THURSDAY COMMENTARY – GUARANTEED WIN

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

IT’S THURSDAY AND TIME FOR AN EDITION OF THE GOOD, THE GREAT & THE UGLY IN THE WORLD OF SPORTS …

FIRST THE GOOD: IT’S GETTING SOME CRITICISM BUT THE REGINA PATS PROMOTION FRIDAY NIGHT OF A GUARANTEED WIN VERSUS THE WINNIPEG ICE IN THE BRANDT CENTRE GETS THE THUMBS-UP FROM ME.

OF COURSE IT’S BRASH, AND THE FIRST I HEARD OF THIS PROMOTION WAS IN THE 1980’S WITH THESE VERY SAME REGINA PATS. RADIO AND MARKETING MAN KEVIN GALLANT WAS BEHIND IT BACK THEN AND I’M SURE KEVY WOULD TELL YOU IT WAS ALL HIS IDEA EVEN IF IT WASN’T!

THIS TIME IT APPEARS PATS OWNER SHAUN SEMPLE IS BEHIND IT AND IF HIS PATS DON’T WIN ON FRIDAY, YOU’LL GET A TICKET TO A GAME NEXT YEAR.

IT’S NOT GENIUS. IT’S RECYCLED. BUT WHO CARES? ANY CHANCE TO SEE CONNOR BEDARD IS WORTH IT.

NEXT, THE GREAT: THIS ONE’S CLEAN AND SIMPLE. THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS FACE THE CALGARY FLAMES HERE AT THE SADDLEDOME TONIGHT AND I’LL HAVE A FRONT ROW SEAT. THAT’S AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

AND LASTLY, THE UGLY: SORRY TO BE A DEBBIE DOWNER BUT THIS CFL FOUR DOWNS TALK WON’T GO AWAY AND IT’S BECOME MORE THAN A LITTLE ANNOYING.

IT’S GONE FAR ENOUGH THAT THE LEAGUE OWNERS PUT IT TO A VOTE AND TWO TEAMS WERE REPORTEDLY IN FAVOUR OF FOUR DOWNS; THE ARGONAUTS AND STAMPEDERS.

I TALK TO CFL PEOPLE EVERYDAY – MOSTLY COACHES AND PLAYERS – AND THEY’RE PRETTY UPSET ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THE CFL IS A GREAT PRODUCT AND DOESN’T NEED TO CHANGE.

DECLINING ATTENDANCE AND LEAGUE POPULARITY ISN’T DUE TO THE ON-FIELD PRODUCT. 

SO … WHERE IS THIS TALK COMING FROM AND WHY?

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY.

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live and listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)