Scruffy’s This N That

1 – REMOVE THE ROUGE: Get rid of the rouge. It has something I have been calling for for years. Thursday night in Toronto was the reason why.

Let’s get things straight right off the bat: this has nothing to do with the Riders losing. Had it been Brett Lauther missing a kick at the end to give the Riders a win or any other kicker in the CFL against any other team, I would say the same thing. Imagine if that scenario played itself in a Grey Cup game. That would be more ridiculous than having too many —- ahh you know where I’m going with that.

I have never understood why you are rewarding a team for failure by giving them a single point? The objective is to get three points. You don’t but you still get a point. The same on an attempted coffin corner punt. You want to hem a team inside its 10 but the ball bounces into the endzone. Hey that’s OK, you get a point. The rouge is like the participation ribbon. It is garbage and it makes the league looks bad —- real bad.

What else was garbage was the way the Riders let this one get away. After one quarter, I thought this might be a blowout the way things looked. Trevor Harris made two awwwwwful throws in the 2^nd quarter, the clock management at the end was atrocious and who called that late timeout in the 4^th quarter and why?

After a great start to the season, this team is sputtering bigtime. It’s not like they are getting blown out but their play is very similar to what Edmonton went through at the beginning of the year. A lot of close losses that maybe should have been wins.

The West is getting tighter and tighter and teams can’t afford losses like this. The stretch run is going to be a great one.

By the way, when is the last time that the top three teams in the East had a better record than the top team in the West?

2 – BRETT LAUTHER: So I just want to make sure I have this straight: after a nightmarish game against Montreal, Brett Lauther was skewered by many members of his fanbase who wanted him to leave town on a train as it rolled past Mosaic Stadium. They let their feelings be known on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. etc. Lauther more than redeemed himself with his performance in Toronto. Did the tough guys come back and say maybe we overreacted a little? Of course not because many Rider fans love to criticize their players, but never praise them. Good on Lauther for putting all the criticism aside and getting back to the Lauther that we have seen for years. I will admit I did think the team would bring in a guy just for competition’s sake, but Corey Mace and Jeremy O’Day decided not to and Lauther rewarded that vote of confidence by bringing his “A” game to Toronto. He will probably miss a field goal or two the rest of the way, but he put what might have been his worst game as a pro in the rearview mirror. Happy for him.

3 – RIDERS RIDE: Devastated and crushed. That is how I felt upon hearing former Riders coach Ken Miller had passed away after a short battle with cancer. I’m guessing many of you felt the same way upon hearing the news. I didn’t even know that damn disease had hit him.

If you knew Ken Miller, you know what a great man he was. As good a coach as he was, he was a better man.  Yes, he would talk football with you, but he would talk about a lot of other things too. I had many great conversations with him with no microphone nearby.  When he found out that I was writing for Riderville after my days at CJME had come to an end, he couldn’t have been happier and joked that I couldn’t say anything bad about him.

While the hearts of Rider fans were broken at the end of the 2009 Grey Cup, there was nothing more heartbreaking than the sight of Miller walking off the field. That man deserved to have his team carry him off the field and for him to get every accolade thrown his way. Instead, he had to live a nightmare. When I saw him the day after as the team came home to say thank you to fans despite what had happened, I couldn’t help but give him a hug while saying I don’t know what to say.  He responded by saying “I don’t know what to say either, but I guess I have to say something to everyone who showed up.” He also was stunned to see as many people show up at Taylor Field to greet a team that had lost the Grey Cup in oh so agonizing fashion.

When the Riders won in 2013, I wished he could have been a part of it at Taylor Field, but I know wherever he was he was smiling as Corey Chamblin was enjoying the moment that should have been his not once but twice.

Rest in Peace Coach! I hope that Jim Hopson, John Lynch and George Reed have saved a spot for you.

4 – WELLLLLLL: Chris Jones is starting to become the Kevin Glenn of coaches.  I think everyone thought the CFL had seen the last of Jones when he was let go by Edmonton, but he is back in Hamilton and in something that is sooooooo CFL, he is doing it on a volunteer basis as he isn’t getting paid. Yes, the man who was the reason for the coaches salary cap being created is now basically violating that cap by working for free.  Amazing! Here’s the thing: there is no way Scott Milanovich is coming back as head coach next season so would you be surprised to see Jones serving as Hamilton’s head coach next year? I wouldn’t.

I remember there were some who mocked me when I said the Riders should stay farrrrrr away from Scott Milanovich when they started looking for a head coach. Where are those people now?

5 – SJ EXPANSION: The SJHL put up a graphic this week on their Twitter feed showing where all franchises are in the 306. Someone responded by saying the league needs to expand and suggested Meadow Lake with Pilot Butte coming up from Junior B to be an expansion franchise.

I think the league would get a lot more exposure if teams were in Warman/Martensville and Regina. It is my opinion the league needs Saskatchewan’s two biggest cities and no, I don’t think they would be hurt by the Blades and Pats for many reasons.

The Regina franchise could play out of the Co-Operators Centre which I think would be packed for games.

As it stands right now, no one is going anywhere and I don’t think the league has a desire to expand, but if it does …

6 – YAGER TO WINNIPEG: I’ll just say it now: Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has stolen Brayden Yager from the Penguins. Rutger McGroarty didn’t want to play in the Manitoba capital. In a way, he was forcing the hand of Cheveldayoff to trade him for what he could. Cheveldayoff looked around and found a partner in Pittsburgh by getting the Moose Jaw Warrior who I think will play a big role for Team Canada at this year’s World Juniors and will be one of the WHL’s top players again this season. Some have suggested that he could perhaps crack the opening night lineup. I don’t think that happens, but it wouldn’t surprise me. I also think he will be a lot better NHL’er than the me-first McGroarty. Well done Chevy!

7 – CONGRATS SILLY: I don’t think they are a playoff team this year, but the Columbus Blue Jackets are getting closer and closer to being one of those. Getting Cole Sillinger to ink a two-year $5.5 million deal is a big plus for CBJ.  That team has the potential to be very good in the next couple of years when you see what’s in the system. 

8 – HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS: Listening to the great Dan Patrick this week, he asked what NFL teams are going into the regular season with too much hype around them. The overwhelming answer was the Dallas Cowboys. Should we be surprised? It’s only been that way for the last 10 years.

9 – AUTOMATED STRIKE ZONE: I watch a lot of baseball. I certainly understand when the home-plate ump “misses” a call whether it be a ball or strike when it either nips the corner or is just off the plate, but it doesn’t matter what game I am watching, I just seem to see too many calls where a pitch that is either way too high, way too low or way outside is called a strike. The umps then get barked at by players and managers. It makes me think the guys in blue are welcoming the arrival of the automated strike zone. Some of these guys need to be better. At least Angel Hernandez and Joe West aren’t involved anymore.

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: 

• What did we do as a society to “deserve” another season of “The Masked Singer”? Never mind, I see what society is like.
• Speaking of which, is it so hard for some people to say “thank you” to the man or woman that rings in your groceries? I have seen a few instances over the past couple of weeks where the shopper is not necessarily rude to that person, but they aren’t overly polite either. A simple “thank you” or “have a good day” isn’t too much to ask is it? Apparently it is for many. Be better!
• If I am not listening to satellite radio on a Saturday morning, there is no doubt it is on Greg Morgan’s 80’s show on Jack 94.5. You give me 80s music and you’ve got my attention.
• Why was Argos kicker Lirim Hajrullahu celebrating after he missed his game-end kick on Thursday? You shouldn’t be rewarded for failure and you certainly don’t celebrate a miss.

Have a great week all!