DAYTONA HOMES MONDAY MORNING GOALIE

10 HOLIDAY NOTES & QUOTES

1 – THAT 70’S SHOW:  The photo above was taken by 620 CKRM morning personality Gloria Evans at the Harvard Broadcasting 2014 Christmas party.  We all got a laugh because it looks like the set of the Merv Griffin Show or the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson decades ago.  In truth, Michael Ball, Perry Nyhus and I were just sitting around shooting the bull at the Harvard Broadcasting Green & White Lounge at Mosaic Stadium.  I posted this photo for fans of Perry Nyhus to let them know he’s alive and well, and smashing records in our sales department.  When he made the decision to go off the air in the spring of 2010 and retire the “Nyhus Country Drive”, that’s when the SportsCage was born.  Perry and I have a long and storied history.  He’s the pride of Ceylon, SK.

2 – CHAPDELAINE OVER LAPOLICE:  Something changed.  One week ago in this space I mentioned the possibility of Paul Lapolice and Corey Chamblin being the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ offensive and defensive coordinators in 2015.  At the time – from what I was hearing – that was going to be the case.  There seemed to be a strong appetite from the Riders’ side to hire Paul Lapolice to replace George Cortez and I firmly believe the feeling was mutual.  Then, something changed.  From the quotes I’ve read, Corey Chamblin felt Jacques Chapdelaine was a better fit in Saskatchewan.  And if that’s the case, like many fans have said, I’ll defer to Chamblin’s expertise.  I simply wanted to see Paul here because we have a strong relationship and I’m not sure if I’ve ever met Jacques.  But they’re both great at what they do.

This move has got the CFL buzzing.  Someone said to me, “Chamblin’s painted a target on his back” because of the moves to replace Cortez and Richie Hall.  Maybe that’s true, but I don’t think Corey is worried about that.  He painted a target on his back when he signed Dwight Anderson and Ricky Foley before the 2013 season and the moves paid off.  Another CFL type said, “Corey didn’t want to hire his eventual replacement (Lapolice)”.  I really don’t believe that’s the case.  Chamblin doesn’t think that way.  He doesn’t go about his daily business with the threat of being fired in the back of his mind.  As I wrote previously, he does what’s best for the team FIRST so although many of us preferred Lapolice (for our own reasons), we’ve got to defer to the Coach of the Year.

So Lapolice will go back to TSN (likely) for another year and draw a comfortable wage and be able to sleep at night.  He’ll also be able to pick up and drop off his kids from all of their appointments and have another year to watch them grow up.  Although he may be discouraged at being passed over for the Roughrider job, he’s in a really good position.

3 – CHAPDELAINE QUOTES:  The new Roughrider offensive coordinator was an eloquent and obliging guest on Friday’s SportsCage with Mitchell Blair on 620 CKRM.  The first obvious question was why Chapdelaine would leave SFU to come to Saskatchewan, and how it feels to be in Green & White.

“Being a Canadian and coaching football, professional and college are really the two highest avenues and levels to coach football in this country,” Chapdelaine said.  “Those are always at a high interest level for me and the SFU situation was a solid one.  I wasn’t looking to leave but the Saskatchewan Roughriders came knocking, so to speak, and we had some great discussions and one thing led to another and a decision was made.  I’m really glad to be a Roughrider.”

Global TV Regina’s Taylor Shire was a great co-host for the program and asked Jacques why he felt Saskatchewan was a good fit, just like Chamblin had mentioned.

“After going through the interview process, Corey and I do things in a similar sort of fashion,” Chapdelaine answered.  “We like to put players in a position of success in terms of looking for mismatches and showcasing and highlighting the guys that can do that for us.  I had a great exchange with Darian Durant as well, who was here, and not only is he a tremendous quarterback but he’s a class act and he’s a leader amongst his peers.  I could see that we’d just get along real good.  There was a really strong connection.”

