THROWIN’ ELBOWS WITH BRENDAN MCGUIRE
1. RIDERS HUNT FOR FIRST A TWO-HORSE RACE: On paper, the Blue Bombers are right there. In reality, they’re not. No Matt Nichols, a conservative playbook and an Andrew Harris doping distraction seems to be giving that crew more than they can handle. The Riders and Stamps appear to be on a collision course for one final gallop over the next month to secure that first round playoff bye. That probably wouldn’t mean much to Calgary but would mean a whole lot to us in the ‘306’. It’s only happened once since Tony Gabriel was open in the end zone, before most of us were even born. The Roughriders don’t have the talent the Stampeders do but still, you can’t help but feel the Riders probably want it just a little more.
2. NICHOLS UNDER-APPRECIATED: I’ve heard lots of commentary about how overrated Matt Nichols is over the years. This year, the Blue Bombers were the best team in football with him and nowhere near that without him. Matt Nichols has never proven his worth more than he is right now by watching from the sidelines.
3. DAVIS SANCHEZ: Says the top 2 teams in the East, Hamilton and Montreal, are just as good as the top 2 teams from the West, Saskatchewan and Calgary. He’s right. Montreal proved that again on Saturday. Hamilton has been proving it all year by not making excuses when Jeremiah Masoli went down. Hopefully, this will quiet the whiners complaining about the playoff system.
4. ARGO SCAPEGOATS: Their team president and self-proclaimed know-it-all, Bill Manning, is noticeably quiet these days. I wonder what he has to say about blaming Marc Trestman for last year’s meltdown, now? I wonder if he’s going to remind us all about how spectacular of a marketing genius he is and how the CFL is so lucky to have him like he does in pretty well every other Argo press conference he speaks? Funny how he was so eager to appear in front of a mic to blame others for last season but is noticeably absent now that he no longer has anyone to blame but himself.
5. UNIFORMS MATTER: Just look at the Alouettes this year. Sharp, new look and they’re having a dream season. Jerseys and logos matter. Don’t let anyone ever tell you different.
6. BO LEVI MITCHELL: Great story about the Vikings not signing him to avoid a quarterback controversy with Kirk Cousins. Kind of embarrassing to the NFL that they would be so insecure as to fear the presence of a quarterback from Canada overshadowing their big money signing. More proof the NFL is more sizzle than steak.
7. DINWIDDIE’S BACKUPS: Remember that Grey Cup the Riders won because Kevin Glenn broke his arm and couldn’t play? Zac Taylor and Kliff Kingsbury backed up Ryan Dinwiddie that November Sunday in 2007 and that story got some NFL media attention this week when Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals faced Kingsbury’s Arizona Cardinals. It’s a cool story that I’m glad got some play down south but I was a little bit irked by the arrogant tone from the Bengals head coach toward the CFL. He mocked the fact they worked a 4 and a half hour day and then watched movies. That might say more about his own work ethic, given his joke of a quarterbacking career and even bigger joke of a coaching career we’re seeing out of his 0-5 Bengals.
8. LEIBEL FIELD: I had the pleasure of doing the Regina Thunder-Calgary Colts Access broadcast with Darren Dupont Sunday and was reminded of how much I just love games at Leibel Field. It’s crazy that the Thunder don’t play there more often and even crazier that the U of R Rams don’t, either. Rather than playing in over-sized Mosaic Stadium or wasting money trying to expand the U of R Stadium, they really ought to pool their resources to bulk up Leibel Field and make it home for both teams.
9. NHL SEASON: Yawn. Wake me up when it’s over.
10. BLUE JAYS REMIND ME OF: The ultimate rebuild of the Edmonton Oilers. Remember when all those Oiler fans were so jacked up about Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins when the legendary Roger Millions had the quote of the decade, “How lovely and they’re still in last place.” That’s how I feel about Toronto Blue Jays right now. We’re supposed to be excited about, potential? An old man once said “The word ‘potential’ just means you’re not any good yet”. Don’t ever forget that.
(Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendanhowardmc)
Great column, lots of truth bombs being dropped here
Just one thing re: Nichols – yeah the Bombers were hot with him at the helm, but all it would take to do that is to have a moderately competent QB. Which Nichols is, and sadly, Streveler really isn’t. I love Strev but put him in at tailback because that’s where he belongs. Even MBT or Dominique Davis would be winning games for the blue and gold.
Finally!! Someone who isn’t afraid to to tell it like it is when it comes to the NFL!! I could never figure out what all the fuss was about either
The Jays rebuild just got started! How can you even compare this with years and years of Oilers futility? Did you forget the Jays made the playoffs in 2015-16? When it became obvious the team wasn’t going to contend in 2019 the trigger was pulled on a full rebuild. So in the course of a few months you’ve come to feel like this rebuild is just as long as the Oilers decade-long rebuild? Hmmmm. And YES, you are supposed to be excited about potential. The Jays haven’t been this flush with young talent since the late 80’s when they battled… Read more »
Don’t get too wrapped up Sonny. After the Riders lost in Winnipeg he said they had no chance of a home playoff game and probably would be the crossover team. He just guesses week to week.
Oh look, more Brendan McGuire nonsense hot takes. Yay! First off, two divisions in a 9 and possibly soon to be 10 team league is stupid, and the fact that for once the East actually has two quality teams doesn’t change that. Why you “think” this happening in one year should shut up the critics when there’s a next year and a year after that and a year after that where that may NOT be the case is beyond me. And even this year, as it stands today, even with Montreal being a good team, they still have the 5th… Read more »
Out of all the contributors here, this guy needs to go. Who cares what his credentials are? Maybe there’s a reason Roy Shivers doesn’t like him. Perhaps he’s had ridiculous takes right from the beginning. Whatever the case, it’s trash every Tuesday but we read it because it’s there.
He’s a complete blowhard with the dumbest hot takes. Every week it’s something.
I really don’t think anyone should ever challenge a man’s work ethic who played pro ball and worked through the coaching ranks to be an NFL head coach by the time he was in his mid 30’s.