SCRUFFY’S THIS ‘N THAT

Time for the usual weekly thoughts running through my muddled mind and as always, they are in no particular order:

— Congratulations to the Toronto Blue Jays for beating the Texas Rangers in a baseball game not many in Canada will ever forget.  Words simply can’t describe what we saw from the 7th inning on in Wednesday’s Game 5. From one of the more bizarre plays you will ever see to Toronto baseball fans embarrassing themselves on national television for their actions to perhaps the 2nd biggest homer in Blue Jays history by Jose Bautista to another memorable post-game interview by Munenori Kawasaki, the game had it all and then some.

– While it was great to see Toronto win even though the fan-base did make the team look bad in this series for their talk of a petition against the umps to a petition against the roof to throwing beercans onto the field, I was left wondering when all was said and done if Jose Bautista went a little too far with his bat-flip. Don’t get me wrong, I realize the emotion of the game and his life as a Blue Jay and his passion for the game, but this wasn’t a walk-off homer. If it had been, he could have done cartwheels around the bases, but technically there was still six outs Toronto had to get (realistically it was over) and if for some reason Bautista got back up, you can bet he would have been on his ass with a high inside fastball coming his way. One that may come when the two teams meet for the first time in 2016.

The homerun was a moment in Canadian sports history that won’t be forgotten, but it was just a little too all about me in a team game and I thought it was a little too much. Many don’t feel that way and that is fine.  I wonder how they would be feeling if Prince Fielder or Josh Hamilton had done it in the same situation and how they will feel if a Kansas City Royal or a National League team rubs it in Toronto’s face during a World Series. The precedent was set so don’t complain if a 180 happens before these playoffs are over.

As mentioned Bautista’s fire is something you don’t see a lot of these days and I realize that had a lot to do with it. He is a powder-keg and the Kansas City Royals know that. Remember what happened in the last game between the two this year and the comments that followed. We could see some explosives starting tonight. It will be fun!  More baseball in a bit!

— Like it or not Rider fans, Jeremy O’Day put his stamp on the future direction of the Saskatchewan Roughriders Wednesday with the trades of Kevin Glenn and Jerome Messam. Whether or not, O’Day gets the job on a full time basis is yet to be known, but he has started this rebuild or “refocus” as he told Rod and I in the Sportscage on Wednesday. The Glenn trade makes me wonder what Plan B is if Darian Durant isn’t ready to go and it seemed in talking to O’Day that Glenn wasn’t in the plan for next season which makes me wonder if this team wants Brett Smith to be the #2 guy or if another experienced quarterback will be brought in and if so, who?

As for Messam, as good as he has been it sounds like didn’t want to be a part of this “refocus” so O’Day is getting what he can for him without seeing him go elsewhere for nothing. If that is the case, I am all for it. I also had the chance to ask Jeremy whether or not it was tough making these moves when his future with the organization isn’t known? He is trying to do what he feels is best for an organization that could throw him to the curb in the off-season, meaning what he did was all for naught.

The response: “I have no problem in trying to earn the position because I am a competitor. I like to be challenged so I am not overly worried about that. It didn’t make things any more difficult because I am the interim general manager. I truly want what is best for the organization and I hope to here for the long term. I am trying to show that I can prove myself and show I can handle the job and excel at it. At the end of the day, I just want the trust of an organization that means a lot to me because I have been part of the Rider family for years. It isn’t just me making these decisions, there are a lot of people whose opinion we value so no, I didn’t have any thoughts about my future when making the deals.”

— Was it because of the Blue Jays game that neither TSN or Sportsnet had all day coverage of the CFL trade deadline? Who’s kidding who, there were more trades to talk about in the CFL on deadline day than there usually are in the NHL!

— What I wouldn’t give to see Buck Martinez in the Toronto clubhouse after a victory celebration to see champagne and whatever else get poured onto that mop that sits on the top of his head. Would it just be like water on a freshly waxed car and just bead up?

— In the wake of Harold Reynolds’ comments, did anyone check to see if Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus was actually Canadian. That was an inning he will never forget for allllll the wrong reasons.

— If the Blue Jays win the World Series, Munenori Kawasaki must be front and center at the parade Of course, this blogger is hoping that parade happens in Chicago and it involves the Cubs. I knew this team was going to be good, but I thought it would start next year.  The reaction I had Tuesday afternoon to the Kyle Schwarber homer which went over the scoreboard was very similar to what many of you did when Bautista crushed the Sam Dyson offering to left center field on Wednesday.  I never dreamed of this year’s team being in the playoffs much less 8 games from a possible World Series win.  As a sign said at Wrigley Field, “Next year is here”!

— Back to the Bautista homer and a question for all of you Jays fans who have been Jays fans since before August 1, 2015.  Where does that blast rank in all-time club history. I say its number 3 behind Carter and Robbie Alomar’s blast off of Dennis Eckersley in the ALCS.

— Week 6 NFL Lock of the Week (5-0)  Packers over Chargers
    Week 6 NFL Upset of the Week (1-4)  49ers over Ravens

— By this time next week, the election will be over! Thank god! Whatever way you lean when it comes to your politics is fine with me, but just get out and vote. By the way, best of luck to two good men who are not in my riding, but are both looking to gain a seat to Ottawa and that is Trent Fraser in Regina and Kevin Waugh in Saskatoon—both are outstanding individuals and I would say that no matter what political banner they were carrying.

— Playboy will no longer publish photos of naked women.  The terrorists have won!

— Big playoff game for the Regina Thunder as they take on the Calgary Colts in a PFC semi-final. The Thunder got tripped up in this spot last year, so here’s hoping they don’t stumble this weekend because it isn’t the PFC if the final isn’t between Saskatoon and Regina.

— As for the Regina Rams, they will once again look for their first win under Mike Gibson as Manitoba comes to town in a game that starts at 4 o’clock. I will have the call alongside BK Woldu on Access 7 and SHAW across Western Canada.  It has been pretty dark on Compete Street this year, but a win over the Bisons would certainly brighten things up.

— The Oilers have started the  year at 0-4. Is the Auston Matthews watch on yet? That team desperately needs a number one defenceman and they need to give Taylor Hall a roadmap in his own zone. He looks lost in his own end.

— With the Argos having played home games just about everywhere except Rogers Centre, can we just give the CFL Coach of the Year award to Scott Milanovich. The job he has done with that team considering the circumstances is amazing.  If the Argos were to win the Grey Cup, it would have to go down as one of the greatest stories in the history of the CFL.

— If Kevin Glenn plays one snap for the Edmonton Eskimos and ends up in the CFL Hall of Fame, he has to go with a helmet featuring all nine teams!

— That’s all I got.  Have a great weekend!