MONDAY COMMENTARY — SO … NOW WHAT?

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

THE CFL’S VIRTUAL GREY CUP WEEK IS NOW BEHIND US, AND THERE’S A LOT THAT CAME OUT OF IT.

WE GOT TO HEAR FROM COACHES AND PLAYERS DURING VIDEO NEWS CONFERENCES. COMMISSIONER RANDY AMBROSIE IS OPTIMISTIC AND POSITIVE ABOUT PLAYING IN 2021, AND THE TEAMS EVEN RELEASED THEIR SCHEDULES.

HAMILTON’S NOW ON THE CLOCK AS THE HOST OF THE GREY CUP, AND TICATS OWNER BOB YOUNG GUARANTEED THEY’LL PLAY IT, WITH FANS.

TO TOP IT ALL OFF, THE OTTAWA REDBLACKS BEAT THE SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS 20-17 IN OVERTIME TO WIN THE VIRTUAL GREY CUP, CAPPING OUR E-SPORTS LEAGUE WE’VE BEEN RUNNING ALL SEASON LONG. LAST I LOOKED, THERE’S OVER 18-THOUSAND VIEWERS OF OUR BROADCAST, AND THE HUNTER BROTHERS PERFORMED AT HALFTIME WHICH MADE MY SASKATCHEWAN HEART BURST.

SO … NOW WHAT?

DESPITE ALL THESE GREAT THINGS, THE CFL STILL CAN’T GUARANTEE THE PLAYERS THERE WILL BE A SEASON. UNLESS IT’S UNSPOKEN. BUT I THINK A GUARANTEE WOULD COME IN THE FORM OF THE COMMISSIONER DECLARING, “WE’RE PLAYING NO MATTER WHAT, WITH OR WITHOUT FANS, SO GET PREPARED.”

BUT HE HASN’T SAID THAT.

IT SEEMS A LITTLE BACKWARDS TO ME, BECAUSE THE NHL AND WHL HAVE GUARANTEED THEY’LL PLAY BUT WE STILL DON’T HAVE A SCHEDULE, FIVE AND SIX WEEKS OUT. THE CFL IS COMPLETELY THE OPPOSITE.

I’M NOT INTERESTED IN SPENDING THE WINTER MONTHS HANGING ON THE CFL’S BACK WAITING FOR NEWS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. I’VE GOT PLENTY OF HOCKEY OPPORTUNITIES (AS IT STANDS NOW) AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER LEAGUES AND EVENTS TO COVER SUCH AS THE NFL, THE WORLD JUNIORS, THE S-J AND THE DUB.

I WISH THE CFL WELL IN THE MOST CRITICAL AND PERILOUS SITUATION IT’S EVER FACED.

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