THURSDAY COMMENTARY – IT’S GETTING GOOD

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

THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR THAT FOOTBALL FANS LIVE FOR.

WE’RE A LITTLE BACKED UP WITH DIVISION SEMIFINAL WEEKEND PUSHED TO THE END OF THE MONTH RATHER THAN REMEMBRANCE DAY WEEKEND, BUT PLAYOFFS ARE UNMISTAKABLY IN THE AIR.

AND A SURE SIGN OF THE BEGINNING OF WINTER IS THE RIDERS MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER NOMINEES BEING ANNOUNCED, WHICH CAME DOWN ON WEDNESDAY.

QUARTERBACK CODY FAJARDO WAS AGAIN NAMED TEAM MVP – NO SURPRISE – WHILE LOUCHEIZ PURIFOY WAS NAMED TOPS ON DEFENCE, DAN CLARK WON LINEMAN OF THE YEAR, BRETT LAUTHER WAS NAMED MOST OUTSTANDING SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER, RECEIVER KIAN SCHAFFER-BAKER WON ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AND LINEBACKER MICAH TEITZ WAS NAMED TOP CANADIAN.

ALL DESERVING WINNERS, AND NO ARGUMENTS HERE.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE RIDERS IS A MEANINGLESS GAME AT HAMILTON THIS SATURDAY AND WE ALREADY KNOW SOPHOMORE ISAAC HARKER WILL START AT QUARTERBACK SO AT THE VERY LEAST, IT’S NOT MEANINGLESS FOR HIM.

THE TICATS WILL COME OUT BREATHING FIRE HOWEVER, AS THEY NEED A WIN TO NAIL DOWN SECOND PLACE IN THE EAST AND HOMEFIELD IN THE PLAYOFFS. THAT’S ENOUGH REASON RIGHT THERE TO WATCH THIS GAME.

BUT THEN IT’S PLAYOFF TIME AND IT’S WHAT WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.

AS USUAL, THE ROAD TO THE GREY CUP WILL BE A TREACHEROUS ONE. IN THE PRESEASON I PICKED A SASKATCHEWAN-HAMILTON GREY CUP BUT NOW I’M NOT SO SURE.

YOU’VE NOTICED THESE ROUGHRIDERS AREN’T PERFECT – FEW TEAMS ARE – BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THROUGH WINNIPEG AND THE BLUE BOMBERS APPEAR TO BE AS PERFECT AS A CFL TEAM CAN GET.

AND DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE CALGARY STAMPEDERS WHOM THE RIDERS WILL HAVE TO FACE FIRST. AT LEAST THE GAME WILL BE IN REGINA, BUT THE STAMPS HAVE SNEAKILY BEEN ONE OF THE CFL’S HOTTEST TEAMS IN THE SECOND HALF. THEY WON IN REGINA THE LAST TIME THEY WERE HERE.

IF SOMEBODY PLANTED THE NOTION THAT CALGARY QUARTERBACK BO LEVI MITCHELL IS SLOWING DOWN AND HIS BEST DAYS ARE BEHIND HIM, THAT WOULD PROBABLY PROVIDE ENOUGH MOTIVATION FOR HIM TO COME IN AND LEAD AN UPSET.

THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.

BUT OH YEAH, THE TICATS ARE FIRST.

THAT’S THE ONLY BAD THING ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Contact your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen here)