THROWIN’ ELBOWS WITH BRENDAN MCGUIRE

1. OPEN LETTER TO PAXTON LYNCH: Pax, you don’t wanna take the vax? That’s okay. It’s your body and your choice. You and Aaron Rodgers have every right to be critical thinkers. What’s not okay is that you probably knew you weren’t going to take the vaccine when you showed up here back in training camp. Instead of stepping aside for someone who really badly wants to be here, you’ve completely wasted my time, the fans time, the Riders time and the CFL’s time. You’ve already made millions from the NFL to accomplish absolutely nothing but then you had to come up here, take a salary that you don’t need from a community organization still reeling from the pandemic and take away a job from some young, blue-collar quarterback who would give anything to stay in pro football. Thanks for absolutely nothing, Paxton Lynch, other than to remind us all that overhyped NFL prospects usually don’t want to be here all that bad, anyway, and are no reason to get excited about.    

2. THAT ZAC STACY VIDEO: Strange as it may be, the only one-on-one interview that I’ve ever conducted with any Saskatchewan Roughrider player since 2007 was with 2018 training camp running back Zac Stacy. The same Zac Stacy who’s shown in that TMZ video that went viral late last week beating up his now ex-girlfriend in really graphic fashion. When I chatted with Zac in Saskatoon that spring afternoon three and a half years ago, I thought it was odd he up and quit the NFL in his mid-twenties and then after two years away, wanted to play in Saskatchewan. Said he had to take care of some “personal demons”. If I had behaved like a good reporter, I would’ve pressed Zac for specifics on what those ‘personal demons’ were. Instead, I backed off and chatted with him about how his Alabama connection with Chris Jones and the coach’s persistence in recruiting him had brought Stacy to Saskatchewan. He didn’t last long after that and never did play a CFL game. Some are calling Stacy some really awful names and others are sympathizing with him as someone who has suffered brain damage playing football that is causing his cowardly behavior. I’m not on either side. Name-calling or seeking revenge on Zac Stacy won’t get him the help he needs and I’m pretty sure there are lots of running backs and other ex-athletes who’ve been brain-damaged much worse than Zac Stacy who don’t beat up women. 

3. DUKE’S HEALTH AND RIDER PERIMETER DEFENCE TO DECIDE WEST SEMIFINAL: Duke Williams being at 100% helps Saskatchewan’s chances immensely. If he’s badly dinged up from his late game injury in the Riders last home game, they’re going to face some long odds on Sunday. Also, if the Roughriders can’t stop Ka’Deem Carey on those short passes or outside sweeps he nailed them on through second down conversions in both of Calgary’s wins against Saskatchewan, then the Riders hopes will be dashed. If Duke’s health is decent and Ka’Deem Carey doesn’t give them fits, expect the Riders to advance to the west final.  

4. LOOKS FOR CATS TO WHIP MONTREAL IN EAST SEMIFINAL: There’s some serious questions lingering about Trevor Harris’ leadership capabilities as evidenced by Ottawa’s choice not to offer him a competitive salary after 2018, the Elks choice to move away from him midway through this season for an XFL quarterback and his failure to rally his Alouettes against a sad-sack Ottawa team playing out the string in the final week of the season. The Hamilton Ticats, however, look rejuvenated, focused and hungry. Look for the Cats to roar in this one and keep the dream alive of their first Grey Cup on home turf in 49 years.    

5. ELKS CLEAN HOUSE: Dustin Nielson of TSN had the perfect line in Friday’s Edmonton-BC broadcast when Glen Suitor suggested Jaime Elizondo might be brought back as head coach for next season. “That would be a bold marketing move,” Nielson quipped. The Elks have been so disappointing this season that more than two thirds of their paid ticket base would rather stay home and waste their tickets than actually show up and sit through their games. The great Geoff Currier once had a line I’ll never forget, “It’s okay if your fan base is angry. It means they care. It’s when they don’t care that you’ve really got problems.” The Elks needed to make this move before it gets there if it hasn’t already. Edmonton is a great CFL town but hasn’t shown it in 2021. 

6. THIS WEEK I’M JEALOUS OF: Zach Collaros. Lucked into an amazing situation with an amazing defence and people are still calling him the Most Outstanding Player. Willie Jefferson, Jackson Jeffcoat, Adam Bighill and Richie Hall never get the respect they deserve. 

7. DID YOU KNOW: The CFL has just as many black head coaches in their 9-team league as the NFL does in its 32-team league? And that number should grow in the CFL offseason, too. Not saying this is any big special accomplishment for the Canadian Football League which still has work to do in its DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH motto but rather a pretty big embarrassment for the NFL. 

8. TEAM DUNSTONE CURLING CHANGE: Questions and speculation galore is mounting about the sudden departure of third Braeden Moskowy from the Matt Dunstone rink competing at the olympic curling trials in Saskatoon this week. Judging by their 0-3 start and 10-3 loss to Kevin Koe Monday night, the change or distraction from it has been too much to overcome. Starting to wonder if maybe the window for this group to win a Brier, much less an olympic berth, has closed.

9. WOMENS OYLMPIC CURLING TRIALS: Doesn’t bother me that every rink is from Alberta, Manitoba or Ontario. Don’t need every region involved for this as that is what the Scotties and Brier are for. Each draw has looked like a heavyweight bout and hasn’t disappointed. I’m pulling for Laura Walker because it’s always tough to get out of Alberta and you never really hear her name all that much. 

10. AGRIBITION: Hearing lots of people coming to town for it. A sign that people are getting out again which we could all use a little more of these days. 

(Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendanhowardmc)