WEDNESDAY SHOW RECAP: NAME CHANGES AND CFL/NFL TALK

The guys tackled the day’s hottest sports news with more big names on Episode #261 of The Rod Pedersen Show! Here are the highlights:

• Rod, Dupes and 10-year CFL’er Mike Abou-Mechrek got it going with The Rollout for Flooring Superstores covering these Quick Six show topics: 1) Should the Edmonton Eskimos change their name?, 2) Odds to win the Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference (BettingProps.com favours Colorado), 3) Good news/bad news for the CFL’s Return To Play, 4) MLS Is Back opens Wednesday night with Orlando versus Miami, 5) Gord Burnett joins the Moose Jaw Warriors coaching staff and 6) A CFL SIM doubleheader Thursday on Facebook Live featuring Stampeders/Ticats and Argonauts/Roughriders!
• We introduced Abou to a national TV audience on Game+ and he had four months of pent up opinions ready to go. Regarding sponsor pressure on the Eskimos to change their name, RP reasoned that sponsors shouldn’t affect how teams do business and that BelAirDirect didn’t have a problem with the Eskimos name when they initially signed the deal? Abou said the term “Eskimos” isn’t as offensive as “Redskins” and explained why.
• Blue Bombers greats Doug Brown and Obby Khan – both former teammates of Abou’s – told a Winnipeg newspaper they feel the CFL should scrap the season and the panel debated this revelation. Rod and Abou agreed that it’s a case of “out of sight, out of mind” and that the CFL should do whatever it takes to play games in 2020. They admitted it may be tough to convince American players to play on 1/3 of their salary, given the Canadian exchange rate and the cost of living.
• The CFL on CBC’s Mark Lee joined the show from Toronto to discuss broadcasting Professional Bull Riding events off a monitor in Toronto, his reflections of the 2007 Grey Cup (his last CFL broadcast) and some of the great storylines in that game. Mark also discussed broadcasting the 2019 Vanier Cup in Quebec City and what the CFL may look like when it emerges from the pandemic. He’s in favour of Moncton getting a franchise.
• Hour 2 was broadcast on Facebook Live only and TSN CFL Insider Dave Naylor joined the show from Toronto. He reported that there isn’t much news today, however he examined the CFL’s efforts to get on the field in 2020. He feels Canada’s done a good job of keeping COVID cases relatively low, but how long will that go on? Nayls also explained his stance that the CFL can survive without games in 2020 but agreed with Rod that won’t happen without financial assistance from the Federal government.
• RP Show Director of Scouting Craig Smith joined the show via video chat to discuss ESPN’s analysis that nine NFL teams whiffed on taking Patrick Mahomes before he went 10th overall to Kansas City in 2017. Smitty explained how difficult the scouting business is, said some teams may have had a different need, and that Mahomes was labelled a “system quarterback” coming out of Texas Tech. The panel then veered off into a CFL discussion and Smith feels the notion of “NFL Canada” should be an absolute last resort. He feels it would be calamitous for Canada to give up control of pro football in this country.
• The daily Capital Auto Mall/Universal Collision Centre poll question was: Will the Eskimos change their name due to sponsor pressure? At press time, 53% of respondents said yes.
• You can vote now on our Twitter poll for the Rockstar of the Day for RoxDar Supply Chain Solutions. At press time, Abou was leading. Tuesday’s vote was won DUBNetwork’s Paul Figler.
• Wednesday’s show is available for viewing now on our Facebook page, you can listen to the podcast anytime by clicking on the PODCAST tab at the top of this page, or you can listen anytime to our 24-hour live audio stream at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive.
• See you at 10 am MT on Thursday on Game+ TV Network, Facebook Live and RodPedersen.com/ListenLive!