TUESDAY COMMENTARY – IT’S WEIRD, IT’S WHACKY, IT’S THE CFL DRAFT

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

IT’S ONE OF THE BIGGEST DAYS OF THE YEAR IN THE CFL.

IN FACT BEHIND THE HOME-OPENER AND THE GREY CUP, DRAFT DAY IS DEFINITELY IN THE TOP THREE.

AND TONITE AROUND 5:00 SASK TIME, THE 2021 CFL DRAFT WILL BE STAGED WITH ALL NINE TEAMS AND YOU CAN WATCH IT LIVE ON TSN.

THE STORIES OF COVERING DRAFT DAY COULD FILL A BOOK. WHILE THE CFL DRAFT DOESN’T PACK THE PUNCH OF ITS NFL, NHL, OR NBA COUSINS … IT’S STILL INCREDIBLY EXCITING.

I WAS THERE WHEN THE RIDERS TOOK SCOTT SCHULTZ, BEN HEENAN AND TYSON ST. JAMES NUMBER-ONE OVERALL OVER THE YEARS AND WHAT STRIKES ME THE MOST ARE … THE SMILES.

THIS IS A GREAT NEWS DAY FOR EVERYONE, EXCEPT THOSE WHO GET DON’T GET DRAFTED. BUT YOU CAN PUT THE LIKES OF ROB BAGG AND NEAL HUGHES IN THAT CATEGORY, AND THEY BOTH WENT ON TO HALL OF FAME CAREERS.

THE ROUGHRIDERS OWN THE NUMBER-TWO OVERALL PICK IN TONIGHT’S DRAFT AND THE HARDCORE RIDER PRIDERS ARE BUZZING OVER WHOM THEY’LL SELECT.

GENERAL MANAGER JEREMY O’DAY DOESN’T HAVE A LOT OF DRAFTS UNDER HIS BELT BUT LOOKING AT THE WAY HIS ROSTER IS SET UP, AND JUDGING BY LAST YEAR’S RESULTS, HE’LL BE LOOKING TO KEEP IT LOCAL.

THE RIDERS FAVOUR A CANADIAN GUARD-CENTRE-GUARD COMBO ON THE OFFENSIVE LIVE BUT THEY’RE PRETTY SET THERE. THEY’RE LIKELY IN THE MARKET TO REPLACE DEPARTED CANADIAN LINEBACKER CAMERON JUDGE AND SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIE NELSON LOKOMBO IS JUST SITTING THERE WAITING FOR THE RIDERS TO CALL HIS NAME.

LOKOMBO IS MY GUESS FOR WHOM THE RIDERS WILL TAKE WITH THEIR TOP SELECTION.

AFTER THAT, IT TRULY GETS INTO A CRAPSHOOT WITH A MAJOR MISHMASH OF A TALENT POOL INCLUDING PLAYERS WHO HAVEN’T PLAYED IN A YEAR OR TWO, AMERICAN COLLEGE PLAYERS WHO WILL ALSO HAVE NFL OPPORTUNITIES AND ODDLY ENOUGH, A PLAYER (REGINA’S JAKE BURT) WHO’S ALREADY BEEN IN THE NFL.

IT’S WEIRD, IT’S WHACKY, AND IT’S ON BRAND WITH THE CFL.

ENJOY THE NIGHT.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY.