Scruffy’s This N That

1 – THE STREAK IS OVER: Rider Nation is trying to remember what it is like to celebrate a win post-Labour Day. After being 0-16 over the last three years after Labour Day, the reeling Riders got themselves a win in Calgary Friday night.

It looked like it could be a long night when Tommy Stevens sliced through the Riders line on a 3^rd and short in the first minute for a long touchdown run but Trevor Harris – who arguably had his best game as a Rider – took the team back downfield for some much needed points as they got a field goal and quelled some momentum Calgary had.

While Calgary had success with Stevens at the beginning of the game, many were left wondering why the Stamps didn’t use Stevens at the end? With Calgary on the move, down 8 late in the 4^th, Dave Dickenson elected to keep Maier in on a 3^rd and 1 when he could have used Stevens to move the sticks. The move backfired as Maier was intercepted by Jameer Thurman and that post Labour Day drought was over.

Does the win guarantee a playoff spot? No, it does not but I think the chances have improved dramatically and will do so even more if the Bombers beat Edmonton on Saturday.

2 – SID: Pro sports needs more Sidney Crosby. He is one of a kind. Crosby could have gotten well over $10-million in a new contract with the Penguins, but he took a two-year $8.7 million per season deal. Sid wants to win and is willing to forego money so that others that can help Pittsburgh take a run can be paid as well.

I love Connor McDavid, but you know damn well that he isn’t taking $9.7 million a year when it comes time to sign his new deal with the Oilers.

3 – DROP THE PUCK: Where did the summer go? Weren’t we just talking about the Moose Jaw Warriors winning the WHL title? A new season began Friday night. WHAT? Yes, a new season began Friday night. With all apologies to my friends in Moose Jaw, we won’t see a repeat and sorry Saskatoon, that drought will continue.

The best team in this province might reside in Prince Albert this year, but one has to think at the end of the day, the Ed Chynoweth Cup may move a few hours west from Moose Jaw to Medicine Hat. The Tigers have all the ingredients for a championship with guys like Gavin McKenna and Cayden Lindstrom. If you haven’t seen McKenna yet, do so. I don’t know if he is Bedard-ish in nature, but he might be very close.

As for the Pats, not many are saying a lot of positive things about this season, but that the future is there with Al Millar and Brad Herauf in charge. One person told me the Pats might have the worst team in the Eastern Conference this season. I don’t know about that, but I don’t see this team making the playoffs. How long Millar keeps Tanner Howe might be the biggest question surrounding this team and make no doubt about it, he should be able to get a lot for the Penguins draft pick.

4 – POST-GAME REF TALK: Very interesting story in “The Athletic” as NHL training camps get ready. The online site spoke with players about things like “Should the league address the advantage that some teams have in no-state income tax states” with over 60 percent saying no. This comes because of the chatter connected with the fact that four of the last five Cup champs and seven of the past 10 finalists have come from states that don’t collect income tax. Just under 85 percent of fans feel it is a huge advantage for the teams that are involved. One of the other things discussed is something I have harped on for a long time and that is whether or not refs should speak to reporters after games if the need is there.

63 percent said yes with another 11.4 percent saying they don’t care. When a controversial call is made in the game, I firmly believe the ref should stand in front of a pool reporter (no need to have several mics in his face) to tell us why much like a goaltender has to answer questions if he let in some bad goals or a player has to answer to the horde of media after about a bad penalty or give-away that costs his team a “W”. In its story, the Athletic talks to several unnamed players and they all say they have great respect for the officials and acknowledge how hard their job is but there are going to be mistakes or perceived ones and a ref should be able to give an explanation — one that you can subscribe to or throw away. One player said absolutely because it might change his stance on the ice knowing if this call is made he will likely have to answer for it.

One other question asked was “Which Coach other than your own would you most like to play for?” The top two were the ones I would select and that is Jon Cooper and Paul Maurice. Surprisingly, six percent said Joel Quenneville.

5 – NFL WEEK 3: Back to football. Here are some tidbits as you get set to plop your butt on the couch to watch another Sunday of NFL:

• The New Orleans Saints (2-0) enter Week 3 leading the NFL in points scored (91) and touchdowns (11) and including Week 18 last season, became the third team since 1970 to score at least 44 points in three consecutive games, joining the 2018 New Orleans Saints (Weeks 9-11) and 2007 New England Patriots (Weeks 6-8). The Saints, with 34 points against the Philadelphia Eagles can become fourth team since 1970 with at least 125 points scored in their first three games of a season, joining the 2023 Miami Dolphins (130 points), 2013 Denver Broncos (127) and 2015 Arizona Cardinals (126).

• Since 1990, more than 60 percent of teams to begin the season 2-0 have qualified for the postseason (63.9 percent; 177 of 277) while 42 percent of clubs to begin 1-1 have advanced to the playoffs (207 of 493). Over the past 34 seasons (1990-2023), 32 teams have qualified for the postseason after starting 0-2, including nine teams over the past 10 seasons (2014-23).
• 10 kickers have multiple made 50-yard field goals this season, led by Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn with six. Fairbairn, with three made 50-yard field goals in each of the first two weeks, became the first player all-time with multiple career games of three-or-more 50-yard field goals made and set an NFL-record with six made 50-yard field goals over a two-game span.

6 – BEST GAME EVER?: Shohei Ohtani is quickly going down as one of the best to ever play baseball. The Dodgers outfielder, who might start pitching again before the season is over, made baseball history Thursday night in Miami as he became the first player in major league history to have a 50 homerun, 50 steal season. In that game, he went six-for-six with three homeruns, 10 RBI’s, five extra base hits and two steals.

Dodgers announcer Joe Davis said after the game it might be the best baseball game ever. I can’t disagree. And to think some thought he was actually going to be a Blue Jay. HAHAHAHAHA!

7 – CONGRATS ANDREW: Many, many years ago, a young man named Andrew Gottselig came into the Access 7 studios to join Pete Paczko and I on Locker Talk to promote a basketball academy he was starting. He was running “Hooplife” camps out of the old Robert Usher high school and he was hoping it would be the start of something bigger and better. This just in. He has succeeded.

Not only has Gottselig secured himself his own building while watching the growth of Hooplife, but he has now turned his Regina dream into a Saskatchewan dream as Hooplife now enters the Saskatoon market.

Saskatchewan is a great basketball market and what you see at the University level in both Regina and Saskatoon can be traced back to great programs and great people. Yes, you can add Hooplife to that.

Gottselig told us on Access this week he wants this to be a program that is in several Canadian cities. He can probably accomplish that. I’ve given him a few ideas over the years and while he hasn’t utilized all of them, he has done some to get the name out there,

It’s great to see him and Hooplife thriving.

8 – THANKS COACH: This is coaches week in Saskatchewan. It’s a time to recognize the many men and women who have helped the young athletes of today get to where they are. I think all of us have a favourite coach who might still be doing his thing with the sport of choice.

Today, more than 20,000 trained coaches work with registered participants in Saskatchewan on different local teams, clubs and leagues. Thanks Coach!

9 – RANDOM THOUGHTS:

• Bears quarterback Caleb Williams told punter Tory Taylor that he wouldn’t be kicking very much when he was drafted. Taylor leads the NFL in punts through two weeks with 12.  It’s early, but the decision to take Williams may haunt the Bears the way Bryce Young is haunting the Panthers.
• The Leafs have an ad for milk on their jersey and one for Oreos on their helmet. The jokes just write themselves on this one.
• I love Joe Tessitore as the new voice of Monday Night RAW. His Mondays look a lot different now as he used to be the voice of Monday Night Football. I am guessing he didn’t take a big pay cut and he doesn’t have to worry about a Boogermobile any more.

Have a great week all!