Eric Tillman resigns. John Chick signs with the Colts and the Pats lose 5-2 to Moose Jaw in a hockey game in which only one team seemingly showed up. It was not a good day for Regina when it comes to sports. As the title of this post says, thank god for the Seahawks. In what was a surprising development, the team fired head coach Jim Mora on Friday after a pitiful season in which the team went 5-11 and looked absolutely horrible in the second half of the season. Word out of Seattle is the team is courting USC coach Pete Carroll. If this is the case, get it done. There might not be a better college football coach than Carroll. I'm not sure of this, but I think USC has put out more NFL'ers in the past decade than any other program. If they haven't, they are top three for certain. Carroll is an excellent coach and after years of leading the Trojans, it is time for Carroll to once again enter the NFL wars and see if he can work the same magic in the NFL that he has in the NCAA. If Pete Carroll is the next coach of the Seahawks, I will be a happy, happy man.
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Like it or not, Eric Tillman is no longer the general manager of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Tillman took the high road and handed in his resignation. In doing so, he said his family was a major reason for this decision being made. I can't imagine what it would be like for Eric to be out with his family and have some nut-job go off on him. You know that in Saskatchewan this would happen. It would not be fair for Eric, his wife or his two small children. I always wondered if this would happen even if he were found innocent. There are too many people in this province who take the game far too seriously who would say something at a very inopportune time. Its too bad this situation had to end this way. Eric takes full blame for what has happened and I give him credit for that. He knows a major mistake was made and that there is no one to blame for that mistake but himself. Now that is over, there are three questions that stick out for me.
1)If what I have heard is correct, Eric was not in good shape when told to go home on the afternoon in question. Did he travel home by himself or did someone in the organization drive him home? If he went home by himself in the state that he was in, why? To me, if he was as loopy as he claimed. this would be like a drunk driver getting behind the wheel.
2) Why did the crown pursue this matter so vigorously if the family of the teenage girl that this happened to was willing to let the matter go?
3)Did Eric have a drug problem with the amount of back medication he was taking? If he did, should measures not have been taken to "dry him out". Should Eric have not taken some time off to clear his system? If that had been done, would the incident have even occurred? Perhaps Eric is to blame on this one because of his work ethic. You know that being forced to take time off was something he probably would not do.
This story has been a complete tragedy. Is Tillman to blame? Is the organization to blame? Is the Crown to blame? Is there shared blame all around? We will never ever get the answers to those questions. Many will say the right thing has been done and many will say the wrong thing has been done. The debate will linger on for a long time. Meanwhile, the search begins. The names of Brendan Taman and Joe Womack are front and center. Will one of those men take over from Tillman or will someone like a Tom Higgins be the new guy. Yes, you can accuse me of being a shill for the football team if you want, but I am confident Jim Hopson will find the right guy. His last choice as a GM worked out pretty well did it not? Have faith!
If you get a chance, go to the CJME website for an outstanding interview done with Tillman by Jamie Nye. Its an outstanding 40 minute piece. I recommend you give it a listen.
http://www.newstalk980.com/audio/raw-audio/20100108-jamie-nye-1-1-with-eric-tillman
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John Chick has signed a deal with the Indianapolis Colts. This shouldn't come as a surprise. When you have a season like what #97 has, you have to expect NFL interest will come. Will Chick stick. Don't be surprised!
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Jordan Eberle and Colten Teubert were back. Sadly, I think the Pats thought having those two would be enough to win a hockey game. WRONG! They looked dead on skates as they lost to Moose Jaw. Even the two silver medallists seemed to be off their game a little, but can you blame them. Medicine Hat is here tonight and you have to wonder if the Tigers win if Eberle or Teubert will be at practice Monday or if they will be heading to a new team. I know GM Brent Parker doesn't want to trade both of his marquee guys and both don't want to leave, but there may be no choice if this team loses to the Tigers tomorrow.
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I have seen three people on their cellphone talking while driving over the past two days. Why are these hooligans still on the road? Where is the police when you need them?
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The provincial Scotties will wrap up in Eston after fire destroys the old arena in Kindersley and damages the curling club where the provincial womens championship was being held. Sadly, the competitors lost a lot of their belongings in the blaze, but they all got out safely. When a small-town rink is destroyed, it creates a big hole. The rink is the centre of a town in the winter. The people of Kindersley look as if they have a major rebuilding project on their hands. What happens to the SJHL's Klippers now? Have they lost their home for the rest of the year and if so, where do they go? Here's hoping everything goes well for people in the town and that the rebuilding process is a quick one.
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The Olympic torch relay hits Regina today. If you can, get out and experience it.
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The NFL playoffs begin today with two games. The Jets are in Cincinnati and the Eagles are in Dallas. New York hammered Cincy last weekend to get into the playoffs while Dallas crushed Philly. Will the same thing happen this weekend? I think the Jets can beat the Bengals because of their defence and the fact the Bengals have limped to the finish line. It won't be as easy for the New Yorkers as it was last week. As for Philly and Dallas, perhaps its my hatred of the Cowboys that has me feeling this way, but Philly is more experienced at playoff football than Dallas. Yes, the Cowboys finished the season strong, but this is another level to which they must climb. I'm not sold on Wade Phillips and I'm still not sold on Tony Romo. I think Philly can win this one, but they may need a David Akers field goal at the gun to do it. If Dallas should lose, may the NBC cameras catch a frowning Jerry Jones as many times as they can. If you show him being smug with his ear-to-ear grin when the Cowboys win, you must show us that sad-sack what just happened look when they lose.
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That is all! It looks like the weekend is going to be a nice one, so try and enjoy some outdoor activities if you can!
7 comments:
Nick Saban. Bobby Petrino. Be careful what you wish for Mitch...Carroll has been wooed by the NFL before. Maybe if he does come to seattle he can trade for Matt Leinart or Mark Sanchez...
KC
Tillman's story is a tragedy. However, he goes down as one of many big name people who made a 10-15 second mistake to bring down his legacy. He admits to his crime and he falls on his sword. The Riders lose out on what perhaps was their best GM ever, but they had no choice but to remove him from the equation. I do think life would have been very uncomfortable for Eric if he stayed. While there are many who are pro-Tillman, there were many who were anti-Tillman. When the man can't even go out to see his kids in a school concert because he is afraid of the reaction he will get, it tells you a lot.
However while Tillman does have to take a majority of the blame, I do think the Riders need to take some as well. If this addiction to the painkillers he was taking was serious, he should have been sent somewhere to get the problem taken care of. ALL of the Rider Nation would have understood that move and would have been compassionate to his problem. To those who would have referred to him as a drug user, I say I would rather have that than child molester on my character.
Mark
Eric repeated many phrases to Jamie Nye that he utterd during the press conference (ie: being a hurricane victim). However, the interview was much more in-depth than he what he gave at the press conference. Good job. Its too bad you two weren't working together instead of him being brought down by the cluelessness of one Drew Remenda. By the way, was it just me or does Tillman take a veiled shot at him during that interview.
Dwight
John Chick's departure means we must re-sign Baggs. If Chick comes back, so be it, but this team can't lose both of its monster ends.
TSN says the Ontario team that had Pieterangelo traded him today and got a whole bunch back. Perhaps Parker needs to take a look at this move and do it with Eberle. The Pats showed us last night how competitive they will be down the stretch. Leffler is brutal, Mitchell isn't much better, Favreau is a joke, Delahey has become soft. Do I have to continue? I'm fed up. This is my last year of season tickets if Parker stays on as GM.
I really think all 4 road teams win in the NFL this weekend.
Chris G
i have a strong feeling that this whole thing with eric resigning is a con job. he was fired, rightly or wrongly. i have been a season ticket holder for over thirty years, share holder and origional riderville member and i am peeded off to say the least. i will not be renewing and will be sending my share back to the riders. i will not support a gutless organization like the riders again.
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