Scruffy’s This N That

1 – THE SCHEDULE IS OUT, THE SCHEDULE IS OUT:  While I heard a variety of reasons for the delay, Thursday was the day the CFL schedule finally came out much to the delight of many who got so worked up over said delay.

Looking at the Riders schedule, I have no major problems with it. I know the team doesn’t like Thursday night home games so they are getting that wiped off the slate right off the bat as they will play Ottawa on night 1 of the season. I am sure that game won’t be attended well because of it being on the Thursday night and the many people that travel in and out of Regina for games, but get it done and move on I say.

I really don’t have that much of a problem with the schedule. I am not sure why both pre-season games are against Winnipeg and that they have a short week with a game on Saturday June 14th in Hamilton followed by another one six days later in Toronto. If the team stays out East like they did in the Chris Jones era then fine.  Other than that, the byes come at a good time and there is a good mixture of Friday and Saturday games. What are your thoughts on a topic that creates so much chatter?

Let the countdown to training camp officially begin.

2 – GOOD WORK J-0: The Riders don’t need to be aggressive once free agency hits. I’m sure they will look for some guys to make their roster better for 2025, but they have done a good job in retaining a lot of possible free agents and there is still time to get others to stick around.  It would be unrealistic to think you would be able to keep everyone but give O’Day credit for getting most of the guys that you need to be back to be back.  Having guys like Jameer Thurman, Trevor Harris and Malik Carney under contract for the upcoming season will be key. I would like to see Micah Johnson, Nelson Lokombo, Marcus Sayles and Peter Godber to come back and as mentioned there is still time.  Bottom line is O’Day has done a job that the fanbase should be happy with.  They could be very happy if they somehow find a way to get Eugene Lewis here, but I don’t think that happens.

3 – KURTIS ROURKE:  Nathan’s brother had a great season with Indiana University as the Hoosiers got to the 12-team playoff before falling to Notre Dame.  NFL Draft experts think Kurtis could be taken in the draft.  If not, he will certainly get an opportunity with a team as an undrafted free agent.  What do CFL teams when it comes to Roarke? You know he probably won’t be here for 2025 training camp, but after seeing the way Nathan was treated south of the border, he could be in the CFL for 2026. Would the Riders, knowing they have an aging Trevor Harris, roll the dice and take Roarke with a 2^nd round pick. I’d be OK with that.  I don’t think anyone would take him in the first round, but after that………

4 – COULD IT BE: Check the NHL standings. Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton are all firmly in playoff spots and all could win their respective divisions.  Now look at Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa and yes, Montreal.  All four of those teams are battling for wild card spots. Could the day come where all seven Canadian franchises make the playoffs? What would that do for the game in a country where fans are already at a fever pitch come playoff time.

I’m all for it, but realistically I think only one of Calgary/Vancouver makes it if either do. The same could be said for Ottawa/Montreal.  If you are a Habs fan, it must be nice to know your team is finally relevant again after how many years?

5 – A HART FOR LEON: When you think about the Hart Trophy and a member of the Edmonton Oilers getting it, you automatically defer to Connor McDavid as being the guy seeing he has been named the NHL’s MOP three times. However, his running mate may be going into the second half season as the favourite.  Debate it all you want, but Leon Draisaitl is having a better year than McDavid. He leads the NHL going into Wednesday’s game at Minnesota with 31 goals, 24 of those even-strength ones and nine of them being game winners.  He is also second in points with 64.  He is on his way to what will be his fourth 50-goal season and his sixth 100 point one.

Guys like McDavid, Nathan McKinnon and Connor Hellebuyck are also in the mix and right now a solid argument could be made for the Winnipeg goaltender, but Leon deservedly should be the favourite.

6 – WHITTLING DOWN THE FIELD:  There are just seven NFL games to be played this year.  Four of them go this weekend with the NFL Divisional Playoffs (or quarter-finals).  Here is some info for you as you settle in to watch the games.

• For the second time in NFL history, the same four teams – Baltimore, Buffalo, Houston and Kansas City in the AFC – are representing a conference in the Divisional playoffs in consecutive seasons. In the NFC, Detroit is the only team to qualify for the Divisional round in each of the past two years, joined by the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia and Washington. For the 12th consecutive season (2013-2024), at least three teams have reached the Divisional playoffs that were not in the Divisional round the year before.
• Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid has 26 postseason wins, the second-most in NFL history, and is one of five coaches all-time with three Super Bowl victories. Saturday will mark Reid’s 43rd career postseason game, trailing only Bill Belichick (44 games) for the most by a head coach all-time.
• Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels totaled 304 yards (268 passing, 36 rushing) and two touchdown passes with a 110.2 passer rating in the Commanders’ Wild Card win at Tampa Bay and became the fourth rookie quarterback ever to win his first career postseason start on the road. At Detroit on Saturday, Daniels can become the fourth rookie quarterback to win multiple playoff games in NFL history, joining Joe Flacco (2008 with Baltimore), Brock Purdy (2022 with San Francisco) and Mark Sanchez (2009 with the New York Jets). Daniels has won 13 starts, including the playoffs, this year and can join Ben Roethlisberger (14 wins in 2004 with Pittsburgh) as the only rookie quarterbacks to win 14 games, including the postseason, in NFL history.
• With the cold and wind in Buffalo, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen might have to rely on their legs — and they’re the best at doing that at this point in the season. Allen has the most rushing yards by a quarterback in NFL postseason history (609) and Jackson ranks second (602). But it could be difficult to run against the Ravens’ defense, which has given up 239 rushing yards to QBs this season (fifth fewest), and the Bills, who have given up 306 rushing yards to QBs (11th fewest)

7 – HOCKEY PARENTS: It seems to be an annual passage in Saskatchewan and other places. Stories of hockey parents and coaches being out of control. What is wrong with these people? Do you think it is cool to belittle a teenaged referee who is trying to learn his craft? I just don’t understand the mentality of some when it comes to their attitude while watching their child play especially when that child hasn’t even hit double digits in age. All you are doing is embarrassing yourself and likely your child who is witnessing this. There is also a story circulating this week about how a group of hockey parents went to a Yorkton establishment during a tournament and were as rude as could be to the servers. I don’t get it. I just don’t. Do you go into the office on Monday and proudly proclaim how you told a 14-year-old ref off? If you do, you are one “special” individual that I hope not to be associated with. 

8 – ALWAYS THE BRIDESMAID:  Stop me if you have heard this before, the Toronto Blue Jays were in the running for _______ but that player chose (insert team here). It happened again Friday when Japanese stud pitcher Roki Sasaki elected to play for the Dodgers instead of Toronto. Once again, the Jays have egg on their face as they went out and took on a big contract so they could get some extra international pool money which they thought would be enough to get Sasaki.  NOPE!

I don’t know what Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro are doing when it comes to trying to get free agents to Toronto and yes, having Vladimir Guerrero signed, sealed and delivered long-term would help, but the bottom line is that players are just using the Jays to get a sweeter deal.  Those two have successfully killed the franchise. Perhaps they should go sell software in the US or something.

Toronto is said to be in the mix for still unsigned free agents like Anthony Santander, Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman.  Unless the market completely dries up and they have no choice, don’t expect any of those three to wear a Toronto uniform this year.

As for Sasaki, he goes to a place where he can definitely win as the Dodgers continue to load up, but it is things like this that is bad for the game as a whole.  A salary cap is needed in baseball or else.

9 – RANDOM THOUGHTS:

• How many more days until Opening Day?
• Deion Sanders as coach of the Cowboys? As someone who has no time for Jerr-ah’s team, I say yes please. I would like a front row seat for the chaos.
• Maddox Schultz will likely still be the number one pick in the WHL Prospects draft, and he may end up staying at home and playing for the Pats. His decision not to apply for an exceptional player status shouldn’t be a surprise when you consider he can play 34 games with his team which is half a season.
• It’s mid-January and I am declaring that awful Shaboozy “Let’s Get Tipsy” song as the most overplayed song in 2025. It certainly had to be the 2024 ones. It is songs like that that make me so glad I have satellite radio. Channel 39 Hair Nation along with MLB, NFL, NHL Radio and whatever game I want works for me.

That’s all I got! Have a great week!

MB