FRIDAY COMMENTARY – YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE
(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 FM & Rock 98.5 FM)
WELL, THIS IS IT.
THE CFL PLAYOFFS ARE UPON US AND REALLY ALL ANY OF US CARE ABOUT IS SUNDAY’S WESTERN SEMIFINAL BETWEEN THE RIDERS AND STAMPEDERS AT MOSAIC STADIUM.
IT’S REAL EASY TO SEE WHY THE BETTING LINE IS A SLIM ONE – RIDERS BY 2 – ACCORDING TO OUR EXCLUSIVE BETTING PARTNER BETREGAL.NET.
SURE, THE RIDERS ARE AT HOME, WHICH SHOULD COUNT FOR A LOT. BUT THAT’S JUST ONE OF A FEW AREAS IN THIS GAME WHERE THEY’RE FAVOURED.
AND BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, AFTER HAVING BEEN THROUGH SO MANY PLAYOFF WARS WITH THE RIDERS, I TRULY FEEL THAT YOUR TEAM DOESN’T MAGICALLY CHANGE WHEN THE PLAYOFFS START.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE.
THE RIDERS ARE 5-2 AT HOME BUT THE STAMPEDERS ARE A CFL-BEST 5-2 ON THE ROAD WHICH INCLUDES A WIN AT REGINA ON OCTOBER 9.
THE RIDERS ARE THE MOST-PENALIZED TEAM IN THE CFL AND I DON’T KNOW WHY WE’D EXPECT THAT WOULD CHANGE IN THE PLAYOFFS.
SASK HAS BEEN GREAT AT BALL SECURITY AND THEIR PLUS-12 TURNOVER RATIO IS THIRD-BEST IN THE LEAGUE WHILE CALGARY’S MINUS-8 RATIO HAS THEM IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE CFL.
MEANWHILE CALGARY HAS SCORED MORE POINTS AND ALLOWED LESS. AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE RIDERS, THEY’VE ALLOWED THE MOST SACKS OF ANY WESTERN TEAM STILL ALIVE IN THESE PLAYOFFS.
WE COULD GO ON AND DEBATE THE NUMBERS ALL DAY – IN FACT I PROBABLY WILL IN MY OWN HEAD – AND WHILE THEY SAY STATS ARE FOR LOSERS, THEY’RE STILL A PRETTY GOOD GUIDELINE FOR GAMES LIKES THIS.
THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THE “YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE RULE” IS THE 2013 WESTERN SEMIFINAL WHEN – HAVING BEEN KEPT IN THE POCKET ALL YEAR – RIDER QUARTERBACK DARIAN DURANT ERUPTED FOR 97 YARDS RUSHING IN A HUGE WIN OVER BC AT TAYLOR FIELD.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR GEORGE CORTEZ MASTERMINDED ALL OF THAT, AND A YEAR LATER FOUND HIMSELF FIRED BY COREY CHAMBLIN AND THE RIDERS. A TOPIC FOR ANOTHER DAY.
IN THIS ONE, I’LL TAKE THE RIDERS TO COVER.
THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 here)
Your comments and analysis are “bang on”, Rod! Good luck to our Riders 🍀 They will need to bring their best against the Stamps.
On paper (if that exists anymore), there is no reason why Saskatchewan should not win this game. Oh wait, Bo Levi Mitchell, our inability to flip the field (that is on Receivers), administrative penalties – any of that rises up then I guess upsets happen. Does anyone recall when home playoff games were 30 year generational events? Please fill the stadium because after Grey Cup we are going to a new world of football. The good ol days will be a memory. If anybody watchings The Rock’s workout motivations before you start yours. If anybody has seen his speech to… Read more »
Hmmm … 2013, that was the season the CFL and it’s franchise higher ups conspired to give a freebie championship to the long suffering fans of riderville all because that flawed organization can’t get right. (4 titles in a 100+ history would highly suggest a incompetent business model to professional sports.
Jim I am guessing you fit the demographic of the edmonton fanbase as their board ranted about. In 50+ yrs you haven’t known 4 ladies so you are not exactly the standard bearer to discuss championships or trophies.
Above article_ all this info from a guy from Flordia.