And finally Taylor asked Chapdelaine the question every listener was waiting for:  how does he feel about the Roughriders’ talent on offense and do they have the tools to get back to the Grey Cup?

“I know there’s a lot of very good weapons right now,” Jacques concluded.  “I would be ahead of myself if I expanded more on that because I haven’t had time to look at the whole 2014 season, and that’s one of the things I will do.  I know the play of the offensive live has been very good.  I know when Darian is healthy, he’s a high-producing quarterback and there are some very good elements in the receiving core as well.  I’m excited about the opportunity to look at the running back situation and see how that can play itself out.  Right now there’s Canadian and American content at the running back position which also gives you flexibility with the usage of the receivers.  There’s a lot of very exciting things that give you a lot of flexibility.”

For more on the hiring of Chapdelaine, read Scruffy’s story on the official Roughriders website here:
http://www.riderville.com/article/back-to-the-pro-game

4 – THE ANNIS STUKUS AWARD:  This could be the first time since 2009 that the Grey Cup-winning head coach doesn’t win the CFL Coach of the Year Trophy.  Back in 2009 it was the Argos’ Jim Barker who won the COTY award rather than Montreal’s Marc Trestman after the 13th Man incident.  We cast our ballots for the 2014 award last week and there were some real tough decisions in there between Calgary’s John Hufnagel, Edmonton’s Chris Jones and Montreal’s Tom Higgins.  If you had a vote, who would it be for?  It’s always a tough decision because this is the highest level of football in Canada and every coach is good or else he wouldn’t be there.

5 – CRAIG REYNOLDS:  It killed me to miss the appointment of Craig Reynolds as the new President & CEO of the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Tuesday but I was on vacation and out of the city.  We did exchange text messages and I offered my solid congratulations.  Craig was the early favourite for the position right out of the gate and did nothing to diminish his chances.  Somebody with the Roughriders said it better than I could with regards to Craig – “Everyone who’s worked with him has had a positive experience”.  Can you get a better endorsement than that?  Many inside – and outside – the organization feared for the path of the team if Reynolds didn’t get the job but now they don’t have to worry about that.  As Rider Chairman Wayne Morsky said at the introductory news conference, “Rider Nation, we’re in good hands”.

6 – REPORTER OF THE YEAR:  Because of a lack of sponsorship for the award, there was no CFL Reporter of the Year award handed out for the 2014 season.  For all but one season of the trophy’s existence, it’s been sponsored by Gibson’s Finest Whiskey.  I felt the award should still be handed out, even without a sponsor, however the Football Reporters of Canada didn’t feel the same way.  In fact the Press Box Sports Bar offered to sponsor the trophy, but it was declined.  It seemed like a perfect fit – a sports bar named after a press box here in the heartland of the CFL!  But no dice.  Regardless, if we were handing out the award for 2014, I think it would go to Sportsnet/SportsCage CFL Insider Arash Madani.  He consistently kicks everybody’s butt on scoops.

Incidentally there’s a great Monday Night Football game this week with Denver at Cincinnati.  Manning versus Dalton.  Kickoff is at 7:30 pm and you should catch it at the Press Box where you could also win a jersey from either team courtesy Bud Light.

7 – RIDERS’ PROFILE SLIPPING?:  I was somewhat startled to learn that when Google revealed its list of the Top 10 Canadian trending sports teams in 2014 last week, the Saskatchewan Roughriders WEREN’T on it.  Here’s the list from 1-10:

* Toronto Raptors
* Montreal Canadiens
* Toronto Blue Jays
* Toronto FC
* Ottawa REDBLACKS
* Calgary Stampeders
* Edmonton Eskimos
* B.C. Lions
* Montreal Alouettes
* Hamilton Tiger-Cats

The Roughriders were 14th on the list, but were ahead of the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs.  Hmmmm.  I’d suggest a recount but with digital data, it doesn’t lie.  This statistic simply illustrates the Roughriders can’t afford a down year in 2015.  However it’s inexplicable how the Ottawa REDBLACKS could be the CFL’s “most-Googled” team in 2014.

Speaking of the Ottawa team, congrats to DT Zack Evans.  He and his wife Jenna welcomed Zander Evans to the world Saturday evening at 7 pm!

8 – WILCOX’S JADEN SCHWARTZ, WEYBURN’S DERRICK POULIOT:  A bad break, literally, for Wilcox, SK’s Jaden Schwartz of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues.  He’s out indefinitely with a broken right foot.  Jaden’s third on the Blues in average icetime (18:42) and has been the workhorse on that line with Vladimir Tarasenko and Jon Lehtera.  Here’s to a speedy recovery for Jaden.

Speaking of area NHL’ers, a huge congrats to Weyburn’s Derrick Pouliot who became the 7th player in Pittsburgh Penguins history to score a goal on his first NHL shot.  Making his big league debut on Saturday, Pouliot scored for the Penguins in a 3-1 home win over Florida.  Franchise legend Mario Lemieux did the exact same thing in the 80’s.

9 – CONGRATS STUEY:  Defenceman Brad Stuart’s career with the Regina Pats was a short but memorable one.  The Rocky Mountain House product spent two full seasons with the Queen City Kids from 1996-1998 and maybe said five words the whole time.  He was the third overall pick of the San Jose Sharks in 1998 and from there his NHL career was born.  Last week Brad became the 100th defenceman in NHL history to play 1000 games and he did it in a Colorado Avalanche uniform.  That is one remarkable achievement.  Hopefully when we have this massive Regina Pats 100-year homecoming in 2017, Brad will be a part of it.

Speaking of accomplishments, Arizona Coyotes GM Don Maloney is one win away from becoming the franchise’s all-time winningest General Manager.  Maloney’s been on the job since 2007 and currently sits at 278 wins which has him tied with former Winnipeg Jets GM John Ferguson.  The Coyotes failed to net the record-breaking win on Saturday when they fell 4-2 in LA.  They’ll try again Monday night in Vancouver.

10 – GO PATS GO:  The WHL is currently on its Christmas break and the upstart Regina Pats (20-11-2) went into the break sitting third in the WHL’s Eastern Conference, 12 points behind second-place Medicine Hat and one point up on fourth-place Calgary.  Most importantly, they’re nine points up on the 9th place P.A. Raiders for a playoff spot.  We won’t see the Pats again until Sunday, December 28 when they host the Swift Current Broncos in a 6:00 pm faceoff.  While some Pats fans are WAY ahead of themselves annointing John Paddock as WHL Coach of the Year, the fact is the first half of the WHL season has been head-turning for Regina.  In fact at the various Christmas parties we’ve attended over the past couple of weeks, the Pats are fighting the Riders to dominate the discussion.  Should they be a buyer or a seller at the trade deadline?  Most contend the Pats should deal off their assets and set the franchise up for future success.  In the end, I’m sure that’s what Paddock will do.  However he told Scruffy and Kelly Remple on the SportsCage on Thursday that the strong play of his team has thrown a wrench into their long-term plans.

“It doesn’t make it easier, that’s for sure,” Paddock said.  “It makes you study things harder and maybe it tweaks in your mind some little differences than you’d thought.  It’s a discussion we had in August and it’s a discussion we’ve had numerous times with the ownership that we don’t want to be one year teams or make the playoffs just to make the playoffs.

“It’s sort of complicated.  I think there’s a saying that the meaning of insanity is repeating things over and over.  There’s things that have happened in the past, like lots of people in Regina have told me they should’ve done this years ago with a couple players they had then, as far as building a more solid foundation.  In saying that, it doesn’t mean all things are going to happen or anything big is going to happen.

“BUT we are going to do things that will try to get us to the level of the Brandons, the Kelownas or even the Medicine Hats, that are always in the playoffs.  At certain times you go for it, and that’s really what those teams are.  We’re not there yet.  We’re having a really good season and the players deserve tons of credit for it.

