WEEKEND RANDOM THOUGHTS FOR CAPITAL AUTO MALL

Trying to keep it positive …

1 – I admire peoples’ patience at this time. That is, those who don’t go completely off the rails over something they see on social media or TV and purport Cancel Culture. For those keeping their cool through 94 days of the pandemic, hats off to you. To the others, may you find peace in your lifetime.

2 – On the flipside, the carnage caused by COVID-19 is horrific. Suicides are on the up-tick (particularly with young people), businesses are closing for good and lives are being ruined. In some ways, the cure looks to be worse than the disease. We discussed a lot of this on my “other” show, The Recovery Hour, this week and cautioned the signs to watch for if you’re worried a loved one may harm themselves. You can watch the program here:  https://www.facebook.com/pedersenrecovery/ It’s a production of Paul Drouin’s IKS Media.

3 – Before we get to the latest in the CFL, we’ve got to have some fun with CFL SIM. It’s the computer-simulation of CFL games we’re doing on Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football video game. Poo-poo it if you want, but it’s gaining major traction across the country as sports fans look for a distraction. Even some of the teams and players have gotten on board because IT’S FUN. And fun is something we’re sorely missing.

4 – So here are the Week 1 scores: Edmonton 27-BC 16, Toronto 55-Ottawa 19, Calgary 47-Montreal 20, Hamilton 23-Winnipeg 12. The leading passer coming out of Week 1 is Vernon Adams of the Alouettes (529 yards) while the top rusher is Ka’Deem Carey of the Stampeders (56). The Argos Boris Bede has kicked the most field goals (5). Toronto’s Ryan Dinwiddie won his head coaching debut (cue the virtual Gatorade shower; blue of course) while QB Nick Arbuckle served 3 picks in his RedBlacks debut. That spawned one viewer to quip, “Like we saw in The Last Dance, Arbuckle proves it’s Calgary’s system that wins, not players”. In the second game of Friday’s doubleheader, I left the game for just a few minutes and the Stamps rung up 27 points by the time I returned. A viewer boldly stated, “Welcome to Stamps Nation, Rod. That’s how it works.”

5 – And that might be the best part. Fans of all CFL teams log-in and we visit in the chat section as the games go along. It’s a RIOT kibitzing with people from across the country, and Friday’s list of viewers included Alouettes running back James Wilder Jr. Two TSN employees were watching our Thursday Night Football broadcast. It’s tremendous marketing for the CFL (keeping them in the public conscience) and the league knows we’ll treat them with nothing but the utmost respect. My goal is to get the SIM league discussed on TSN’s new Friday night show CFL 2020.

6 – One hilarious note: CFL fans get upset when I wear Rider gear on The RP Show, saying things like “You’re a CFL guy now. Ditch that Sask stuff!” Obviously I’ll wear whatever I want, but it’s cute how this has all turned out.

7 – Week 2 CFL SIM schedule: BC at Calgary, Montreal at Sask, Hamilton at Toronto, Ottawa at Edmonton. Get your virtual tickets!

8 – Back to reality. Woof. It was not a banner week for the CFL with players barking at Commissioner Randy Ambrosie on Twitter. That included CFLPA Executive Director Brian Ramsey who called B.S. on Ambrosie’s statements in the media about there being constant communication between the league and its players union. The football insiders feel it was bad form for the CFLPA to go public with their complaints. As one football guy told me, “Pee inside the tent, not outside the tent.”

9 – Ambrosie told TSN’s CFL 2020 show on Friday evening that he “remains optimistic” that the CFL will play games in 2020. The players and fans are huffing that there hasn’t been a more concrete update but let me ask you this: which other Commissioners did we hear from this week besides MLB’s Rob Manfred who boldly guaranteed they’ll play games in 2020?

10 – The NHL and NBA unveiled a few more details about returning to play. In fact the NHL announced training camps will open July 10. However within a few days positive Coronavirus tests were announced by the Boston Bruins and Arizona Coyotes. Unfortunately I will believe all this when I see the players back on the ice or hardwood, in games.

11 – Interesting Tweet from star BC Lions WR Bryan Burnham on Thursday: “With all that’s been going on I haven’t really been thinking about football,” the Tulsa product Tweeted from @RealBBurnham. “But realizing I should be getting ready for Game 1 of the season right now is a weird feeling. Missing my @BCLions teammates and all @CFL fans”. What’s interesting about it is here’s a player not thinking about the 2020 season while fans across the country – including former Sask Premier Brad Wall – have opined on Twitter and Facebook how much they miss the games! 

12 – As I stated on the RP Show this week you can fixate on what “isn’t”, or celebrate what “is”. The choice is yours! I’m enjoying golfing at Deer Valley, tons o’ family time, NASCAR, UFC and CFL SIM.

13 – The Argonauts not being fined for being over the 2019 salary cap is a head-scratcher. It was a great scoop by 3Down’s Justin Dunk, and the CFL explained that the financial crisis caused by Coronavirus is the reason for their decision. That was of little consolation to the other teams!

14 – Seahawks coach Pete Carroll’s contrition that they “should’ve” signed Colin Kaepernick when they had him in the building a few years ago is flimsy and sad. Carroll contended that Kaepernick is a starter, not a back-up and it would’ve been an insult to Kaep if he was asked to back-up Russell Wilson. Thank God my Dallas Cowboys don’t think that way, as they signed Pro Bowl’er Andy Dalton for $3M to back-up Dakota Prescott. Carroll shouldn’t have brought it up at all, rather than try to pull a fast one. The Seahawks didn’t want Kaep because they didn’t want the distraction/circus.

15 – From Reverend Al Sharpton regarding Kaepernick: “We don’t need an apology. Give this man a job”. USA Today reports Kaepernick is working out five days a week and wants to play. I still say he needs to come to the CFL and prove himself all over again, if he’s serious. If he doesn’t, then he’s not as serious as he says he is. The CFL wasn’t beneath Joe Theismann, Doug Flutie, Ricky Williams, Warren Moon, Jeff Garcia or even Johnny Manziel.

16 – “The measure of a man is not where he stands in a time of comfort and convenience but where he stands in a time of conflict and controversy.” – Martin Luther King

17 – I don’t have an opinion I’m willing to share on U-Sports fall sports cancellations, specifically Canada West. Coaches, boosters, players and their families want me to rip the lid off this but that’s not my role in this industry. Go to Justin Dunk or better yet, TSN.ca’s Rick Westhead. He lives for this stuff.

18 – It’s been awhile for some RP Show analytics so here are the Top 10 North American cities for viewership over a months-long trend: Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Las Vegas, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton. Here are the Top 10 Saskatchewan cities for viewership: Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Estevan, Prince Albert, Swift Current, Yorkton, Weyburn, Humboldt, North Battleford. 29% of our viewership is female and the largest age demographic is 25-34. These are stats that advertisers kill for.

19 – Our largest partner is Great Western and they are running the Hops To Help Relief Effort to aid Saskatchewan’s Food Banks. The 36 Food Banks are facing an all-time high demand and the fundraising goal is $6-million. We are over halfway there! You should know a $50 donation feeds a family for a week. I donated, and you can too at www.skfoodbanks.ca.

20 – The current squabbling over money by leagues and players associations (in the Big 4 of NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) plus a reluctance to Return To Play over fear of the Coronavirus is really shortsighted and is turning me off. Grocery store workers can go to work for $15/hour and risk their lives but millionaire players won’t? As one coach told me, “Our guys don’t have to because they have money in the bank and can afford to wait this out.” I’m not sure about you, but that turns my stomach. This attitude is going to kill – or at least severely damage – the sport that PUT that money in their bank account.

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen

(Photo: Nelson Hackewich)