DAYTONA HOMES FRIDAY RODSERVATIONS

COMPLETELY RANDOM FRIDAY…

– While we shiver up here in the cold, lots of Rider Priders congregated in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico this week for their annual “Saskatchewan Day”.   Here are some photos…

I read on the message boards where some scoffed at the notion of Rider Pride days in tropical locations.  Some were even my friends, who said they go south to avoid the colour green.  Guess what?  Stay in your room or go down to the pool if you want to be a party-pooper.  It appears to me these people are having a great time…

Late, great B.C. Lions President Bobby Ackles referred to the Roughriders and their fans as “a phenomenan” in his book The Waterboy.  He’s right.  What other pro sports team’s fans throw events like this??

And what would a Riders Party be without #44?  Thanks for showing up Roger!!

MORE

– On this theme, the Spokane Chiefs will likely be happy to get back home.  They’ve been on a WHL East Division swing going on two weeks and they’ve already seen one Rider Night — Wednesday in PA.  They’ll experience another Saturday when they visit Swift Current.  Roughrider players Xavier Fulton, Weldon Brown and Macho Harris will be on hand to sign autographs and drop the puck.  We Walk Among You.  Great slogan.

– I may have created more work for myself than I intended.  Last week the Roughriders and Arizona Coyotes announced the Riderville Tour Party in Phoenix at a Coyotes-Ducks game on March 3.  Now Rider fans are contacting me around the clock wanting details, and asking questions.  Hey, I just brought the two organizations together — after that, I know nothing about ticketing details.  However it seems pretty easy to me … go to www.arizonacoyotes.com/riderville, enter the promo code RIDERS and pick out your seats.  What else do you need?!  As far as choosing who the first 350 Rider fans in attendance are for the post-game photo on the ice, I’m guessing their ticketing system will tell them who purchased what seats in what order.

We’ll be broadcasting the SportsCage outside Gila River Arena on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday that week with guests John Lynch, Carm Carteri, Tiger Williams, Darcy Hordichuk, Rob Pederson and many more.  PLEASE make plans to join us, and get your tickets soon.

– The only question left is — what assortment of Roughrider jerseys will I take to wear?  I’m thinking of a rotation of ALDAG, DRESSLER and LANCASTER.  All Rider greats.

– Rider Assistant GM Jeremy O’Day told reporters in Saskatoon on Thursday that he’s confident they will be able to sign free agent QB Tino Sunseri.  Jeremy also noted that the Roughriders wish Geroy Simon well in his new venture.  While he likely belongs in B.C., Jeremy said Geroy did everything they asked of him in his two years here.

– I also want to personally think Geroy Simon for his service with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.  He sent a deeply touching note via text on Thursday which I won’t repeat here.  That would be too self-serving.  But it was amazing and I’d like to tell you Geroy, that the feeling is mutual.

– Alouettes GM Jim Popp told TSN Radio Montreal this morning they are “absolutely not” in contention for Kevin Glenn’s services.  Great debate: who would you rather have back-up Darian Durant – Kevin Glenn or Tino Sunseri?

– ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports Jeff Garcia interviewed for the vacant St. Louis Rams’ QB coach job on Thursday.

– The poll on this blog closes day regarding what listeners want in the SportsCage.  It’s pretty clear who the favourite is as the Roughriders took 66% of the vote (391 of 587 votes cast).  The Pats and WHL were next (9%) followed by NHL (6%), Curling (6%), SJHL (5%), Amateur Sports (3%) and NFL (1%).

Those results are pretty clear and that’s in February!  But I didn’t publish the poll in order to tell me how to program my own talk show.  I published it to show YOU what we’re up against when it comes to deciding what topics hit the air from 4:00-6:30 pm.  I’d love to talk hockey all winter but you have to give people what they want.

– What a treat it was to spend an hour in the SportsCage studio with Pats coach John Paddock on Thursday.  If you missed it, you can always go back and listen to the podcast at www.sportscage.ca.  We talked about his history, growing up on a farm near Oak River, MB, his career in the AHL as well as NHL coaching stints in Winnipeg and Ottawa, and what led him to Regina.

Interestingly, John noted that the two loudest arenas he’s ever been in are the Winnipeg Arena and Chicago Stadium.  Unfortunately both have been demolished.  Paddock also discussed his blueprint for the Regina Pats franchise.  If you care about that sort of thing, you might want to check the interview.

– The Pats are home to the Swift Current Broncos in a massive four-point game tonight in the Brandt Centre.  It’s a first round playoff preview so you’ll want to be there.  It’s also a great opportunity to see the new video scoreboard if you haven’t already.  It dawned on me this week that the Pats have a nicer centre ice clock than the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.  And after watching a lot of NHL games over the past while, they may have a nicer clock than 10-15% of NHL teams.  For instance, the one in the New York Islanders’ arena looks like a Lite Brite.

– Earler in the column I spoke of sports slogans.  I really like the one employed by the Medicine Hat Tigers this season — “Every night is a moment in history”.   So true.  That’s why we in sports love it so much.  Whomever came up with that slogan should get a bonus.  Unless they stole it, which is possible.

– Sad to see Starbucks and Tim Hortons raise their prices.  Unfortunately a toonie just doesn’t cut it anymore.  However I don’t think Robins bumped their prices.  Sad too that Tim Hortons has laid off 350 employees nationally.  The upside is that’s 350 less people annoyingly saying at the drive-thru window, “What else would you liiiiike?” when I order my XL double cream.  I know, I know, they’re just doing their job but it raises my blood pressure when I’m there for coffee and nothing else.

– And, finally, overheard at Galaxy Cinemas this week when the credits rolled for American Sniper:  “That was a true story?”  My God where do they get these people??  The news coverage surrounding Bradley Cooper’s latest movie was immense a month ago!  And as it turns out, it’s the best movie I’ve seen in years although it’s a little stomach-turning and certainly heart-tugging at the end.  Two thumbs up from the MMG.

—

THAT’S IT FOR THIS WEEK! TALK TO YOU AT 4 PM FROM MOOSE JAW
RP
@sportscage
Instagram: ridervoice