WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – CENTRE STAGE
(Listen daily for the RP Commentary on Cat Country 98 & LTD Radio)
You know what Wednesday is – the day for random thoughts on this commentary. Here we go:
#1 – After an odd day off across the National Hockey League, they get back at it today with a wild 14-game slate. And there are some good ones, including Boston here at Florida, the Jets at Tampa, Oilers at Carolina, Flames at Nashville and Canadiens at Anaheim.
They say U.S. Thanksgiving is the cutoff line in the NHL regular season. Where the wheat separates from the chaff. And U.S. Thanksgiving is tomorrow.
So I take that as meaning tonight is must-win for some of those teams, or the decision will need to be made to scrap the season.
#2 – The CFL season is now over, the Montreal Alouettes Grey Cup victory parade is today, and really the only news item I can see between now and free agency is who the next coach of the Roughriders will be.
Sounds like we should know by December 1st. Personally I don’t care for the pomp, circumstance and pageantry of how the Riders are going about this – casting a wide net and asking for permission to interview candidates they have no intention of hiring – but there are many ways to skin a cat.
In the end, I just hope they make the right choice.
#3 – I had a hockey guy in Lethbridge tell me this week he’s glad football’s over so that we can concentrate on hockey on The RP Show. But I had to tell him, sorry to disappoint, but we still got the home half of the NFL season plus the College Football Bowl season coming up, and playoff.
We can speak hockey and football fluently on our show, so why wouldn’t we?
And #4 – I am pleased to be able to devote more time to Junior Hockey now and I’ve been keeping real close tabs on Junior A in particular. The Flin Flon Bombers remain the #1 team in all of Canada so we can start pencilling them in for the Centennial Cup in Oakville.
They’re followed in the Top 10 by Brooks, Collingwood, Steinbach, Trenton, Sherwood Park, Winkler, Summerside and Cornwall.
It feels good to say those names, and know that hockey is now centre stage.
That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm & 5 pm ET on Game+TV, WQEE Radio, YouTube Live & Podcast)
With regards to the “next great Roughrider Coach” – okay. All candidates who have zero intention of being hire must attend interviews because that’ts how to network and also confirm why some organizations are garbage top to bottom. If I were to counsel any prospective Head Coach who is now an Assistant or a former Head Coach trying to get back in just always remember who you are dealing with. This job interview with the Roughriders is straight forward. If you’re from a winning organization that has a culture you simply show up ala Nick Saban/Andy Reid with your binder… Read more »
Excellent post and so true!! I know if I was a good head coach I wouldn’t want to have anything to do with those two clowns. Sure would be interesting to know how many people have turned it down already. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s like the offensive coordinator job last year offering the job to 6 different people before Jeffery finally accepted it. How embarrassing for an organization!!
Flin Flon win in the playoffs? Ha! 30 years and counting!
I cannot disagree with either of you. I once to was a season ticket holder. Took my wife and two daughters to every game. I decided to not renew because of management. Our kids now enjoy watching the rams and huskies play football. Those young men actually play with a heart and passion trying to get drafted. When i saw Marshall was arrested for a gun violation I wasn’t surprised. Dude thinks he’s a gangster and not a football player. I thought we were done with guys like like after the dewdney incident
I was also a longtime season ticket holder but now I refuse to spent a single cent on anything to do with the Riders as long as this management stays the same.