TUESDAY COMMENTARY – AS THE CFL WORLD TURNS

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

ONE THING ABOUT THE CFL; IT’S ALWAYS ENTERTAINING.

THIS YEAR, NOT SO MUCH ON THE FIELD AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT IT’S THE LOWEST-SCORING SEASON SINCE 1974.

BUT I’VE LONG BEEN AS ENTERTAINED BY WHAT’S GOING ON OFF THE FIELD.

THIS COMMENTARY HAD LONG CALLED FOR THE FIRING OF OTTAWA REDBLACKS GM MARCEL DESJARDINS AND IT FINALLY HAPPENED LAST WEEK.

AT 2-10, WHAT ELSE WERE THEY GOING TO DO?

THE INSIDERS FEEL THE REDBLACKS WILL EVENTUALLY REMOVE THE INTERIM TAG FROM ACTING GM JEREMY SNYDER.

WHAT’S EXTREMELY CURIOUS IS THE SITUATION IN EDMONTON. AT 2-9, THE ELKS ARE BY FAR THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE CFL THIS SEASON AND THE MEDIA IS CALLING FOR A TEAM-WIDE FIRING; OF THE PRESIDENT, GM, COACHES AND PRETTY MUCH ANYONE WITH A HEARTBEAT.

WHAT A PINCH THE ELKS ARE IN. IF THE BOARD LOSES ITS NERVE AND REMAINS STATUS QUO, THEY’RE LIKELY DOOMED. IF THEY DON’T MAKE CHANGES, THE STADIUM WILL BE EMPTIER NEXT SEASON THAN IT IS RIGHT NOW. WHICH IS SAYING A LOT.

THE CALGARY STAMPEDERS ARE WAITING IN THE WEEDS, GETTING STRONGER, AND ADDING TO THEIR ROSTER. ON MONDAY THEY ADDED VETERAN WIDE RECEIVER REGGIE BEGELTON, WHOM HAS NFL CREDENTIALS. THE STAMPS ARE PROVING THAT IT’S NOT HOW YOU START, BUT RATHER HOW YOU FINISH.

THE SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS STARTED 3-0, SUFFERED SOME TURBULENCE, BUT NOW GO FOR A THIRD STRAIGHT WIN THIS WEEK AT EDMONTON. THEY’RE FAR FROM PERFECT, BUT THEY’RE 7-4. THAT’S ONE OFF MY PRESEASON WIN PREDICTION FOR THE GREEN & WHITE.

THE BC LIONS HAVE BEEN A DISAPPOINTMENT, AT 4-7. THEY BLEW LAST WEEK’S GAME AT TORONTO, WHICH WOULD’VE KEPT THEM IN CONTENTION FOR A PLAYOFF SPOT IN THE WEST. WITH THE CROSSOVER OUT OF THE PICTURE, IT APPEARS THE LIONS WILL MISS. THERE ARE RUMBLINGS OF CHANGES WITH THE LIONS – SOME EVEN LINKING CHRIS JONES TO THE WEST COAST – BUT I SERIOUSLY CAN’T SEE IT. HOWEVER NOTHING SURPRISES ME IN THIS LEAGUE.

WHAT I’M WATCHING FOR THE MOST IS HOW THINGS UNFOLD FOR THE WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS. AT 10-1, THEY ARE BY FAR THE CLASS OF THE LEAGUE AND THEY’RE STEAMROLLING EVERYBODY.

BUT WE’RE REMINDED OF THE 16-2 EDMONTON ESKIMOS OF 1989, WHOM WERE UPSET BY SASKATCHEWAN IN THE WEST FINAL, DENYING THEM THE TITLE OF THE GREATEST CFL TEAM EVER.

FOLKS AROUND HERE DON’T WANT TO ADMIT IT, BUT THE BLUE BOMBERS HAVE BECOME THE CFL’S MARQUEE FRANCHISE. THE PROOF IS STARING US IN THE FACE.

HOWEVER IF THEY DON’T WIN THE GREY CUP IN HAMILTON IN DECEMBER – BECOMING THE FIRST BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPS IN OVER A DECADE – THEY WON’T HAVE MUCH TO BRAG ABOUT.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY