Post-season post: my ode to the season done

It's over. Sniff. Sniff.

It was a heartbreaking end, but you have to admit it's still better than 2011. Okay, that's not much of an accomplishment since 2011 was the type of season most of us would like to use sandpaper to scratch it out of our collective memory banks.

BUT despite the 8-10 record, it there are still some bright spots to remember, ponder, savour and relish over the too-long off season.

Here are my top 10 reasons to look forward to 2013: 

1. Kory Sheets: This guy should be locked up in a contract to wear green and white from now until he no longer has the strength to put on cleats. Seriously. He is an absolute phenom. He finished the season as the CFL's number two rusher with 1227 yards (not to mention another 507 receiving yards) and 11 touch downs. Now that he's got one season in the league under his belt, can you imagine what he'll do next year? Number 1 time, baby! And he's hungry for it, too!

2. Weston Dressler: I have only one piece of Rider gear with a number and a name on it and it's number 7. He is destined for the Plaza of Honour and if he keeps it up he'll likely end up in the Hall of Fame. He led the league with 13 touchdowns this year and racked up an amazing 1206 passing yards. His punt return for a touchdown in August should definitely be on the 2012 highlight reel. And in the losing effort on Sunday, Dress put up 153 yards receiving on six catches. I can not write enough good things about this guy and I only wish he could receive some league awards and accolades because goodness knows he deserves them.

3. Darian Durant: Our fearless and loyal leader. No matter what the haters say, this dude is the real deal. Without Doubles, our chances of seeing a Grey Cup anytime soon are absolutely zilch. His leadership, poise and freaking wicked arm have made him an elite quarterback. In the final loss of the season he threw for 435 yards and four touchdowns. Winnipeg or Edmonton would trade a van full of their grandmothers to have someone like Doubles behind centre.

4. Rob Bagg: I hesitate to include him. At this point... almost two full seasons of professional football lost to injury, it sounds like an impossible feat to come back to being our number two receiver. On paper it looks like a lost cause. And yet, if you follow him on Twitter, this guys is a workhorse. Dude doesn't know when to say die. I am convinced, if he can get back to training camp and get back on the team, he'll be an impact player for the 2013 Roughriders. Trust me people, we haven't seen the last of this guy in green and white. 

5. Taj Smith: Have you seen TSN battle for the play of the year? Taj Smith's entry is outstanding. I can't help but smile every time I think about it. If you can Google it, do it. It's worth finding and watching and watching again. Basically, the ball hits Dressler as he's leveled and bounces off the foot of the defender, then into and out of the hands of another defender and into the hands of Taj who snags it and bolts for the end zone. He gets pushed out of bounds before getting a TD, but he ends up making a huge gain out of a dead play and a potentially nasty interception. It was a heads up play that boggles the mind. One of my favourite plays from this season, was being in the stands and watching Taj break lose down the sidelines in front of us going for a touchdown and the entire stadium losing their mind. Taj will be one of the Riders I keep an eye on.

6: Joe Loebedahn: Okay. I admit it. This guy scares me. Maybe he likes kittens and stuffed animals, but he looks like he could eat them for breakfast. His mid-season addition to our defense was like an adrenalin shot of mean straight. I loved the energy and viciousness he brought to each and every game. His leadership on defense was worth far more than we paid him. His Tweet as the season came to an unceremonious end: I'll be back. I'm pretty sure there are those around the league who shudder at the thought.

7. Dominic Picard: Known as the AngryFrenchman on Twitter, the upgrade in the off season at centre may have been our biggest single position improvement. He kicked butt. And when it came to trash talking, I like that Picard wouldn't suffer fools, as the saying goes. Good on him.

8. Greg Carr: I was almost giddy the day after the lousy loss to those lousy-good-for-nothing Cowtown Stumps, when I saw a tweet pop up on my twitter feed saying Greg Carr would spend the off season working out with Darian. At 6'6" Carr is a tower in the end zone. If he and Doubles get on the same page, defenders are going to have to pack a step ladder and some skates to stop them! He was an absolute beast in the semi-final with 77 yard and two clutch TDs. I can't wait to see what he and Doubles can cook up before training camp.

9. Corey Chamblin: I remember when Corey was announced as the new head coach of the Riders. That presser where he met the media had so much energy, I knew immediately we were in for an exciting year of football. He assembled a kick butt coaching staff that I'm pretty sure is the envy of the league. From the "Big Ticket" to the "Cornish Guarantee" he found ways to motivate and excite his team. I can not wait to see what he cooks up before training camp next year. This off season may be the longest yet.

10. Brendan Taman: An odd choice for this list, I admit. However, I must give credit where credit is due. I have never been a member of the Brendan Taman Fan Club, but once he was unshackled from the Miller-Taman debacle of last year, he seemed to revive a decimated Rider club. Let's admit it... last year at this time the Roughriders team was a smoldering pile of rubble. Taman hired Corey. Corey hired an all-star coaching staff. We picked up LaBatte, Willis, Sheets, Picard... then drafted Ben Heenan. Mid-season pick ups like Taj Smith and Joe Loebedahn showed his commitment to bringing in the best talent he could find.

We've got a ways to go to be sure, but I look forward to what Taman will accomplish in the off-season. And I look forward to what Chamblin and company will accomplish in 2013 to take us to the Grey Cup. As exciting as 2012 was, I have no doubt 2013 will be even better. And I haven't felt this positive going into an off-season since Kent Austin proclaimed a dynasty on the steps of the Leg.

Take comfort, my little green friends. This too shall pass. And we'll all be together cheering hard come next June!

Sigh... only seven months to go...

Cheer long. Cheer loud! GO GREEN!

The 13th man doc: The pain never ends

My thoughts on TSN's 13th Man documentary which aired last night: 

The good:

• Paul McCallum is a far classier guy than I’ve ever given him credit for. (And I honestly never saw an interview after the 2004 loss where he refused to face the rest of the team. Like wow.)
• Best comments from the hour: McCallum in his assessment of how it should feel like a hallow victory for Montreal – winning because of another team’s mistake instead of your own ability.
• The nuns were hilarious. Loved that part! God bless them!
• Best quote from a fan: No one died, but it felt like it. (Close second goes to the guy who said he stood still for five minutes until a fan behind him asked his wife if he was having a stroke.) 

The bad:

• I watched the game-winning field goal for the first time ever. I left a house full of people once I knew the penalty. Took my dog outside and cried by myself.
• No one outside of Ridernation will ever understand the pain of that day. They can make all the documentaries they want about it, they’ll never get it.
• Duval (Montreal kicker) is a jerk. Yes, thank you, for pointing out the final score on your Grey Cup ring, you twit!

