado. I’m not saying it’s the way everybody should look at life, but it’s the way I choose to look at it. Plus, it’s the life I chose… **UPDATE: I arrived safely in Moose Jaw, SK on Sunday evening and am ready to enjoy the summer! Let’s go …..
2 – KICKOFF: Before we get to any deep analysis of this weekend’s Canadian Football League preseason games, let me just say the scene at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon for the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ 31-27 win over Winnipeg on Saturday was spectacular. THAT was an atmosphere where if someone tuned in on TV or saw the highlights, they’d say “I wanna be there!” It’s so much more esthetic than the games at the cavernous Commonwealth Stadium, BC Place, McMahon Stadium or, at times, even Mosaic Stadium. What am I saying? I’m not sure, other than that the CFL should take preseason games to neutral sites every year, and, don’t be so quick to dismiss smaller markets (like Moncton, NB for example) as potential sites for CFL expansion teams. But what the hell do I know…
3 – ON THE FIELD: Riders QB Trevor Harris was 3/3 on the opening drive – dink, dank, dunk – and in the endzone and that was the end of his day. Brayden Schager or as I call him, “The Next One”, led all Rider passers with 179 yards and outshone incumbent backup Jack Coan again. They both had some INT troubles. Saskatchewan used 12 different receivers. … If the Bombers are using the preseason to evaluate quarterbacks (and obviously they are) the battle between Zach Collaros and Taylor Elgersma is not close. Zach looked polished going 3/4 for 75 yards while Elgarsma looked uncomfortable, throwing two picks, and went 6/13 for 78 yards. Honestly, why would we think a rookie would even challenge a Hall of Famer like Zach? Winnipeg will be in the mix. … The Riders look pretty sharp and ready for the season. Now they have to wait till Week 2 for their next game as they host the BC Lions June 13 in the home opener. … What would the CFL be if it actually made sense?
4 – THE REST: The weekend opened with newcomer Jake Maier leading Ottawa to a 27-12 victory over Montreal. Didja know veteran QB Dustin Crum is now on the Alouettes side? He went 15/20 for 130 yards while incumbent Davis Alexander saw some time too. Kicker Brett Lauther didn’t dress for the RedBlacks, nor did QB Dru Brown. … QB Cody Fajardo was 2/6 for 26 yards in Edmonton’s 34-16 win over the BC Lions in Langford, BC. Taylor Powell led the Elkimos in passing with 160 yards. Nathan Rourke didn’t dress for BC. … The Toronto-Hamilton game on Saturday is one I’d have liked to see. The Argos won 20-10 and used QBs Chad Kelly (24 yards rushing), Nick Arbuckle, Tucker Horn and Anthony Guercio while the Ticats employed Tre Ford, Jake Dolegala and Bo Levi Mitchell behind centre. … It should be a helluva fight in the CFL East.
5 – STEWART JOHNSTON: Earlier this week the RP Show made a social media post saying we support Commissioner Stewart Johnston and promise a ton of CFL coverage on the show this year. That drew an AVALANCHE of ridicule from fans whom are anti-Johnston and called me a “lackey” (I don’t even know what that is) and accused of us being “bought off”. Hey – Stewart Johnston’s been on our show multiple times and we are returning the respect. We may not all disagree on the future of the league but the infighting and toxicity needs to stop. This doesn’t go on in other leagues and frankly, I find it utterly distasteful. … BC Lions owner Amar Doman said on the RP Show this week that the abuse Johnston’s taking is the sign of a good Commissioner. I disagree. Nobody in the NHL says sh*t about Gary Bettman.
6 – EXPANSION: One more on the CFL. We all would love to see the league expand and we also all know and it’s going to have to, to survive longterm. The announcement of a new proposed stadium and entertainment district in Halifax, NS this week is fantastic news but all I’ll say is, I’ll get excited when the shovel hits the dirt. … But as far as those smaller stadiums go across the country, or my long supported expansion into the US movement, the possibilities are endless.
7 – TAKE WARNING: The Carolina Hurricanes got back to themselves and won their sixth straight overtime game, beating Montreal 3-2 on Saturday to tie up the Eastern Conference Final 1-1. Ya think Nikolaj Ehlers – who scored the OT winner – is regretting leaving Winnipeg at all? It was never personal. … But the Habs go back to the Bell Centre with the series 1-1 and have to be feeling good about themselves. They’re good enough to win the Stanley Cup.
8 – VIVA LAS VEGAS: What a week for the Golden Knights! They’ve fought off an avalanche of controversy (sorry for the pun) and now lead Colorado 3-0 in the Western Conference Final following a stunning 5-3 victory in Game 3 in the Fortress on Sunday. The Avs got up 3-0, but the VGK stormed back to push this thing to the brink of a sweep. Honestly I thought the Avalanche were the better team, with or without Cale Makar, but the Golden Knights have played ’em like a drum. Clearly Vegas is using the “circle the wagons” mentality. … Furthermore, the media crusade to lynch GM Kelly McCrimmon & coach John Tortorella is off-putting and misguided. If reporters don’t like the VGK controlling fired coach Bruce Cassidy’s future, take it up with the labor board or call a labor lawyer. You think a reporter from ESPN or The Athletic knows the ins and outs of these contracts better than Kelly? It’s comical actually. And I also wonder, why do they care, and/or who’s putting them up their crusade? … When I got fired from CKRM in Saskatchewan seven years ago, I got a year payout with a list of conditions and didn’t bat an eye at them. It’s how it goes…
9 – THE MEMMER: Liam Lefebvre’s second goal of the night, scored at 5:28 of 3-on-3 overtime, lifted the Chicoutimi Sagueneens to a 3-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets at the Memorial Cup tournament on Sunday. The Silvertips (WHL) and Kitchener Rangers (OHL) play Monday in a showdown of 1-0 teams. The Rangers opened the tournament with a 5-0 win over the host Rockets, while the Silvertips slipped past the Sagueneens 5-3 on Saturday.
10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: “The man who wins the morning wins his day. The man who wins the day wins his life”. … You get what you give. … My current favorite term is “Glow Up”. … Dutton Ranch looks like it’s going to be good. … Do you eat your Chunky Soup with a spoon or are you a psychopath? … Little things add up to big things. … Make your spirit stronger than your situation. … WWE & CFL alum Glenn Kulka is speaking at next Saturday’s Battle For Youth Recovery (Addiction & Substance Abuse) at Regina’s Darke Hall and I’ll be on hand. Please join us! … Competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, 17-time winner of Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, will compete in the July 4 spectacle while on probation after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge. Chestnut was accused of slapping a man on the face during a night out at an Indiana bar, his attorney, Mario Massillamany, said. He entered a guilty plea April 20 and was sentenced to 180 days of probation in Hamilton County. A judge has granted him permission to travel outside the state, allowing Chestnut to defend his title and the signature Mustard Belt on Coney Island this summer. “It truly was just a misunderstanding,” Massillamany told The Associated Press. “Joey understood that he wanted to accept responsibility for his actions, and he did.” … AND HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?
Y’er welcome,
RP
Habs won’t win another game.
Everyone in business despises Labor/Employment Lawyers…..that is until you need one. Bruce Cassidy the former Boston Coach who was a bust and will be again should be very fortunate Kelly even gave him the keys to drive that Porsche. He should just keep his yap shut and quit with the back channels pleading for him through legacy media. Vegas Owner Bill Foley is from the military academy. To quote Col. Trautman from Rambo, “His orders were to kill period. Win by a attrition and any means necessary” – while he’s doing that Canadian teams are having virtue signal nights and… Read more »