MONDAY SHOW RECAP: SHAQ EVANS JOINS!

Monday’s show was Episode #137 of The Rod Pedersen Show! Here are the highlights:

• Dec. 16 is Rod’s birthday so the boys had fun with that throughout the program with lots of well-wishers chiming in on the Facebook feed. Rod and Dupes opened with The Rollout for Flooring Superstores as they recapped a busy weekend which included a pair of Pats and Blades games plus the Rush game Saturday night in Saskatoon. They also gave some more analysis on last week’s CFL coaching hires and recapped Week 15 in the NFL.
• The day’s marquee guest was Roughriders receiver Shaq Evans who joined the show from his home in Los Angeles. He revealed that he has a free agent workout scheduled with the New York Giants on Dec. 23. Shaq said he told his agent that if he doesn’t get a substantial NFL contract offer, he’d prefer to be back with the Riders in 2020. He said the Riders have already made it known they want him back next season. Regarding his breakout campaign in 2019, he credits it to being a CFL veteran, staying healthy, and the team’s offensive scheme. Evans said it’s remarkable the chemistry he built with QB Cody Fajardo since the pair had zero reps in training camp together.
• Montreal Alouettes D-Lineman Gabriel Knapton joined the show from his home in Colorado. He talked about the Als resurgence under Khari Jones (offense, defense and special teams all had each others’ back, he said). Knapton is scheduled to become a free agent in February and wants to be back in 2020, however he’s prepared for life after football if he can’t secure a deal to his liking. He raises Angus cattle in his home state.
• TSN Calgary’s Jermain Franklin joined the show from Cowtown to talk about the upheaval in the Stampeders coaching staff and said it’ll be a real challenge for the Stamps to replace Pete Costanza and Ryan Dinwiddie. Regarding the Flames’ 8-1 record since their coaching change, Jermain said the reason is “player empowerment”.
• Postmedia digital media guru Austin Davis joined the bunker and the conversation got heated when it came to the relationship between coaches and the media. Austin is staunchly on the media’s side while Rod said he goes back and forth between the two. The conversation peaked when discussing Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and how he treats sideline reporters.
• Monday’s show is available for viewing now on our Facebook page or you can listen to the podcast by clicking on the PODCAST tab at the top of this page.
• See you at 10 am Tuesday for a wall-to-wall hockey show!