The ugly:

• Watching Weston Dressler throw his helmet on the sidelines.
• Most haunting image – Paul LaPolice standing alone on the sidelines watching Montreal celebrate.
• Most disturbing image (not shown): Knowing Darian Durant and Andy Fantuz went to the training room to cry alone for 20 minutes. Got me choked up again just typing that.

I felt a little bit like the director didn’t get it. He thought it would be this great love story between fans and the team, but I wanted more positives out of it. Like how the team took turns in interviews leading up to the 2010 Grey Cup falsely confessing to being the 13th man. And I wish they had spent more time talking about the warm welcome the team got coming back after that devastating loss. And maybe more time talking about how the fans came to wear 13th man as a badge of honour again.

I will admit it is hard to assess how good the documentary was simply because the subject is so emotional for all of us. I thought they could have interviewed more Rider fans, maybe even different Rider fans, but I'm not sure I'm in a good head space to offer up critiques on this man's journalistic ability in creating a documentary on what has to be one sports most memorable and disgusting moments. A hundred Grey Cups could never erase that memory. Or the hurt that comes with it.

Bottom line: It was painful. It was still painful and I won’t watch it again.

Post-game pot: Dominating Montreal

Okay. Yes, I know, I know. We lost the game today by a score of 28-17.

But as is often the case in professional sports, the score doesn't tell the whole story. In week of football that saw two teams fail so miserably in the second half the merciful thing would have been to send everybody home, we showed up with bells on and played until the final whistle.

In Calgary, the Bombers bombed so badly, they're still filling in the crater at McMahon. The final tally was Calgary 44 and Winnipeg 3. Calgary very easily could have had more points. Winnipeg looked like they'd have a tough time finding their own butts without a map. And anyone that puts Buck Glass-jaw Pierce behind that offensive line, should face a lawsuit. My word. If I were Buck, I think I might throw myself down the stairs on the way to practice this week.

Meanwhile, in Edmonton they were down to their third stringer at QB after KJ and Jyles failed to ignite the water-logged offense. Injury was the reason given for the switch up. After QB Nichols was carted away on a stretcher after getting himself concussed (seriously, dude, learn to slide!), ship really starting to take on water. Though KJ found healing and got back into the game, it didn't help. Edmonton got swamped 51-8 by Hamilton.

(And side note to the Ti-cats: you weren't as good as the score indicated. Trust me.)

So then we came to the final game of the week and I have to admit I was quaking in my boots. Montreal was coming off of their own spanking last week and I was pretty sure we'd get taken to the woodshed as they say.

However, that didn't happen. After the Als got off to a quick start and two touch downs, the defense locked it down. And they locked it down good. I'm telling you by the third quarter AC looked pretty... well.. average. I've never seen so many two-and-outs. Our defense kept the mighty Als and their legend-in-the-making QB to just two measly field goals in the second half.

Everybody on defense gets a bit fat booyah from this Rider Chick! Talk about domination! That was just flat out awesome.

Sadly, the deficit was too much for our anemic offense to overcome. Back up QB Drew Willy, getting his first professional start, looked like a back up QB getting his first professional start. And that's not to dog on the guy. He looked like he needs more game time, practice time and just time in general. He's a great quarterback and I have no doubt there are great things in his future. Unfortunately, today was not going to be a win.

Willy threw for 225 yards, one TD and two interceptions. Not a bad effort. If I were grading this, I'd give him a solid C.

All of this to say... don't panic, Rider Nation. This team is good and there are still wins to come this season. We just have to remember we've got rookie players, rookie coaches and a team still trying to gel after the debacle that was 2011. We are light years ahead of that. Watching the CFL routs this week was a very good look at just how bad things were last year at this time.

And to all the Durant-haters out there: Can we finally put the "Play Willy" meme to rest? The dude just isn't ready. With Durant behind centre today, I bet you the farm, we win. Handily. And Montreal would crying in their poutine right now.

Cheer long. Cheer loud. Go GREEN!

Labour Day Classic pre-game post

Just win, already!

The day after

What in the world was that?!

I tried to keep tabs on the score, but I was doing other things. I admit I didn't make any special effort to watch this game. I felt it was going to be an embarrassment at home. And it was.

Sigh.

What's is the deal with this team?

They have the talent. The coaches are top shelf. The guys on the field are the best we could pull together. How is it that they play like they don't know how to play football? It's like the whole scheme is all new to them each week.

This loss hurts. We are in tough. I thought this season was going to be a rebuilding year, but I forgot how painful a rebuilding year can be.

So how do we fix it?

I honestly don't know. Does Durant need to sit out a game or two and give Willy the reins and see what he can do? I'd support that. Not because I don't like Durant, but just because these need something. Some sort of home.

The frustration is mounting and we need a leader to step up and get things moving. But who will that be?

Cheer long. Cheer loud. Go GREEN!

Week 8: Post-game post

Sigh... 

I have to admit I only watched the first half. It seemed the Riders were totally in it. They contained the notorious B.C. running back Harris. Superman Geroy Simon rarely saw the ball and it seemed like the defense was able to get pressure to Lulay. Something not many teams have done this year. Plus, there was the absolutely amazing third down stand on the 1-yard line. I mean I was screaming after they stuffed the Lions who were sniffing for the a TD, but came up with nadda.

Then there were the two BULL calls by the officials. At the half-time break it was Riders: 3 and the Refs: 7.

I try not to slag on the officiating on this blog, because... well... every team could complain about it every game. It's not that the refereeing is always that bad, it's that it probably is consistently going against the team you cheer for at some point in the game. It's like complaining about the weather. Nothing you can do about it, but live with it and get over it.

However, I am making an exception this time. 

First there was a roughing the kicker play... which if you could have seen my face at that moment!

Where were these refs when Congi was molested two years ago? When his knee bent in ways I shudder to think about even still? Explain to me why that WASN'T worthy of the flag and not even touching Paul Can't-Miss-in-Orange MacCallum is. I was furious!

The fury only multiplied when they called the roughing the passer penalty at the end of the series. Since when is landing BESIDE the quarterback a penalty? And all the while Darian Durant gets pasted to the turf on every. Single. Play. And nothing gets called.

I mean... do they have the Lions' logo stitched onto their stupid yellow penalty flags?

But then the Riders did their own dirty work and things really started to unravel. The interceptions piled up and the offense seemed to be stuck in neutral. I'm not even sure I know the final score.

24-5. (I had to look it up.)

Yeah. That was pretty yucky. But here are my thoughts for what it's worth:

1. Our defense is solid. I mean we shut down their running back and for the most part held our own defensively against the defending Grey Cup Champs, playing in their park. Not an easy task.

2. Our offense needs help. I don't know what form that help needs to take, though. They all need a shot of lightning juice or something. And is it our play-calling? I mean... it seems like the opposition knows what we're going to do before we do it. Maybe we need some creativity. Maybe Durant needs to stay on the sidelines for a game. I don't know. 

3. The sky is not falling. And anyone who thinks so can simply go ahead and cheer for Winnipeg. Those poor souls need as much cheer as the can get! As a Rider fan I am aware there will be droughts.

In fact, as a Rider fan I understand there will be times when the team will sniff out every shred of hope, kill it, stomp on it, and set it on fire.

And the sun will rise tomorrow. To a new day and a new opportunity to believe in the possibility of what could happen.

The good news is... we have a good team. They're young. And they need time to gel. Over half of the starters are new. Heaven's I follow the team and I still need to check the roster occasionally when someone makes a play. 

Above all remember, this is the CFL and anything can happen. Remember the team that dropped five in a row to start the 2011 season? That's the defending Grey Cup champs, B.C. Lions.

Keep believin', Rider Nation!

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!

Week 7: Post-game post

Again I apologize. It was a weird week last week with holidays and the family getting sick. Now that I've re-joined the work-a-day world, things seemed to be getting back to a facsimile of normal. So I thought I would share my thoughts on last week's game in Edmonton.

I gotta admit, I hate it when the Riders play in Commonwealth. Pretty guarantee any schmuck behind centre wearing green and gold will light it up against the Riders no sweat.

And in fact, any schmuck did. Steven Jyles had a "career night". Seriously? Did he eat his wheaties that morning? Did they secretly fly in Anthony Cavillo from Montreal? Like what the...?

Meanwhile on our side of the ball, we had a tough time doing... well... pretty much everything. The only way to describe our team right now is a hot mess. Some parts are amazing and wonderful (like Kory Sheets) and others are like... oooookay, let's not do that again, like ever!

From the13 penalties (13!) for 90 yards worth, to the picture perfect Cary Koch catch (for Edmonton), to the very sad Dressler fumble in the fourth quarter, there's so much I'd really rather forget.

The saddest part of the game was watching Picard glumly limping off the field in obvious pain. It looks like he'll be out for the contest in Vancouver this weekend. That is worrisome. Picard has been rock solid at centre.

And receivers need to put some stick 'em on their hands. Catch the stinking balls would ya!

Yet there were a few positives.

Like Kory Sheets rushing for 78 yards and receiving 138 yards.

Nick Graham and Eddie Russ blew the drawers off with six tackles each. Odell Willis and Shomari Williams each snagged a sack.

Durant threw for 401 yards, but that included two interceptions. Sigh. Back to the turnover machine. It's gross and it's gotta stop in order for us to have any prayer of making it past regular season.

The loss leaves the Green and White at 3-3. It's not a reason to panic completely, but something needs to shift, get tweaked or changed.

I'm not smart enough to know what that is and I'm growing concerned that neither is Corey Chamblin. This is the time when I want to see the team pull together and do what we all know they can do.

Of all of our losses this season this is the one that concerns me the most. The two games against Calgary and Hamilton the team at least played well. In Edmonton, it just looked off. Bland and predictable. It might be time to switch up some of the play calling. It really seemed like Edmonton knew exactly what we were going to do before we did it.

My only other thought on the game... Kavis Reed is one angry dude. Seriously, he needs to cut back on the caffeine or something. I don't think it's necessary to freak out on the sidelines all four quarters of every game. Dial it back before you have a coronary, buddy!

But back to the Green machine, I hope they are able to reassemble the parts before Sunday. We're marching into one of the most hostile environments in the CFL at B.C. Place facing the defending Grey Cup champs. We've already beaten them once, but I don't think a win this Sunday will be as easy.

Meanwhile the rest of the league is still reeling from the release of Cory Boyd by Toronto. It's not every day that a team releases the league top rusher. Boyd was signed by Edmonton just hours later. One assumes the rest of the league took a pass. Running back is one position most teams actually have pinned down for the most part. Quarterbacks on the other hand... As bad as things are in Riderville, they could be much worse!

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!

Week 5: post-game post

My apologies for not getting this up as quickly as I would like. I was visiting my mother-in-law and she doesn't have wifi. It's weird to go there - no wifi, no internet, no computer. It's like visiting the 1980's.

Anywho...

The Riders had another colossal breakdown. Having a week where the losing it's focus and blows a double digit point lead going into the fourth quarter happens. It's football.

Having it happen two weeks in a row and Houston, we have a problem.

I don't know what that problem is. Thankfully, I'm the not the one paid to figure it out. Though, I have to admit Corey Chamblin sounded after the game like he didn't know either.

I'll cut him slack. He's a rookie head coach with a mostly rookie coaching staff under him and a slew of new players.

It seems like the whole team comes apart in the final minutes of the game. It's the play calling, the defense, the offense, the receivers dropping balls, Chris Milo kicking foul balls. It's everything. Just like last week there isn't any ONE in particular to blame. It was a fantastic wall-to-wall collapse.

So I have to ask... was the wave to blame?

You read that right. Just before Durant turned over the ball the entire capacity crowd at Mosaic had started the wave. It had gained steam and circled the entire field. It was incredible! Until Durant fumbled and then next thing we know Hamilton's mounted a comeback and the Cereal Bowl's gone soggy.

So as fans let's make sure we never do the wave again. Mmm, k?

Highlights for me, as we fried in the stands on the sunny side of the field, we got to yell "Henreeeeeee!" with half of Mosaic stadium. Check that off my bucket list!

I also want to say Taj Smith's touchdown was electric at the game. I hope they keep him in there. We need some more targets for Durant. It appears Getzlaf has a case of the drops. He really needs to get that sorted out. Durant needs solid, dependable receivers and Dressler can't do it all by himself.

So boo-yah to Taj Smith. Glad to see this receiver make an impact.

Jock Sanders is a whiz-bang fun at the game. I loved watching him set up perfect field position. It's so great to start our offense on the 50 yard line rather than the two. It's a matter of time before the kid breaks it down the field for 7 points.

The Riders are off now until they hit Edmonton August 10. This should give the guys a chance to recover. There are several nursing injuries. In fact, when Tristan Jackson left the game in the first quarter with a banged up knee we were without three of our starting defensive backs. Hopefully, some of those guys can get rested up, because we need them.

For now we're a respectable 3-2. Tied for first place in the west. Nothing wrong with that. We all knew this year was going to be a re-building year. So there are going to be some growing pains. Don't believe the sky is falling yet. The coaches will figure it out. We'll come back stronger than ever and kick the Evil Empire's butt at Commonwealth next week.

The good news is... (and yes really was good news)... we've got a team that is exciting to watch. And a team that comes out solid every week. Can you remember last year? Man, our team looked like they didn't even know how to play football. At least this year we are competitive, not to mention entertaining. Which means football in Riderville is once again exciting.

I'll check in later in the week with some injury updates and a bit of a CFL round up. Not much going on with half the league off for the week.

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!

Week 5: Pre-game Post: The Cereal Bowl

It's the battle of the cereal - Fantuz flakes versus Getzlaf's triple berry waggle cereal.

This game has been one I have been dreading since the day Andy Fantuz signed with the Hamilton Tiger Cats as a free agent in the off season.

I've tried not to be bitter. The guy just wanted to play close to home. Who can fault a person for that? But it's hard to swallow, isn't it? Even after all this time. Even with all the reports of how much money he got for leaving. It's stings a bit, okay?

But, there's part of me that has to admit, Fantuz didn't do much of anything last year. Remember last year? The year he went to the Chicago Bears to try his cleats in the NFL. His results weren't great and he was quickly sent packing. But he took his sweet time coming back didn't he? And when he was here he looked like he'd much rather be anywhere else but. Then he was injured the final nails were driven into the coffin of the season of misery.

His major contribution was the effect he had on the opposition as defenses were double and triple teaming him, allowing Dressler and Getz to get open for a few good snags.

So will the fans at Mosaic applaud Andy the Great? Or will it be full on derision like we heap on Smilin' Hank Burris?

Personally, I think Andy will be treated like any other opposition player, but I doubt there will ever be an end to the scorn we dish upon Henry. Say it with me, "HENREEEEEEEEEE!" He loves it, I'm sure.

So after last week's last minute stumble what should we look for at the Cereal Bowl?

Well, this is a far different team than we faced in week one. In that contest we thumped them 43-16. This time the Riders are facing a much improved team. Burris and Fantuz are in sync. So the key thing is to get in Henry's head. The 13th man will have that covered, but our defense will have to shut him down early. Sack him, cut off his avenues of escape and he'll get frazzled. He doesn't cope well with being frazzled.

Watch Fantuz. I'm sure this has been drilled into the heads of every player this week, but it's true. We need to watch where the great #83 is at all time. He'll be a favourite target of Burris' all day long. So keep him busy dodging bodies.

Another dude our D-line has to be all over is Chevon Walker. There aren't too many guys int he league that make me cringe when they get the ball, but Chevy grabs it and you know the defense is in trouble. He's lightning fast and tough to bring down. So stuff him early.

Odell Willis (11) should be back to full strength so hopefully we'll see him back to his normal annoying self. Opposition teams must hate him. I love it!

On our side of the ball, I expect Kory Sheets to be in the endzone. Often. Which is good. Love watching him. (And due to a lovely gift, I'll be watching him live in the stands. Can you say road trip?)

Jock Sanders will be backing Dressler in slotback, as well as back up kick returner. This little guy really impressed me last week, so I'm hoping to see him get some game time.

T-Jack is back on as cornerback and also kick returning. Think he can repeat the epic return he had a couple of weeks ago in the home opener?

I'm expecting someone to have a break out game. It's time, isn't it? For just a dominating, stellar, jaw-dropping performance. Who will it be? We all know Dressler has the ability to rack up the stats. What about Getz? Chris Getzlaf can be a bit of dark horse, running under the radar. Could this be a statement game for him? What about the new guy Terrence Jeffers-Harris? Is he up to speed enough to show off his stuff? Or Jordan Sisco - the local kid? Can he bring the crowd at Taylor Field to their feet?

I don't know. But I do know, it's time for a spectacular game. It's time for Darian (4) to bring his A-game, the defense to stuff them and the offense to light it up. In short, to beat the kitties we're gonna have to firing on all cylinders for all 60 minutes of the game. This is no time for the offense to let up or the defense to get soft. We're going to need all 42 guys for this battle. And I have no doubt everyone will be onboard, ready to atone for last week's debacle.

Two strong teams are going to be hitting Mosaic tomorrow. Hamilton comes to Regina, second in the east with a record of 2-2. The Riders are at 3-1 sitting atop the west (thanks in part to Winnipeg's weird victory in Thursday's CFL action). Both teams will be looking to strengthen their positions. As I said, only one can come out on top!

I predict a tough battle with Riders pulling out a win in the dying minutes of the game. (I'm dramatic that way!)

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!

CFL Round up

My thoughts on the stuff going on around the league...

Thoughts on the suspension of Khalif Mitchell:

I understand that football is a violent sport. I get it. I lived through the year of the broken leg in Riderville. But what happened last week in the game involving the B.C. Lions and Edmonton Eskimos is beyond disgusting. Khalif Mitchell, a defensive lineman for the Lions pulled the Eskimos Simeon Rottier out of a dog pile in the first half. Unfortunately, he did so in such a way that made every TV viewer nearly lose their lunch.

It's called an arm bar, apparently. I don't watch fights so I wouldn't know. Basically Mitchell grabbed Rottier's arm and bent it back until it hyper-extended. Elbows are not supposed to bend that way! Mitchell even managed to throw his hips into his action to him more leverage.

There is nothing whatsoever in his actions that is related to football. It's a thug move. And there's no place for it in professional football.

TSN's Matt Dunigan had the best summary.
@MattDuniganTSN
Khalif Mitchell's snapping of Simeon Rottier's Arm! UNCALLED 4, UNNECESSARY, UNFATHOMABLE, UNFAIR, UNBELIEVABLE & UNQUESTIONABLY DELIBERATE

Although there was no flag on the play during the game, the CFL agreed with me and slapped Mitchell with a two-game suspension. I had hoped for more, but two games is more than the CFL has given out for other infractions so at least they acknowledged the seriousness of the situation.

It would have been great if Mitchell could have been a grownup and taken his punishment like man, but instead he's whining like a spoiled two year old about it being just a "football play" and he has no problem looking at himself in the mirror.

Well, that's nice. Not only does he have the ability to hurt someone, he can do so and feel good about it. All that tells me is that Mitchell is likely to do this again. Here's hoping his appeal upholds the decision. Unfortunately, he'll be allowed to play the next two games pending the results of his hearing during the week of August 6.

For the record, Rottier's arm will be okay and X-rays revealed no fractures. In the meantime, he has spoken out to convey his forgiveness of Mitchell. He says he's moved on. It's more class than Mitchell will ever have. 

Thoughts on the state of the Boo Bummers:

I have family in Manitoba. I married a Manitoban, I keep tabs on the Bummers. I don't like it, but it's part of my life. I never would have guessed they'd start the season 0-4. Not only are they winless, there doesn't appear to be any light at the end of the tunnel. Their starting quarterback Buck Pierce is out with an injury and their back up quarterback Alex Brink was a disaster last week.

The biggest problem they face is that... well... there's no nice way to put this... Their starting quarterback Buck Pierce. Even if he comes back from injury, he's still Buck Pierce. There's a very good chance he'll be back on the sidelines with a concussion, foot injury, broken arm, collarbone or an infected hang nail. This guy can't stay healthy. He needs to call it a career before he ends up with a life-altering injury.

