Well, it’s pretty much all doom and gloom in Riderville these days.

I haven’t posted anything on this blog, in part due to life throwing some curve balls at me and also because I just didn’t know what to say. And I didn’t want to add to the chorus of “I don’t knows” from fans, bloggers, and sportswriters.

No one seems to know what the problem is. Not even our rookie head coach, veteran offensive coordinator, esteemed defensive coordinator, or our VP of operations/whatever-the-heck Papa Miller has as a title these days.

No one knows what the problem is.

I’m all for admitting when you are stuck and don’t have the answers. The problem is when you’re paid to have answers not having them isn’t just bad, it’s completely unacceptable.

Let me say that again… When you’re getting paid big bucks to have answers, you better work 24-7 til you do find the answers or find someone that has the answers.

Surely to goodness there has to be someone out there somewhere that knows what could help. Then after I thought about it, I thought heck I could do a better job of motivating the guys. Why don’t they hire me?

Since that probably won’t ever happen - certainly not by kick off tonight, I figured, I'd post my pre-game motivation speech for tonights game. We'll just pretend we're in a smelly lockerroom.

First, I’d start by greeting every player by name and looking them in the eye, shaking their hand and saying, "I’m glad you’re here." Straight up serious – all cheesy and stuff. Then I’d start my speech...

I grew up in Saskatchewan. I bled green before I even knew what football was. It was something to cheer for. Something to stand behind. And we had a saying when I was growing about our team... “There’s always next year.”

"Oh well. We didn’t make the play offs. There’s always next year..."

Somewhere along the way in the last few years this province learned something – “next year” is for sissy’s. “Next year” is for the wimps who are looking for an excuse. Next year makes the weak among us comfortable with their own mediocrity.

Next year is not acceptable anymore.

And we don’t have next year anymore. We don’t even have next week. We don’t even have tomorrow. If you want to get right down to it, all we got is today. Right now.

If you want to make a difference in this season in your life all you got is right now. Today. This is it. This is THE game! If you’re looking for a moment to lay it all on the line this is it. Don’t look for another. Don’t wait for somebody else. Don’t wait for another time. Because you’ll regret this moment. Right here. Right now. With these people. It'll never come again.

Everyone’s written us off. Everyone says it can’t be done. No home playoff game for the Green and White. No Grey Cup this year.

But they don’t know you guys. They haven’t looked you guys in the eye. They haven’t seen what’s in your heart. They haven’t seen what you can do yet. And when they do, they’re gonna start shaking in their cleats.

I don’t have any special powers that I can give you. No one here does. But collectively... together... you guys have can create something amazing. Call mojo or 'green magic' or whever. But together you have the power to make history. You have the power to change everything. Together is something you can’t even imagine yet.

You have an opportunity right now. Go out there and prove that the Saskatchewan Roughriders never say die. They never say... “there’s always next year.” You go out there and prove to them it’s all about today!
Because We. Are. Saskatchewan. Roughriders!

Let’s get ‘er done, boys.

Cheer long. Cheer loud. Go GREEN!

P.S. And for crying out loud... could we kill Richie’s soft defense for one game? Just sayin’.