Ouch!!!

One can only wonder what the future holds for Edmonton Eskimo running back Arkee Whitlock. His CFL debut is one he won't really want to remember. In fact, his CFL debut could very well have been his swan song. The man put into the Edmonton lineup to replace the injured Jesse Lumsden was-----well lets just say he wasn't very good. He dropped two passes in the endzone---one that was just egregious in nature. He fumbled once, he had another pass deflect off his shoulder pads into the hands of a Montreal linebacker who took it back for a TD and he had the grand total of 29 yards rushing. This is not what Richie Hall was looking for, but it sounds like he's not giving up on him. Richie had this quote after the game.....





"He had an opportunity to make some plays and things just didn't work out for him, but there were some good things that he did out there," Hall said. "You don't give up on a person after one game just like you don't give up on a team after one game."





You have to be impressed with what you have seen from the Alouettes in the first two weeks. Anthony Calvillo and that offence look like they are in mid-season form already. Calvillo threw for 343 yards and a pair of touchdowns. It will be very interesting to see what Gary Etcheverry and the Rider defence have in store for him a week from Saturday as the Alouettes visit Mosaic Stadium.


First off, the Riders have to contend with the Argos this Saturday. Darian Durant says his thumb isn't 100 percent, but he will play. Head coach Ken Miller doesn't seem concerned---at least not publicly. If I was Miller, I'd be more concerned with how that inexperienced offensive line is going to handle the Toronto defence. Quick releases, screens and draws--that's what I say. It may put a little more emphasis on the ground game meaning a steady diet of Hugh Charles if they can. We will see.


The team was certainly laughing over the plight of Argos receiver Arland Bruce III. He is likely going to miss Saturday's game because of hemorrhoids. As was said at camp by one of the players today, why would you if you were coach Bart Andrus be this truthful with Bruce's status. Talk about embarassing! Is this Bart's revenge for Bruce's Michael Jackson tribute last week?? Whatever it is, Andrus could have just said a lower body injury or something.


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Back to last nite's game. I'm guessing Glen Suitor needed something to talk about at the end of the game, but suggesting that there was some kindling lit for a quarterback controversy in Edmonton because of what Jason Maas did at the end of the game. C'mon Suits!!!! If you were that desperate for material, just go to Sportscenter. As for his partner, well let's just say Chris Cuthbert would make poker sound exciting. Why this guy hasn't been swallowed up by an American network is beyond me. He is the best and he's one of the nicest guys you would ever want to meet. I have had the opportunity to meet Chris and talk to him briefly several times including last year's Grey Cup......

I think I have that same tie. I digress. If the opportunity ever presented itself to talk with Chris about what he has seen and what he has done one day, I would not pass it up. The stories he must have. The thing about Chris that I can't decide though is whether or not he's a better football or hockey guy. Then again, does it really matter??!!
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Did you catch Milt Stegall on "Off the Record" yesterday? He came off looking like a first class knob if you ask me. I really don't know if he is going to add anything to the CFL broadcasts. I guess we will find out Saturday when he debuts during the Rider game. Milt telling Michael Landsberg yesterday with tongue in cheek that no player should wear 85 in the CFL again and that he would have a Grey Cup ring if Kevin Glenn had played. WAAH WAAH WAAH!!!! Would Rider fans have whined that we would have won had Matt Dominguez played???? I grew sick of Stegall at the 2006 Grey Cup when he was working for the Score walking around in Winnipeg as if everyone should bow to him. I asked him for 3-4 minutes to talk about the game and was refused. I was not the only guy. He wouldn't even talk to the Winnipeg reporters. I don't think I have to tell you what he was like after the Riders won the 2007 GC. I get the feeling Stegall will be about as effective on CFL telecasts as Tie Domi was on NHL games. Remember that!!!
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Still with TSN, Vic Rauter has done the afternoon Sportscenter for the past couple of days. I don't care what people say, you have to love Vic. His style and wit is unequalled. Curling, soccer, auto racing, whatever. I want to see more of Vic on the desk.
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Looking at pictures of Craven, it looks like its one soggy mess out there. Then again, most of the crowd out there could probably care less. If you've been out there, you know what a gong show it can be and I expect nothing less this year. I was in a Safeway yesterday when two twenty something men went by me with their shopping cart----a shopping cart that was loaded with Old Dutch potato chips and Coke. Off to the jamboree boys!!!!! I'm guessing that Coke won't be consumed straight up. I would love to go see George Strait Sunday night but unless something miraculous happens, I won't be going. I know Rod Pedersen is headed out there and seeing George is his musical hero, I hope he can somehow pull a string or two to get backstage to meet George. If he does, we will NEVER hear the end of it. Who's kidding who, if Strait was playing at Craven Saturday night, RP would have a private plane waiting for him outside Rogers Centre so he could get back here after the Rider game. He'd be on suicide watch if George was in his backyard and he wasn't here. Thankfully for him that won't happen.

Come to think of it, will the party-goers in Craven be able to watch the Rider game Saturday morning? For that matter, will some of those party-goers even be awake by the time the game ends or will they have gone to sleep by the time kickoff hits.

One other Craven question?? If Billy Ray Cyrus is performing, is Miley with him?? I guess if you see TMZ running around backstage she will be. I heard a story a couple of years ago that Faith Hill was here when Tim McGraw performed, but she never got off the tour bus because she was afraid if she got out she would be mobbed. Is that true???
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The Jays got swept in Tampa. They are now one game under 500 after having that tremendous start. They are done. Everyone is wondering what is going to happen to Roy Halladay since word that he could be traded was made public this week. I'm thinking he will either end up with Milwaukee, the Cardinals or the Angels. If it comes down to one of those three teams, I would hope its the Angels simply for the fact that the Brewers and St. Louis are in the same division as the Cubs. Then again the way the Cubs are playing this year, they won't have a sniff at the playoffs come September 1. Hey Lou---you might want to find a way to get those bats going.
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Did they really break sod on the Moose Jaw multiplex yesterday??? Mayor Dale McBain said it was a historic day for Moose Jaw and its a great day for his city. That's right Mayor McBain it is....its a day though we should have seen years ago. If all goes well, the building will be ready by the fall of 2011. Can't wait!!!
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Rumour de jour. Former Edmonton Oiler and I believe Billings Bighorns alumnus Mark Lamb may be the new head coach in Swift Current. Winnipeg Jets fans must have a real fondness for Lamb. Didn't he score just about every goal in his NHL career against the Jets????
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