WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – TAKE FLIGHT

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

SASKATCHEWAN IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE A JETS PROVINCE SO THERE’S LITTLE WONDER WHY THERE’S SO MUCH TALK ABOUT JETS GM KEVIN CHEVELDAYOFF’S ROLE IN THE BLACKHAWKS SEX ABUSE SCANDAL.

KEVIN AND JETS OWNER MARK CHIPMAN ARE GETTING KUDOS FOR THEIR HANDLING OF THE SITUATION IN A TUESDAY NEWS CONFERENCE, OFFERING SYMPATHY TO THE VICTIM KYLE BEACH, AND VOWING TO DO THEIR PART TO CHANGE THE GAME.

CHIPMAN ALSO GOT CHOKED UP WHEN ADMITTING HE’S SEEN FIRSTHAND THE DEVASTATION THAT SEX ABUSE CAUSES.

I’VE BEEN JADED BY MY TIME AROUND SPORTS EXECUTIVES AND OWNERS AT TIMES – IT’S WHY I’M SO HESITANT TO GO BACK – BUT FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM MY FRIENDS IN THE JETS ORGANIZATION, CHIPMAN’S THE REAL DEAL. THEY LOVE WORKING FOR HIM. I KNOW FIRSTHAND THAT CHEVELDAYOFF IS AS WELL.

HONESTLY IT’S A BIG REASON WHY THE JETS ARE A CONTENDER EVERY YEAR, AND ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL NHL FRANCHISES EVERY YEAR DESPITE SEVERAL CHALLENGES. IT STARTS AT THE TOP.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT THEY SAID TUESDAY, I BELIEVE THEM.

BUT DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND READ THE COLUMN FROM WRITER MIKE STACKHOUSE ON OUR WEBSITE RODPEDERSEN.COM ENTITLED “STACKHOUSE’S 10 THOUGHTS”.

EACH ONE IS DEDICATED TO THE BLACKHAWKS CASE AND MIKE RAISES MANY MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.

WHO KNEW WHAT WHEN? WHY DIDN’T THEY DO THIS, OR THAT? WHY DID SO AND SO DO THIS WHEN HE CLEARLY KNEW SOMETHING?

I’VE BEEN AT THIS GIG A LONG TIME AND LATELY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIMS EVERY SINGLE DAY IN MY OTHER CAREER.

A SAYING I HEARD A FEW YEARS AGO KEEPS RINGING IN MY EARS AND IT GOES, “WHEN THINGS DON’T ADD UP, IT’S BECAUSE THEY DON’T.”

EVERYBODY’S JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS, POINTING FINGERS, SAYING THINGS THEY CAN’T TAKE BACK AND THE SITUATION, TO ME, IS GETTING FAR WORSE INSTEAD OF BETTER.

I’M TOLD – BY PEOPLE I TRUST – THAT ALL THE FACTS HAVE NOT YET COME OUT.

I’M ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THEM BUT AS EACH DAY GOES BY, I’M STARTING TO WONDER IF THEY EVER WILL.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY