SCRUFFY’S THIS ‘N THAT

Welcome to Friday! Here are the usual weekly thoughts running through my muddled mind, and as always they come in no particular order:

– The Saskatchewan Roughriders showed again this week why they are “Canada’s team”. I don’t care what political party you align yourself with, the practice at Parliament Hill was cool, and to get a visit from the Prime Minister was amazing. Can you imagine an NFL team ever doing what the Riders did at the White House?

I know we have often wondered why the Prime Minister never welcomes the Grey Cup champs to Parliament Hill. Perhaps the Riders have started something that could see the GC champs stage one practice a year on the front lawn of Parliament Hill.

– Riders head coach and general manager Chris Jones told the Sportscage Wednesday afternoon he hasn’t slept very well since being knocked out of the playoffs. This will be the first time in his CFL coaching career he has not played in November. He says he is already looking at how to make this team better for 2017, and he had a long conversation with NFL Hall of Famer and Super Bowl winning coach Bill Parcells about how best to move forward.  This guy isn’t fooling around. Hate him if you want, but he will get the job done,

– Is it just me or do you think the Riders will have to put up a couple of more fan walls? The football team brought out its “Build the Pride” Capital Campaign on Thursday. For 300 dollars, you can get your name or any name you want on one of three fan walls that will sit outside the new Mosaic Stadium. With the amount of “Rider Pride” that there is not only in this city, but this province and country, I think you will have to build a couple of more walls. To have people get their names, the names of their children or names of parents or relatives who lived and breathed Rider football immortalized forever is a great thing to do. Some will balk at the 300 dollar cost. That’s nothing to have your name etched permanently as a member of Rider Nation which so many are.

It will be cool to see people from out of province who might make one return a year or every two years to come to the new Mosaic and find their name. Many will be doing that. I think the fan wall will be a huge hit in the years to come.

– The American League Championship Series starts tonight and this country will be glued to what is happening in Cleveland as the Indians take on the Blue Jays. Jays p x p announcer Jerry Howarth announced this week he has not referred to Cleveland as the “Indians” for years. I have nothing against Howarth, and think he is very good at what he does, but I do question his timing. This is not the time to politicize a debate many think is pointless.

I found it interesting that a CTV Regina poll on this issue found 91 percent of over 1000 people who responded say they are not offended by team names that have cultural origins. Add me to that list.  As I’ve said before, the NCAA can make North Dakota change their name from “Fighting Sioux”, but they won’t even consider asking Florida State to change its “Seminoles” marker. Are the Inuit annoyed with the name of Edmonton’s football team?  Are the Irish opposed to what Notre Dame goes by. This debate is so tedious, but we keep talking about it for some reason. By the way, why doesn’t anyone have a problem with the Blackhawks logo?

As for the baseball, I think this is going to be a great series. I think Cleveland has a better squad top to bottom than Toronto, and I don’t see many games being decided by the 7th inning. Strap yourselves in Blue Jays fan, it is going to be a roller coaster ride.

– There are some out there who think the Blue Jays game going head-to-head against the Riders-Argos game on Saturday is a stunt by Rogers. Ummmmmmm NO! Once again, as was the case last year, MLB has had the schedule dictated for quite a while. Why didn’t the Argos seeing the schedule perhaps go for a Saturday night game?  Anyone blaming Rogers for this simply needs a reality check.

– Here’s a way to get people to the Argos game. Tell them Auston Matthews is going to be there. What can you say about that debut, and what can you say about his 2nd goal which is already a candidate for goal of the year. Matthews isn’t going to do that every night, but his team may lose every night despite his heroics. I found it very admirable of the young man to take the blame on the Senators OT winner Wednesday night to dampen what should have been a night to remember.

– Two nights of the NHL season are in the books, and we are seeing goals galore. LOVE IT!!! I’m sure the trend won’t last.

– Pats assistant coach Brad Herauf was bemoaning a lack of structure after what I am told was a tremendous affair between his team and Portland on Wednesday. Structure doesn’t provide entertainment, but creative offensive hockey does. Herauf isn’t the only coach to utter those words, and he won’t be the last to say it this season. That’s too bad, because games like that get people talking about the game. Isn’t that what its all about?

– Week 6 NFL Lock of the Week  —  Cardinals over Jets
  Week 6 NFL Upset of the Week — Cowboys over Packers

– Why is there no buzz about the Raptors?

– The first event of the PGA season started Thursday. Didn’t last season just end?

– The U of R Rams can basically clinch a home playoff game with a win in Edmonton against Alberta Saturday afternoon. I don’t know how the 4-1 Rams wouldn’t finish in the top two with a victory over a Bears team that is struggling. I haven’t looked completely at the last two weeks of the schedule, but I don’t think UBC or Manitoba could catch them for 2nd if they were drop one of their final two games. Wouldn’t a home playoff game for the Rams look nice! It’s been a while since that has happened.

– That’s all I got. I’m heading to Edmonton for that Rams game, and I am staying behind to check out Rogers Place Sunday as the Oilers play the Sabres. I’ll take some pics and report back Monday….or maybe Tuesday.   Have a great weekend!

GO RIDERS!! GO SEAHAWKS!!! GO CUBS!!!