MONDAY COMMENTARY – REASONS TO SMILE

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS TO SMILE TODAY …

WE ARE COMING OFF A WEEKEND WHERE, IF YOU’RE A SOUTH-CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN HOCKEY FAN, YOU NEARLY NEED TO PINCH YOURSELF.

IN THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED DEBUT OF EXCEPTIONAL PLAYER CONNOR BEDARD WITH THE REGINA PATS, THE 15-YEAR OLD FROM NORTH VANCOUVER DIDN’T DISAPPOINT. WEARING NUMBER-98, HE SNIPED TWICE IN A 47-SECOND SPAN OF A 6-3 LOSS TO P-A ON FRIDAY.

HE FOLLOWED IT UP SUNDAY WITH A GOAL AND ASSIST IN A 6-3 LOSS TO THE BLADES. SO THE PATS ARE 0-2 BUT THE FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT, YOU GOTTA WEAR SHADES.

MEANWHILE THE WARRIORS HAVE A 15-YEAR OLD STAR OF THEIR OWN IN THE FORM OF BRAYDEN YAGER. MOOSE JAW SERVED NOTICE BY PUTTING HIM OUT TO WIN A SHOOTOUT AGAINST THE RAIDERS SUNDAY NIGHT AND DANGED IF HE DIDN’T DELIVER TOO!!

SIT BACK AND RELAX. THE TRANSCANADA CLASH IS TAKEN CARE OF FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS!

IT SUCKS THAT SASKATCHEWAN’S MATT DUNSTONE LOST IN THE BRIER SEMIFINAL SUNDAY IN CALGARY BUT WHAT DOESN’T SUCK ABOUT IT IS THEY LOST TO THE EVENTUAL BRIER CHAMPION BRENDAN BOTTCHER, AND AS DUNSTONE SAID, “WE HAVE NOTHING TO HANG OUR HEADS ABOUT.”

THEY VALIDATED THEIR SELECTION AS SASKATCHEWAN REPS AND WILL BE IN THE PICTURE FOR YEARS TO COME.

AND I’D BE REMISS IF I DIDN’T MENTION THE FUROR I CREATED IN THE CFL WORLD BY SAYING IF YOU DIDN’T PITCH IN FOR THE FAN BASE FUNDRAISER THIS SUMMER (AND I DIDN’T) THEN YOU CAN’T COMPLAIN ABOUT THE CFL LOOKING TO THE XFL FOR MONEY AND A POTENTIAL MERGER.

TRUST ME, I CAN TAKE THE HEAT AND THERE WAS LOTS OF IT. IT’S OLD SCHOOL THINKING AND I UNDERSTAND THAT’S NOT POPULAR ANYMORE. MANY SAY “I ALREADY DID MY PART” BUT YOU PEOPLE HAVE KNOWN ME LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW I ALWAYS PUSH FOR MORE …

FROM YOU AND, OF MYSELF.

THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD MAKE ME UPSET IS IF PEOPLE WEREN’T REACTING TO THE THINGS I SAY AT ALL.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.