Something to "Mitch" About

--Is Rob Vanstone dabbing?

 The Denver Broncos are Super Bowl 50 champions, and Peyton Manning has his 2nd Vince. The question now is whether or not the 39 year old will retire and one has to think he will.  What else does he need to do and what better way to go out. Make no doubt about it, Super Bowl 50 will not be remembered for what Peyton did, but what Denver's defense did and what Cam Newton didn't do. 

  It was evident very early this game would not be the one-sided rout many thought it would be as Von Miller, Demarcus Ware and the rest of the Denver "D" did to Newton what they did to Tom Brady two weeks ago in the AFC Championship and that is make him miserable. The Panthers had one drive all night long and two costly turnovers deep in their end to cement their fate in what was a defensive struggle.  Manning wasn't spectacular by any stretch going 13-23 for 141 yards and an interception, but he did enough. As for his counterpart, Cam Newton did a lot of talking all season long, but in the sport's biggest game, he failed to deliver on the field and off the field. For all the bravado we have seen from this guy this year, his walking off the podium after the game made him look like a poor sport, and he is getting roasted for it on social media. You win with class, and you lose with class. Russell Wilson did it last year, Peyton did it the year before that and Brady has done it as well. Make no doubt about it, it was a hard pill for the MVP to swallow, but he did nothing but bask in the spotlight when his team won this year and it was that same spotlight he tried to hide from in defeat. Sorry Cam, it doesn't work that way especially when you are the face of the league after winning its most prestigious individual honor. 

--I have never been a big fan of the CBS presentation, and would rank it last amongst the networks that bring you the NFL, but Jim Nantz and Phil Simms did do a solid job in covering the game. However, Jay Feely as a kicking specialist. CMON!! Is TSN going to hire Paul McCallum for that next year? Did we really need Jay Feely to tell us why Graham Gano "Milo"ed one off the crossbar.  Did anyone also notice that after Mike Carey botched yet another call with him saying Jerricho Cotchery had caught a pass when instant replay confirmed an incompletion.  I believe he did not utter another word on the broadcast as CBS execs likely told him to hit the media lounge for nachos and Mountain Dew.  Carey has been horrible for CBS this year and in the big game of the year, he disappointed again. I can't see Mike being back next year. Perhaps Steve Harvey can replace him.

Other thoughts from the night at Levi's Stadium. 

•  Lady Gaga's version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was outstanding. I didn't think she had that in her. 

•  Damn you CRTC for not allowing us to see puppymonkeybaby. Youtube that and you will see what I mean if you don't know. 

•  The CBS feature on the announcers who are still living, and have called Super Bowls was outstanding and was made moreso by the trinkets Jim Nantz had with him as he called the game, For those who didn't see it, Nantz revealed in the inside breast pocket of his suit would be a card of long-time announcer Jack Whitaker who was a mentor to Nantz along with a sobriety coin given to him by the wife of the great Pat Summerall who battled with alcoholism for a long time. It was a very moving tribute to two men who obviously have  meant a lot to CBS' number one announcer. 

• Did Tom Brady really get booed at the start of the game when previous Super Bowl MVP's were announced?

•  Was it just me or did Eli Manning look less than ecstatic at the end of the game as he realized Big Bro now had as many Super Bowls as he does. It's OK Eli!! Be happy!!!

•  What type of contract did Peyton have with Budweiser. Talk about some free pub! 

•  Thank you to George Yannitsos at the 4 Seasons for hosting the CKRM Sportscage party. I think all in attendance had a damn good night over some food and drink.

--The CFL's version of free agent frenzy is ready to start. Over 100 players will be up for grabs including several members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Barring any last minute deals, players like Chris Getzlaf, Levy Adcock, Alex Hall, Keith Price, Ryan Smith and Corey Watman could find themselves suiting up for other teams. It would certainly seem as if Smith is destined for another CFL home after reports on the weekend suggested he was looking for a deal which would pay him 150-thousand a year.  I just can't see Chris Jones and company looking to pay that kind of money to Smith, especially after casting Weston Dressler aside and having a fondness for big receivers.  There are several players who are intriguing, and several players who I think would fit in well with this football team.

  Players like Keon Raymond and JC Sherritt have a familiarity with Chris Jones and John Murphy and would be nice additions in green and white. While getting up there in age, Raymond might provide the team with some experienced leadership that it doesn't really have on that side of the ball right now while Sherritt would be a nice man to have in the middle.  Aaron Grymes is a guy I would think Jones would covet, but is he after NFL employment while Keith Shologan would look good back in green and white instead of red and black. Defensive end Shawn Lemon has campaigned for Ted Laurent to come to Riderville, but he may be too expensive. As for the offensive side of the ball, I wonder if there is money in the kitty for Andrew Harris. Like Laurent, I think he is too expensive, but Harris would give the Riders a dual threat out of the backfield, but so would Kendial Lawrence who Jones knows very well. There are many, many questions and they will start getting answered Tuesday morning at 11.

--Kory Sheets has tweeted out that the Riders don't want him back and this really shouldn't be that surprising. There are some out there who just believe Sheets can pick right up where he left off after being named the Grey Cup MVP in 2013. The reality is he probably can't.  Sheets suffered a devastating injury in the 2014 NFL preseason and he hasn't played football since. Why would management what is certainly an unproven commodity to come back? The Riders are moving on and some of Rider Nation need to do the same.

--John Gibbons' days in Toronto are numbered. The Blue Jays went out late last week and hired Eric Wedge to be their player development advisor. Eric Wedge used to be the manager of the Cleveland Indians and what team did Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins work for at one time. Put the pieces together and you will see as soon as Gibbons hits a tough spot, management will have an easy way out as they slide their guy in.

--Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos said Jordan Eberle wasn't a top six forward on Saturday afternoon and compared him and his skill-set to that of L-A King forward Justin Williams. Yeah OK.  Thanks for the input Nick! Ebs doesn't have the resume Williams has, but he is a much better forward than Williams and is certainly a top six forward.  One has to wonder if he was stealing a script from PJ Stock for that one.

--There was something right about having Bob Cole do Saturday afternoon's Edmonton-Montreal game on Hockey Day in Canada. Bob's best days are behind him, but he still brings it. I'd rather listen to a past his prime Cole call a game instead of Romanuk any day of the week.

--The Hockey Day in Canada production is something that brings back great memories every year. I took the opportunity to head to Shaunavon years ago when HDIC came to the small southwestern Saskatchewan town. With Mrs. Scruffy being from that part of the province, there was no doubt a road trip was going to be taken with microphone in hand, and it was a day I still fondly remember.  From the professionalism of Ron McLean, to the reception Don Cherry got at the old rink, to the looks of people in the area seeing Hockey Night in Canada come right into their backyard complete with the Stanley Cup. It is one of the best days I have had in this business covering something non-Rider related.

--40 years ago, Darryl Sittler had 10 points in one game. There are records I don't think I will see get broken in my lifetime and that is one of them. I remember watching Sittler do his thing on that Saturday night against the Boston Bruins. I don't see anyone breaking Dimaggio's 56 game hit streak and the way hockey has become, I can't see any player even tying Sittler's magical night. To steal a line from the Toronto Sun's Steve Simmons...whatever happened to Dave Reece?

--Arash Madani broke the story a couple of weeks ago about Bruce McNall and John Candy trying to lure Joe Montana to the Argonauts.  I certainly hope we can get Montana's take on that when he appears in Saskatoon at their Kinsmen Sports Dinner.  I would love to hear his thoughts on that and how much he considered it if he even did at all. For my money, Montana is the best QB I have seen. Brady needed Adam Vinatieri (and Malcolm Butler...SIGHHHH) to get him Super Bowl titles, Montana just did it with his arm.

--Congrats to Steve Laycock for winning the Sask-Tel Tankard for the 3rd straight year. Has he been asked the Rick Folk question yet?

 --Congrats to Dave Taylor and his Cougar womens basketball team for not only winning a pair of games against Victoria on the weekend, but for getting twin sisters Kia and Kianna Giles out of Winnipeg's Sisler High School who are considered two of the top high school players in Manitoba if not Canada to commit to the program. Having two players of that calibre bodes well for the Cougars as they get ready to host the CIS championships in a couple of years. Congratulations also to mens basketball coach Steve Burrows as he saw his troops beat Victoria twice this weekend which is a feat in itself seeing Regina has only beaten Victoria once in conference play prior to this weekend. It also virtually clinched a playoff spot for his squad in his second year. Steve has molded a nice squad led by the Tull brothers--Brandon and Jonathan. Add what the basketball teams are doing to what Sarah Hodges has going with the womens hockey team this year and it has been a nice season for some of the Cougar teams---a season that isn't over yet.

--That's all I got. Have a great weekend and for god-sake, someone at the Leader-Post must take a video of Vanstone dabbing!! It must happen!!!