TUESDAY COMMENTARY – LOOKING OUT FOR #1

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

THESE ARE INTERESTING TIMES IN THE CFL. ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?

ON MONDAY WORD CAME DOWN THAT SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS DEFENSIVE LINEMAN CHAD GETER IS RETIRING TO JOIN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.

FOR ME IT WAS A BIT OF A KICK TO THE GUT. FEW LOVE PLAYING THE GAME OF FOOTBALL MORE THAN CHAD GETER, A GARDNER-WEBB PRODUCT.

GO CHECK OUT HIS SOCIAL MEDIA. HE’S VERY ACTIVE, VERY VOCAL, AND IS A GREAT ALL-AROUND PERSON. BUT HE LOVED BEING A SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDER.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, CHAD DID VARIOUS THINGS TO MAKE ENDS MEET INCLUDING SELLING STEAK KNIVES AND PRODUCING A CLOTHING LINE WHICH PROVED TO BE QUITE POPULAR. (I EVEN BOUGHT SOME OF IT TO SUPPORT CHAD).

BUT WHEN DUTY CALLS, YOU GOTTA GO.

HERE’S HOPING THE USAF TURNS INTO A 25-YEAR CAREER OR SO FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA PRODUCT.

BUT IT’S A SHAME IT HAS TO BE THAT WAY. THE CFL HASN’T PLAYED IN 19 MONTHS WHICH MEANS NO PAYCHEQUES FOR WELL OVER A YEAR AND A HALF. COULD YOU SURVIVE ON THAT?

THAT OF COURSE DOESN’T COUNT THE MEAGER SCRAPS THE PLAYERS GOT FROM CANADA’S WAGE SUBSIDY WHICH, TO NO FAULT OF JUSTIN TRUDEAU, ISN’T GOING TO PUT MUCH FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR A YOUNG AMERICAN HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE EXCHANGE AND TAXES.

PROBABLY THE BIGGEST KICK TO THE GUT IS THAT NOBODY CARES. VIEWERS TO MY SHOW YESTERDAY EVEN SAID, “OH WELL. WITH GETER GONE THAT’LL GIVE A CHANCE TO SOMEBODY ELSE.”

JUST LIKE THAT. THE FANS STILL SEE PLAYERS AS BEING DISCARDABLE.

BUT I’VE LONG LOOKED AT IT THIS WAY: THE ONLY THING I’VE EVER WANTED TO DO IS WHAT I’M DOING RIGHT NOW. TALKING ON THE RADIO.

IF SOMEBODY TOOK THAT AWAY – NO MATTER THE REASON BUT ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS DUE TO A PANDEMIC WHERE IT SEEMS THE REST OF THE WORLD’S GOTTEN BACK TO NORMAL BUT US – I’D BE IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE RAGE.

BUT HEY – WE’RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER, RIGHT?

MORE LIKE YOU NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR NUMBER ONE.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(Photo: Sask Roughriders)