WEDNESDAY RUNDOWN: JOHN PADDOCK & ARASH MADANI
We covered the hottest sports topics on Episode #377 of The RP Show – Canada’s Daytime Sports Talk Show – on Wednesday. Here’s the rundown!:
- Rod and Dupes got it going with The Warmup for Four Seasons Sports Palace covering these Quick Six show topics: 1) The Ravens embarrassed the Cowboys 34-17 on Thursday Night Football, 2) Dez Bryant was scratched from the game with a positive Covid test and threatened to quit on the season, 3) Dupes’ Power 5 NFL Rankings are – Kansas City, New Orleans, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, 4) RP’s hockey sources have been up and down on a Return To Play, 5) Farhan Lalji reported on TSN Edmonton radio that CFL QB salaries could be capped at $200,000, and 6) Edmonton Football Club head coach Scott Milanovich reveals his coaching staff has been trimmed to six coaches.
- A bonus topic was the Vegas Golden Knights reportedly shopping franchise star Max Pacioretty in order to get under the salary cap, and facing criticism. Rod said if “Patches” wanted to stay in Vegas, he could rip up his deal and sign for less. However since the union frowns on that, RP feels this is what the players get. It’s the price you pay for big salaries, and Pacioretty earned $7-million US last year.
- Regina Pats GM John Paddock joined the show from his office at the Brandt Centre and explained why the league’s optimistic it will be able to start the 2020-21 season on January 8. He said the focus is narrowing on how they’ll do it, and discussions with health officials suggest they’ll be able to pull it off. Regarding Connor Bedard’s rookie season, Paddock predicted around a 0.75 Points Per Game average, but admitted it’s difficult to predict. The former Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Phantoms coach took questions from viewers about coaching Teemu Selanne and the Philly sports market.
- Hour 2 was simulcast on Game+ TV and Facebook Live and after re-upping the Quick Six, we were joined by Sportsnet’s Arash Madani. He discussed the 2020 Lou Marsh Award being split between Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Alphonso Davies. He admitted that Pittsburgh Steelers rookie WR Chase Claypool got some consideration but in the end, the performances of the other two were too hard to ignore. Regarding the CFL, Arash is still mystified how the league can continue to cut player and coach wages, yet seemingly ignore fat salaries for top executives. He feels the absence of a publicly-acknowledged business plan for 2021 proves the league still wants to operate the same old way. Regarding his Vikings being mathematically in the picture for a playoff spot, Arash feels the team isn’t going anywhere.
- Rod went into an unscheduled rant on Canadian TV sports networks devoting so much time to European soccer networks, and ignoring junior hockey, lacrosse and the league. He feels the network was built on those leagues. A viewer pointed out that soccer is one of the only sports that’s been able to play, and shouldn’t be villified.
- Thursday’s show is available for viewing now on our Facebook page, you can catch the replay at 4:00 pm ET on Game+, listen to the podcast by clicking on the CONTENT tab at the top of this page, or listen anytime to our 24-hour live audio feed presented by SUDS Full Service Car Wash at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive.
- Join us at 10:00 am CT Thursday on Facebook Live and 12:00 pm ET on Game+. Our guest list includes Les Lazaruk and Gus Frerotte!
