TUESDAY COMMENTARY – OCEANFRONT PROPERTY

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

MANY RIDER FANS WILL FEEL THE ROAD TO THE GREY CUP BEGINS TUESDAY NIGHT WITH THE RESCHEDULED HOME PRESEASON GAME AGAINST THE WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS.

HOWEVER THOSE WHO REALLY KNOW ARE AWARE THE ROAD TO THE 2022 GREY CUP ACTUALLY BEGAN THE DAY SASKATCHEWAN WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE HOST OF THIS YEAR’S GREY CUP QUITE SOME TIME AGO.

TUESDAY’S EXHIBITION GAME IS JUST ANOTHER STEP IN THE JOURNEY BUT I’LL NEVER FORGET THE WORDS OF FAMED DALLAS COWBOYS RADIO VOICE BRAD SHAM WHO ONCE SAID, “PRESEASON GAMES DON’T COUNT, BUT THEY MATTER.”

IT’S A LONG LIST OF VETERAN STARS WHO WON’T SUIT UP AGAINST THE BOMBERS; MOST NOTABLY QUARTERBACK CODY FAJARDO.

I’M SURE CODY WANTS TO PLAY, BUT HEAD COACH CRAIG DICKENSON CLEARLY FEELS THE BATTLE FOR THE BACK-UP QUARTERBACK POSITIONS IS MORE IMPORTANT SO WE’LL SEE A ROTATION OF MASON FINE, JAKE DOLEGALA AND TROY WILLIAMS.

WE ALSO WON’T SEE THE LIKES OF SHAQ EVANS, DUKE WILLIAMS, BRETT LAUTHER, CHARLESTON HUGHES, MIKE EDEM AND A GOOD CHUNK OF THE STARTING OFFENSIVE LINE.

MAYBE IT’S A GOOD THING CODY WON’T PLAY!

HOWEVER FOR THE MANY ROOKIES ON THE RIDER ROSTER AND VETERANS ON THE BUBBLE, TUESDAY’S GAME HAS ALL THE IMPORTANCE OF A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. IF THEY DON’T SHINE WHEN THE LIGHTS COME ON, THEY WON’T BE AROUND TO CONTINUE THE ROAD TO THE GREY CUP.

AS FOR THE BOMBERS, STAR QUARTERBACK ZACH COLLAROS DIDN’T PLAY IN FRIDAY’S HOME 30-20 EXHIBITION LOSS TO EDMONTON. THIS GAME REPRESENTS WINNIPEG’S LAST CHANCE TO FINE TUNE FOR THE REGULAR SEASON SO I EXPECT THEY’LL PUT THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD.

(UPDATE: THERE ARE REPORTS ZACH COLLAROS WON’T PLAY FOR THE BOMBERS. IF TRUE, THAT SUCKS)

BOTH THE RIDERS AND BOMBERS ARE GREY CUP CONTENDERS AND HAVE BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK. FOR THAT REASON, I DON’T EXPECT THEM TO PUT MUCH STOCK INTO TUESDAY’S OUTCOME ON THE SCOREBOARD.

BUT IT SAYS HERE THAT WINNIPEG WILL WIN, LIKELY QUITE HANDILY. YOU CAN EVEN PUT SOME MONEY DOWN ON IT ON VARIOUS BETTING SITES.

HOWEVER IF YOU WANT TO BET ON CFL EXHIBITION GAMES, I ALSO HAVE SOME OCEANFRONT PROPERTY IN ARIZONA FOR SALE IF YOU’RE INTERESTED.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)

(Photo: Lisa Lukye)