ALSO I’ve got exciting news to bring today (for me at least).  With the Voice of the Pats Phil Andrews being away in late January, I’ll be back in the Regina Pats radio booth on 620 CKRM for games January 23 (home versus Moose Jaw) and January 24 (at Brandon).  Thank you to QCSEG for extending the invitation!  It’s going to be great calling Pats hockey again.  What a Christmas gift!

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NFL WEEK 16 “IN CASE YOU MISSED IT”

Count Joe Flacco’s Ravens and Drew Brees’ Saints among the playoff candidates that came out completely flat.

The Chiefs, Bills and Eagles all were oddly out of it this weekend, too, despite having plenty to play for.

Flacco was 3 of 18 for 27 yards and two interceptions in the first half of a 25-13 loss at Houston on Sunday. The Ravens (9-6) were not eliminated from reaching the post-season, but they certainly didn’t help their cause.

The Saints began the day still in contention for winning the mediocre NFC South but now are done. Brees – like Flacco, a past Super Bowl MVP – was picked off twice in a 30-14 loss to Atlanta that stretched New Orleans’ home losing streak to five games.

The Bills and Eagles also are going to miss the playoffs. Both were beaten by bad teams: Buffalo lost 26-24 to Oakland on Sunday, while Philadelphia lost 27-24 to Washington on Saturday.

The Chiefs (8-7), like the Ravens, still are holding onto slim hopes of playing beyond next week, but they’ll need the right results in Week 17. Once 7-3 and in good shape, Kansas City has been stumbling for more than a month now, losing four of five games, including 20-12 at Pittsburgh on Sunday.

In case you missed it, here are other top topics after the NFL’s 16th regular-season Sunday:

DIVISION DECIDERS: Three divisions will be decided by head-to-head matchups next Sunday: Detroit at Green Bay (NFC North), Carolina at Atlanta (NFC South; the champ will make the playoffs despite a losing record), and Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (AFC North) at night.

SUPER SEAHAWKS: Don’t look now, but the Seahawks – who were 3-3 in October – sure look like a team ready to make a real run at a second consecutive Super Bowl championship. They’re 11-4 after dominating host Arizona 35-6 on Sunday night and have allowed an average of 6.6 points during a five-game winning streak. Marshawn Lynch sat out the first quarter, but by the fourth, he was shedding would-be tacklers and rumbling 79 yards for an exclamation-point TD. Richard Sherman added an interception. Russell Wilson threw two TD passes to Luke Willson, including one that went 80 yards; he produced a juking, 5-yard touchdown run; and also had a career-best 55-yard run. A victory over St. Louis next week would make Seattle the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

ROMO’S DAY: After so many late-season slip-ups, Tony Romo came up big, throwing twice as many scoring passes (four) as incompletions (two) to help Dallas clinch the NFC East by walloping Indianapolis 42-7. Romo also eclipsed Troy Aikman’s club mark for career passing yards.

PHILBIN STAYS: Cross Miami off the list of teams that will be hiring a new coach. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced after a 37-35 victory over Minnesota – decided by a last-minute safety off a blocked punt – that he’ll keep Joe Philbin. “I believe in this team,” Ross said. “I believe in the coach.” Philbin is 23-24 with zero playoff trips in his first NFL head coaching job, 8-7 this season.

RAIOLA’S INTENT?: Lions centre Dominic Raiola called it “totally unintentional” that his foot came down on Ego Ferguson’s lower right leg while the Bears’ defensive tackle was on the turf during Detroit’s 20-14 victory. “Come on, now,” Raiola said. “I’m not out here trying to step on people.” Last month, Raiola was fined $10,000 by the NFL for unnecessary roughness for a striking New England’s Zach Moore in the last minute of Detroit’s loss to the Patriots. Raiola, a 14-year veteran, wasn’t disciplined for a chop block during a kneel-down at the end of that game.

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THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY — MERRY CHRISTMAS!
RP
@sportscage