DAYTONA HOMES GAME DAY RODSERVATIONS
A DOZEN GAME DAY NOTES …
1 – GAME DAY: It’s the second and final preseason game of 2014 for your Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Edmonton Eskimos provide the opposition Friday at 7:00 pm (620 CKRM Rider Radio Network, No TV). Because there is no television broadcast, there will be roughly 30,000 online listeners just from 620ckrm.com alone, not to mention our affiliates CJWW Saskatoon and GX94 Yorkton. It truly makes you wonder how many listeners there are “over the air” during the regular season. You may be surprised to know it’s Carm’s and my biggest broadcast of the year. We’ll be ready!
By the way, bring a jacket to the game. There’s a 40% chance of showers but at this point I don’t have a great deal of faith in the weather forecasters. The 30 km/h wind that’s expected for today is supposed to die down by kickoff.
2 – TAKE THE BALL AND…: Run with it. The Riders basically started with five running backs in a battle to replace Kory Sheets and are now down to three: Anthony Allen, Keith Toston and Jermaine Thomas. One of those guys will be the Riders’ opening day starter and another one will likely be his back-up. Who will be the odd man out? I had a hunch 10 days ago that Jermaine Thomas would be the guy in Week 1 and this week Coach Chamblin said he’s looking forward to seeing what he can do. And now Thomas is listed as the starter. Keith Toston, however, is just fun to watch. Pure power. May the best man win.
3 – IS CHAZ IS THE MAN?: It’s make or break time for Chaz Schilens. The receiver who spent seven seasons in the NFL has been enigmatic in training camp and was invisible in the Ottawa game. However against Edmonton he’ll be thrown into the deep end and we’ll all see whether he sinks or swims. I’m pulling for the guy because he has All-Star written all over him. He just doesn’t have to work as hard to achieve greatness as a guy like Ryan Smith. But they both can and hopefully will.
4 – THE KING: The city is buzzing that Sports Illustrated Senior NFL Writer and Monday Morning Quarterback author Peter King will be in attendance at next Sunday’s regular season opener between the Roughriders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Already the requests for a few moments of his time are pouring in but as the Roughriders have warned, “He’s here to work”. Still, I can’t remember a media figure generating as much hype as Peter King is by simply coming to Regina. Heck, my heart is racing at the thought. King wrote on Twitter this spring that he’d like to visit a CFL city and is turns out, he’ll be attending the Stampeders’ game in Calgary the day before. My guess is he’ll be somewhat secluded and won’t be made available for many interviews and of course, after the game, he’ll be back at his hotel immediately punching out his immensely popular column. However no matter what goes down, it’s going to be an electric week.
5 – QUOTE OF THE WEEK: This one came from CKRM analyst Mike Abou-Mechrek on the SportsCage when discussing Anthony Allen’s fumble against Ottawa last week. “It’s like peeing on the carpet in a job interview,” Abou-Mechrek observed. “It doesn’t matter what your qualifications are. You peed on the carpet!”
6 – BODOG’S ODDS: Oddsmaker Bodog has installed the B.C. Lions as the preseason favourites to win the 2014 Grey Cup at B.C. Place. Their odds are 15/4. Calgary and Saskatchewan are next at 4/1 followed by Hamilton (7/1), Toronto (15/2), Montreal (8/1), Edmonton (9/1), Winnipeg (12/1) and Ottawa (18/1). It’s great to debate but does anyone remember who Bodog’s favourites were last year at this time? I think it was Calgary but I don’t even remember.
7 – TRIPLE-HEADER: There are three CFL preseason games on Friday night and two are featured on a TSN doubleheader. Paul Lapolice will make his debut as colour commentator when the Ottawa REDBLACKS visit the Montreal Alouettes followed by the B.C. Lions home to the Calgary Stampeders.
8 – ALL CAPS: I find the notion of capitalizing the name REDBLACKS somewhat silly but I will continue to do it out of my profound respect and friendship with the team’s President and co-owner Jeff Hunt. However not many others in the media are. Are they?
9 – LICK THE STAMPS: What is more peculiar than the starting quarterback situation in Calgary? It could be sorted out Friday night against B.C. but it’s between Drew Tate and Bo-Levi Mitchell for the top job. I thought Tate wasn’t going to be healthy for a year? What’s going on? It’s long been my contention that if you have two quarterbacks, or two goalies, you don’t have one. Where have you gone Kevin Glenn?
As for LICK THE STAMPS, they used to run that along the bottom ticker of the cheap scoreboard at Taylor Field in the mid-1980’s. I was 10 years old at the time but it’s always stuck in my mind since.
10 – JOURNEY TO THE CUP: My PVR is set for Wednesday’s debut of TSN’s Journey to the Cup documentary on the 2013 Saskatchewan Roughriders. Every time I see the trailer, I get choked up seeing Darian Durant hug an unknown coach after the game saying, “Man you don’t know what I been through.…” The Riders tell me that coach was Khari Jones. I’ll be loading up on Kleenex to watch that show.
11 – WAITING BY THE PHONE: Luca Congi scored the opening points of the 2013 Grey Cup on a field goal for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Now the kicker from Waterloo, Ontario is out of a job. I’m told he’s training in southern Ontario and waiting for a phone call from the first CFL team who needs a kicker. My guess? He won’t be waiting long and it will be either Ottawa or Winnipeg on the other end of the line.
12 – BAD PRESS: Of my 20-some years in the media business I’ve only worked for a team for one season so I’ve always wondered why the teams are so fearful of bad or negative publicity. After all it’s just one man’s opinion right? Well I’m currently reading the book The Man Who Owns The News: Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch and one excerpt made everything crystal clear. Author Michael Wolff wrote: “Bad press kills. It hammers your share price, rattles your board, it undermines you with your friends and family, it discourages your customers, it challenges your vanity, and eventually gets you fired. For any executive, how the media might respond is a major strategic calculation.”
Makes sense, doesn’t it?
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COMMUNITY NOTE: The TCU Financial branch on Rochdale Boulevard is holding a benefit barbecue on Saturday, June 1 from 11am-2-pm with proceeds going to the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope. A burger and a drink is $4.00 while a hotdog and a drink go for $3.00. There will be plenty of activities for the entire family. Please support!
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THAT’S ALL. ENJOY FRIDAY’S GAME!
RP
@sportscage
If I remember correctly, Mr. King mentioned in an earlier column that he was looking forward to checking out the CFL experience in addition to his actual job of covering the game. Hopefully he makes his way down to the practice field to check out the party. It would be awesome to meet him. The league will benefit tremendously from his publicity, both in the US and in this country too. Especially for those in this country who still don't think that the CFL is "real football". Idiots. That Journey to the Cup special is going to be awesome. Durant's… Read more »
"Bad press kills. It hammers your share price, rattles your board, it undermines you with your friends and family, it discourages your customers, it challenges your vanity, and eventually gets you fired. For any executive, how the media might respond is a major strategic calculation.”
Lulu lemon found this out the hard way when their CEO said not everyone is meant to wear their yoga pants. The truth hurts…. the pocket book
Tightwad obama. Quit with the copyright plagiarism guys.
Walk up to any First Nations person and say 'How's it going, Redskin?' See how many are offended. It's sad that people cannot accept the fact that times change. It used to be OK for actors to dress in blackface, and for cheerleaders to photograph themselves in headdresses and warpaint, but that stuff is not OK anymore…for good reason. Civilization evolves and there will always be backwards, scared, stupid people who will resist change because 'it was good enough for my pappy, dammit.' Or my favorite, (most recently heard by Silver Fox on your show) 'I've got friends who are… Read more »
Remple's an annoying idiot. Sportscage would be better without him.
Lick the Stamps goes back to the 1960's. I'm a Rider fan my whole life but we were visiting relatives in Winnipeg as a kid and we went to a Bomber / Stamps game and they were handing out stickers that you peel off and stick on your shirt. It said "Lick Them Stamps".
