GLENN ADDRESSES QUARTERBACK “CONTROVERSY”
Not surprisingly Kevin Glenn will start at quarterback for Saskatchewan on Sunday when the Roughriders host the BC Lions in the back-end of a home-and-home series (6:00 pm, TSN, 620 CKRM Rider Radio Network).
That’s not news to anyone, although there was a mild controversy raging after Saturday’s 30-15 Rider loss in BC, a game in which Glenn was pulled in the fourth quarter with his Riders trailing 30-0. Back-up pivot Brandon Bridge launched a pair of touchdowns in the game’s final minutes to make the score respectable.
The showing by Bridge had some corners of the Rider Nation screaming for Bridge to start the return engagement in Week 8.
That did not fluster the typically unflappable Glenn, who knows how things go in Riderville.
“It’s not even just Saskatchewan,” Glenn smiled. “That’s professional sports. That’s just what it is. I think the more you understand and kid around with it, sometimes people think it’s entertainment. We’ll treat it as entertainment for this moment.”
That’s why Glenn smiled at the TSN cameras during Saturday’s fourth quarter and mentioned a potential QB controversy himself.
“It’s all fun and games,” Glenn laughed. “I think I was laughing when I did it. I know some of those guys on the TSN panel and sometimes I know what they’re about to talk about. That’s me foreshadowing that I could be on that panel one day because I already know what they’re going to talk about before they even talk about it.”
As far as the Brandon Bridge Campaign in Saskatchewan goes, Glenn said quarterback controversies aren’t indigenous to Saskatchewan and he’s used to it after 17 seasons in the CFL.
“I think (it’s) everywhere,” said the CFL’s oldest player at 38. “I was the back-up once. The back-up QB is the most popular guy because he sits there on the sideline when things go wrong and the fans yell ‘Put that guy in!‘ It’s just like the relief pitcher in baseball is always the most popular guy. It’s not the starter. It’s the guy who comes in and saves the day.”
So the fans calling for Bridge didn’t bother Glenn nor, apparently, does anything else.
“Nah. Losing is probably the worst,” Glenn shrugged. “Other than that, nothing really gets to me. Only losses cause me to not sleep, and stay up. But not peoples’ opinions.”
As the Roughriders look to get back into the win column, Glenn knows the team has to start better. They’ve trailed in each of their past three games and the slow starts have been somewhat mystifying for the Green & White.
“I don’t know. I’m stunned, as far as addressing it,” Glenn offered. “You just gotta continue to keep harping on the fact we can’t keep doing it, and keep trying different things in order to come out fast. Whether it’s throwing more on first down, running more, or whatever it is. It’s a trial and error thing. You gotta do it in order to get used to it, and successful at it.”
The Riders’ practice on Thursday was closed however they’ll hold an open practice on Day 3 of their work week on Friday at 11:30 am.
RP
@rodpedersen
