Scruffy’s This N That

1 – RIDER CAMP: I am not there so I can’t tell you who is and who isn’t impressing. Like many others in Regina, I just wait for reports from camp (yes Britton Gray of CJME, I am looking at you!!) as to who the coaches are talking about. One guy that did impress in his first showing was first-round draft pick Ali Saad. He got to camp late after going to a mini-camp with the 49ers, but Head Coach Corey Mace says he certainly didn’t look out of place in his first pro practice. He certainly has the potential to be a beast in the middle.

It is only practice, but I have also heard running back Mario Anderson, who I said could be a steal in this column a while back, has had some explosive runs during the first couple of days. 

2 – THE TOP QB’S: TSN analysts Henoc Muamba was asked in a segment this week who the top 5 quarterbacks in the CFL are going into the 2025 season. Muamba went with 1) Zach Collaros, 2) Bo Levi Mitchell, 3) Vernon Adams Junior, 4) Chad Kelly and 5) Dru Brown. No Nathan Rourke? No Trevor Harris? Dru Brown?  Who are your top 5 QB’s going into the season? Mine would be Rourke. Seeing him with Buck Pierce will be something that might give defensive co-ordinators nightmares.

3 – NEW RULES: The CFL has some new rules going into the 2025 season and I see one of them being problematic right now as the decision is going to lie with the stripes and most times will likely be controversial in nature. 

In an effort to stop low hits on a defenseless receiver, a 15-yard penalty will be called when a blow is delivered at or below the knees of a receiver who is in the act of trying to catch a pass while in a vulnerable position. If that receiver jumps, he loses low hit protection.  This is going to be subjective and will be different from official to official.  This is the type of play that cost Shawn Bane Junior his season last year and I understand the rationale, but I feel this could be a problem in the making. 

It also means that it is becoming tougher and tougher for a defensive back to play the game. 

4 – MISTAKE? As Canada goes for gold with a stacked lineup at the World Hockey Championship, there are many wondering why Connor Bedard is not there.  In last week’s column, I asked if he had even been given an invite after what was seen by some as a disappointing second season. I had someone tell me that he was invited and he declined for whatever reason. Is he hurt? That would be a good reason and frankly would be the only reason. 

Bedard is on a bad team —- a very bad team. The Hawks have done little to help build a team around him. Going to the Worlds and playing alongside guys like Crosby, McKinnon, O’Reilly and others would have taught him a lot and put him in a winning atmosphere. Macklin Celebrini has turned some heads at the Worlds and some believe this performance could catapult him into a spot with Canada at the Winter Olympics. Right now if you had to choose between Bedard and Celebrini, you would go with the Sharks forward and part of the reason for that is because he is at the Worlds playing and learning and Bedard is not. 

Somehow, I get the feeling that the former Pat is getting some bad advice. 

5 – STANLEY CUP THOUGHTS: We are getting down to crunch time in the NHL playoffs. As we hit the final four, here are some thoughts:

• What has happened to Alex Ovechkin? Yes, the Hurricanes smothered Washington, but one would think Ovechkin would have been more of a factor in this series.  For the most part, he was been invisible. 
• The last Vegas Golden Knights goal this year was scored by Leon Draisaitl!
• Leafs fans are just setting up for another Game 7 heartbreak right? RIGHT??!! I think us Leaf haters all have something ready to fire out on social media when it happens.  
• If Connor Hellebuyck can find a way to stop shots on the road, Winnipeg will win Game 6. 

6 – KEEP THE LOTTERY:  The most controversial team in the NBA was the big winner at the league’s draft lottery as the Dallas Mavericks, who had a 1.8 percent chance of winning the rights to have the number one selection, hit the jackpot much to the chagrin of some who were upset because the Mavs traded away franchise player Luka Doncic in a move still being questioned, and they were a playoff team while some of the worst teams saw their draft position fall. It saw Dallas draft Cooper Flagg who some say is a generational talent.  It has some asking if the draft lottery is needed and I say YES!  It proves tanking doesn’t guarantee anything. 

Remember when Buffalo openly tanked in hopes of getting Connor McDavid? How did that work out? The lottery is the way to go because anything can happen.  The New York Islanders weren’t grumbling after winning the NHL draft lottery when they had a 3.5 percent chance to get the first pick.  That is what is great about the lottery is that there is no guarantee the worst team will get the first pick. 

Tell me there wasn’t a huge audience when McDavid was up for grabs.  Same for Celebrini and Bedard and you know that every team that has a chance at winning next year no matter how slim their chances are will be excited to know they could have Gavin McKenna.   The fortunes of a team can change dramatically as we all know if things fall their way.  There is no reason to change it.  None! 

7 – THE ED HEADS TO THE HAT: Full marks to the Medicine Hat Tigers. I thought we might have a series after Spokane took Game 2 of the WHL final, but Gavin McKenna and company were just too strong for the Chiefs as they dominated the three contests in Spokane even without McKenna in Game 3.  Looking forward to seeing London and Medicine Hat at the Memorial Cup. 

8 – PETE ROSE: It’s a little too late to do the right thing now, but baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has finally made it possible for baseball’s all-time hits leader to be formally enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.  It is something that should have been done years ago when Charlie Hustle was still alive and could get his moment in the sun.   Some will say he still shouldn’t get in because of his gambling on the sport which is understandable even though gambling has become a big thing in pro sports these days. Yes, Rose wasn’t an ideal human being but not many of us are right? We all have our problems whether they be minor or major. 

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

• The Philadelphia Eagles will open the NFL season at home with a game against Dallas. In other words, we get to see the Cowboys likely get curbstomped on opening night.  OK. 
• The Riders win total is at 10.5 on many books.  Are you going over or under?
• The WCBL season is less than two weeks away.  Hope a lot of you if reading this in Regina will be planning some nights at Currie Field to watch what should be a very good Regina Red Sox team. If so, I’ll see ya there!
• Did anyone really think after leaving Vancouver that Rick Tocchet wasn’t going to be the new HC of the Flyers?

That’s all I got! Have a great week!