THURSDAY COMMENTARY – ON THE BUBBLE

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

THESE ARE EXCITING TIMES IN THE WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE. WILD AND WONDERFUL ACTUALLY!

WE’RE JUST WEEKS AWAY FROM THE WHL’S EAST DIVISION TEAMS HITTING THE ICE IN THE HUB CENTRE IN REGINA.

I’M CERTAINLY SEEING WHY TEAMS ACROSS ALL LEAGUES ARE PREACHING PATIENCE AND OPTIMISM AS THEY WORK THROUGH HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN A RETURN TO PLAY.

WHILE THE SASK GOVERNMENT HAS GREENLIGHTED THE DUB TO RETURN, AND THE SAME GOES IN ALBERTA AND WASHINGTON STATE, ALL THE DETAILS HAVEN’T BEEN FINALIZED.

AND WHAT YOU’D THINK IS THE TINIEST DETAIL COULD END UP BEING THE THREAD THAT PULLS THE WHOLE THING DOWN.

THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO REMEMBER THAT SPORTS AREN’T JUST ABOUT THE PLAYERS AND COACHES, ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE IT.

BROADCASTERS, SCOUTS, TEAM SUPPORT STAFF, BUS DRIVERS, PENALTY BOX ATTENDANTS, REFEREES, AND A LIST OF OTHERS ALL WANT TO KNOW IF THEY’LL BE ALLOWED INTO “THE BUBBLE”.

THE WORD I GOT THIS MORNING FROM A DUB GM WAS “WE DON’T KNOW YET, BUT HOPE TO KNOW SOON.”

I’M CERTAIN WE’VE NEVER BEEN RIDDLED WITH THIS MUCH ANXIETY AT ANY POINT IN OUR LIFETIMES! WILL THEY, OR WON’T THEY? THE ANSWER AFFECTS OUR LIVES A GREAT DEAL AND THE ROLLER COASTER OF EMOTIONS THAT COMES WITH IT IS GREATER THAN ANYTHING YOU’D STRAP YOURSELF INTO AT DISNEYLAND.

AND THAT’S JUST THE WHL. ONE DAY WE’LL TALK ABOUT THE EMOTIONS THE PLAYERS AND COACHES ARE GOING THROUGH IN THE SJHL.

IT’S NOT NEARLY AS OPTIMISTIC.

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