FRIDAY CAT COUNTRY COMMENTARY

(Listen for the daily Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 AM and 5:20 PM on Cat Country 98 FM)

SPORTS CAN BE VERY CONFUSING AT TIMES.

ON ONE HAND YOU’D LIKE TO THINK THAT THINGS ARE GENERALLY AS THEY SEEM. … ON THE OTHER, A LOT OF TIMES THERE’S A DEEP UNDER-CURRENT OF WHAT’S ACTUALLY GOING ON, THAT THE PUBLIC NEVER SEES.

THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CASE WITH THE FUTURE OF THE CFL. COMMISSIONER RANDY AMBROSIE ADMITTED TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS A WEEK AGO THAT THE LIKELY SCENARIO IS NO SEASON IN 2020 AND THE FUTURE OF THE LEAGUE IS IN JEOPARDY IF THERE’S NO FEDERAL FUNDING FOR COVID-19.

THEN WE TURN ON TSN AND SEE PUNDITS FARHAN LALJI AND DAVE NAYLOR SAYING THE OWNERS AND PLAYERS BADLY WANT TO PLAY – EVEN A SHORTENED SEASON IN 2020 – AND THAT A BUBBLE CITIES CONCEPT IS BEING EXPLORED SIMILAR TO THE NHL AND NBA.

SO … WHICH IS IT?

THE TSN GUYS FIGURE AMBROSIE WAS CLEARLY TRYING TO PAINT AS GRIM A PICTURE AS HE COULD FOR THE FEDS, AND I’D SAY IT WORKED. AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THE BEST POLICY IN LIFE IS TO HOPE FOR THE BEST, BUT BRACE FOR THE WORST.

IT ALL ADDS UP TO THIS – HERE ON DAY 64 OF THE PANDEMIC, WE’RE REALLY NO FURTHER AHEAD THAN WE WERE TWO MONTHS AGO. CFL PLAYERS ARE FEARFUL FOR THE FUTURE. MOST HAVE GONE SINCE NOVEMBER SINCE RECEIVING A PAYCHEQUE AND THEY KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OTHER THAN THAT TRAINING CAMP, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO OPEN ON SUNDAY, IS POSTPONED.

THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE NEWS AND HANGING ON EVERY WORD, RIDING THE ROLLER COASTER WITH EACH UP AND DOWN. THEY KNOW FULL WELL THAT A SHORTENED SEASON MEANS A SHORTENED SALARY.

AGAIN, HOPE FOR THE BEST – BRACE FOR THE WORST.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.