Bombers Roll The Dice

Bombers GM Joe Mack is taking a big-time gamble. Its one that could conceivably cost him his job. Mack traded QB Steven Jyles to the Argos on Wednesday for the fourth overall draft pick in the upcoming Canadian Draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2012 Draft. The 2012 fourth-round pick could upgrade to as high as a second round pick depending on how many games Jyles plays in for the Argos.

The trade is a great one for Toronto as Jyles should be a major league upgrade for Cleo Lemon. In fact, I wonder if Lemon returns seeing Dalton Bell is still around. For the Bombers, they will get a good player at number 4, but they have now left themselves thin at the game's most important position. Buck Pierce can play this game, but he is fragile with a capital F. One hit to the noggin and that could be it for Bucky Boy. Joey Elliott is the backup and while Elliott comes from Purdue that has brought such names like Drew Brees and Jim Everett to the NFL, he is highly unproven. Unproven---that was a word used to describe a certain quarterback from North Carolina at one time. If Mack thinks Elliott can do the job if called upon than perhaps he has pulled off a coup. If he doesn't think Elliott can do the job, he is gambling the future of his football team.
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All I had to do was look at Rod's blog Wednesday afternoon to know what would be discussed in the Sportscage. The organizers of the Ford World Mens Curling Championship is asking people to wear green for Tuesday's draw. Its a marketing ploy and they are making no secret that they are piggybacking off the Riders. I have no problem with that. However, I do have a problem with Jeff Stoughton wearing a green and white jacket. Canada is not green and white, we are red and white. I didn't like it at the World Juniors and I don't like it now. Do we really have to continue associating with the Riders to acknowledge our place on the national stage. NO? Someone phoned in and told Rod that our flag is green so why not? That's half correct---our flag is green and yellow. Much like Amber Holland, Jeff Stoughton won the right to represent our country and the last time I looked, our athletes wear red and white on the global stage. This wasn't done at the World Womens last year in Swift Current and I think it went over pretty well. It got some great debate going with some agreeing with me and some disagreeing. Hey isn't that what you want when doing a sports radio talk show. That being said, I'm sure Derek Boe and the organizers aren't happy with my stance. Once again, no problem with inviting people to wear green---but don't ask the participants. I don't like that.
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CJME's Jamie Nye asked the question that everyone wants the answer to on Wednesday night. Nye and Drew Remenda had the grand poobah on...the big cheese, the one and only Jim Hopson. Jamie and Drew asked a variety of questions with the big one being from Jamie, That question (and its a sensible and informative one)----what number will Gainer wear this year. In 2009, he wore 13. We know what the number 13 means in Rider lore now. With it being the team's 100th anniversary last year, he wore 100. Does he go back to 13 now? Can he wear 13? He can't wear 100 and 101 would look dumb. If you ask me, there is no better mascot than Gainer so just let him wear #1 which is what the team will hopefully be this year.
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St. Louis put up on 10 on Detroit? 10?!
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Where do you take Sidney Crosby in a playoff draft this year as news comes out that he will be gone for the rest of the regular season? Pittsburgh has done well without Sid in the lineup so one must think they are still going to go far in the playoffs. If you get the number 1, 2 or 3 pick, do you take him? I don't know if I would.
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Will you be able to fit another person into the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert Thursday night? The Raiders beat the Blades 6-3 to trail that first round best of 7 2-1. Raider fans were ready for this game---they have waited a while to see their team in the playoffs. They weren't disappointed and you know they will be ready to go again in Game 4. As for the Warriors, they were beaten 5-0 by Kootenay to even that back and forth series at two games apiece. Dave Hunchak has to be wondering where the consistency is as they have looked so good in Games 1 and 3 and not so good in 2 and 4.
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Opening day in major league baseball is today. Always a special day. The Jays and the Cubs will open on Friday. Jays analyst Mike Wilner was with Rod and I on the Sportscage Wednesday. I asked Wilner if this is team is better on opening day than what it was last year and he thinks it is even though they don't have Vernon Wells and Shawn Marcum. Wilner feels Jesse Litsch can more than make up for Marcum with guys like Juan Rivera and new center-fielder Rajai Davis doing their bit as well. That rotation just seems a little too inexperienced for me and I think they will be hard-pressed to win 75 games. We will see. Word is Rogers Centre is sold out for the home opener against Minnesota. That is great..I  just hope Game 2 has a healthy crowd as well.
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Spend life with who makes you happy, not who you have to impress.