Defending Darian

The target is firmly on the back of Riders quarterback Darian Durant after his less than stellar performance Saturday in Edmonton. There's no sugarcoating the fact that he was horrible. It was probably the worst game he has played in a Riders uniform. The performance has brought the knives out and those knives have been sharp as the Rider Nation starts to criticize the play of their starting QB. Its gotten so bad that some are calling for Ryan Dinwiddie to start Sunday against the Bombers.
Rob Vanstone has written a tremendous column on Durant in today's L-P and I can't argue a lot with what he says. You can read that column here.

I don't think I have to tell you that I firmly in Durant's corner. If I have ever had any one criticism of head coach Ken Miller during his time here, I hated the way he handled the quarterbacks in 2008 and how Durant was made to be an after-thought after he suffered that rib injury at the hands of Argos linebacker Willie Pile. I really think that had Durant been able to step back in as the starting quarterback and Michael Bishop was never a part of the equation that 2008 would have ended better and Durant's career might be more escalated today than it already is.

Durant can't be compared to the likes of Lancaster and Austin yet, but if he can lead this team to a Grey Cup championship---which I still think he can, he will have to be talked about as one of the Riders all-time best at the position. You have to when only three men have taken this team to the title.

I also ask this of Rider fans. You all hate Henry Burris because of what he did many years ago. Take a look at where Burris was back in his 2nd year as a starter and where Durant is in his 2nd year. Take a look at Burris now. Has he gotten much better? Durant will be a much better quarterback and have much better numbers than Smilin Hank as the years go on.
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Will Head and Shoulders get upset if Troy Polamulu gets flagged for clipping this season. The shampoo company has insured the Pittsburgh Steelers safety's hair for one million dollars. ?????? What's the parameters of this policy? If Troy loses some of his long hair during a game what happens? I'm guessing he isn't going out and getting a hair-cut anytime soon because of this.

As the NFL season starts and we start seeing more and more commercials involving NFL'ers, it only makes me wonder again why corporate Canada doesn't embrace CFL stars. Why aren't the advertisers on TSN like RONA and Wendy's involving CFL players in advertising campaigns. There are enough marketable players in this league to make it happen. Are you going to tell me you couldn't do something with Anthony Calvillo or Burris or Geroy Simon or Durant. If we can see Sidney Crosby doing Tim Hortons ads during the NHL season, why can't we see a CFL player doing something with Tims during the CFL season. Someone has dropped the ball here. Is it the league? Is it the players association? Is it corporate Canada? The profile of the CFL couldn't be higher right now so start involving the players in some advertising campaigns. It can't be that tough!
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The new "Dancing with the Stars" cast has been revealed. "The Hoff" will be on as will be Kurt Warner and former "Dirty Dancing" star Jennifer Grey. While I will not watch "DWTS", because like most other reality TV shows, its not worth my time. However, if CTV can drag out a "So You Think You Can Dance Canada", why can't it drag out a Canadian "Dancing With the Stars". Oh wait, CBC beat them to the punch with that stupid hockey player-figure skating thing.
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Our coffeemaker broke at home and it hasn't been replaced yet. That must change. This guy needs coffee first thing in the morning, not about an hour to 90 minutes after when I grab one after taking my daughter to school. Speaking of which, it was her first day yesterday and its always interesting to watch your kids on the first day of school. She was quite excited to get back to school and see some of her friends. The smile on her face as she reunited with some of her friends and classmates makes you know there are going to be no problems---at least not yet.
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GSP vs Koscheck will happen in Canada. but not in Toronto. UFC president Dana White says those two will be the headliner at UFC 124 on December 11 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
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