THE MONDAY MORNING GOALIE

Coming off the bench …

1 – After a travelling all weekend with a myriad of snafus (see Commentary below), I’ve finally got some time to sit down and bang out the thoughts which have been rattling around the old melon. Enjoy …

2 – Just checking in on Winnipeg today … Is Chevy still on the hot seat, errrrrrr?

The Stanley Cup parade is back on in the Manitoba capital after the Jets posted impressive back-to-back wins in Florida Saturday (5-4 in OT over the Panthers) and Sunday (3-2 at the Lightning). This comes on the heels of a stretch where Winnipeg lost nine of 11 games and were in danger of falling out of the playoff race.

Again … GM Kevin Cheveldayoff of Blaine Lake, SK was in trouble because why?

3 – Want the truth? Ask Darryl Sutter. Heading into the weekend the Jolly Rancher was asked about his Calgary Flames’ poor record against non-playoff teams. His response? “We’re not a playoff team.”

The truth hurts and Darryl rubs people the wrong way because he’s not afraid to say it. I know the feeling. Now let’s hope Calgary goes on a run and gets into the playoffs, to make this RP Show residency at Grey Eagle Resort & Casino a whole lot more fun!

The Flames upcoming schedule includes: at ARZ, at VGK, vs DAL, at LAK, at ANA, vs VGK, vs SJ, vs LAK, at VAN. (aka Put Up Or Shut-Up Time)

4 – At the Saddledome last night the hockey guys scoffed that they’ve heard it’s hard for Florida Panthers players to get up for games when it’s +28C outside. I scoffed that I find it far harder to get up for games when it’s -28C outside. And by the way, former Flame Matthew Tkachuk leads the Panthers in scoring with 87 points in 64 games, and is a +17. He’s also said his body recovers more quickly in the South Florida climate.

It’s a lot easier going to the rink when you’ve got a good team.

5 – The Oilers are the Oilers. World-beaters one night and maddeningly inconsistent the next. You wouldn’t think that would take them far but they were the exact same last year on the way to the Western Conference Final. So who knows.

6 – We’ll be in Saskatchewan lots this summer; or at least I plan to be. We’d better be since we’ve got a load of new Saskatchewan sponsors coming down the pipe!

I’m grateful to have gotten the greenlight from a Rider great to “go ahead and tell it like is” when it comes to Roughriders coverage this summer. In a chat last month I’d mentioned being uneasy about critical coverage of the Saskatchewan Roughriders because some boobs call it “sour grapes”. However this Plaza inductee advised that no one else is providing critical coverage of the Riders anymore. With regards to where I stand in it all, he advised “The people who need to know, know.”

So it’ll be fun covering Canada’s Team in-depth again during this CFL season! However we’ll provide at least much coverage of every other team because we love them all. Truth!

7 – It was entertaining, but strange, watching two Hall of Fame CFL reporters – Winnipeg’s Bob Irving and TSN Toronto’s Dave Naylor – spar over the weekend on Twitter over where Sportscentre placed the Alouettes Sale story in their lineup Friday night. (the :23 minute mark, after a host of other sports). TSN’s #1 story was the NFL’s Chicago Bears trading the #1 pick to Carolina.

Sorry, but I gotta side with TSN on this one. You simply have to give the consumers what they want and right now, in Canada, it’s NHL and NFL coverage. The CFL’s dropped the ball over the past decade or so (frankly I don’t blame the current CFL staffers at all for this) and it’s not TSN’s job to raise the league’s profile. 

We talk about this a lot. Too much probably. But I’m not sure that genie can go back in the bottle.

Furthermore, TSN and the World Juniors made Connor Bedard a household name over the Christmas Holidays. TSN also shows each CFL game nationally. Why doesn’t that same Bedard-type steam translate the same way to the CFL?

You tell me.

8 – Due to travel and attending the Senators/Flames game Sunday night, I didn’t get to watch a lick of the Brier, NLL nor XFL Week 4 games. This morning I’ll study up on them and discuss it on today’s RP Show.

We remain “The View For Sports Fans” daily on Game+ TV, WQEE Radio and YouTube Live; simply a coffee discussion among friends about the latest sports topics. I. LOVE. IT.

In a gas station in Swift Current on Sunday – no joke – an RP Show sponsor asked me if I ever plan to go back working for a single team as the play-by-play man. I have to say, I can’t see it. I’m really enjoying things the way they are now.

9 – On a flight from Toronto to Regina, I bumped into former WHL & SJHL tough guy Derek “The Lion” Parker of Melville, SK. His face displayed a crooked nose, jagged teeth and his trademark ear-to-ear smile! He’s playing in a semi-pro league in Quebec, for the Les Patroliers du Nord, in Laval. Will the former MMA fighter ever hang up the blades and retire the axe? Not as long as they keep paying him to play, and flying him out from Saskatchewan and his job on the railroads every weekend.

10 – FINAL RANDOMS: My Mom always said, “Always look your best.” … The airport in Fort Lauderdale, FL doesn’t sell newspapers anymore. Not. a. single. one. What are we gonna do? … I’m told you can actually not be on social media at all and have a very peaceful life, and not miss out on anything. Who knew? … Please stop tagging me on Facebook. … March Madness: The only month out of the year that Canadians pretend to follow NCAA Basketball. But it IS fun! … The new tip prompt at arena concessions is egregiously presumptuous. … R.I.P. to Tom Sizemore who passed away last weekend at age 61. Addiction ravaged the movie star and he fought like hell against his demons, never giving up the battle. He died of a brain aneurysm. … Reese’s is taking over the world. And I’m here for it. … AND HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen