20 WEEKEND RANDOM THOUGHTS FOR UNIVERSAL COLLISION CENTRE

Some are even about sports …

1 – The golfers are on the course. The farmers are in the field. If the Roughriders were in training camp, this would be a typical Saskatchewan summer. But they’re not. It’s Day 66 of the pandemic, training camp is postponed, and chaos continues to reign.

2 – Talked to a close friend in Montreal this week. You’d know his name, but I can’t divulge it for privacy reasons. He’s recovered from Coronavirus, but says it kicked his ass. He’s a sports-type guy, but explained why sports aren’t viewed as important right now by the Feds and health officials across the land. For what it’s worth he doesn’t think the CFL will play this year but figures the NHL will, and a hot Carey Price will lead the Canadiens to their 25th Stanley Cup in a shortened tournament.

3 – When people ask daily if there will be a CFL season in 2020, I feel gross whenever I say no. I go back and forth based on what I hear. I wonder if it’s the same for the politicos in Ottawa. The fate of the CFL hinges on whether the league gets funding (Federal aid or otherwise) and methinks that’ll come down to whether or not the CFL makes a strong enough case for it. Do you have faith the CFL leaders can make a convincing enough proposal?

4 – If you drew up a list of the pros and cons of why the CFL should get aid, both are lengthy. The pluses include the economic spinoff (a billion-plus yearly), the thousands of jobs, the league history and the national pride. The negatives could be “If we give it to you we have to give it to every other league” (whatever that’s called in political speak, but it’s a big one), the American player subsidy debate, what’s the short- and long-term future of the CFL?, and more. It’s dicey.

5 – If Ottawa says there’s no room at the inn and the Provinces say no too (some already are), then we’ll be looking at a Save Our CFL campaign where Canadians and CFL fans around the world will be asked to dig into their pockets. There’s always the lifeline of going to the NFL for help — the biggest sports league in the world. Purists eschew that idea because it could lead to changes in the rules, field dimensions, rosters, etc. Unfortunately guys, the NFL is holding all the cards.

6 – There’s some optimism around a shortened season kicking off in September. BC Lions President Rick LeLacheur told the team’s website that’s a scenario they’re investigating. Fans have piped up with: “How can that happen when the borders are closed?” I’ll counter with this: How can the NHL be investigating resuming play in BC as well? 25.7% of NHL players are American. And also please don’t forget what Dr. Anthony Fauci told Peter King of NBC Sports: The situation will be a lot different in September than it is now.

7 – These are the positive scenarios. But if 2020 is wiped out and the CFL folds (which is still a possibility) I suggest the rebirth of the League – the REAL CFL 2.0 – where we start over from scratch. There will be 10 teams across Canada paying an expansion fee of $500,000 and a committee will select 10 markets who’ve met the proper criteria. (Imagine the Saskatoon Stallions meeting the Moncton Machine at Griffiths Stadium in Week 1 on TSN!). This would inject $5-million into league coffers right out of the gate. I still don’t think there’s a need for NFL funding but if we went down that road, NFL teams could divvy up the CFL and send prospects here similar to the NHL, AHL and ECHL agreements. Each of the CFL’s 10 franchises would be affiliated with 3 NFL teams. (Saskatchewan’s would be Green Bay, Detroit, and Chicago. Jordan Love would compete with Cody Fajardo for the #1 QB job. The Bears could send under-performing QB Mitch Trubisky to “the minors” rather than burning his contract).

8 – My partner in crime Darren Dupont has suggested a full-on NFL Canada, which would spell the end of the CFL as we know it but would immediately open up Canadian football as a global entity/brand. I’m not sure we’re there yet but now’s the time for ideas, and, desperate times call for desperate measures.

9 – But we’re not that desperate that we need to get on our knees and call Vince McMahon. That suggestion came out of nowhere this week and made me roll my eyes. Explain to me why the WWE and XFL boss would have any interest in owning the CFL? The biggest roadblock there is that McMahon has long wanted a spring league to fill a void on the American sports calendar. The CFL won’t and CAN’T play in February/March like they do in Florida, Texas, etc. I suggested a CFL/XFL merger last winter only if McMahon would be willing to move his games to the fall, which he isn’t.

10 – Is it a coincidence? 3DownNation’s Justin Dunk thinks it is, that the CFL has lost some pretty big figures in Travis Lulay, Jeff Hunt, Anthony Leblanc and players like Mark Mackie and Jake Bennett (to retirement) all within the last few months. Is it just a case of timing? Or are people fleeing the burning building? I’d suggest a combination of both but the saddest case is the departure of Jeff Hunt from the Ottawa RedBlacks/OSEG ownership group. He’s a WINNER (1999 Memorial Cup and 2016 Grey Cup) and is a mind the CFL can ill-afford to lose. We became great friends at the 2001 Memorial Cup in Regina and at times since, he’s expressed frustration at how the CFL does things. Good luck Jeff!

11 – I wish we were discussing position battles, dissecting QB stats and West Division favourites rather than how to save the CFL. But as American novelist Lev Grossman said, “Wishing doesn’t make it so”. This is the reality we face. Everyone’s going to need to step up and do their part when called upon. Are you going to be ready?

12 – From Blue Bombers great kicker Trevor Kennerd on Facebook: “Canadians need the CFL. The league office, all 9 teams and the CFLPA should be fighting tooth & nail to deliver a CFL this year – even a shortened season. CFL fans have been in social distancing camp for months now and will be ready to attend games and still be safe. Long live the CFL!” — We will need much more of this from each and everyone who holds the CFL near and dear to their heart.

13 – Other news. CHL franchises (teams in the WHL, OHL and QMJHL) had to pay a combined $30-million this week to former players who sued for back pay as minimum wage workers. This is too big of an issue to get into here – we’ll save it for a full day on The Rod Pedersen Show – but this whole situation is distasteful and needless. Major junior players are treated like kings and almost every former junior player I know says it was the best time of his life. They wouldn’t change a thing. Those who sued the CHL may have come out the winners here, but they will be losers in life.

14 – Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Blake Snell told the Bar Stool Sports podcast this week that he won’t take the field in 2020 if he’s not paid his full $10-million salary. He made no apologies and Bryce Harper agreed. It’s certainly selfish and disgusting, but it could give us a glimpse into the mindset of a lot of pro athletes at this time. It’s all well-and-good for the owners and executives to figure out a way to play, but it means nothing if the players aren’t prepared to step on the field without a deal they find acceptable. It’s not right, but that’s the way it is.

15 – Blake Snell says this, and Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is accused of having a house party that didn’t observe social distancing and isolation guidelines set forth by the State of Texas (it couldn’t be proven, so it was dismissed). How many times have I told you these guys don’t live in reality? In my Recovery Coaching business I’ve worked with clients from the NFL and MLB. Many in the NHL are no different. Their world is different than yours and mine and it can be tough to get them to see the world through anyone else’s eyes. However that doesn’t make them right.

16 – Why do I get tingles thinking about Monday evening? Melfort routed Yorkton 6-1 in Saturday night’s Game 4 of the SJHL’s Virtual Canalta Cup, giving the Mustangs a 3-1 lead in the championship on Twitch TV. A win Monday night at the Northern Lights Palace in Melfort will give the Mustangs the title! The Voice of the Mustangs Mat Barrett and I will have the call on Twitch. I can only imagine how many will be tuned in nightly from here on in to see a virtual SJHL President Bill Chow hand out the trophy! Tingles.

17 – The SJHL Playoffs Simulation has drawn coverage from CBC National, Hockey Night In Canada, CTV, CJME, SaskTel Max TV (who carried Game 4 live) and more. League sponsors are over-the-moon with the exposure and now other SIMS are in the works for Canadian university football, CFL and more. Farmers in the field are texting us pictures of themselves listening to the SIM broadcast while seeding! It all started with the boys at the SJ. Take a bow fellas.

18 – As I sit here, someone’s texted me that they’ve watched the first eight episodes of the Netflix documentary The Last Dance on the 1990s Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan. “Mike’s a dick,” the guy writes. I disagree. Michael Jordan is a 6-time NBA champion and Olympic gold medallist who demands the most from everyone around him. Everybody’s got more to give and he expected that from his teammates. Plus, M.J. came into the league as an exuberant, fresh-faced kid but the world hardened him. It happens. Don’t blame Mike. For some reason expecting the best from those around you is a crime and makes you a jerk, to some.

19 –  My SK Wyverns in the Korean Baseball League are in last-place at 1-9 and riding a 9-game losing streak. WE ARE THE WORST TEAM IN BASEBALL! However the Wyverns’ Dong Min Han “The Big Donger” hit his league-leading 5th homerun of the year this weekend. We in the Wyverns Nation are imploring management to start the rebuild now and move Dong for some assets. My God it’s fun following this league, even if your team sucks.

20 – RANDOMS TO FINISH: Take extra care to lock your doors at night and don’t leave valuables in your car. I was broken into last weekend. People are getting desperate and crime rates are up. All is not well. … The SJHL Draft is scheduled for June 5. We’ll have live pick-by-pick coverage from the IKS Studios beginning at 1 pm on Facebook Live. … From @mentnelson on Twitter: “Another reason I stopped planning so much is because if you would’ve asked me in January what I’d be doing in March, locked inside learning about the life of a gay, redneck tiger breeder would not have been my answer.” … People plan and God laughs. … Sports teams are not meant to be hobbies for wealthy people. … The question I get the most when going to meet up somewhere or make an appearance, “Are you bringing Big Bird?” … Where would one buy a watch battery at the moment? Every single one of mine is dead, and my Fitbit died too. … People complaining about how many people are at Walmart when they themselves are at Walmart. … Golfing today at Deer Valley. Let’s gooooooooo!

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen