Going to cover a lot of ground today so tomorrow's post can be all pre-game fun!
(Blog note: Be aware I will be without internet for the weekend, so there will be no post-game post from yours truly til probably Tuesday. My apologies. Follow me on Twitter @saskriderschick for some shorter thoughts during and after the game.)
Regarding the controversy surrounding Coach Chamblin's decision to ban fans from Day 2 and 3 practices at Mosaic each week.
First off, I'm not totally against the idea. Teams having some control over who watches their practices just seems prudent in my mind. Football games aren't just won on the field.
My only beef with the whole deal was the way it was dealt with. They admitted several times the information posted on fan messages boards was accurate. Well, holy flying monkeys, Batman! Don't tell the opposition that! If you're so concerned with the opposing team gaining an advantage by perusing fan observations of the Riders at practice, don't tell them the information was correct!
I do hope some sort of agreement can be reached. I, for one, have always enjoyed training camp and practice observations by fans. I know members of the media are there, but their thoughts aren't always as robust as I'd like them to be. And since I live two and a half hours away from Taylor Field, this is information I can't get anywhere else. Perhaps some sort of compromise can be worked out. After all, fans have been reporting their thoughts on practices for years without incident. (Though, until recently, the reports had maintained a general understanding of not giving away specific plays in a public forum.)
A balance is needed between giving fans what they want to know and protecting the integrity of the game plan.
Now on to the stadium talk. Wow. Are we still at this? I hate that we talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk... oh my word! Just build the stupid thing already!
Today the provincial government announced they were willing to chip in $80 million (about 30 per cent of the projected cost). They did offer loans for the balance. I'm not sure what to think. Mayor Pat Fiacco seemed pleased. Indeed, he predicted we were on the verge of a major "touchdown" in terms of getting the stadium built.
I guess it's great that they're still talking about it and they haven't decided to scrap the whole idea. But still... can we stop talking and starting digging already? What will it take to get a shovel in the ground?
Ask any fan who's been to Mosaic recently and they'll tell you: our stadium is in embarrassingly bad shape. Even without the broken seats in the north endzone. The Riders, the fans, the province all deserve a first class facility. What we have now is appalling! I've seen nicer high school stadiums in the sticks of the American Midwest.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: JUST BUILD IT ALREADY!
Let's pass the hat, work a bingo, set up a car wash, have a bake sale. Whatever it takes. We need this stadium. And we need it like yesterday. So... Dear politicians: Get on it. Get it done. Period.
[UPDATE: At a Rider press conference just after posting this, the Riders announced they would chip in some cash for the new stadium, but wouldn't say how much until July. So that's helpful. Just how helpful remains to be seen.]
I'll leave the bulk of my pre-game thoughts for tomorrow, but can I just
say this quickly: can we please stop talking about Andy Fantuz? He left; we were sad. We moved on and so did he. Few
fans I talk to are even remotely interested in the whole Fantuz drama -
playing his old team in his (almost) hometown. Blah, blah, blah... I'm
far, far more concerned about how the Riders play together as a team.
Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
The game
Well, I'm hooked!
After going to my very first Roughrider game I can say for sure... I'll be going to more.
That was wicked awesome! In part because it was the perfect night for a football game. Clear skies, warm temperatures, and barely a breeze. (I take my hat off to those fans who trek to the mighty Mosaic stadium in late November to brave sub-zero temperatures. That's just plain fanatic!)
Game highlights:
A bat flying into the face of one of the Stampeders. Seriously!
One of the Riders colliding with one of the officials and missing what surely would have been a first down. The guy stripes really flew!
Another huge highlight was when the crowd went nuts after Rob Bagg caught his first ball in a game in well over a year. There were those who said last year at this time his CFL days were over after injuring his knee for the second time in just a few months. But he fought hard and trained hard and looks absolutely amazing out there. I predict he will do well this season.
I also loved seeing Getzlaf in fine form. Oh my gosh. If this guy doesn't crack a thousand yards this season, I'll be shocked. He's everywhere out there. Same with Dressler. Sometimes I think we forget to give the little guy his due. But he's a top shelf player. He gives everything he has on every down. He'll have another stellar year, too. Trust.
Same with Brent Hawkins. Almost every time a Calgary player got taken down, Brent was in the mix. And the dude is big.
James Patrick. Do I even need to say more? That guy is all over the place. Knocking down balls, threatening interceptions. He's a ball hawk. No question.
Absolutely, the best part of the game was the late touchdown with less than a minute to go in the game that put the Riders ahead by a point. The touchdown happened right in front of us. I'm not kidding. It was so close to us! I wish I could have taken a picture, but I was too busy standing and screaming.
