FRIDAY COMMENTARY – WINNING CURES ALL

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

ON TODAY’S COMMENTARY WE TAKE YOU INTO THE LONG WEEKEND WITH A COUPLE RANDOM CFL THOUGHTS …

FIRST, DEATH, TAXES AND A RIDER WIN IN THE LABOUR DAY CLASSIC.

WHILE A SASKATCHEWAN VICTORY THIS SUNDAY AGAINST WINNIPEG AT MOSAIC STADIUM ISN’T A SLAM DUNK LIKE THOSE OTHER TWO STAPLES, IT’S ABOUT AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET.

THESE PRAIRIE RIVALS HAVE MET 57 TIMES IN THE LABOUR DAY CLASSIC, WITH SASKATCHEWAN COMING OUT ON TOP ON 37 OCCASIONS.

THE BOMBERS ARE FAVOURED BY 3.5-POINTS IN THIS ONE AND THEIR QUARTERBACK, ZACH COLLAROS, IS 5-0 IN LABOUR DAY CLASSICS. SO THERE’S THAT.

BUT THE RIDERS ARE COMING OFF AN EMOTIONAL WIN IN BC LAST WEEK AND QUARTERBACK CODY FAJARDO TELLS ME HE’S FEELING GOOD BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY. I BELIEVE HIM.

HE’S GOING TO NEED IT TOO, SINCE THE BLUE BOMBERS HAVE SACKED HIM A TOTAL OF 15 TIMES OVER THE PAST FOUR GAMES THEY’VE MET. CODY MAY WANT TO ADD TO HIS PRAYERS THAT OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR JASON MAAS HAS DEVISED A WAY TO CONTROL WINNIPEG D-ENDS WILLIE JEFFERSON AND JACKSON JEFFCOAT.

HOWEVER YOU CAN TRULY THROW THE RECORDS AND HISTORY OUT THE WINDOW ON THIS PARTICULAR WEEKEND AND IT’LL COME DOWN TO WHO WANTS IT MORE.

I BELIEVE THAT’LL BE THE GUYS WEARING GREEN.

SECONDLY, THE EDMONTON SUN PUBLISHED AN INTERESTING COLUMN THIS WEEK FROM WRITER GERRY MODDEJONJE SAYING IT’S TIME THE EDMONTON ELKS FOOTBALL CLUB IS SOLD TO A PRIVATE OWNER.

GERRY POINTS TO THE ELKS’ WOEFUL 13-GAME HOME LOSING STREAK, THEIR COMPLETELY DISMAL ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR, AND THE RESURGENCE OF THE BC LIONS UNDER NEW OWNER AMAR DOMAN AS REASONS WHY THE TEAM SHOULD MOVE AWAY FROM BEING COMMUNITY-OWNED.

THE IDEA CERTAINLY HAS MERIT, BUT IT SAYS HERE IT’LL NEVER HAPPEN; PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF HISTORY.

I’VE CHECKED MY MEMORY BANK AND CAN’T RECALL ANY TIME WHERE A COMMUNITY-OWNED TEAM HAS BEEN PURCHASED BY A PRIVATE OWNER. (ANYONE CARE TO HELP ME OUT ON THAT?)

ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS IS, WHERE WOULD THE MONEY GO? IF IT HAD HAPPENED BEFORE, THAT WOULD BE AN EASY ANSWER. BUT IT HASN’T. IF A TEAM WAS IN DISASTROUS FINANCIAL STRAITS, YOU COULD SEE A PERSPECTIVE BUYER ASSUMING THE CLUB’S DEBTS BUT IT’S UNLIKELY THE ELKS ARE IN THE RED.

WHAT IS LIKELY IS THAT THE ELKS BOARD OF DIRECTORS PAID NO MIND TO THE ARTICLE, THINKING THAT IF CHRIS JONES AND VICTOR CUI GET THE FRANCHISE TURNED AROUND LIKE THEY’VE BEEN HIRED TO DO, ALL THEIR PROBLEMS WILL BE BEHIND THEM.

THERE ARE A LOT OF CLICHES IN SPORTS BUT ONE OF MY FAVOURITES IS “WINNING CURES ALL.”

IF ONLY EVERY TEAM COULD DO IT.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA and on 99.1 WQEE in Metro Atlanta. Call your cable provider to subscribe. You can also watch on YouTube Live and listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)

(Photo: Java Post)