Scruffy’s This N That

1 – R-E-L-A-X: With the Saskatchewan Roughriders on their 3^rd and final bye week of the season, there is some angst in Rider Nation. Why? Yes, the last view you had of the green-and-white was not a pleasurable one as they were beaten from pillar to post by the Montreal Alouettes, but I don’t think that is a reason to push the panic button — although that button is easily accessible to many whose lives are consumed on what is happening at Mosaic.

The bottom line is every team is going to put out a horrible performance throughout the course of the year and that is what happened last week. The good news is the team is still in first place and is projecting to play in the Western Final.  They still have five games to play before we get to that game and what weaknesses that have developed can be hopefully corrected.   Losing to Montreal isn’t a big thing so take a deep breath.  There are five games to go in the regular season before it gets serious.  Just settle down!

2 – THE CO-OP COMMUNITY ZONE: Thumbs up to Saskatchewan’s Co-ops and the Saskatchewan Roughriders for establishing the Co-Op Community Zone. Rightly or wrongly, people have complained about the price of going to a Riders game.  Starting immediately, you can sit in the 600 level on the East side if you are a Co-op member for just $20 including playoff games or $30 on Labour Day.  In my mind, this should ensure that the last two regular games are 33-thousand seat sellouts as these tickets should be a popular item.  Those who have made the excuse of not wanting to go to a game because of price can no longer say that. I am sure people will find a reason to hate on this, but this is a tremendous initiative and if you are not in favour of it, that might just be a you thing. 

3 – TAILGATING?: Could tailgating finally be a thing at Mosaic Stadium? With all apologies to Party in the Park, gameday around the stadium could be a much better experience starting next year.  If you missed it, the Riders sent a message out to season ticket holders saying they are working with the provincial government to bring legal tailgating with STH having first rights.  The city still has to get involved in what can and can’t be done, and I’m sure what is finalized won’t be what some wants, but the bottom line is the Riders continue to try and do what they can to get people inside Mosaic Stadium. It really shouldn’t be that hard considering this team is must watch right now, but it seemingly is. 

4 – J.T MILLER?: After his career in Vancouver came to a controversial end, is he captain material? The Rangers think so.  I find it surprising that a guy who had some kind of problem with Elias Petterson that basically killed the Canucks and likely cost the organization of Rick Tocchet has been named captain of the Blueshirts. Why is a guy who is supposed to be a leader getting this designation? He certainly wasn’t that in Vancouver. I’d sure love to know what exactly was happening in that room to tear things apart. We know it got to the point that management wanted to trade both but couldn’t and still can’t trade EP40 because of his contract.

5 – DROP THE PUCK: The WHL and SJHL seasons are underway. Yes, it is September 20 with both leagues lifting the lid on a new season last night. By talking to some around WHL circles, the Medicine Hat Tigers may still be the class of the league which tells you how good they would have been had guys like Gavin McKenna and Ryder Ritchie not headed south of the border to do their thing in the NCAA. That being said, I think Edmonton, Spokane and Everett will be the teams to watch as will the Memorial Cup hosts from Kelowna.

Many ask me for obvious reasons what I think of the Pats and how they will do this season as a new chapter in their storied history begins with both Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue starting their junior careers. It will be interesting to see how the Pats handle both and when they play for the Pats and when they play for the Pat Canadians who will look to repeat as Telus Cup champs. Remember, they can only both play 34 games until the Pat C’s season is over and the reality is that may be after the Pats season is over. 

I think this team can be a playoff team. They have what I think will be one of the best 18-year-old blueliners in the league in Reese Hamilton along with Matt Paranych to anchor the blueline. Up front, Schultz and Pue are obviously going to be worth watching, but what type of production will they get from guys that are one year older like Julien Maze, Jace Egland and the newly acquired Dayce Derkatch whom Pats GM Dale Derkatch should know pretty well since Dayce is his son. No disrespect to Dayce, but I don’t think he will be the same type of player as his father was.  If he was, look out!  I think this team can make the playoffs, but if they do it will likely be as one of the two wild-card teams in the East. I am excited to see this team start to grow with Schultz and Pue as seeds start getting sown for future years. 

6 – GOODBYE GUSHUE:  There have been many great men who have thrown a curling rock down a sheet of ice in Canada, but has there been any better than Brad Gushue?  The debate will get turned up a notch or two in the next few months after the 45-year-old said this will be his final year.  A final year that just so happens to see the Brier in his home province of Newfoundland and an Olympic year.  Getting that double and adding a world championship would be quite the way to go out wouldn’t it? When Gushue won the Brier in St. Johns in 2017, the Newfies threw quite the party and one would think that would happen again and then some.  Brad has been outspoken on some things regarding the game, but I think that was his passion for it coming to the forefront.  I’ve had several dealings with him and he has been nothing but courteous and professional. 

7 – NFL WEEK 3 NOTES:  

• Since Week 11 of last season, Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs has recorded a rushing touchdown in 11 consecutive games, including the playoffs. With a rushing touchdown at Cleveland, Jacobs will become the fifth player ever with a rushing touchdown in 12 consecutive games, including the playoffs, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers John Riggins (15 consecutive games in 1983), Emmitt Smith (14 in 1995 and 13 from 1994-95) and LaDainian Tomlinson (12 in 2004) as well as George Rogers (13 in 1985-86).

• Through the first two weeks, 17 games have been decided by six points or less, the most at this point in 12 years, and second-most all-time (20, 2013). Last week, teams combined to score 797 points, the highest scoring week in the NFL since Week 18, 2021 (817 points).

• The Arizona Cardinals are 2-0 going into a game at San Francisco. Since 1970, the Cardinals have begun 3-0 on five previous occasions (1974, 2012, 2014-15 and 2021)

• Tampa WR Emeka Egbuka is the only rookie with aTD catch in each of  his 1st 2 weeks. He can become 1st rookie since 2021 (Ja’Marr Chase) with a touchdown reception in each of his team’s 1st 3 games.

8 – ALMOST AT THE FINISH LINE: The last week of the baseball season is upon us. Some teams are in, some teams are on the verge of being in and some are trying to make the final 12. The story the Cleveland Guardians are writing is something as they try and hunt down Detroit to take the AL Central or a wild-card spot.  They have won eight in a row and are perhaps one good week away from making it in what has been an incredible run.  The Blue Jays still haven’t been assured of an AL East title and should consider themselves fortunate that the Yankees didn’t gain a game on them after that 20-1 clunker against Kansas City.  Tyler Heineman’s efforts on the mound just basically further cements my desire to have MLB allow teams to say after seven innings if the deficit is 10 pr more that they can say they have had enough.  No one needs to see Heineman or any other position player tossing an inning. It’s just dumb! 

9 – RANDOM THOUGHTS:

• We are only going into Week 3 of the NFL season, but is Baker Mayfield an early MVP candidate?
• If new Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage isn’t referred to as “Macho Man”, we have failed as a society!
• TSN’s top 50 in the NHL will be coming out soon. Would you have Connor Bedard in your top 50 going into the upcoming year? 
• Did the Lions send a message to the West with their thorough spanking of Calgary? That game was decided before Vernon Adams went out.  Don’t discount Nathan Rourke!

That’s all I got. Have a great week!