SWAG--Saskatchewan Wins Another Game

Thanks to my good buddy Tom "Mongo" Pura in Grande Prairie, Alberta for giving me the title of this post and thank you to this photographer from the Winnipeg Free Press for capturing yet another hard shot on Buck Pierce courtesy of Craig Butler...

How about the play of the Riders second round draft pick (their first in 2011) from Western Ontario. Tell me he hasn't made an impact this year. Someone should get this picture blown up for him so he can have it as a keepsake. Hell, the Riders should get a bunch of them printed off that he can sign because I think this kid might have a future. 

Is it safe to say the swagger has been taken out of Swaggerville? I had hoped the Riders could win both games of the back-to-back showdowns, but I didn't think they would win in Winnipeg and it didn't look like they would until really that hit by Butler. While Winnipeg came back to score a TD on that drive, Buck Pierce was never the same. In fact, he provided the "picks" for our banjos by throwing 5 of them. Thanks Buck!

Where are the haters now? The Richie Hall detractors are quiet, the Brendan Taman critics have nothing to say, those that are negative towards Darian Durant are silent. Yes, that is what a couple of wins against the league's best team will do. 

Here are some thoughts on Sunday's game. 

--I had cautioned that the return of Andy Fantuz could present a problem as Darian Durant might be focussed in on him too much. Durant admitted after the game that he was trying too hard to get Andy involved right off the bat and that he had to go through his progression and reads and just let Andy get the ball when the time called for it. Once Durant did that, he was the Durant of old as he fired nice ball after nice ball downfield into the waiting arms of Fantuz, Weston Dressler and Chris Getzlaf. 

--A text from a friend during the game said Craig Butler reminded him of Ken McEachern. I don't disagree. As I said, this kid can play and he has a future.

--Say what you will about Buck Pierce, but he is a tough sonofabitch

--Do the Bombers follow the CFL concussion protocol. I really don't know how Pierce could continue after that hit, but I said the same thing after the hit he took from Jamall Johnson in Hamilton earlier this year. 

--How many times can I say that Jerrell Freeman just gets better and better. Like I said last week, he is the MOP for the Riders as far as I'm concerned after the 10 game mark. 

--Did Omarr Morgan's coaching rub off on the defensive backs. They looked pretty good as a group. 

--I loved Chris McKenzie handing the ball to that woman after his interception TD. I'd like to know what he said to her. 

--I loved Darian Durant beaking at the Bomber fans late in the 4th quarter. I have no problems with fans getting on the players case if they can and I have no problems with the players giving it right back or conceeding defeat as Odell Willis did last week by giving the "I'm not worthy" salute to those on the East side that had been ragging on him all day long. 

--If Willis is the mayor of Swaggerville, they might want to dissolve the government and call an election.

--Yes, the Riders got a big break on a holding call that wasn't called in the 4th quarter, but TSN made too big a deal of it. They don't seem to do that when the Riders get jobbed on an obvious call that doesn't go their way. 

--Good on the CFL for remembering the victims of 9-11 before both games today by having "America the Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner" be sung. The only question I have is with the amount of Americans in the CFL, why aren't we playing the US anthem before every game. I think they do it in the NHL.

--I'm a Neal Hughes fan so I love it when he gets in the endzone. 

--It was great to see a trick play on special teams work for and not against the Riders. 

--Ken Miller has more wins than Greg Marshall this year. 

It was also Week 1 of the NFL season meaning my TV remote got quite a workout as I switched back and forth between the Rider game and the Seahawks debacle. Just some thoughts on the opening week there. 

--The Seahawks will be lucky to win 4 games this year. They are that bad. Tarvaris Jackson is horrible and there is nothing special about their special teams when it comes to kick coverage. Ted Ginn Junior returning a kickoff and a punt for a TD in the 4th quarter. Really? Ted Ginn Junior??!!!! ARRGGHHHHH

--Tony Romo is not a smart quarterback. He cost the Cowboys their game against the Jets by fumbling at the New York goal-line when just throwing the ball away gives them likely a 10 point lead and the game and then he throws an interception in the final minute leading to New York's last-second field goal. 

--Who had Cam Newton as their fantasy team quarterback today? If so, you have got to be a happy camper and you have to ask yourself just why Newton was starting in the first place.

--I don't care what team it is, it looks good when the Steelers get their lunch fed to them

--Were the Giants or Atlanta a bigger disappointment, I would have to lean towards the Falcons. 

--Buffalo got 41? 

--So Colts fans, how's life without Peyton?

--Tarvaris Jackson is horrible. Did I mention that already? 

As Rod Pedersen would say, its an up week in Saskatchewan and the Argos bring their circus into town next Saturday. I still can't believe the Riders lost that game in Toronto. 

One other thing. The story of the little boy in BC that went missing and then shows up unharmed at his home days later is incredible and leaves a lot of questions to be asked, but the youngster was unharmed and is safe and that is the main thing. 

If practice makes perfect and no one is perfect, than why practice?