WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – YOU CAN’T SCHEDULE FEELINGS

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

IT’S TIME ONCE AGAIN TO EXAMINE WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE CFL.

THE RIDERS’ ANNOUNCEMENT ON MONDAY THAT 6-TIME ALL-STAR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN BRENDON LABATTE WILL OPT OUT OF THE 2021 SEASON SENT SHOCK WAVES ACROSS THE CFL, FAR BEYOND THIS PROVINCE’S BORDERS.

GM JEREMY O’DAY SAID “BLUE” MADE THE DECISION AFTER WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS OF DEALING WITH THE “CIRCUMSTANCES” THE LEAGUE IS FACING IN ITS RETURN TO PLAY. THAT MEANS HE’S NOT INTERESTED IN LIVING UNDER THE STRICT CONDITIONS CFL PLAYERS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW.

HE’S NOT THE ONLY ONE.

WE’VE DISCUSSED OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS ALL THE PLAYER RETIREMENTS WHICH HAVE HIT ON THE CUSP OF TRAINING CAMP, AND THERE WILL BE MORE.

REIGNING LEAGUE M-V-P BRANDON BANKS TWEETED YESTERDAY THAT HE’S WONDERING IF IT’S WORTH IT TO COME BACK TO PLAY “FOR NEXT TO NOTHING”.

THAT TWEET HAS SINCE BEEN DELETED, BUT I SAW IT.

AND CONSIDER THAT SPEEDY B AND BRENDON LABATTE RANK IN THE LEAGUE’S HIGHEST-PAID CLASS. IF THEY’RE WONDERING IF IT’S WORTH IT – OR IN BLUE’S CASE, DECIDING THAT IT’S NOT – WHAT DOES THIS SAY FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF PLAYERS WHO DON’T EARN ANYWHERE NEAR AS MUCH?

YOU’D HAVE THOUGHT THESE PLAYERS WOULD’VE MADE THEIR DECISION MONTHS BEFORE TRAINING CAMP BUT AS I’VE LEARNED IN THE RECOVERY BUSINESS, YOU CAN’T SCHEDULE FEELINGS.

IT CAME TIME TO PUT UP OR SHUT-UP, AND THEY WERE FORCED INTO THEIR ULTIMATE DECISION.

MEANWHILE LABATTE’S ANNOUNCEMENT SENT THE RIDERS, THE MEDIA, AND FANS SCURRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO WILL BE THE STARTING FIVE ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE ON AUGUST 6 VERSUS BC.

IT’S CERTAINLY A “NEXT MAN UP” SITUATION BUT I ALWAYS THINK OF THE WORDS OF THE LATE RIDER ASSISTANT GM BOB VESPAZIANI WHO WAS FOND OF SAYING “BETTER IS BETTER”.

THEY WILL NOT FIND SOMEONE BETTER THAN BRENDON LABATTE.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY