THROWIN’ ELBOWS WITH BRENDAN MCGUIRE

1. TIME TO REST FAJARDO: He’s been playing through pain since week 2 in Edmonton and now it’s reached a point where it’s costing the Riders in the win-loss column. Two bad interceptions late in the touchdown Atlantic game, first a bad decision and then a bad throw, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory for Saskatchewan. Cody needs a break and he knows it whether he’ll admit it or not. 

2. RIDERS RISK BECOMING UNLOVEABLE: First the penalties galore and then the Garrett Marino fiasco. You could live with those because the team showed no malice with its penalty flag problems and the Garrett Marino thing has always appeared to be an isolated event. The Duke Williams spit-gate controversy however raises some serious questions. This is the second time Duke has been accused of this and it gets harder and harder to give him the benefit of the doubt each time it happens. The video evidence of him tossing his helmet at Shaq Richardson and Ryan Dinwiddie during the pregame warmup is undeniable proof of Duke committing a selfish act. Provoked or not, he’s supposed to be a leader on this team and he’s supposed to be better than this. It always speaks to a wider trend of different players getting into hot water each week from Derrick Moncrief to Garrett Marino and now Duke Williams. It really does threaten to make one of the most loveable organizations in all of sport just a little less loveable for most of us watching. 

3. TOUCHDOWN ATLANTIC: It sounds like the days leading up to it were a bit of a gong show but the day itself was a smash hit. Despite the hour-long drive out to Wolfville and lack of great pubs around the park, the whole thing looked like it went off without a hitch. Those of us who are true CFL fans should be so grateful someone had the vision and was willing to put up the resources to start having this event again where it should have been all along in Nova Scotia. Former CFL commissioner Tom Wright had this obsession with Moncton, New Brunswick due to its central location not understanding that Halifax is the key and will not support something in New Brunswick. Current CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie has wisely figured that out. He is right to beat this drum and I hope he continues to do so.  

4. SOLUTION FOR CFL EXPANSION: They should continue with the Touchdown Atlantic thing but also push for something to happen in Quebec City. With its proximity to Montreal and a potential rivalry with the Alouettes as well as more programming for a content-starved francophone version of TSN, RDS, that town is ripe for CFL football. Plus it wouldn’t hurt to remind our friends in the Maritimes that they could put a little elbow grease into this project too if they don’t want the prized 10^thfranchise to go someplace else. But the long-term solution should actually be 12 franchises to include London, Ontario in the mix as well. The CFL should be pushing for events like Touchdown Atlantic in Quebec City and London, Ontario too. 

5. GARY STERN ON RP SHOW: Refreshing to see a team owner connect with real life fans. Kind of cool to hear that the owner of the Montreal Alouettes meditates too. I think the world would be a better place if we all did a bit more of that.

6. CFL IS BACK: Was chatting with Wes Cates about how nice it is to see CFL-calibre games return this year. What we saw in 2021 was not up to our standards. 2022 has been a different story. The entertainment value is back! 

7. REGINA RED SOX PENNANT RACE: Very impressed with the enthusiastic turnout for Monday night’s game vs Medicine Hat that was rained out after the Sox built a 7-0 lead in the first inning. Much of the crowd waited through the hour-long rain delay before the game was called, the first such rainout at Currie Field this season. The Sox are only 3 games back of Moose Jaw for the division lead with 16 games left to play. The Sox bats have heated up in July after a cool month of June. At this trend, it will be fascinating to see if there’s enough time left to overtake the Miller Express for first place. The Sox picked a good year to come up with a trophy for the season series vs Moose Jaw. Team president Gary Brotzel even called into the Flea Market to round that sucker up. Epic! 

8. BEST PART OF CURRIE FIELD: Trees growing through asphalt. Where else do you ever see that? Those trees serve a very useful purpose, too. They provide badly needed shade from the sun and protection from rain. Plus, they knock down just enough of the foul balls to protect our vehicles in the parking lot from having to really worry about it. The park needs replacing and might be a dump but it’s our dump!

9. JON RYAN TO TICATS: Not a surprise to anyone who attended the Regina Red Sox dinner back in the spring. JR made it clear he expected to sign somewhere in the CFL outside of Saskatchewan after the season started. The Ticats Grey Cup hopes just got a boost from this and the Khari Jones pickup. Look out!

10. KELLY HAMILTON: Didn’t know him at all but just found out he was the younger brother of my In The Huddle cohost Marshall Hamilton. Those Hamilton’s are not a boastful bunch because they don’t need to be. A good part of Regina has taught me all about Kelly’s work with Regina Minor Football and his efforts with Len Antonini to get that amazing facility built at Leibel Field. As we’re learning with the Regina Red Sox efforts to get a new park built, these things are not easy. Any one of us who enjoys that facility or the football community we have can thank Kelly Hamilton, who lost his battle with cancer Monday, for his undeniable contribution to it all.

(Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendanhowardmc)