2012 Starts Now

The Saskatchewan Roughriders haven't been mathematically eliminated from the CFL playoffs, but reality does tell you that the team that has appeared in three of the last four Grey Cups will not have a chance of making it four of the last five. A dismal performance in Edmonton in which they lost 17-1 was the straw that broke the camel's back. Its over.

Yes, it is the CFL and we all know strange things can happen, but does anyone see the Riders winning their last four and Hamilton losing its last four. I think its safe to say that when the Riders head out on the practice field Wednesday to get ready for Sunday's home game against B.C. that it will be the first game of 2012 because that is what this team is playing for now.

This team has the same guys on offense that they had last year with the exception of Rob Bagg. Its inexplicable as to why this team can't get into the endzone. 9 points in 3 games. 9 points!!!! 9 frickin points!!! They haven't had that type of futility since 1939!! Was the forward pass even legal in 1939?? (Lynch, you must have been at those games, what's the answer??). That's just unacceptable Fantuz, Dressler, Getzlaf, Cates, Hughes and Durant did not turn into crap overnight. How and why is this happening? Yes, I guess you can blame it on an aging offensive line, but that's not it entirely.

Darian Durant has his haters, but did Ryan Dinwiddie do anything to instill any confidence amongst those who no longer want Durant here. The popularity scale is now leaning heavily on Cole Bergquist as the denizens want to see what the Montana product can do. Here's my observation on that.....if Ken Miller was willing to put in Darian Durant with a broken foot---yes, a broken foot and not a sprained foot--it must tell you that he doesn't think Bergquist can do the job. Do you really want to see him come out just so you can boo him off the field much like you would have done to Dinwiddie had this game been played at home? There's no doubt that Rider fans are harder on their quarterback than they are anyone else. Rider fans have been clamouring for Dinwiddie. They got their wish today and they turned on him just as quickly as they wanted him under center. Its been the same with other quarterbacks in other years. Does anyone remember the "We should be starting Kevin Mason argument?". How'd that work out. I guess some year we will learn---at least I hope we do.

I will praise Durant for coming out with a broken foot and giving it a shot albeit unsuccessfully. It showed a lot of guts, it showed leadership and it showed the will to win that he has, but I will also criticize Darian for coming out with a broken foot and giving it a shot because he should have been a spectator. His decision was with all due respect, a stupid one. When there is no present(and yes, the team will maintain that they had one going in), you don't screw around with the future. Further damage could have been done and may have been done. We don't know. What we should know is that Bergquist likely deserves a start next week against B.C just to see what he has in a game situation. Dinwiddie certainly doesn't deserve a 2nd start and Durant should be in civvies for the rest of the season because of the foot.

While I have a great deal of respect for Ken Miller, I can't fathom why he would intentionally throw his quarterback into the fire at halftime knowing what his real injury was. That's not right. I'm sure Darian bent his ear big-time wanting to be in there, but he shouldn't have been. As much as I would like to defend Ken on this one, I can't....at least not right now.

Its also time to see if guys like Dan Clark, Patrick Neufeld and Nick Hutchins can play. They are the future.  Lets see if Brandon West can play. I like Wes Cates, but if management feels his time is up like what has happened to Joffrey Reynolds in Calgary, then give West the starting assignment. Some will ask about Hugh Charles. He is done. This team doesn't want him around for whatever reason. That has become evident.

Lets see what Tyron Brackenridge can do. Give Kenny Rowe another shot. Lets see what Freddie Barnes can do. Lets see what some other young guys can do.

People talk about GM Brendan Taman not bringing in talent, yet he has brought in guys like Cary Koch, the aforementioned Bergquist, Tristan Jackson, Chris Graham, Dallas Baker, Chris Butler and Chris Milo. Ernie Wheelwright has only scratched the surface, but he showed signs that he can play this game. The same goes for R.J Roberts.  Yes, he let Chris Williams get away, but every GM has had one of those.

I guess maybe the biggest question has to go out to the Rider Nation. I know Rider football wasn't cool at the end of the Danny Barrett-Roy Shivers era and it only became cool when Eric Tillman came to town and brought Kent Austin with him. I seem to remember there were a few who were cool to Austin's hiring because of his past with this organization, but the team won and under Austin they won it all. Success means forgiveness. You have been spoiled since Jim Hopson started putting his footprints on this team. You enjoyed four very good years and its now up to you to decide if you want to be with this football team as they rebuild or if you are jumping ship only to return when the W's come. I understand the need to be critical. Hell, my teams (Seahawks, Cubs, Oilers, Riders) all suck right now and yeah, it ticks me off but I still support them. It baffles me why Pete Carroll won't go out and get a real quarterback or draft one instead of keeping Tarvaris Jackson who is junk. Yes, it baffles me why the Cubs struggle to get to 500 every year no matter who is calling the shots, yes, it annoys the hell out of me that the Oilers haven't been to the playoffs in how many years, but I haven't given up on them and I won't. I will still cheer for them and I will still buy their apparel to show my pride in that team. I will be full of pride when the glory days return and if one of those teams ever win a damn championship, I'll likely be an emotional mess much like I was (as were many of you) in the hours after the 2007 Grey Cup. Its because we know how much we love our teams and what they mean. I don't give up on my teams only to return when all is good. I can't say that for others.

As I type this, the Detroit Lions are playing on Monday Night Football. The 4-0 Detroit Lions!!!. This was a team that was the laughingstock of the NFL for a decade, but their fans never gave up. The Silverdome and Ford Field was always full of Lions fans on gameday and this from a city that has been hit hard  by the recession. You don't think Detroit fans are loving what's going on right now after spending so many years of misery. They'll be crushed if they stumble down the playoff road, but they were there to see this team turn its fortunes around. They never turned their back on them despite being given every opportunity to do so.

The Riders of 2011 are done. Tell me when the services are and I'll be there. I'll also be back in 2012 and I'll be optimistic (although never as optimistic as Lynch) and I'll be realistic too. I hope those of you that read this will be too.

There's only one question I have now when it comes to 2011 and its one that Lynch asked at the end of the Calgary game last week. Can someone please tell me what the hell happened to this football team from the time they walked off the field at last year's Grey Cup to this year's training camp? That is the million dollar question and while there are a lot of suggestions, there are no answers. Somewhere in that structure on 10th Avenue is the answer and I hope that me or someone whether it be Murray McCormick, Arash Madani, Lee Jones or even Rod Pedersen himself finds out and then delivers the message. I think all of us deserve to know.

TSN's Dave Hodge tweeted a question Sunday night. The tweet read "Q: What could be worse for the Saskatchewan Roughriders than the two heart-breaking Grey Cup losses. A: This. Do you disagree?? I don't. I would gladly take the 13th man fiasco and the pain of the last two years than the sludge we've  been treated to over the last three weeks. Those days will come again and perhaps so will a Sunday like we saw in November of 2007. Its why I won't stop supporting these guys even though I am beyond words as to how horrible they are right now. What are you going to do?