THROWIN’ CHRISTMAS ELBOWS WITH BRENDAN MCGUIRE

BRENDAN’S CHRISTMAS WISH-LIST TO SANTA

1. SUPPORT ORGANIZER OF GEORGE REED’S GO FUND ME PAGE: Go eat at Smokin Okie’s in East Regina. It’s the least we can do to thank the owner for organizing the page, which as of Monday night had raised more than $55,000 to aid George Reed’s mobility project. George is not only a legend but a truly down-to-earth, wonderful human being whom we are lucky to have around in our neighborhood. Let’s give something back to Eric Johnson for helping give back to George Reed, who’s given so much to all of us.

2. REWARD CODY FAJARDO’S SCAVENGER HUNT: I could count on one hand how many Roughrider quarterbacks in my lifetime showed an honest-to-goodness effort to fit in with the locals. Cody Fajardo did just that over the weekend with his Twitter clues of 5 Christmas presents dropped around the city. It feels like he really wants to be one of us.

3. END THE CO-OP REFINERY LOCKOUT: Not taking any sides here but I do find it ironic that some of my most anti-union, right-wing friends who are on the picket line are posting messages on social media in support of Unifor. Funny how that works. In fact, one of those people says we need to rally around the union because “my husband works there”. Sorry, but you’re not winning any brownie points from me on that one. Statements like that are 100% self-serving. I’m probably more open to supporting workers in a labour dispute than 90% of the readers of this blog, however this one is testing me.   

4. PUT ALL SASKATCHEWAN RUSH GAMES ON LOCAL TV: Thanks to Global Regina and Global Saskatoon for putting the Rush games on through a tape-delay basis. I look forward to seeing all Rush home and away games LIVE on Global or CTV or CBC one day soon. Part of their mandate from the CRTC should be to promote local events like this.  

5. PUT ALL REGINA RED SOX GAMES ON LOCAL TV: What good is local television if it doesn’t deliver some of this stuff to us? In an industry speeding faster toward irrelevance all the time, media companies need local sports as much local sports needs them.

6. FOLD THE XFL: Their commissioner, Oliver Luck, says they have the “560 best players not playing in the NFL”. I hope Santa will reward such arrogance by reminding Vince McMahon of how dumb of an idea this was the first time and how dumb of an idea it is the 2^nd time with financial losses heavy enough to end it all after season #1. We might need his money to prop up the CFL one day so let’s get him out of this embarrassment before he blows it all on the XFL.  

7. BRING US A 10^TH CFL FRANCHISE: I don’t even care if it’s Halifax or Quebec City. An even number of teams would get the Riders off the hook from having to play 12 weeks in a row on the schedule.

8. BRING BACK CFL WEEK: It was a carnival atmosphere in Regina and Winnipeg. They put it off last year because of the labour dispute but haven’t brought it back for 2020. What gives?

9. A REAL ELECTION: Our provincial elections have become a joke in the last 10 years. I don’t care if it’s just the 2 parties we have now or if other parties emerge but when we have an election in 2020, I want to see an actual competition with some real policy discussion about our future. The last opposition leader was a joke and so was the leader’s debate. I don’t think a one-party state with no challenge is ever good for anyone.

10. SOMETHING BETTER THAN STAR WARS: I’m longing for that 15-year stretch when none of these movies were being made. I’m so over it and ready for something new.

(Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendanhowardmc)