FRIDAY COMMENTARY – AND WE’RE OFF!

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 FM & Rock 98.5 FM)

AND WE’RE OFF!

THE 2021 CFL SEASON KICKED OFF THURSDAY NIGHT IN WINNIPEG WITH THE BLUE BOMBERS RAISING THEIR 2019 GREY CUP BANNER, THEN DISPATCHING THE HAMILTON TIGER-CATS 19-6 ON THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.

THE TICATS WERE FAVOURED BY 3.5-POINTS BUT I COULDN’T MOVE OFF A BOMBER VICTORY. AND THEY CAME THROUGH.

SO MANY THINGS TO DISCUSS COMING OUT OF THAT GAME.

FOR STARTERS, HATS OFF TO THE PLAYERS AND COACHES FOR PLAYING TOP NOTCH FOOTBALL. INSIDERS PREDICTED “SLOPPY” OR “BAD” FOOTBALL IN THE EARLY GOING BUT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF THAT AT IG FIELD.

THE NFL MISSED THE PRESEASON IN 2020 AND CAME OUT FLUENT IN WEEK 1 AS WELL, AND THIS LOOKED LIKE THE SAME THING. I JUST CAN’T APPLAUD THE PLAYERS AND COACHES ENOUGH FOR PUTTING THE WORK IN TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. THE REFS WERE PRETTY GOOD TOO!

AND IT ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE ZACH COLLAROS HAS TO PROVE SOMETHING. HE KNOWS IT, AND IS OKAY WITH IT. THE 32-YEAR OLD THREW FOR OVER 200 YARDS THURSDAY NIGHT, TWO TOUCHDOWNS AND NO INTERCEPTIONS. THAT WAS A VERY CLEAN OUTING FOR ZACH.

THERE WERE JUST SHY OF 30-THOUSAND IN ATTENDANCE, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE A SELLOUT. THE AERIAL SHOTS OF BEAUTIFUL IG FIELD ON TSN LOOKING TREMENDOUS. (HERE’S HOPING THAT CONTINUES ACROSS THE LEAGUE ALL SEASON).

THE CROWD LOOKED JUBILANT, AND DOUBLE VACCINATED. YES, THERE WERE SOME UPRISINGS ON TWITTER WHEN BOMBER PLAYERS LIKE KENNY LAWLER AND JERMARCUS HARDRICK JUMPED INTO THE CROWD AFTER TOUCHDOWNS BUT IF THE HEALTH AUTHORITIES DON’T CARE, WHY WOULD YOU AND I?

SO THE RIDERS, LIONS AND RIDER NATION HAVE SOME WORK TO DO TO MATCH THE BAR SET IN WINNIPEG LAST NIGHT. CAN THE PLAYERS PLAY AN EQUALLY AS ENTERTAINING AND EFFICIENT GAME WHEN THEY CLASH TONIGHT AT MOSAIC? AND CAN THE FANS MATCH THE INTENSITY OF THE BOMBER FAITHFUL?

I HAVE NO DOUBT.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(Photo: Winnipeg Blue Bombers)