THE WEDNESDAY THRILLER … WITH PHIL ANDREWS
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| Voice of the Pats Phil Andrews |
Coming to you from my couch! A week of holidays before the Regina Pats training camp gets started next week. Not to mention the Riders and Alouettes on Saturday and the Regina Thunder season opener on Sunday against the Saskatoon Hilltops.
The Pats are 8 days away from opening training camp at the Cooperators Center. Soooo looking forward to meeting John Paddock and the rest of the coaching staff as well as seeing how the guys look after a summer of training. I expect the Pats to make an announcement when it comes to their assistant coaches his week, and it could come as early as today. Stay tuned for that.
I also am very interested to see the rookies coming in to challenge for spots. Leading the pack are Colton Kroeker, Jacob Elmer and Jared McAmmond up front along with Sam Steel of course. On the back end are Brenden Kallis, Brady Pouteau, Jared Freadrich and Liam Schioler. (If he attends camp). Certainly would be a huge boost for the back end if Schioler decides to go the way of the WHL. Plus the question remains who will back up Daniel Wapple in goal? Kurtis Chapman, Tyler Brown and Tyler Fuhr would challenge for that along with Dawson MacAuley. Lots of questions but lots of options as well. Should make for a good camp.
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The Regina Thunder open their regular season on Sunday at home to the Saskatoon Hilltops. It’s a rematch of the PFC Championship game last year, which the Thunder won. Like the Pats, the Thunder will have a number of new faces in starting positions come Sunday. None less interesting than who will start at quarterback between Jaeden Marwick, Spencer Mack and Kieran Pruden. The game will be a measuring stick for both teams who have undergone some changes. Be sure to tune in to Access 7 at 1 PM from Mosaic. Or better yet, come on down and watch some good football. More to come in my game preview a little later in the week on www.philandrews18.blogspot.com.
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I’m really happy to see Taj Smith getting another chance with the Riders. He made a mistake and now he can move on and get back to playing football. However judging from the comments from head coach Corey Chamblin, his previous starting spot may have to be earned back.
I’m ok with that but I also know it won’t take too long. I saw one of the commenters on this blog say something along the lines of letting him play football and as a parent be a role model for your kids. Couldn’t agree more. As far as the game goes, the Riders should, and will, win in my humble opinion. The Als offense is putrid and the Riders have the best defense in the league. Alex Brink is not the answer in Montreal… It will almost assuredly be a low scoring affair from Mosaic with two great defenses.
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Tough to hear the news out of Kansas City that Weston Dressler is in tough. I truly believed he would have a shot to make their roster but if everything I’ve seen and read is true, his days are numbered with the Chiefs. That being said I hope another team takes a chance on him, maybe Marc Trestman and the Chicago Bears will give him a look. Trestman knows what he can do.
The guy I thought had a lesser chance of sticking in the NFL was Kory Sheets but judging from his first preseason game with the Oakland Raiders, he’s getting a good look. He carried the ball 5 times for 18 yards and caught a pass. Obviously Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew are ahead of him on the depth chart but Sheets is in a fight for number 3. I’ll be the first to admit I thought his chances were zilch, glad I was wrong. Aparently Raiders owner Mark Davis has intensified his desire to move the team to L.A.
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Can the real Toronto Argonauts please stand up? The Boatmen won last night over Winnipeg and looked pretty darn good. One week they look like a good team, then the next not so much. Injuries have played into that yes but jeeze its hard to pick the games they play in. Curtis Steele looked like a beast in last night’s game, fumbles allowed him to get into the game, sound familiar?
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Jays update: One word – frustrating. They lost last night in Seattle… again, and now sit 2 games out of the second wild card spot. They like the Argos need to find some consistency.
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Was so good to see Graham DeLaet have success at the PGA Championship on the weekend. Rory McIlroy is on fire but DeLaet made the cut for the first time in a major tournament this year and finished in the top 15. He will win the big one someday.
That’s it from me today, have a great week.
Phil
@PhilTheThrill18
the jays are finished end of story
No doubt DeLaet will take the success he had at the PGA and apply those lessons at Augusta next April. Wouldn't that be something if he could bring home the Green Jacket.
I told everyone the Jays would be finished only it just took longer than usual. They did compete admirably, but at the end of the day they were missing an Arm, and another big bat. For them to talk about this plan they have, and throwing out the same lineup hoping for a different result is just bunk. Buerle revealed he is what he is when the scouting report comes in, and next year RA Dickey turns 40. They're down 2 starters going into 2015, so next year they will be out of it by the end of May. Teams… Read more »
Taj Smith didn't make "one" mistake, he made "two"! He is charged with assault and then ignored the conditions imposed on him.
Obama,The Jays are not finished yet. There is still lots of baseball left to be played. Prospects are not meant to be "flipped" for rentals. Why trade the top players in your org for 3 months of Jon Lester? It doesn't make sense. Next year the Jays will have a rotation of Drew Hutchison, Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez and Daniel Norris. Throw in whoever from the current starters as a No. 5. That will be a strong rotation to challenge. The Jays are not missing a big bat, only the injured Encarnacion, and he will be back by the weekend.… Read more »
Detroit went high risk, high reward and Verlander got hurt. That's just bad luck. However the Tigers have cushion to get back on track. They will make the playoffs. I disagree as there is not a lot of baseball left. There are only 50 games. This means your horses only get so many starts, and you have to rely on the remainder of the rotation and bullpen. The Jays do not have this. You make a good point about prospects not meant to be "flipped" for rentals. Different sport, but the Pats did this for years, how'd that work? Prospects… Read more »
You didn't mention big Smith for spot on Pats…is he not attending??
Apologies. Luc Smith is in that group as well.
Oh good I was worried that something had gone wrong in his negotiations like Koberstein, schioler. We need physical big body skill or we will play like the Oilers
Phil why are you letting Obama comment on your column? He's a douchebag.
A perfect season for the Jays? 0-162 and then get relocated to the States or Mexico City.
Ditto on the Obama comment, his act is getting very old!