MONDAY COMMENTARY – SEVENTH HEAVEN
(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98, Rock 98.5 FM & LTD Radio)
Hockey does not come with much more drama than this.
In the series everyone is talking about, the Regina Pats visit the Saskatoon Blades in Game 7 of their first round affair Monday night in Saskatoon, to be televised on Access 7.
It’s not just about that.
The road to get here has been a long and winding one, whatwith the Pats winning the first two games on the road, then the Blades doing the same to tie it up, then trading wins on the weekend to set up a Winner-Take-All showdown at SaskTel Centre tonight. Pats phenom Connor Bedard has had 19 points in six games so far.
Are you gonna bet against the best junior player in the world in a one-game showdown? I’m not.
But not so fast. There was considerable drama in Saturday’s Game 6 in Regina that has several layers. I was listening to the fine call of Pats broadcaster Dante DeCaria – I’ve told him since Year 1 how much I enjoy his work – and his description of the controversial Pats fifth goal which stood up as the insurance marker.
If you hadn’t heard, replays from the WHL’s cameras were inconclusive so Referee Supervisor Tim Tisdale asked Access if he could get a look at theirs. And by those videos, it was evident the Pats had indeed scored and the goal stood.
The Blades were understandably furious. If there had been no TV broadcast of the game – and there usually isn’t – the goal would’ve been disallowed.
Meh, sour grapes. Welcome to the playoffs, Saskatoon.
I’ll remind you of two things: 1) Tisdale is a good friend of mine and I can tell you he’ll care not for anyone who’s upset. His job is to get the call right, and he did. Bravo! Tim has a backbone. 2) Tizzy scored the OT winner for Swift Current against Saskatoon in overtime of the 1989 Memorial Cup Final in the very arena where tonight’s game will be played. Ergo, Tim may not be the most popular guy in the Bridge City at the moment.
Conventional rules would suggest that the Access replay wouldn’t or shouldn’t have been allowed but this is a case of doing what’s right versus the “right thing”.
Maybe there’s hope for society yet, and we can all thank Tim Tisdale for that.
Just how mad are the Blades two days later?
We’ll find out tonight.
That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV & WQEE, as well as all major podcast platforms)
If the first video review was inconclusive, why was the goal overturned to begin with?
Great question!
I love it.
It’s like have Earl Hebbner in on the WWE Montreal Screw Job. – 34 years ago Tisdale gets the OT Winner in/against Saskatoon. 34 Years Later he’s the Special Referee in Charge.
Rest assured Saskatoon…..Tizzy, he’s gonna call it “Straight Down the Middle”
🙂
Will you be at the game Obama?
My only comment …
“GO PATS”
Tim Tisdale must have heard that blabbering drama queen oaf Michael Ball who was doing pxp on AccessNow wailing yelling going on and on in his obnoxious voice the goal in dispute was good, very unprofessional while giving Regina a bad rep for Homerism. Michael Ball is a Goof and should never be near a broadcast microphone. On the other hand, the Regina Pats Hockey Club along with CKRM radio has found a top notch broadcast professional in Dante DeCaria, good job you do Dante!
Did you get to hear the call with Dante and Phil Andrews doing the colour? Their harmonies were on par with the Everly Brothers – it was pure radio gold. …..what’ you’re describing….a complete and utter embarassment not only to CKRM – remember that station had Fred/Willie, Willie/Jamie, Jamie/Gloria, Gloria/New Guy. The news people, the farm reports. Geoff Courier/Rod Pedersen… but to the Pats organization and their Ownership Group. The SportsCage glory days that would have given Howard Sterns “Whack Pack” a run for it’s money. Now this guy running it? …..All I’d say to the “Voice of the Riders”… Read more »