THURSDAY COMMENTARY – THE WAY BACK

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

WHO’S FOLLOWING THE CFL EXTREMELY CLOSELY THESE DAYS?

I’M SURE MOST OF YOU ARE.

THE BIG NEWS THIS WEEK IS THE RETIREMENTS OF SEVERAL VETERAN PLAYERS INCLUDING THE RIDERS’ CHAD GETER AND TEX SHRAMM, EDMONTON’S DEREK DENNIS, THE REDBLACKS’ BRAD SINOPOLI AND FREE AGENT TAYLOR LOFFLER.

EVEN AS SOMEONE WHO’S WORKED IN THIS LEAGUE FOR DECADES, THESE DEVELOPMENTS SHOCKED ME. BUT UPON FURTHER REVIEW, THEY SHOULDN’T.

IT REALLY IS JUST A TIMING THING. HAVEN’T NOT EARNED A GAME CHEQUE IN 17 MONTHS, THESE GUYS WERE FORCED TO FIND A LIVING ELSEWHERE.

NOW THAT PUSH HAS COME TO SHOVE AND THEY NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON COMING TO TRAINING CAMP OR NOT, YOU SEE THE RESULT.

AN AGENT TOLD ME WEDNESDAY THAT IN HIS GUYS’ CASE, THEY’D EITHER LOST THEIR PASSION FOR FOOTBALL, HAD INJURY ISSUES, HAD FOUND WORK ELSEWHERE, OR A COMBINATION OF ALL THREE.

ON THE FLIPSIDE A VAST MANY MORE PLAYERS WERE FORCED WITH THIS DECISION AND ELECTED TO HEAD TO TRAINING CAMP AND CONTINUE THEIR CAREERS.

THAT’S THE GOOD NEWS. IT’S TRUE PLAYERS MOVE ON ALL THE TIME, AND THE PANDEMIC HAS JUST EXPEDITED THAT PROCESS FOR MANY.

BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, I’M NOT EVEN CERTAIN THE CFL IS IN THE RECOVERY PROCESS JUST YET. YES, THEY’RE PLAYING, BUT THE FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS ARE HARDER THAN EVER AND THEY WILL NEED TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO GET INTO THE CASUAL CANADIAN SPORTS FAN’S CONSCIENCE. ON WEDNESDAY THE ROUGHRIDERS ANNOUNCED A $7.5-MILLION LOSS IN 2020.

WE AN HELP WITH THAT.

BUT IT STILL VERY MUCH LOOKS LIKE THEY’RE PLAYING – SO LONG AS THEY CAN GET EVERY PLAYER INTO THE COUNTRY AND AVOID COVID OUTBREAKS ACROSS THE LEAGUE – AND THAT’S THE GOOD NEWS.

BOY IS THIS FASCINATING TO WATCH.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY