MONDAY COMMENTARY – LET THE GAMES BEGIN

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

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS ON THIS MONDAY TO OPEN THE WEEK!

I’M BACK IN FLORIDA FOR AWHILE AND THAT’S BROUGHT TWO THINGS I LOVE; NFL & NHL TALK.

AMERICA’S BUZZING ABOUT THE MOVES IN THE NFL INCLUDING THE DESHAUN WATSON TRADE FROM HOUSTON TO CLEVELAND WHICH WAS FINALIZED ON SUNDAY.

BROWNS OWNERS – THE HASLAM FAMILY – HAVE SPENT THE PAST 24 HOURS DEFENDING THE MOVE, AS WATSON STILL FACES CIVIL SUITS FROM 22 WOMEN ALLEGING SEXUAL ASSAULT AND MISCONDUCT.

I HAVE TO GREET IT WITH A SHRUG OF THE SHOULDERS. OF COURSE IT’S NOT RIGHT, BUT THAT’S THE WAY SPORTS IS AND HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TIME.

JUST WIN BABY.

BUT I THINK THIS WILL BLOW UP IN THE BROWNS’ FACE – AS IT ALWAYS DOES – BECAUSE THEY’RE KISSING GOOD-BYE TO A FRANCHISE PLAYER IN QUARTERBACK BAKER MAYFIELD, WHO WANTS OUT.

MEANWHILE THE FLORIDA PANTHERS SERVED NOTICE THEY’RE IN IT TO WIN IT, ACQUIRING LONG-TIME PHILLY FLYERS CAPTAIN CLAUDE GIROUX ON SATURDAY AHEAD OF THE TRADE DEADLINE.

PEOPLE WHO HAVEN’T FOLLOWED THE PANTHERS ALL YEAR, OR EVER, ARE ON THE BANDWAGON HERE AND IT’S GOING TO BE A FUN RIDE THIS SPRING.

A FLORIDA/CALGARY STANLEY CUP FINAL WOULD BE A DREAM!

AND LASTLY I’M KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE SJHL PLAYOFFS. COMING OUT OF THE WEEKEND, IT APPEARS THIS IS GOING TO BE A TIGHT FIRST ROUND.

ALL THESE SERIES ARE TIED 1-1: ESTEVAN/NOTRE DAME, LA RONGE/HUMBOLDT AND YORKTON/MELFORT. IN THE ONLY OTHER SERIES, BATTLEFORDS IS UP 2-0 ON FLIN FLON.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY.

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET 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 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)