THURSDAY COMMENTARY – QUITE A DAY
(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 FM & Rock 98.5 FM)
IT WAS QUITE A DAY IN SPORTS.
IT BEGAN WITH THE NEWS THAT THE CFL HAS BROKEN OFF TALKS WITH THE XFL ABOUT A POTENTIAL COLLABORATION.
A MERGER? FORGET IT.
THE CONJECTURE AND HAND-WRINGING THAT’S GONE ON SINCE THE CFL FIRST DROPPED THE BOMB ON MARCH 10 THAT IT HAD OPENED TALKS WITH THE XFL HAS BEEN HEAD-SPINNING.
IF THE CFL SIMPLY WANTED TO DRUM UP INTEREST AS A DISTRACTION FROM ITS COVID PROBLEMS, THEN IT’S MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
BUT THERE’S QUITE A BIT OF COLLATERAL DAMAGE LEFT BEHIND. IT SEEMED TO TEAR APART A FANBASE ALTHOUGH IT’S CLEAR MOST CANADIANS DIDN’T WANT TO SEE THE CFL CHANGED AT ALL.
BUT WILL THE DISCUSSION REAR ITS HEAD NEXT WINTER? PROBABLY ONLY COMMISSIONER RANDY AMBROSIE KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THAT.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE GET THROUGH THIS SEASON AND THEN THE ARGONAUTS AND ALOUETTES CHOOSE TO LEAVE THE CFL AND JOIN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE? THEY WERE THE ONES RUMOURED TO BE PUSHING A MERGER.
I GUESS THE CFL WILL BURN THAT BRIDGE WHEN THEY GET TO IT.
TO ME THE WHOLE THING SMACKED OF A WILD GOOSE CHASE, AND DOESN’T MAKE THE LEAGUE LOOK VERY GOOD.
AND THE DAY CLOSED WITH THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING CLAIMING THEIR SECOND STRAIGHT STANLEY CUP, WITH AN EYE-GLAZING 1-0 VICTORY OVER THE MONTREAL CANADIENS IN FLORIDA.
MY PHONE WAS BUZZING FROM FRIENDS AND MEDIA TYPES WHO FELT THE GAME WAS BORING, AND THAT THE FINALE PUNCTUATED A SIMILARLY FLAT STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS.
LOOK … TO ME, HOCKEY IS LIKE PIZZA – IT’S ALL GOOD. SOME IS JUST BETTER THAN OTHERS.
AND THE LIGHTNING CERTAINLY MAKE NO APOLOGIES FOR THEIR SUFFOCATING STYLE, WHICH IS REMINISCENT OF THE 1990’S NEW JERSEY DEVILS. THEY WON STANLEY CUPS TOO, AND NEVER ONCE SAID SORRY.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT HOCKEY SEASON IS NOW OFFICIALLY OVER.
TIME FOR CFL SEASON.
THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY
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I really appreciate the CFL commentary because post pandemic everything is at a cross roads. When I hear the majority of Canadians want the CFL to remain the same count me in there. Realistically though I am almost 50 and to coin The Rock, “it doesn’t matter what you want.” I buy a ticket, but the large and vast majority of Canadians are not buying tickets, merchandise or following this league. In the heartland of the CFL we are not even selling out games pre-covid in a new stadium. The CFL has never evolved. It’s the same old same old… Read more »