The Blue and Gold meanwhile need to spend some serious time rebuilding. They were decimated in the off-season by free-agency. They need to recruit some serious depth on O-line. And a quarterback might not be a bad idea. Brink might not be their savior and Elliot is going to need some solid experience before we even know what he's capable of. 

Thoughts on Rob Bagg:

I heart Rob Bagg. I love his persistence, his faith, his tenacity, not to mention his ball skills. He's a proud Rider and I know his heart is still on the field with his mates. This morning he announced he's opting for surgery on his torn ACL on his left knee, effectively ending his comeback season. It's heartbreaking for all of Rider Nation. From this lowly blogger to Rob: Get better. We'll see you next year!

Thoughts on the Regina Stadium:

This comes with a big boo-yah! Regina City Council passed unanimously the MOU for the building the new stadium. Yet another hurdle has been cleared. And the boo-yah goes to Regina city councilors who voted to the boos and jeers of the public watching the hotly-debated issue from the gallery.  

Thoughts on the Riders:

We acquired receiver Brooks Foster this week. He's got some NFL experience, but nothing spectacular. It's hard to get a good history on him, because his resume is hampered by some injuries. Let's hope he can stay healthy enough to have an impact. There will be more roster shuffling this week. Another receiver we signed last week, Terrence Jeffers-Harris, may even see action. There will be more on this in the preview of Game 5. 

Thoughts on the Cereal Bowl:

That's what they've dubbed the game between Saskatchewan and Hamilton this Saturday. I'll do an indepth post on this later in the week, for now let me say this is the one game on the schedule I've been dreading since Andy Fantuz announced he'd signed with the Ti-Cats. I'm still dreading it. If we were 4-0 I might be dreading it slightly less. And for the love of goodness can we at least acknowledge that it's a homecoming of sorts for Luca Congi, as well? His departure in the off season was sad for many Rider fans. It doesn't always have to be about Andy!

Last this blogger heard there was still 450 tickets left for the Cereal Bowl. Could this be the first official sell out of the 2012 season. Stand up, Rider Nation!

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!

Week 4: The post-game post

Have you ever had one of those weeks when everything that could go wrong did? And not just wrong, but like fantastically, epically sideways? I'm in the middle of one of those right now. It's just one of those miserable weeks.

And I think in a way, that's exactly what happened in the Riders loss to Calgary last week.

First off, we don't have the best record in McMahon stadium. Let's face it, Taylor Field West isn't exactly kind to us. And I'm not just talking about heart breaking Grey Cups either. We just don't do well there in general.

This time we blew a 17-point lead in the final five minutes. It's palm-to-face gob-smacking, but not unheard of. I mean this is the CFL. The Stumps themselves blew a 12-point lead the week before against Montreal in the final three minutes.

Which proves the old adage in this league: No lead is safe.

And there was no one to blame really. Or rather no ONE in particular to blame.

A catch at a crucial time. A defensive stop at a crucial time. A simple first down in field goal range even! And this would be a much happier post.

However, some days are like that. You drop your phone in a puddle. Lose your keys. Lock yourself out of the house. Spend thousands of dollars on car repairs and have your laptop die. Some days are smooth sailing down a freshly paved highway and other days the wheels come off as you careen down pitted gravel road and hit the ditch and lie on the ground aching and thinking: Crap! I'm not wearing clean underwear."

Seriously. Some days are just that bad. And I don't think it's indicative of how good or bad our team is. It just proves there are areas to work on. And it just proves Coach Chamblin's philosophy - it's a team win/loss. Forty-two guys out there fell apart at the seams. Just like 42 guys mopped the floor with Hamilton in Week 1.

But there were some bright spots:

Kicker Chris Milo. I know, I know. His percentages aren't that great. BUT, he hit a long field goal during the game that most said he couldn't hit. He's got streaks of greatness and I'm willing to wait out some of his struggles. His punting has for the most part been rock solid and is giving the opposition a deep field to work with. So that's good. Besides, it could be worse.

Weston Dressler. He can almost walk on water, I'm sure of it. But last week, he looked human. After making a diving catch in the end zone, he actually dropped a couple of catches. Including what could have been a game winning touchdown. But getting back to that diving catch - classic Dressler play. It was awesome to see him in fine form gettin' the job done. I have no doubt we will see more of that in the games to come.

Durant. His game management and time management is absolutely skillful this year. With all the quarterback controversies brewing with other teams (I'm looking at you Winnipeg), it's it nice to know we've got a huge talent at the helm? Things could be way worse than throwing one interception in 16 quarters of football. Believe me! The Boo Bummers are coping with their starting quarterback Buck Glass-Jaw Pierce out with injury and their back up quarterback looking um... less than spectacular behind centre and all the while they're 0-4 with no wins on the horizon. See things could be way worse.

While we are at it, a few months ago if someone had said we would be sitting at 3-1 to start the season I would have thrown a freaking parade! At this point in last year's season of misery we were at 1-3 and our third win didn't come until September 11. So really 3-1 is a great way to start. As long as we don't let the one game loss become a streak, we'll be fine.

In a way it's almost a relief. Durant finally threw his first pick. Which isn't good per say, but at least all the talking heads on TSN can stop talking about how we hadn't turned over the ball for however many quarters. (Seriously, TSN needs more talking points during games because if I hear one more time how the Ti-Cats kicker comes from Aussie rules football, I may snap and break my TV!). Now we can move on to a different talking point with the Riders. I was beginning to worry that when it happened it would be like the world was ending. But it wasn't. Two turnovers in four games is nothing. It's a stat all the other teams are jealous of. So whatever. If we can continue to control those, that'd be great.

I have to admit I am rather impressed by the reaction of Rider Nation. I was expecting full vitriol against Durant for the pick or the D-line or Dress and Getz for the drops. But I haven't heard much of that. It was simply a loss. And it happens.

This week we get ready for the Ti-Cats and as the TSN talking heads pointed out umpteen times last week already it's the return of Andy Fantuz. (Not to mention former Rider kicker Luca Congi who gets no mention in these promos!) I'll have a round up of other CFL news later this week and then a pre-game post before the Ti-Cat melee on Saturday.

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!

[Sorry for the lag in blogging. The aforementioned laptop issues continue. Blogging from an iPhone is not an option. An iPad on the other hand...]

Week 4: Pre-game post

Well, big news out of Riderville this week was the sad news that Rob Bagg (6) was put on the 9-game injured list today. There are few in football who work as hard as Rob Bagg. He fought all last year to get himself back into shape for this season - fighting through rehab for two knee injuries. I follow him on Twitter and there was nothing he was looking forward to more than getting back on the field with the Green and White this spring.

This particular injury is to his left knee. His previous injuries were to his right. There are no details yet on how serious this tear is.

I was so looking forward to Bagg having a break out game, snagging that clutch catch for a much-needed first down or that one arm catch in the end zone for a TD. However, it looks like for the moment it is not meant to be.

I do hope Bagg can be back sooner rather than later. I know hearts are breaking all over Ridernation after hearing the news.

Sad new aside, there is still a game to play in Cow Town or as I like to call it: Taylor Field - West. I expect there to be just as much green in the stands as red. Don't disappoint me, Cow Town.

This game will be a good test of how our guys handle adversity. I'm certain they will all be mindful of taking the field without Rob Bagg. Can they keep their head in the game?

Especially our offense. Our offense has been doing enough to win games, but we're still waiting for a big aerial assault by Darian and his Posse. With Bagg down, there's a bit more pressure on the other receivers to man up and show their stuff.
I remember a few seasons back it was injury that brought up guys like Bagg and Dressler (7) and look what they did with the opportunity. It's time for Sisco (12) and Harper (82) to dazzle us.

The diminutive Jock Sanders (29) will be backing up Dressler (7). Getzlaf (89) will be in at slot. Hughes (32), Bell (26) and McHenry (18) will cycle in at fullback. Sheets (1) will be the starting running back.

I expect the Stampeders will be run Cornish all over the place. He's been very effective against us in the past. And with a big fat question mark hanging over their quarterback position, the run game may be all they have. Okay, Kevin Glenn isn't that bad. It's just that he's not always that good either. And he was thrown into action only last week after Drew Tate injured his shoulder and opted for season-ending surgery to repair it.

But back to the defense, I expect Cornish will find his night a little uncomfortable if our defense can shut him down. Sam Hurl (31) sounds like he's looking forward to a bit of a homecoming of sorts. The Riders chose him in the draft from the U of C and I can't think of a better homecoming than to make his presence felt every time the Stumps have the ball. Go Hurl!

Calgary has the potential to be dangerous. They might be struggling a bit so far this season to figure things out but, they could easily pull it together. No question. The worst thing our Riders could do is walk into McMahon and think it's going to be a cake walk. It'll be nothing of the sort. It'll be a hard fought game for sure.

I would expect if our defense is on fire like they have been that Glenn maybe curled up in the fetal position by the end of the night.

The last I heard there were still decent seats available at McMahon which I'm going to chalk up to this absolutely horrid schedule the CFL came up with this year. What's with all the mid-week games? Shedcule the games on the weekends and the stands will fill, it's not rocket science, people!

Can you believe that if we win this one, we'll be 4-0? And we will have beaten all of our division rivals. A loss won't be fatal, but a win... a win would make sure everyone got us on top of their power rankings.

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!

[Blogger's note: Blogging may be off for a few days. My workhorse of a laptop needs a little TLC and I will be taking it in for repairs tomorrow. Blogging is kind of tricky on a iPhone, but I'll do my best. Hopefully, I'll be back up to full charge soon enough. As always, to stay up to date follow me on Twitter. @saskriderschick]

The new stadium

I got in a bit of a Twitter battle on the weekend. (Won't be the last I'm sure.) Apparently I missed something. Either that or they handed out crazy pills to the good people of Saskatchewan without telling anyone.

The announcement of a brand new stadium being built in Regina on Saturday had a bit of a mixed response and I initially thought this was due to a couple of things: a. We all knew it was coming. And b. we all know it's needed.

Unfortunately, some of my fellow Saskatchewan-ites disagree. I was gob-smacked. You mean not everyone wants a new stadium for the Roughriders?!

My very next question is... have they been to Mosaic stadium recently? Trust me... right now... if you're of the opinion that we don't need a new stadium then I am telling you before you say another world, buy tickets to the next Rider home game. Once you've walked around that stadium - experienced the parking nightmare, used the facilities (I used the term loosely), then and ONLY THEN will you understand the depth of the need.

[You may also come away with a new-found respect for just how amazing Saskatchewan Roughrider fans are. I mean we trudge out to a hill-billy arena year after year despite the conditions to support our team! Go Ridernation!]

I won't lie. I was on the fence about the new stadium earlier this year. Did I really want to see my kids paying for a stadium for years to come? Then I bought a ticket and went to a game at Mosaic. We sat in the north endzone for the pre-season game against Calgary. Seats were snapping all around us. It was a bit of joke by the end of the game. [Apparently, those problems have since been addressed.]

I came away telling everyone that would listen to me that the state of Mosaic stadium is an embarrassment. Get tickets and see for yourself.

Like Premier Brad Wall said... the status quo is unacceptable.

This is no longer an option. The grandstands were built in 1936. Fast forward 76 years and gee-gosh things are falling apart. There are buckets in the offices to catch water from a leaky roof. The concessions (God bless 'em) are a mess with trucks setting up and running diesel generators for power. There are port-o-potties... I mean there are port-o-potties, people!

And parking! You either agree to park on someone's lawn for the bargain price of $5 and then spend an hour trying to get out of the area through throngs of fans and other vehicles. Or you park five miles away and walk.

Not to mention the fact that a few things have changed in nearly eight decades since the Taylor Field grandstands opened. To bring Mosaic Stadium up to current standards would require a retrofit of mammoth proportions. So huge in fact that it would dwarf the costs of building a brand new stadium. A retro-fit would also hinder what could be accomplished with a new design.

The recent upgrades to Mosaic, while nice, are not a good long term solution. It's like patching your roof when you're 25 year shingles are on year 35. It might buy you some time, but it's not a good long term bet.

One of the objections to the new stadium was the 33,000 stadium will limit Grey Cup hosting. My response. NO. There is no way the CFL would let us build a new stadium if they could not use it for a Grey Cup venue. As soon as our new stadium is open, they will be chomping at the bit to get the big dance to Regina. Any facility built in Saskatchewan will be expandable to hold enough people to host a Grey Cup game. Don't worry your pretty little head about it.

A completely ridiculous objection I heard was: "I'm not a fan of football, why should I be paying for it with my tax dollars?" Puh-lease. I haven't driven through Prince Albert in over a year, yet I don't begrudge their petition to get a new bridge. I haven't had cancer in my life, yet my tax dollars go towards the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency to help others. There are lots of things I pay for with my tax dollars that I either don't agree with or don't benefit me directly. Welcome to living in a democracy.

The biggest and most common objection I hear is it costs too much money. There's no getting around it. It's gonna cost money. But you know? Everything costs money. It's the cost of keeping the CFL in the province. Think of the jobs it creates. Think of the money that goes into our economy from games and tourists. Think of the potential uses for the stadium aside from football. Over the years Mosaic has hosted concerts, lacrosse games, the Regina Rams football and more. Think of this as an opportunity to showcase the ingenuity and creativity of the amazing people in Saskatchewan to the rest of the league/country.

