Friday Commentary: What’s Important
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Photo: The Hockey News
(Listen daily for the RP Commentary on the All New Hits 98 CKHD & LTD Radio)
A coupla three or so thoughts entering the weekend …
#1 – You might not have noticed, but this is actually the downtime in the sports calendar. The great news in Canada is that the CFL and baseball are front and centre, but for the American media machine, there’s a void for followers of the NFL, NBA and NHL.
That’s why ESPN places its popular “ESPY Awards” smack-dab in the middle of July, and they went last night in Los Angeles.
I’ll save you some time so you don’t have to look it up: South Carolina’s womens basketball team cleaned up winning team of the year (nudging out a large group of finalists including the Florida Panthers) and several individual awards while Iowa’s Caitlin Clark won, I think, three awards. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes won Male Athlete of the Year.
I wish we had something like that in Canada! But then again, there are a lot of things I wish we had in Canada.
#2 – Sportsnet Blue Jays host Jamie Campbell took a week off of his duties on the desk to tour Alberta’s ballparks in the WCBL. Check Jamie’s and the League’s social media accounts for photos of his time in Medicine Hat, Sylvan Lake and Okotoks, along with his son.
After a bout with skin cancer, Jamie said “screw it” and said he wants to make these baseball tours with his son while they both can still enjoy them together.
There are things that happen in life that really make you realize what’s important to you. It’s different for everybody, but life-changing things happen to everyone eventually.
Hopefully next summer we can get the Campbells out to Sask!
And #3 – It’s going to be a special night in Swift Current as we induct the 2024 induction class of the Ted Knight Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame at the Innovation I-Plex! This year’s class includes NHL greats Patrick Marleau, Cory Sarich, Travis Moen and referee Brad Meier.
The Hockey Hall was formed in 2012 but I’ve never been available to host the induction, till now.
It’s one of those things … that’s important.
That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary.
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm & 5 pm ET on Game+TV, WQEE Radio, Podcast & YouTube Live)
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The ESPYS ESPN has fallen so far down at this point they can’t even look up and see daylight. I encourage people to go out and read “Those Guys Have All The Fun” – I had a satellite dish and ESPN was essentially Anchor Man on steroids. especially the 90s with Obelman and the rest. …..today? Well, how far we done fell. We’re a long time past the Jimmy Valvano speech and we’re past the time when warriors were saluted. This is basically a vehicle for a company like Disney to build up their corporate/occupy wallstreet D.E.I scores. For those… Read more »