Your Comment on the Devils may be valid but it doesn't take away from the name of the Washington NFL team being totally wrong. Calling an Indian by that word is never a statement of respect. The world would not accept a team nickname of the "N" word why should Indians be given any less respect. The thing that confuses me is why wouldn't the Washington owner jump at the change? Washington is among the most popular clubs in the league, there would be a nice cash windfall in merchandise sales if your entire fan base suddenly needed to replace… Read more »
Here's an article from The Onion – 'Redskins Kike Owner Refuses to Change Team's Offensive Name
http://www.theonion.com/articles/redskins-kike-owner-refuses-to-change-teams-offens,34292/
The only time I offered an opinion on this was the MJ Warriors jersey which had an indigineous person holding a tomahawk and was posing in a cartoonish way on a skate. That was just dumb, and needed to not come back. I can recall a long time ago watching the Flintstones at lunch, and the hoopla around former Counsellor Joe McKewon calling for the removal of an episode. It was the one where the Director refers to the stuntmen in the Western Fred was in as "savages". When that happened people screamed about P.C police, but let me ask… Read more »
Obama you have no clue…beelzebub Satan devil all refer to the same thing….now you are a Christian…? Good Grief
The Rock
Rod – The New Jersey Devils are not named after Satan or anything at all satanic. Here's a brief wikipedia explanaition……The Jersey Devil is a legendary creature or cryptid said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey. This is where the team gets its name from. You may have already know this but if you didn't I hope it makes you feel a bit better about them.
Ty C
Impressed with yesterday's show. True "community effort" that the Aulies and cast of many others undertook.
Matthew
I was listening to the Cage and the continued talk about attendance at the pre-season game. Copy and download the following link and you can check out the attendance figures for the "spring practice game" of the NCAA Div 1 football teams. Note that the teams are not actually playing other teams, it is nothing more than a glorified scrimmage. I am not judging the fans that went or didn't go, but if you really want to check out love of football, you might want to check the figures. Spoiler alert… Sask was similar to Boise State at around 14,000…… Read more »
To those that don't understand the offensive name of Redskins… You never will get it, so stop selling us on your ignorance.
We already know you are not only an irritant to the rest of society, but you are likely a poor parent and also dumb as hell.
Good luck with that and shut the f*ck up! It is offensive to many people, get over it!!!
Kel, here is why college spring games are so well attended:
The University of Alabama has set dates for the 2013 A-Day Spring Game and the 2013 homecoming game, UA announced in a release.
The A-Day Game will be televised on ESPN2 on April 20, with kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m.
Admission is free to the public.
FREE TO THE PUBLIC!!!
Taylor Field would have been packed too if it was free!
Great point Kel. The bandwagon jumpers here are ridiculous and this proves what many say. There are some loyal fans make no doubt about it, but a lot of these people only puff their chest out and say they are Rider fans when the conditions are right. The same goes for those who say they're with the team thick and thin but can't race to their phone quick enough to find something to bitch about on the post-game show.
Nick
@Kel, You are completely wrong with this Saskatchewan of the South in comparison to Alabama. Alabama has a history that is maybe rivalled only by Green Bay, and similar to Green Bay is basically the only thing to do there. You also have to look at the scale model. The population is similar, but the media coverage is on a national basis. The machine that drives that hype can't even compare to what a CFL team gets. It may also be this simple. People are not stupid enough to pay full price for a preseason game. That's it and that's… Read more »
Majority of white Canadians "Admixed". Pure quantum blood lines "Rosey fingered Pink". End of story.
Remple did not say "My friend is an indian". He said that he has aboriginal friends who are NOT offended by the names Washington 'Redskins' or Cleveland 'Indians'. His point is even First Nations people can't agree on what is or isn not acceptable, so how can we as white people understand???
Give the guy a break. Sheesh.
OMG I could scream at some of you idiots. How can you honestly say "call someone a Redskin and see how they like it"???
NOT THE POINT!!!
This is not a new name for a new team. The Washington Redskins have been around for dozens of years. Both Rod and Kelly agreed if it was a new name it would be unacceptable. The fricking point is where do you draw the line? Do we change every name of any team that SOME people mind morally questionable?
TJ
People hear what they WANT to hear. Enuff said.
Obama, let's debate this without being disrespectful. I like your jib, but sometimes you go TOO far and I just think you miss the entire point… We would all agree (I would hope) that if a team created a NEW logo, with an indian riding a skate blade, in today's day and age, we would roll our eyes and say "omg – that is ridiculous". But when a team blows the dust off an old jersey or logo, simply to work a nostalgia angle or promotion to celebrate history, it IS different. Can you honestly say they are the same… Read more »
@ The Rock,
Depends on which version you are reading or studying so I'll concede that point.
The larger discussion is it's not the crux of the narrative, and it's not to be read or studied like a Harry Potter series. It's not a good vs. evil narrative with a major Antagonist. It's simply about separation, atonement and reconciliation.
Obama