SCRUFFY’S THIS N’ THAT
Welcome to Friday. Here are the usual assortment of thoughts running through my muddled mind. As always, they come in no particular order:
– Year 2 of Roughrider football in Mosaic Stadium begins tonight as we get our first look up close and personal at the 2018 version of the green-and-white. I have no idea what Calgary is bringing, but I do know we will see a lot different team in green than the one who played in Edmonton. All of the regulars will be in action. The question is how much action will they see. I am thinking Zach Collaros plays all of the first half and maybe part of the third quarter before giving way to Brandon Bridge. One has to think David Watford and BJ Daniels see some time as well. How much time will Tre Mason and Zac Stacy get? Who will emerge as the team’s Canadian linebacker? There are so many questions that need to be answered. Once the final gun sounds, it’s go-time as everything starts for real in two weeks time.
– So, the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix has a story that says SaskTel Centre is obsolete and outdated. The building is 30 years old. Down the highway, the Brandt Centre is over 40 years old. How would we define IT?
I’ve been to the Brandt Centre many, many times. I know every nook and cranny of that building. Is it perfect? NOOOOOOO.
The home of the Pats could use an elevator or two and a larger press box as we saw at the recently-completed Memorial Cup, but it has a lot of amenities needed. Is the Brandt Centre better than SaskTel Centre? That’s a question that needs to be answered by those who have been to both and have been to both on a regular basis. I am not one of those. It has been a while since I have been to SaskTel Centre. When I visit, I like the experience and have no real problems. I am sure those in Saskatoon would say you need to see this or need to see that when it comes to problems.
I just ask the question “If STC is considered obsolete and out-dated, than what do you call the Brandt Centre that is a decade older?”
– Should I know who Tim Hicks is as a guy that works at a country music station? When the CFL came out with his Thursday night concert list, I had to ask who it was. If he has a song I’ve heard, it hasn’t stuck in my head. The question I have is why wouldn’t you get someone from Saskatchewan for that game. Jess Moskaluke, the Hunter Brothers and Tenille Arts are three names that come to mind. Moskaluke and the Hunter Brothers are established while Arts is on the way up and the first two have performed or will be performing in front of Rider Nation so perhaps that is the reason. I just looked at the acts who are taking part and had to go who with some of them. It’s a good idea by the league and I hope it continues, but I would like to see some more established acts taking the stage.
– I’m still trying to wrap my head entirely around the decision this week by the CFL to put a salary cap on football operations staff. There is obviously a reason for this and I think the teams are responsible for it as they collectively don’t want to see things spiral out of control. I thought Chris Jones would be ballistic when asked about it, but he was very calm about his comments. I don’t know if he believes what he is saying, but he didn’t take it the way I thought he would. I don’t think I am alone in those comments. The real impact will be felt in a year’s time. It doesn’t seem right and on the surface perhaps Randy Ambrosie has stumbled for the first time as Commissioner, but Ambrosie has shown that he will do what he feels is right for the league. I can’t doubt him right now.
– For Game 4 of the NBA Final, an NBA officials Twitter account (one that I don’t think is a Bryan Colangelo burner account) in which the officials critiqued and defended calls that were made in the game. Would it be possible for CFL officials to do something similar. CFL fans beak about many calls and on some, there is good reason. It would be great if in this day and age of social media we could get something like this during CFL games. It might help with the relationship between fans and officials if we could get an explanation on plays where there are questions. Are you reading this Mr. Ambrosie?
– Am I the only one that waits for Jay and Dan to invade the Tim and Sid set and beat the living hell out of those wannabes? I had the misfortune of seeing their first 15 minutes this week. Can you try any harder to be Jay and Dan boys. Guess what, it’s not working!
– It’s hard not to be happy for Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. The raw emotion of Ovi in the dying moments and the Cup presentation and follow-up was great to see. I can only imagine what it will be like with him and the Cup in Vegas on Thursday night-Friday morning. Is a camera documenting everything? Will Phil Pritchard ever be the same? The keeper of the Cup has had many memorable moments, but a Stanley Cup celebration by a road team in Vegas will test one’s mettle. Congratulations to Regina’s Ross Mahoney and former Pats Chandler Stephenson and Barry Trotz as well as former Blade Braden Holtby. The Cup will be coming to Saskatchewan and it is likely headed to Humboldt. I somehow get the feeling it would have ended up there at some point regardless of who won.
– Would it be wrong for the Riders to have Darian Durant come on the jumbotron to yell “Bring Em Out” for the Labour Day Classic this year? I think that would be outstanding.
– I’m OK with 25 degree days and rainy nights once it gets late.
– That’s all I got. Have a great weekend!
(Follow Mitch on Twitter at @scruffyregina)
