WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – THE PICKS ARE IN
(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 FM & Rock 98.5 FM)
IT REALLY FEELS REAL NOW!
THE CFL SEASON OPENING GAMES ARE JUST DAYS AWAY AND THE RETURN OF A COUPLE OF MAINSTAYS REALLY DROVE IT HOME EVEN MORE.
ON TUESDAY’S ROD PEDERSEN SHOW ON GAME+ TV, FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE LIVE, OUR DAILY POLL QUESTION WAS “WHICH IS CANADA’S GAME OF THE WEEK IN THE CFL?”
RUNNING ALMOST DEAD-EVEN IN THE POLLS WERE THE GREY CUP REMATCH OF HAMILTON AT WINNIPEG, AND THE WEST DIVISION SHOWDOWN AT MOSAIC STADIUM BETWEEN BC AND SASKATCHEWAN. THE OTHER TWO GAMES BARELY MOVED THE NEEDLE (WHICH WAS A LITTLE ODD).
THEN ON THE TV PROGRAM “IN THE HUDDLE” WHICH AIRS PROVINCE-WIDE ON ACCESS-NOW TV, FORMER RIDER MARSHALL HAMILTON AND I MADE OUR WEEKLY CFL PICKS. (A NICE BONUS WAS HAVING RIDER GREAT TYRON BRACKENRIDGE JOIN US FROM RIVERSIDE, CA).
IT FELT SURREAL TO TRULY BE TALKING FOOTBALL, AND TO HAVE TO PUT SOME THOUGHT INTO THE GAMES. SO HERE GOES:
HAMILTON AT WINNIPEG: THE TICATS ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING WITH A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER ALL YEAR FOR BLOWING A 15-3 SEASON LAST TIME OUT. BUT IT WON’T BE ENOUGH TO OVERTAKE THE BLUE BOMBERS ON AN EMOTIONAL, BANNER-RAISING NIGHT IN THEIR OWN STADIUM. WINNIPEG WINS.
BC AT SASKATCHEWAN: THIS, TO ME, IS WHAT THE ODDSMAKERS WOULD REFER TO AS A “PICK EM”. A TOSS-UP. WE REALLY DON’T KNOW WHAT EITHER SIDE HAS AND THE ODDSMAKERS I FOLLOW STILLHAVEN’T POSTED THE LINE. SO I’LL TAKE RIDERS BY LESS THAN THREE.
TORONTO AT CALGARY: IN A REMATCH OF THE 1971 GREY CUP – AND MORE EXCITEDLY THE RETURN OF CHARLESTON HUGHES TO MCMAHON – WE’VE GOT THE ARGOS TO WIN. WE’VE GOTTA PICK AN UPSET EACH WEEK AND THIS IS IT. PLUS, THERE’S ALREADY SOME CONCERN OVER BO LEVI MITCHELL’S HEALTH STATUS.
OTTAWA AT EDMONTON: THIS GAME SEEMS TO BE DRAWING THE LEAST INTEREST BUT TO ME, ALL CFL GAMES ARE GREAT. IN A REMATCH OF THE 2015 GREY CUP, EDMONTON WILL GET THE VICTORY AT COMMONWEALTH AND AN EARLY LEG UP IN THE CFL WEST STANDINGS. THEY’VE GOT A WEALTH OF TALENT AND BEATING OTTAWA WILL BE A HUGE CONFIDENCE-BUILDER.
I WOULDN’T TAKE THOSE PICKS TO THE BANK, BUT THERE THEY ARE.
THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY
Picking games is the easier part. Picking standings not so much, especially as COVID could decide some games & potentially ruin a good team’s chances. Hamilton/Winnipeg – Hamilton. Harris & Adams are out. There’ll be upsets likely early in the season but the TiCats are too good & Winnipeg, even without the above 2, is not the same team. If you consider losing Medlock, LaPolice, a couple of All-Star DB’s, the # 6 rusher (Streveler) bringing back the old gang – OOOkay. BC/Saskatchewan – the Home Team. I expect Reilly to play, maybe nursing an elbow. The Lions have a… Read more »