DAYTONA HOMES FRIDAY RODSERVATIONS

TAKING YOU INSIDE THE ROOM

1 – DYING FOR RIDER NEWS:  Brent, the maintenance man at Gold’s Gym, frantically came up to me this week and said he was desperate for Roughrider news.  Something.  Anything.  He said he’d be just be happy if we reported that it was a player’s birthday!  (Incidentally Rider receiver Chris Getzlaf turns 32 today and alumni Marcus Crandell (41) and Hugh Charles (29) celebrated birthdays this week).  However as I write this column, it’s minus-36 degrees with the windchill outside which tells you this isn’t exactly the time of year for CFL news.  But you will get some news out of Riderville today, which we’ll debate on Four Seasons Football Friday in the SportsCage with Scott Schultz and me at 4:00 pm on 620 CKRM.  It’s not earth-shattering, but it’s something.  And it’s a big deal to the players involved. (**See post below)

2 – COACHING CAROUSEL:  There’s going to be a lot of green within the B.C. Lions coaching staff with the additions of George Cortez (OC) and Doug Malone (OL) and there will likely be a lot of orange on the Rider staff once it’s announced in the next few weeks.  With Malone fleeing to Vancouver, the door is open for the Roughriders to hire Dan D’Orazio as Offensive Line coach, which clearly is the wish of new Offensive Coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine.  I’ve been told Kelly Bates, who was dumped as a Lions Assistant Coach and Canadian Draft Coordinator, has applied with the Roughriders so here’s hoping that comes to fruition.  Of the course the Riders already have a Running Backs coach in Avon Coburne and are likely covered in the CFL Scouting department, but with D’Orazio bumping Malone, you never know how these things turn out.

Everyone around here is wondering what’s taking Mike Benevides so long to make a decision on whether or not the position as Roughriders Defensive Coordinator.  Well, according to the Winnipeg Free Press today, the Bombers’s vacant Defensive Coordinator position has come down to a two horse race between Benevides and Richie Hall.  So that’s the hold up.  Columnist Gary Lawless reports a decision is expected very soon.

It also wouldn’t surprise me to see S.J. Green in a Roughrider uniform in 2015.

3 – FREE AGENT FRENZY:  Part of the Roughriders’ expanding scouting includes a series of free agent camps in the U.S. beginning with Las Vegas and Phoenix this weekend.  Further camps will be held in Los Angeles, San Jose, Birmingham, Dallas and Houston.  Former AFL coach Ron Selesky is running these camps with the help of Rider Quality Control coach Chad Hudson and interested import players can apply online at www.riderville.com.  While many have tabbed Selesky as the Riders’ new Director of US Scouting, I’m told that title is premature.  Still, he has a new email address from the Roughriders’ server.

4 – ON THE MARC:  Awhile back I made the prediction that Marc Mueller would be the Calgary Stampeders’ offensive coordinator within just a few years.  People scoffed.  However on Monday’s SportsCage, the Rams great confirmed that after just one season as an assistant coach on the defensive side of the ball with the Grey Cup champions, Marc will be moving to offense in 2015 and will be working with Calgary’s running backs.  With the succession plan to have Dave Dickenson take over as Head Coach in Calgary for 2016, watch for Mueller to take over the offense not long afterwards.  And that’s not coming from Marc.  It’s what I’ve been told from within the Calgary organization.  Yes, some of them do talk to me.

5 – OFF THE MARK:  It appears Mark Cohon has officially cleaned out his office as CFL Commissioner and has moved on to greener pastures.  As of today, Jim Lawson takes over as Interim CFL Commissioner until a new league boss is found.  Lawson told the Toronto Star yesterday that they have list of 10 potential candidates and hope to have someone in place by May.  As this blog reported months ago, longtime Toronto sports executive Tom Anselmi is in the running.

6 – SO LONG “PIC”:  An illustration of how things work in the CFL during the offseason:  veteran centre Dominic Picard was actually released on December 31.  The Winnipeg Blue Bombers made the move to sign him 10 minutes later.  None of this was announced until almost a week later and part of that was because the league office was closed and the transaction wire was closed for a period during the holidays.  As I wrote Monday, it’s unfortunate to lose Dominic but he’s happy where he’s going and the Riders are looking ahead.  Now Dominic can watch the Winnipeg Jets rather than the Regina Pats.  (I’d rather watch the Pats, as God as my witness).

It appears it’s time for Corey Watman to shine after a couple of years as a back-up after being a first round draft pick out of Eastern Michigan.

7 – CHICK SIGNING:  The Grasslands Rider Store (over here in Harbour Landing) will be jampacked on Saturday from 1-3 pm when star defensive end John Chick signs autographs for lucky members of the Rider Nation.  Hopefully it warms up by Saturday because the lineup will definitely stretch out into the parking lot.  It reminds me of the autograph signing with Mike Tyson in a Las Vegas sports memorabilia store that I saw last week.  The lineup stretch for at least 75 yards and included close to a thousand people.  And consider this; Tyson was charging a minimum of $199 to get his autograph and a picture with him.  The money he made that day!  Getting John Chick’s signature for free will draw quite a crowd.

8 – GIBSON’S FINEST:  New University of Regina Rams coach Mike Gibson delivered an impressive speech during his introductory news conference on Thursday in the Rams locker room.  Apparently his first-ever team meeting on Tuesday went over well too.  As far as his staff goes, we’ll hear something before too long.  Longtime Offensive Coordinator Bernie Schmidt has expressed his desire to stay on board and has been informed he’ll know within a week if his services will be retained.  Current Rams Assistant Coach Alex Smith was chums with Gibson during their Rider days so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the original “A-Train” back with the Horns.  I came away from the news conference with the feeling the Rams are in good hands.

9 – GO PATS GO:  On the SportsCage’s Hockey Wednesday this week I noted that I was keenly interested to see how the new-look Regina Pats came out against the U.S. Division’s top team, the Everett Silvertips later that evening.  One of our panelists said the revamped, younger Pats didn’t stand a chance against the ‘Tips but I disagreed.  Lo and behold, the Pats came out and dominated in a 3-1 victory.  On may way out of the Brandt Centre I ran into former Pat Brad Hornung and he said, “They looked pretty good!”  I responded with, “Yes, but for how long??”

However there’s no reason to think the Pats won’t be in the playoffs if they continue to play like that.  They were flying all over the ice and playing as a unit.  With their back-up goaltender, who played very well.  Brandon fans are scoffing at the acquisition of 17-year old forward Jesse Gabrielle, a Moosimin, SK product.  They say his father is a problem, and a hindrance to Jesse’s career.   Well, Gabrielle’s father and Pats’ boss John Paddock have already spoken since the trade.  He will not be an issue.

Incidentally the Pats are home to Edmonton tonight and Prince Albert on Saturday.  Faceoff is 7:00 both nights on 620 CKRM.  We’ll see you at both games.

For some reason the crowds aren’t coming around which has the braintrust rubbing their foreheads.  That will come.  There’s a buzz in the city about the team but people aren’t in the habit of going to games.  However the January 23 game versus Moose Jaw (when the new scoreboard is unveiled) is nearly soldout so get your tickets now.  That’s the first game which I’ll be back in the CKRM booth calling the action.  That will be the best day of 2015 so far.

SOME OTHER HOCKEY NOTES:  I was impressed by Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Point, who a day after winning gold with Canada’s World Junior team, expressed his desire to play that night against the Calgary Hitmen.  Unfortunately both he and Calgary’s Jake Virtanen were scratched Tuesday evening in Moose Jaw but at least they wanted to play.  10, 20 years ago Canada’s players and coaches would be given a week off by their club teams but that’s not the case anymore and it’s impressive … The notion that there should be no trades in junior hockey turns my stomach.  Especially when the notion is being pushed by those whose families have a hockey background.  Get out of the sandbox and put your big boy pants on … The number-selling NHL jersey from NHLshop.com in 2014?  Chicago’s Patrick Kane.  He’s followed by #2 Sidney Crosby, #3 Jonathan Toews, #4 Henrik Lundquist and #5 Alexander Ovechkin.


10 – LAS VEGAS LEFTOVERS:  Darn it – if I’d known the Riders were holding a camp in Vegas this weekend, I would’ve stayed there.  Although it’s still not balmy there … it’s +8 in Las Vegas and +12 in Phoenix.  Maybe next year we can attend.

Anyway, while in Las Vegas we caught the movie The Gambler starring Mark Wahlberg.  I know you’re thinking ‘You went to Vegas and went to the movies?‘   Well we weren’t exactly sitting by the pool with near-freezing temperatures.  Anyway, the flick gets two thumbs-up from the MMG although it temporarily made me try to do the exact same thing as Wahlberg at the blackjack tables at Hooters casino.  That didn’t last long.   Still, we recommend the show.

And if you’re looking for something to do in Las Vegas, don’t be afraid to hit up hypnotist Kevin Lepine at Hooters Hotel & Casino.  Tickets are only $30-$40 and he won 2013’s Best Vegas Hypnotist Show.  After seeing hypnotists Marc Savard and Anthony Cools in Sin City, I’d put Levine #3 on the list but it’s an enjoyable way to spend an hour or two.  I went up on stage and tried to be hypnotized but not surprisingly, it didn’t work.  I’m a squirrel.  Maybe you’ll have better luck.

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THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY.  HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!
RP
@sportscage