From the time he said goodbye shortly after coaching the Riders to the 2007 Grey Cup, I said Kent Austin would not be back unless it was for a visit. I remain true to that stance today, but there are whisperings that perhaps Riders President and CEO Jim Hopson should contact Kent and present him with a blank cheque to get this organization back on its feet after a horrid 2011.
TSN's voice of the NHL and CFL---Chris Cuthbert made this statement on his blog today.
"If I was in charge the first off season order of business would be recruiting Kent Austin back to Saskatchewan. It wouldn't be a call but a full court press. Austin delivered a Cup in 2007 and then accepted his "dream job" at his alma mater Ole Miss. Except Austin is now at Cornell. Hardly a football power. We're told that a key incentive to coaching at Cornell was the education package for Kent's kids. The Roughriders have the resources to pay Austin's tuition bills anywhere his kids want to study."
I still think the CFL is so far back in Austin's rear-view mirror that he can't even see the lights anymore, and I am still of the belief that we will see Austin patrolling an NFL sideline within the next five years. Could he be lured back? If someone of Cuthbert's credibility says it could happen, do I need to soften my stance a little. I would be absolutely stunned to see Kent Austin return to Saskatchewan and the CFL. The money is definitely in the bank to get him here if Hopson and company decide he is the man. However, I just can't see Austin wanting to come back. One reason being---his year here was golden and he faced very little criticism. That one year is why people want him back. They think he is a miracle worker. There is no guarantee that he could do in 2012 what he did in 2007. If he doesn't deliver, how fast will the fanbase turn on him. It could be faster than what they have turned on Ken Miller in the last three weeks. Austin knows that the rabid fanbase can get a little carried away here and I don't think he wants to be in this environment if he should start to fail. Time will tell.
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Loved looking at the front page of the Regina Leader-Post today and seeing the headline "Western Canada expected to be colder this winter". GREAAAATTTTTT!!! The story goes on to say temperatures will be colder, but there won't be as much snow. I guess if it comes right down to it, I'd rather have colder weather than snow. Who's kidding who, I don't want either, but I have to endure that evil living in Saskatchewan.
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Congrats to Global Regina's Tom Vernon who is going to be hosting a public affairs program on Global in both Regina and Saskatoon starting this weekend. I just hope for Tom's sake that CTV isn't showing "The Big Bang Theory" otherwise some will mistake Howard Wolowitz for him. Rod Pedersen first alerted me to the fact that the two could have been separated at birth---they could have been.
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The Riders are 4-10 and have scored nine points in the last three games. The Detroit Lions are 5-0 for the first time since 1956. Its a bizarro football world ladies and gentlemen.
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Fact from CTV Regina sports guy Chris Hodges. The Regina Pats have outscored the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the month of October. He's right!!
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Conspiracy theorists are saying Darian Durant's foot is not broken and that he has just given up. Go preach that to someone else cuz this cat ain't buyin it.
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A new opportunity may be right around the corner. Its just a phone call away, but when is that phone call going to happen and when it does, will the new opportunity be standing right in front of me. Patience is the key word.
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Word has it Five Guys and Fries is opening in Harbour Landing in two weeks. I have never heard of this place and I am told it will put Fuddruckers to shame. I guess I will have to make that determination for myself.
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I like Joe Buck doing baseball more than I like him doing football.
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News of Theo Epstein perhaps coming GM of the Cubs and word of Epstein making former Cub second baseman (and my favorite all-time athlete) Ryne Sandberg the manager puts nothing but a big ole smile on my face. Make it happen and then please, please, please bring the World Series to Wrigley.
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I don't have any problem with what Brendan Shanahan is doing as he attempts to clean up the game. I also laugh when the same people complaining about Shanahan are the people who complain about the amount of concussions. What way do you want it people???
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Are Stu Grimson, Chris Nilan and Jim Thomson just giving Don Cherry more publicity by threatening legal action against him after his rant on the opening broadcast of HNIC? I say yup!
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Speaking of Hockey Night in Canada, Canadians were waiting for the regular season to start if this release means anything.....
Multiple audience records were broken during Hockey Night in Canada's weekend broadcast.
Saturday night's HNIC game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators set a mark of 2.359 million viewers — nine percent more than last year's record.
The game had a total TV audience share of 31.3 per cent and reached more than 7.55 million Canadians according to data from the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement (BBM). The Calgary Flames hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins later that night, reaching more than five million, with a share of 17.5 per cent.
The anticipated Winnipeg Jets home opener against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday finished with an average audience of almost two million.
The season started last Thursday with the NHL Face-Off pre-game show, drawing an average of nearly a million viewers, marking a 66 per cent increase compared to last season.
The first game of the 2011-12 season between Maple Leafs and Canadiens was also a record-setter, with 1.935 million watching over last year's 1.923 million.
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I didn't watch much of the Flames-St. Louis game on Sportsnet Monday knowing my good friend Peter Loubardias wasn't behind the mike. That's not a slam on Rob Kerr who replaced Peter and is a good guy, its just that it wasn't Pete. Then again, I didn't watch many Flames games on Sportsnet over the past few years because well its the Flames and I'm an Oilers fan.
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Sorry Saskatoon, but I would like to see the Mem Cup in Red Deer next year. The MC hasn't been contested in Alberta since 1974. Its their time.
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Prince George Cougars (and former Battlefords Stars) p x p man Dan O'Connor was quite interested with the fact that the Pats had a hot-tub with some young women in it during their stop at the Brandt Centre Saturday night. It made Dan ask during his broadcast how many rinks in the league have hot-tubs at rinkside. That's a good question! I get the feeling there could be one in Prince George soon if Dano gets his way. He said on the air that he had never seen that before to which I replied "You're not in Nipawin or La Ronge anymore my friend".
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The cover of the 2011-2012 NHL Record Book and Media Guide has a picture of Zdeno Chara with the Stanley Cup high over his head. You can pick that up anywhere except in the province of BC as the league handed out the same book with a different cover picture to that area of North America. I can't imagine why???
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I don't care what political stripe you may have. I love Brad Wall's campaign slogan
The only day better than today in Saskatchewan, is tomorrow in Saskatchewan.
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13 comments:
The least Hopson can do is place a call. If Kent says no, end of story. If he says yes, it clears up the mess in a big hurry.
Kent Austin is too smart to come back to Saskatchewan. He will get his kids through school and then either get another plum Div 1 job or be off to the NFL.
Couldn't agree with ya more on Shanahan and Cherry.
Ted
I agree with Anon #1. Make a phone call or pay a visit.
Seems some in Rider land are becoming delusional. Reality Check: Kent Austin will stay down south.
What people fail to understand (or don't know) about the Hopson calling Austin scenario is that the guy placing the call is the #1 reason Austin would never say yes.
Food for thought.
Five Guys is absolutely amazing! Best burger and fries ever! A little on the expensive side and a lot on the messy side but you will never walk away hungry. The one here in Calgary consistently has line-ups out the door but it is totally worth the wait. Word of advice: don't order the large fries. Regular fries is a pretty big order. They take a regular drink cup fill it with fries and dump it into your bag and then fill the cup again.
Did Saskatoon kick your dog or something? You just don't like Saskatoon do ya?
These idiots have delusions of Austin returning are so out of whack with the real world. Its why some of them congregate at Riderfans.com
I don't even want to think what a hot tub full of women would look like in LaRonge. Ewwwww!!! Not a good visual Scruffy!!
Rick
Ppl still don't get it. It wasn't Austin that turned the Riders around. It was Mr.Eric Tillman. He is easily the best GM in this league. Tillman will probably have another GC with Edm. in 2013.
We need to shake up the entire structure of the team. This means front office, coaches and players. If Jim H. was to contact Kent, I would offer him a position similar to the one that John Hufnagel has in Calgary. That way Kent would be both HC and GM. As Grandpa is now 70 y/o he can retire with dignity. The current GM could either be let go or become Director of Canadian recruiting. We would also need a new Director of Player Personnel and that person should have VERY strong contacts in the US, especially in the college system. Bring Marcus Crandell back as Assn't HC and OC.
Those are just some of the suggested changes. Even if Kent does not come back, the other changes can and should be done.
In regards to 5 Guys. Once you have had their burgers, you WILL NOT accept a burger from any other place.
We've had a Five Guys in Medicine Hat for a couple of years, always busy. As for Austin, it makes no sense that he would ever come back. "always leave em wanting more" fits him. He would be risking his "god like status" cause you know that the fans in Riderville will turn eventually. Go Riders, goodbye Miller/Taman.
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