Time to stop the crazy. This is the time to celebrate. We've got a world class organization (who at this point is putting out an entertaining world class product) and now we get to have a world class venue to enjoy it in. What the heck is wrong with that?

Build it and it will get used. Build it and it will serve our team and our fans for decades to come.

Just build it.

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!

Post-game post week 3: King of the Hill

Na-na-na-boo-boo!

That's all of Rider Nation answering the skeptics in the league as we stand alone atop the standings. This Rider team is for real, people. Failure to take them seriously will bring disastrous results.

Wow!

It came down to the wire. It was a close hard-fought battle the whole way, but in the end the Riders prevailed 23-20. It was an exciting game for sure. Just watching the return game would be reason enough to stand up and cheer.

Tristan Jackson (38) killed the returns today. He took one missed field goal attempt by McCallum and ran it out to the 55 yard line. Like wow. When was the last time you got to your feet to cheer a kick return? That was textbook.

But that was nothing, because to start off the fourth quarter McCallum missed ANOTHER field goal (more on that in a bit) and T-Jack grabs it. For a second everyone thought he was going to take a knee and give up a safety (1 point) and in an interview after the game, he said he was planning to just that. But when he saw some good blocks setting up down field he bolted.

And blasted 129 yards to the opposite end zone for a touchdown.

Boom!

I would have loved to have been in Mosaic at that moment. The fans went insane. I was doing my best not to scream my head off. (The Hubster was on the phone regarding work.) Five long years Rider fans have waited for a kick returner to "take it to the house". And T-Jack finally ended the drought. Ka-bam!

I texted my brother-in-law at a wedding so he could spread the news to Rider fans. (Who schedules a wedding during a Rider game anyway?)

Of course, all of Rider Nation held our breath when Rob Bagg (6) went down in the second quarter. I cringed as I watched the replay and saw his leg crumple underneath him. After fighting his way back from a knee injury all of last season, I couldn't help but fear it could be all undone. Turns out it was the opposite leg to his injuries and he was right back in the thick of things three plays later. He played the rest of the game and looked a-okay. Whew!

Do you have your "Holy Sheets" t-shirt yet? (Check them out here.) Like wow. Sheets (1) tears through defensive lines. Not a stellar game for number 1, but with 15 carries and 76 yards, he's just so much fun to watch.

Top receiver of the day was Jordan Sisco (12) with 53 yards. Nice job for the former Regina Ram. Not much to brag about, but he made some great catches. Whether he stays as a starter or not, it's nice to know we've got Canadian depth at wide receiver position.

I need to give a shout out to Tyron Brackenridge (41). I haven't mentioned him and I have been re-miss. This guy has really been impressing me the last two games and today was no different. Watching him ring Geroy Simon's bell almost made me wish "superman" would get the ball more often. Brackenridge could make receivers regret catching the ball, there's no doubt.

And Craig Butler (28) rocks. Second game in a row with an interception. QBs better start watching for this guy, because he seems to be able to get his paws on the pig when it's needed. It's a matter of time before he snags a pick six.

Speaking of mitts in the air... Odell Willis (11) had some great knock downs today as well. I think it's safe to say our defense really rattled Lulay. We might not have sacked him, but we kept up pressure and held this potent QB to only 20 points. (Is Lulay not unreal when it comes to getting out of pressure? He's going to be in B.C. for a long, long time.)

And speaking of B.C. I'm going to give a special shout out to Lions kicker McCallum. Thanks for the help today, buddy. Without you missing the mark twice, the game would have been very different. As you could plainly tell, Rider fans appreciate your contribution.

I'm not even going to speak about the officiating. There were so many blown calls (going either way) that I would be here all day if I chose to talk about the refs. It is one of those things you just have to live with in football.

So hats off again to a total team effort. They had the Green and White prepared. The defense did what they had to do. The offense moved the ball (only two two-and-outs). And special teams killed it. A 42-man victory. Only 15 more to go.

And btw... only 43 more regular season games left in Mosaic stadium. More on that in my next post. Til then...

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN! 

Week 3: The pre-game post and a lesson in psychological intimidation

Whew! Montreal pulled out a last minute win against Calgary and that means I’m still in the Rider Pep Band loser pool! Woot woot! That was some seriously good football. With 2:48 remaining and Montreal down 12 points, they power back with a quick touchdown drive and then an interception and another touchdown and finally win by a single point. Proves you can never count out Anthony Calvillo. On the other it show Montreal is no longer the guaranteed winner we used to regard them as.

Onto the big ticket this week. That’s what Chamblin has been calling tomorrow’s tilt between B.C. and Saskatchewan. The ONLY undefeated teams left in the CFL. And they go head to head in what is sure to be an epic battle. And I mean epic.

The Puddy Tats are reigning Grey Cup Champs. And as such this will be the most accurate measuring stick as to just how far the Riders have come this season. That’s not to say Hamilton and Edmonton didn’t presents challenges of their own. But B.C. is the whole package and to be honest they are the only team that looks um… a wee bit scary.

Cue the epic movie music in your head, cuz this match up could be a sneak preview of the Western semi at the end of this season. Beat these guys and not only do the Green and White earn some serious bragging rights doing what no one else in the league has done since the regular season of 2011, BUT we firmly plant ourselves atop the football hill. Which in playground etiquette requires us to yell nanna-nanna-boo-boo at the top of our lungs.

Can we do it? Do the re-jiggered Riders have any stones to throw at the goliath kitties?

What do we have?

We’ve got Sheets (1). Probably the most exciting find for the Riders in the off season. This guy is a serious terror to the defensive line. I have no doubt he will see the ball often and early. Keep the defense on their guard and off balance.

We’ve got Dressler (7). I have seriously begun to wonder if the CFL realizes just what a great player this little guy is. This guy deserves every accolade that could come to him. I know I give him high and constant praise, but seriously I can’t think of any other player that gives it their all on every single snap and is so freakin’ reliable at the same time. Give him the ball and he’ll make the play. Period. He’ll be a receiver as well as a backup kick returner Saturday.

We’ve got Odell Willis (11). When I was in high school a new sports coach came one year and began coaching volleyball, basketball and football. As the boys basketball season got underway, we assembled in the gym for our team’s first matchup. Imagine our jaws dropping when the team came out in unison with their hands up in the air and did some sort of choreographed drill complete with chanting. The other team just about crapped themselves.

When the coach was asked later what the new pre-game routine had to with playing basketball, he said, “Not much.” Although, the art learning of footwork in unison probably did help morale and team cohesiveness, but the main reason he did it was for the psychological effect it had on the other teams. He wanted our school to make a big entrance no matter who we were playing. After all, if our team was that organized to make such a big entrance, imagine what we could do on the court? He wanted the opposition to be quaking in their tube socks by the time the first whistle blew. The added bonus was taking them out of their pre-game warm up and routine, because for five minutes they had to stop and watch the spectacle at the other end of the gym.