Other observations:
Kory Sheets is da man! Dude racked up 81 yards and one touchdown.
Our backup quarterbacks rock. Both Drew Willy (number 5) and JT O'Sullivan (17) proved they belong on the roster. (Our other QB Levi Brown didn't play so I cannot comment on the quality of his play.) Willy was impressive right out of the gate finding his targets and making decisions eventually hitting 9 throws out of 11 attempts for 96 yards, including one TD toss. JT slowly improved the longer he was out there, finally hitting Bamba for that almost-but-not-quite-game-winning-TD in the dying seconds. He netted 70 yards with 5 completions out of 10 throws. Both moved the ball well and racked up the first downs. If something (heaven forbid) happens to DD I feel quite comfortable that the offense will hardly miss a step.
And speaking of Darian... I know many fans were calling for his head after the game. He seemed to take a few series to find his groove. He racked up 92 yards, plus 34 yards rushing - proving once again, he's a dangerous beast when he uses his feet. Before we panic, I say wait several games. A few things have to gel in our front line before we start freaking out and benching our quarterback.
So now come the cuts. Some of the guys played their way onto the roster on Friday night. Others didn't. Today is THE day we find out. Stay tuned. Once we nail down our roster, the real work starts.
Next game is Friday in Hamilton and it's for real this time. Pre-season is over. It's time to begin the quest for the cup. I'll be stuck in a vehicle driving to Manitoba, so I'll be listening on the radio.
Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!
After going to my very first Roughrider game I can say for sure... I'll be going to more.
That was wicked awesome! In part because it was the perfect night for a football game. Clear skies, warm temperatures, and barely a breeze. (I take my hat off to those fans who trek to the mighty Mosaic stadium in late November to brave sub-zero temperatures. That's just plain fanatic!)
Game highlights:
A bat flying into the face of one of the Stampeders. Seriously!
One of the Riders colliding with one of the officials and missing what surely would have been a first down. The guy stripes really flew!
Another huge highlight was when the crowd went nuts after Rob Bagg caught his first ball in a game in well over a year. There were those who said last year at this time his CFL days were over after injuring his knee for the second time in just a few months. But he fought hard and trained hard and looks absolutely amazing out there. I predict he will do well this season.
I also loved seeing Getzlaf in fine form. Oh my gosh. If this guy doesn't crack a thousand yards this season, I'll be shocked. He's everywhere out there. Same with Dressler. Sometimes I think we forget to give the little guy his due. But he's a top shelf player. He gives everything he has on every down. He'll have another stellar year, too. Trust.
Same with Brent Hawkins. Almost every time a Calgary player got taken down, Brent was in the mix. And the dude is big.
James Patrick. Do I even need to say more? That guy is all over the place. Knocking down balls, threatening interceptions. He's a ball hawk. No question.
Absolutely, the best part of the game was the late touchdown with less than a minute to go in the game that put the Riders ahead by a point. The touchdown happened right in front of us. I'm not kidding. It was so close to us! I wish I could have taken a picture, but I was too busy standing and screaming.
Other observations:
Kory Sheets is da man! Dude racked up 81 yards and one touchdown.
Our backup quarterbacks rock. Both Drew Willy (number 5) and JT O'Sullivan (17) proved they belong on the roster. (Our other QB Levi Brown didn't play so I cannot comment on the quality of his play.) Willy was impressive right out of the gate finding his targets and making decisions eventually hitting 9 throws out of 11 attempts for 96 yards, including one TD toss. JT slowly improved the longer he was out there, finally hitting Bamba for that almost-but-not-quite-game-winning-TD in the dying seconds. He netted 70 yards with 5 completions out of 10 throws. Both moved the ball well and racked up the first downs. If something (heaven forbid) happens to DD I feel quite comfortable that the offense will hardly miss a step.
And speaking of Darian... I know many fans were calling for his head after the game. He seemed to take a few series to find his groove. He racked up 92 yards, plus 34 yards rushing - proving once again, he's a dangerous beast when he uses his feet. Before we panic, I say wait several games. A few things have to gel in our front line before we start freaking out and benching our quarterback.
So now come the cuts. Some of the guys played their way onto the roster on Friday night. Others didn't. Today is THE day we find out. Stay tuned. Once we nail down our roster, the real work starts.
Next game is Friday in Hamilton and it's for real this time. Pre-season is over. It's time to begin the quest for the cup. I'll be stuck in a vehicle driving to Manitoba, so I'll be listening on the radio.
Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Thoughts on second week of pre-season
I've got to be honest. I am torn this week. I've been dying to know how Rider practice has gone this week after the disastrous debut in B.C. last Wednesday. I've gobbled up every tweet on Twitter, status on Facebook, article online from coast to coast.
The less-than-stellar showing last week was hardly surprising, really. I mean I was disappointed, but not shocked. I think any fan with a half a brain knew the team is in deep this year. We've got some great things going on, but it's going to take a while to see the seeds bear fruit if you know what I mean.
Regarding the controversy over whether or not B.C. ran the score up in the 44-10 drubbing of the Riders.
Puh-lease!
Of course they did.
I believe they have it enshrined in article number 23, section 1, subsection 3 of the B.C. Lions constitution: Always run the score up when playing the Saskatchewan Roughriders in pre-season play.
Seriously. C'mon. Was there any doubt? B.C. was bringing five man rushes on the first series for crying out loud! Not to mention keeping in the rather effective QB Mike Reilly for several quarters of the game. I mean was that really necessary? Were the coaches blind? Surely, they had enough in one or two series to see that this guy had the goods.
And I won't even comment on their perennial habit of SAYING they are going to give their back ups and rookies a chance to play and then letting their vets play the whole stinkin' freakin' game. (Or most of it at any rate.)
Puh-lease!
There was no doubt in my mind B.C. wanted to make a statement with that game. And they did. And whatever. I shrugged. I didn't see much of a controversy. Personally, the questionable part comes where the Lions would have the audacity to be indignant in their denials. Really? It's such a stretch to suggest they ran up the score? It's such a wild, crazy idea that they would want to rub salt in the wounds of the already battered Riders? It's such an inconceivable notion that B.C. would intentionally put up extra points just because they could? Like they haven't done it before?
Puh-lease! Don't make me laugh. They've done it before, they'll do it again. Deny it if you want to Wally, but don't be insulted at the suggestion. It's kind of your M.O.
But as I mentioned I'm torn. The players and the coaches of the Roughriders have been asking fans to be patient as things develop this season. And I agree we need to give them a chance to develop as a team - to gel and work together.
That said, I am absolutely desperate and I mean DESPERATE to watch really good football from the green and white. I am hoping the game on Friday will afford me the opportunity to see some good football. I shall be in the stands watching!
Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!
The less-than-stellar showing last week was hardly surprising, really. I mean I was disappointed, but not shocked. I think any fan with a half a brain knew the team is in deep this year. We've got some great things going on, but it's going to take a while to see the seeds bear fruit if you know what I mean.
Regarding the controversy over whether or not B.C. ran the score up in the 44-10 drubbing of the Riders.
Puh-lease!
Of course they did.
I believe they have it enshrined in article number 23, section 1, subsection 3 of the B.C. Lions constitution: Always run the score up when playing the Saskatchewan Roughriders in pre-season play.
Seriously. C'mon. Was there any doubt? B.C. was bringing five man rushes on the first series for crying out loud! Not to mention keeping in the rather effective QB Mike Reilly for several quarters of the game. I mean was that really necessary? Were the coaches blind? Surely, they had enough in one or two series to see that this guy had the goods.
And I won't even comment on their perennial habit of SAYING they are going to give their back ups and rookies a chance to play and then letting their vets play the whole stinkin' freakin' game. (Or most of it at any rate.)
Puh-lease!
There was no doubt in my mind B.C. wanted to make a statement with that game. And they did. And whatever. I shrugged. I didn't see much of a controversy. Personally, the questionable part comes where the Lions would have the audacity to be indignant in their denials. Really? It's such a stretch to suggest they ran up the score? It's such a wild, crazy idea that they would want to rub salt in the wounds of the already battered Riders? It's such an inconceivable notion that B.C. would intentionally put up extra points just because they could? Like they haven't done it before?
Puh-lease! Don't make me laugh. They've done it before, they'll do it again. Deny it if you want to Wally, but don't be insulted at the suggestion. It's kind of your M.O.
But as I mentioned I'm torn. The players and the coaches of the Roughriders have been asking fans to be patient as things develop this season. And I agree we need to give them a chance to develop as a team - to gel and work together.
That said, I am absolutely desperate and I mean DESPERATE to watch really good football from the green and white. I am hoping the game on Friday will afford me the opportunity to see some good football. I shall be in the stands watching!
Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Rookie primer
Okay so I said I would get this posted on Monday and I'm two days late. Please forgive me! I have sadly been down and out with a severe case of the allergies. Yuck! Why must there be living things outside? Can't we just pave it all? No pollen. No mold. No trees. My sinuses and eyeballs would be so happy.
Anywho... back to some football. Rookie camp starts today, but the new recruits won't be taking to the field. Tomorrow is the scheduled first practice.
First up, let's get the controversy out of the way... Odell Willis was popped for a DUI back wherever he's from (North Carolina? I forgot to keep track). Anyway, the court case got delayed so he's set for training camp. As much as I'd like to preach about principles, I kinda think this guy (despite the attitude) will be a starter for the Green and White. I do hope his attitude is kept in check. I really don't want all the good will this team has gained over the last few years to evaporate because some prima donna forgot his manners at home. And if I were Chamblin I would make sure Willis was never behind the of a golf cart while in Canada.
But that's just me.
Willis and Shologan (vet) will be the picks for the defensive line. Whoever else Chamblin picks I'm certain will be big and athletic. It seems to be a theme with their new picks.
Over on the O-line we've got Picard, Heenan and LaBatte. Big dudes coming off huge seasons in 2011. The key difference this year is they will be playing for the good guys - us! Darian may actually enjoy some protection this year instead of spending an inordinate amount of time during games running for his life.
Other guys to watch: Johan Asiata and Xavier Fulton.
As for running back, with Wes Cates gone (wow, that's weird to think about... no more snap the ball, give the back to Cates, go for three yards, fall down and repeat) this may turn out to be the biggest battle of training camp. Brandon West will return to the Riders camp with the rest of the vets on Saturday. In the meantime Kory Sheets, Louis Rankin, DeShawn Wynn and Demetrius Crawford will be showing off for the coaches.
West is still the youngest. Nothing the other dudes can do about that.Watch this battle for starter rights heat up big time.
As for quarterback... gosh are there other QBs in camp?
Of course there are! Some fine looking specimens too. Colt Brennan offers up an interesting story as he's come through a lot of adversity. He had a promising start in the NFL when he led all rookie QBs in the pre-season. He also smashed a bunch of records when he played for the University of Hawaii.
Now I haven't touched on the receivers at all. But seriously, I don't think anyone is too worried about having guys that can catch the ball. We've got Dressler, Bagg and Getz all returning. I'm confident between those guys and some of the newer guys there will be someone catching those perfect spirals in the end zone. I am more concerned about finding guys to protect Double D and some defensive guys who know how to make the opposition hurt.
I think we're getting there.
Pre-season doesn't last long, so lets hope these recruits can get it together fast.
Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!
P.S. For a much more comprehensive rookie preview from someone much smarter than me, check out Jamie Nye's blog here.
Anywho... back to some football. Rookie camp starts today, but the new recruits won't be taking to the field. Tomorrow is the scheduled first practice.
First up, let's get the controversy out of the way... Odell Willis was popped for a DUI back wherever he's from (North Carolina? I forgot to keep track). Anyway, the court case got delayed so he's set for training camp. As much as I'd like to preach about principles, I kinda think this guy (despite the attitude) will be a starter for the Green and White. I do hope his attitude is kept in check. I really don't want all the good will this team has gained over the last few years to evaporate because some prima donna forgot his manners at home. And if I were Chamblin I would make sure Willis was never behind the of a golf cart while in Canada.
But that's just me.
Willis and Shologan (vet) will be the picks for the defensive line. Whoever else Chamblin picks I'm certain will be big and athletic. It seems to be a theme with their new picks.
Over on the O-line we've got Picard, Heenan and LaBatte. Big dudes coming off huge seasons in 2011. The key difference this year is they will be playing for the good guys - us! Darian may actually enjoy some protection this year instead of spending an inordinate amount of time during games running for his life.
Other guys to watch: Johan Asiata and Xavier Fulton.
As for running back, with Wes Cates gone (wow, that's weird to think about... no more snap the ball, give the back to Cates, go for three yards, fall down and repeat) this may turn out to be the biggest battle of training camp. Brandon West will return to the Riders camp with the rest of the vets on Saturday. In the meantime Kory Sheets, Louis Rankin, DeShawn Wynn and Demetrius Crawford will be showing off for the coaches.
West is still the youngest. Nothing the other dudes can do about that.Watch this battle for starter rights heat up big time.
As for quarterback... gosh are there other QBs in camp?
Of course there are! Some fine looking specimens too. Colt Brennan offers up an interesting story as he's come through a lot of adversity. He had a promising start in the NFL when he led all rookie QBs in the pre-season. He also smashed a bunch of records when he played for the University of Hawaii.
Now I haven't touched on the receivers at all. But seriously, I don't think anyone is too worried about having guys that can catch the ball. We've got Dressler, Bagg and Getz all returning. I'm confident between those guys and some of the newer guys there will be someone catching those perfect spirals in the end zone. I am more concerned about finding guys to protect Double D and some defensive guys who know how to make the opposition hurt.
I think we're getting there.
Pre-season doesn't last long, so lets hope these recruits can get it together fast.
Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!
P.S. For a much more comprehensive rookie preview from someone much smarter than me, check out Jamie Nye's blog here.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
It's (almost) here!
It’s here!
It’s here! Well, okay, it’s almost here.
After six
long months of no football in Riderville
(which makes this Rider Chick very grouchy!) the fact that training camp is a mere
week away is like finding well-stocked cooler in the middle of a long desert
trek.
The long
awaited redemption season is here.
I’m calling it redemption season because really if there was ever a team on the planet that needed a season of redemption it’s the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Let’s review, shall we?
First we
win the Grey Cup for the first time since I was in junior high (no comments on
my age, please!).
Then we
endure in ’08 what I call the broken season. As in broken BONES. Do you
remember that? I lost track of how many Riders broke limbs. At one point the
sidelines at Mosaic resembled a MASH unit. I’ve never witnessed so many
fractured limbs in my life and quite frankly, I’d like never to again. I was
watching tackles between my fingers.
We never
made it to the Grey Cup that year and really no one seemed surprised and too
terribly bothered by it.
Fast
forward to Grey Cup 2009: Saskatchewan has the lead in the dying seconds of the
game. As time ticks down, the final play of the game of the game is a Montreal
field goal attempt for the win. Everyone lines up. Everyone holds their breath.
The ball is snapped and the kick goes wide. Jubilation in Rider nation was short-lived
however as the men in green were tagged for too many men on the field. The play
was redone and this time there was no
missing the uprights.
After the
searing pain of that loss subsided (truthfully, I don’t think it ever will),
the Riders picked themselves up and got it together for the next season.
After a
rather lackluster season, the Riders made it to the Big Dance again. But it was
clear from the start it wasn’t meant to be and Montreal ended up Grey Cup Champions
two years in a row. It was hard not to relive the disaster of 2009. And even
the “broken” 2008 season seemed to taunt us, as Montreal accomplished what we
had longed to do: win back to back.
But things
were going to get better. We told ourselves this. We congratulated our team on
being in the Grey Cup three years out of four. Revenues were up and things were
bright and rosy in Riderville. Or so it seemed.
New coach.
A few new players sprinkled in here and there. And all the old “championship-calibre”
structure still there. Papa Miller still manned the front office and given his
track record as coach we were all inclined everything would continue on its
winning trajectory.
Nothing
could have been further from reality.
Losing the
first three games of season may have been a disappointment, but falling to 1-7 caused
even the most die-hard fans to cry out: something’s rotten in the state of Riderville!
After
losing 24-18 to Toronto (the resident basement dwellers), Coach Greg Marshall
was fired.
With
prejudice.
I won’t say
that Marshall caused the pile of crap that was the 2011 season. That might be
giving him too much credit. Then again, two gophers driving a manure spreader could
have done less damage. Crap was everywhere. It stank and it stuck to
everything. By the time the playoffs started the Riders’ 2011 season was
already a rotting corpse, covered with crap. There was nothing left to do but bury
it and wait for the flies to leave.
Even the
players seemed relieved to walk off the field and wash that stink off of them.
I still stay it is the reason it took so long for Gene Makowski (Big Mak) to
announce his retirement. You want your last season to be your victory lap. Not
a putrid pile of poo.
We all knew
there would be wholesale changes. If anyone went into the off-season expecting
the Green and White to look the same as they did last year, they were
delusional.
On Monday,
I’ll review some of the changes the Green and White made in the off-season and
who to keep your eyes on in training camp.
For now
mark Wednesday, May 30th on your calendar. That’s the day the
rookies will be reporting for training camp trying to make a splash before the
veterans join in the fun on Saturday, June 2.
Til then… cheer
long. Cheer loud. Go GREEN!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Free Agency Frenzy... and sad news
It's been quite the week, hasn't it?
Ah... free agency in the CFL. It's like Christmas for football bloggers. Finally we have something to write about!
I'm going to go ahead and call it... The Riders won the free agency sweepstakes. Hands down.
In the first 24 hours after free agency came into effect, the Riders signed two of the top free agents in the league - Picard and LaBatte. Shoring up our o-line. Have you see the stats on these guys. LaBatte (a Sask product) comes in at 6 foot 4, 304 lbs. Holy crap! He's like a wall! Picard is no pipsqueak either at 6 foot 2, 301 lbs.
Like wow!
Darian can do a Tim's run after the ball is snapped and still get back in time to throw the ball.
The Green and White also welcomed back another local kid by signing Paul Woldu. Nice solid signing.
So far, I'm thinking Brendan Taman is da man! He got 'er done.
But there was still one major prize left in the free agency lotto - Andy Fantuz.
Don't get me wrong, I love the guy. I loved the chemistry between him and DD. But I figured the guy's days as a Rider were over. He wanted to be close to family and who can fault a man for that?
How do I think it will affect us?
Meh.
We survived without him last year. Granted we sucked rocks, but still. It's not like the team we're assembling is the same one Andy left when he went to pursue his NFL dream with the Bears. And the reason we sucked rocks last year, was not because #83 was missing. Trust me. Andy is good, but he's not that good.
Plus he hasn't played for over a year. How will he adjust to playing to Steel Town? Instead of waiting for a precise toss from an elite quarterback safely ensconced behind a wall of an o-line, he'll be running circles waiting for the likes of Burris to get him the ball.
See? That makes you feel better, doesn't it?
In a dramatic twist the CFL sched was released today and the Roughriders will open the season playing... you guessed it... the Hamilton Tiger Cats. Won't that be an intense contest. For one thing Burris will be back in town. "Heeeeenry!" And I'm sure the crowd will start with giving Andy a well-deserved standing-O. After that... it's gloves off boys. (UPDATE: The season opener will be played in Hamilton, not Regina. The season opener at Mosaic will be against Edmonton.)
While we were busy acquiring new guys (including former Baltimore Raven wide receiver Justin Harper - interesting), we also lost a couple of good guys - Stu Foord and Cary Koch. I will miss the drone of Stuuuuu at Mosaic everytime he touched the ball, and Cary... well, I think he has some amazing years ahead of him. I am more than a little sad to see him strut his stuff in Green and Gold in Edmonton. Sigh.
And more sad news from the Riders as veteran Gene Makowsky decided to hang up his cleats. Was it expected? For sure. Was it time? Maybe. Does it make me sad? No doubt about it. I'm getting a lump in my throat just thinking about it.
Remember Grey Cup 2007? One of the most memorable images was watch Big Mak hoist the Cup. K, now I'm getting all teary...
He gave 17 years to this organization. He's in a league all his own. Class. Character. Consistency. The man is a legend. He's going to be inducted into the Plaza of Honor there is no question. I know it's time to bid farewell - Geno's got his plate full as an MLA - but it still smarts, you know? It's still a bittersweet moment. I still wanted to see him go out on a high note. And last year was anything but a high note.
We've got to move on from the losses of Foord, Koch, Makowsky (not to mention Cates and Parenteau) and yes even the mighty Fantuz. The 2012 Roughriders will be vastly different from the 2011 Roughriders. And that's a good thing, people... because remember... we weren't winning in 2011! I am excited at how this squad is shaping up so far. And I'm counting down the days to training camp.
2012. It's gonna be gooder!
So to Geno... thanks for the memories big guy! Sniff... sniff...
And to Andy... so glad you get to play "at home" now!
...
But I'm still gonna love it when we kick yer team's butt this summer!
Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!
Ah... free agency in the CFL. It's like Christmas for football bloggers. Finally we have something to write about!
I'm going to go ahead and call it... The Riders won the free agency sweepstakes. Hands down.
In the first 24 hours after free agency came into effect, the Riders signed two of the top free agents in the league - Picard and LaBatte. Shoring up our o-line. Have you see the stats on these guys. LaBatte (a Sask product) comes in at 6 foot 4, 304 lbs. Holy crap! He's like a wall! Picard is no pipsqueak either at 6 foot 2, 301 lbs.
Like wow!
Darian can do a Tim's run after the ball is snapped and still get back in time to throw the ball.
The Green and White also welcomed back another local kid by signing Paul Woldu. Nice solid signing.
So far, I'm thinking Brendan Taman is da man! He got 'er done.
But there was still one major prize left in the free agency lotto - Andy Fantuz.
Don't get me wrong, I love the guy. I loved the chemistry between him and DD. But I figured the guy's days as a Rider were over. He wanted to be close to family and who can fault a man for that?
How do I think it will affect us?
Meh.
We survived without him last year. Granted we sucked rocks, but still. It's not like the team we're assembling is the same one Andy left when he went to pursue his NFL dream with the Bears. And the reason we sucked rocks last year, was not because #83 was missing. Trust me. Andy is good, but he's not that good.
Plus he hasn't played for over a year. How will he adjust to playing to Steel Town? Instead of waiting for a precise toss from an elite quarterback safely ensconced behind a wall of an o-line, he'll be running circles waiting for the likes of Burris to get him the ball.
See? That makes you feel better, doesn't it?
In a dramatic twist the CFL sched was released today and the Roughriders will open the season playing... you guessed it... the Hamilton Tiger Cats. Won't that be an intense contest. For one thing Burris will be back in town. "Heeeeenry!" And I'm sure the crowd will start with giving Andy a well-deserved standing-O. After that... it's gloves off boys. (UPDATE: The season opener will be played in Hamilton, not Regina. The season opener at Mosaic will be against Edmonton.)
While we were busy acquiring new guys (including former Baltimore Raven wide receiver Justin Harper - interesting), we also lost a couple of good guys - Stu Foord and Cary Koch. I will miss the drone of Stuuuuu at Mosaic everytime he touched the ball, and Cary... well, I think he has some amazing years ahead of him. I am more than a little sad to see him strut his stuff in Green and Gold in Edmonton. Sigh.
And more sad news from the Riders as veteran Gene Makowsky decided to hang up his cleats. Was it expected? For sure. Was it time? Maybe. Does it make me sad? No doubt about it. I'm getting a lump in my throat just thinking about it.
Remember Grey Cup 2007? One of the most memorable images was watch Big Mak hoist the Cup. K, now I'm getting all teary...
He gave 17 years to this organization. He's in a league all his own. Class. Character. Consistency. The man is a legend. He's going to be inducted into the Plaza of Honor there is no question. I know it's time to bid farewell - Geno's got his plate full as an MLA - but it still smarts, you know? It's still a bittersweet moment. I still wanted to see him go out on a high note. And last year was anything but a high note.
We've got to move on from the losses of Foord, Koch, Makowsky (not to mention Cates and Parenteau) and yes even the mighty Fantuz. The 2012 Roughriders will be vastly different from the 2011 Roughriders. And that's a good thing, people... because remember... we weren't winning in 2011! I am excited at how this squad is shaping up so far. And I'm counting down the days to training camp.
2012. It's gonna be gooder!
So to Geno... thanks for the memories big guy! Sniff... sniff...
And to Andy... so glad you get to play "at home" now!
...
But I'm still gonna love it when we kick yer team's butt this summer!
Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Countdown to training camp
So it feels like spring outside. The water and puddles in the street make it feel like it should be April and maybe that's what has me all pumped for the 2012 season of Roughrider football still six months away... sigh...
Or maybe it has something to do with the average age of our coaching staff dropping by like 15 years since November.
That's right. Coach Chamblin has finally released the names of his coordinators and coaches. (With the exception of special teams, but it is expected Craig Dickenson will be back. The details in the contract extension are just being worked out. Booyah!)
You can read the Riderville press releases here and here for all the details.
The exciting thing about finally having a coaching staff is the youth Coach Chamblin attracted to our fine organization. We even snagged Barron Miles from the... (oh this pains me)... Grey Cup Champion B.C. Lions (ahem). Before taking on coaching duties in B.C., Miles had played for 12 yeras in the CFL - seven in Montreal and five as a Lion. He'll be the defensive backs coach. This is a major coup for the Riders and I'm impressed.
Of course, after last season, I'd be impressed if the coach could answer a question with something other than, "I don't know, you tell me."
Oh how I shudder to think of where we were a year ago. On the cusp of a disastrously laughable season with a clueless headcoach. The more I think back to that time, the more I wonder how Coach Marshall wasn't run out of town with pitchforks instead of given the microphone for a presser after he was fired. Seriously. Dude.
Anyway, kind of got off on a tangent. Getting back to brighter days and speaking of coups for the rookie head coach... Netting Khari Jones as quarterbacks coach will make an impact I'm not sure we can calculate at this point. It definitely seemed like Darian Durant needed someone or something to fend off his heavy case of the mediocres last year. And how Coach Chamblin convinced Jones to come here, I have no idea, since he gave up the title of offensive coordinator in Hamilton to join the Green and White. Props to coach!
Another great hire is Jason Tucker as receivers coach. To be frank, I never even knew we had a receivers coach before. (I'm going to assume that's an oversight on my part and not the fault of the coach.)
And Kris Sweet will join Riderville as run game coordinator and offensive line coach. Dear heavens above, does this man have his work cut out for him! He comes from the Stamps and from all appearances (okay, the couple dozen or so Tweets I saw) he looks like he'll be a good addition and definitely will fit in with Chamblin's vision of an aggressive and fast Roughrider team.
As the season ended the average age of Rider coaches was somewhere in area of 59 years. (Thanks to Jamie Nye for posting this!) Currently, the average of Rider coaches is 44. Crickey! They are but babes!
All of the guys are experienced, yet haven't rattled around the league for decades like the leftover screw you always seem to have when you finish putting together your furniture from Ikea but you keep in the kitchen drawer just in case you need it for something...
And that says a lot. Not just of the quality of the hire (way to go GM Taman!), but also of the quality of our organization. Maybe we all forgot just a little of the prestige that comes with the Green and White. I mean firing our coach mid-season just six months into a three year contract, firing our offensive coordinator, not to mention our less than stellar on field performance... well, it did make us seem like we couldn't find our butt cheeks with both hands and guide.
Fast forward a few months and we've got a head coach that is clearly prepared for this gig. And the preparation is ongoing. AND he's even attracted an all-star cast to back him up. How cool is that!?
I can tell you this... the CFL 2012 is going to look a lot different than CFL 2011. And every single team winced when they saw the stellar coaches Saskatchewan just hired. I'll bet Tillman just popped an antacid.
Cheer long. Cheer loud. Go GREEN!
Or maybe it has something to do with the average age of our coaching staff dropping by like 15 years since November.
That's right. Coach Chamblin has finally released the names of his coordinators and coaches. (With the exception of special teams, but it is expected Craig Dickenson will be back. The details in the contract extension are just being worked out. Booyah!)
You can read the Riderville press releases here and here for all the details.
The exciting thing about finally having a coaching staff is the youth Coach Chamblin attracted to our fine organization. We even snagged Barron Miles from the... (oh this pains me)... Grey Cup Champion B.C. Lions (ahem). Before taking on coaching duties in B.C., Miles had played for 12 yeras in the CFL - seven in Montreal and five as a Lion. He'll be the defensive backs coach. This is a major coup for the Riders and I'm impressed.
Of course, after last season, I'd be impressed if the coach could answer a question with something other than, "I don't know, you tell me."
Oh how I shudder to think of where we were a year ago. On the cusp of a disastrously laughable season with a clueless headcoach. The more I think back to that time, the more I wonder how Coach Marshall wasn't run out of town with pitchforks instead of given the microphone for a presser after he was fired. Seriously. Dude.
Anyway, kind of got off on a tangent. Getting back to brighter days and speaking of coups for the rookie head coach... Netting Khari Jones as quarterbacks coach will make an impact I'm not sure we can calculate at this point. It definitely seemed like Darian Durant needed someone or something to fend off his heavy case of the mediocres last year. And how Coach Chamblin convinced Jones to come here, I have no idea, since he gave up the title of offensive coordinator in Hamilton to join the Green and White. Props to coach!
Another great hire is Jason Tucker as receivers coach. To be frank, I never even knew we had a receivers coach before. (I'm going to assume that's an oversight on my part and not the fault of the coach.)
And Kris Sweet will join Riderville as run game coordinator and offensive line coach. Dear heavens above, does this man have his work cut out for him! He comes from the Stamps and from all appearances (okay, the couple dozen or so Tweets I saw) he looks like he'll be a good addition and definitely will fit in with Chamblin's vision of an aggressive and fast Roughrider team.
As the season ended the average age of Rider coaches was somewhere in area of 59 years. (Thanks to Jamie Nye for posting this!) Currently, the average of Rider coaches is 44. Crickey! They are but babes!
All of the guys are experienced, yet haven't rattled around the league for decades like the leftover screw you always seem to have when you finish putting together your furniture from Ikea but you keep in the kitchen drawer just in case you need it for something...
And that says a lot. Not just of the quality of the hire (way to go GM Taman!), but also of the quality of our organization. Maybe we all forgot just a little of the prestige that comes with the Green and White. I mean firing our coach mid-season just six months into a three year contract, firing our offensive coordinator, not to mention our less than stellar on field performance... well, it did make us seem like we couldn't find our butt cheeks with both hands and guide.
Fast forward a few months and we've got a head coach that is clearly prepared for this gig. And the preparation is ongoing. AND he's even attracted an all-star cast to back him up. How cool is that!?
I can tell you this... the CFL 2012 is going to look a lot different than CFL 2011. And every single team winced when they saw the stellar coaches Saskatchewan just hired. I'll bet Tillman just popped an antacid.
Cheer long. Cheer loud. Go GREEN!
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