THURSDAY COMMENTARY – CAPTAIN OBVIOUS

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

I MEANT TO SAY THIS YESTERDAY, BUT GOT SIDETRACKED.

THE COMMENTARY STARTED OUT SAYING “LIFE’S ABOUT CHOICES”, BUT SOMEHOW SPUN OFF INTO THE DIFFERENCES IN HOW PRO LEAGUES ARE HANDLING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC.

WHAT I MEANT TO DISCUSS, AND FIGURED IT COULD WAIT UNTIL TODAY, IS THE WAY OUR FAVOURITE JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUES ARE APPROACHING THINGS IN 2021.

AS WE KNOW, THE SJHL STARTED THEIR SEASON BUT IS NOW ON HIATUS DUE TO THE PROVINCE’S STRICTER RESTRICTIONS ON GATHERINGS.

THEY’VE EXPRESSED OPTIMISM THAT THEY’LL BE ABLE TO BE BACK ON THE ICE SOMETIME EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR.

MEANWHILE TODAY IN REGINA, PATS GM JOHN PADDOCK AND NEW FRANCHISE FACE CONNOR BEDARD ARE MEETING WITH THE MEDIA VIA ZOOM TO DISCUSS THE UPCOMING WHL SEASON, PEGGED TO START JANUARY 8.

YOU DON’T NEED CAPTAIN OBVIOUS TO TELL US THAT THESE GUYS KNOW SOMETHING WE DON’T.

AT A RECENT PAT CANADIANS UNDER-18 GAME, A HOCKEY GUY I TRUST TOLD ME THE DUB IS PLAYING “NO MATTER WHAT”. HE PROVIDED A FEW MORE DETAILS THAT I CAN’T DISCLOSE NOW, BUT HE WAS STILL OVERALL QUITE VAGUE.

BUT HE’S CONFIDENT THE WHL WILL GET STARTED COME HELL OR HIGH WATER.

DO THEY PLAN TO PLAY WITHOUT FANS? ARE THEY LOOKING AT BUBBLES LIKE THE Q? DO THEY THINK RESTRICTIONS ON GATHERINGS WILL BE RELAXED INTO THE NEW YEAR?

THOSE ARE THINGS I STILL DON’T KNOW.

BUT THE CHOICES ARE THAT WE CAN EITHER BE OPTIMISTIC OR PESSIMISTIC ABOUT WATCHING OUR TEAMS IN ACTION IN 2021.

I’M GOING TO GO ALONG WITH LEAGUE OFFICIALS, AND STAY POSITIVE ABOUT IT.

AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED, THERE REALLY IS NO OTHER CHOICE.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.