I learned a lesson that season: never underestimate the power of psychological intimidation.

I think that’s the edge Willis gives our defense. He’s mouthy and cocky. He gets the crowd into it. His enthusiasm and energy rubs off on his teammates. And he has a way of getting underneath the skin of the opposition O-line. As long as he can keep his frustrations in check and his ego at the door, he’ll be a huge weapon against all kinds of defensive schemes.

And that’s not counting his rather laudable football skills. His ability to get to Travis Lulay early and often will also be a great predictor how the game will proceed. Lulay has come a long way from the hot head he was when he first entered the league, but who’s to say if he’s rattled a couple or 10 times he might not wig out, toss a couple of bad balls and bam! We’ve got the opportunity to capitalize.

I expect Brent Hawkins (90) to be right there with Willis wreaking havoc on the B.C. front. Watching the two of them is just plain fun, partly because they’re having a good time out there.

The biggest question mark after last week’s defensive tussle with Edmonton hovered over our offense. Did they really suck that bad? Or were they just rendered ineffective by the absolutely gold star performance by the Eskimo D?

A little of both, maybe. I said after the game, I had no qualms with Durant staying in. It wasn’t his fault things were going nowhere offensively. Further to the point: the Riders were WINNING. Why pull the quarterback when he’s putting up enough points to give you the W?

Hopefully, this game against the Puddy Tats will help us see just what our offense can do. Will we see a lot of short plays like we have in the first two games? Or will we see some deep tosses with Dressler or Getz (Getzlaf 89) on the run? I hope it’s the latter. Makes for a more exciting game and I have a feeling we’re going to need more than 17 points to get the W against B.C.

One of the biggest stories to come out of the roster for the game is the addition of former Regina Ram Jordan Sisco (12) at wide receiver. This is to satisfy the ratio requirements with LaBatte (57) possibly out, we needed another Canadian starter. This is your chance Sisco – make it happen, dude!

Chamblin and his all-star coaching crew have proven so far they can prepare the Riders for whatever they are about to face. He went so far as to yell and insult the players this week to get them ready for the “mouthy” B.C. crew. Whatever schemes they have cooked up for the game tomorrow, it’ll be a cool treat for fans at Taylor Field.

I’m sniffling a little. For the first time this year, the Riders will play at home and I won’t be there. I know… wah wah! But if you’re going to the game do me a favour please…

Cheer long. Cheer loud. Go GREEN!

Week 2: the post-game post

First thing… if you’ve never been to a game at Mosaic, you’re totally missing out. It is an unparalleled experience. The singer could barely finish O Canada and the crowd was going insane. Then the flypast. In formation… Oh my word! I love jets. I love military jets flying low. I mean our family trekked over one province and four states in order to hit the airshow at Offurt air force base in Omaha a couple of summers ago. Just to see the Blue Angels. (I also have family in Omaha, but the airshow dictated the timing of the visit.) Highly recommended airshow, btw.

Just as kick off was about to occur another flypast – this time in single file. The crowd was delighted later in the game when the pilots showed up and revealed their Rider gear under their flight suits. The pilots then took their seats just a few rows in front of us. I still smile when I think about the flypast.

Back to football, because that’s what you came for, right?

Well, here are my observations from the endzone sidelines.

So it was kind of like the football game that almost wasn’t. I know many in the media called the Rider-Eskimo contest a “dog”. “Dull” and “boring” were also used. Though I have to admit the first half was rather uneventful, it was like a standoff. When you consider the first half saw one measly field goal as the big scoring event, it makes you think the offense on both teams were struggling. I do think the ‘Schmoes got some work to do on their offense. Starting at the position of pivot. Their current QBs are mess. Jyles and Joseph looked like amateurs out there. But the Green and Gold had some bright spots. Sadly one of them was Adarius Bowman who went out of the game with a season-ending knee injury. Our condolences.

But our defense was up against a seriously stingy Esks defense. Don’t get on Darian too hard for not throwing the ball. He didn’t have much time to find someone to throw the ball to and when he did have time there wasn’t anyone open. It might have seemed like an offensive misstep and I’m sure there’s work to be done, but when your offense shuts out the opposition, it doesn’t take more than a field goal to win the thing.

Of course, we scored more than a field goal. Kory Sheets (1) found a hole and squeaked in a TD with less than three minutes remaining. Sheets is awesome. If he stays on track and doesn’t get injured, he’s going to melt the records books.

And my little buddy Dressler (7) was like he always is – delightful and fun to watch – doing what he always does: finding holes and making the defense miss. He went in for punt returns after Sinorice Moss (83) went out with an injury and managed to get in some good returns, as well.

Probably the thing that stuck out most to me by the end of the game was the intensity of the Riders’ play. There wasn’t a single snap of the ball where these guys weren’t ready to make something happen. They were driven, motivated (how’d that happen?) and expecting success. The best part? By the fourth quarter these guys were having a blast. They were thoroughly enjoying themselves out there. And why not? From the defensive standpoint they executed a near flawless game plan.

Willis (11) and Hawkins (90) are a powerful duo. They’re like a two-man wrecking crew on defense. If it wasn’t Odell in the face of the QB it was Hawkins. They each snagged one sack each.

And I have to admit: I’m eating crow. I was one of those people that thought we gave up too much to acquire Odell in the off-season. And I wasn’t so sure the former hot-headed Blue Bomber would really be an asset. We’re only two games in and I’m chowing down on a generous serving of crow. He gets the crowd going, acts as a sparkplug on the field for his teammates and is nothing but a menace to the opposing quarterback. Remains to be seen if he can keep it for 16 more games (and I hope he can keep himself in check and avoid those roughing the passer penalties), but so far, I’m picking feathers out of my teeth.

Shomari Williams (99) is a freakin’ force of nature. With five tackles and one sack that guy pretty much destroyed any play-making ability the ‘Schmoes had.

Sam Hurl (31) was also making Eskimos hurt on the field. Kromah (52), McCullough (45) – who is one of the most underappreciated guys in the CFL, Craig Butler (28) – who tagged an interception late in the game and Tyron Brackenridge (41) were all stellar!

As “uninteresting” as this defensive battle was for some, it was definitely a memorable day at Taylor Field for yours truly. I’ve always said: an ugly win is still a win. Though I think anyone who loves defense would probably argue that game was a thing of beauty.

I will be missing Mosaic this Saturday when we face the first serious test of just how far this team has come. We’ll be hosting the B.C. Puddy-tats this week. If you’re going to the game…

Cheer long. Cheer loud! Go GREEN!