Late in the 3rd quarter at Casa de Blair, perhaps the best thing of the night happened. The power went out! When it did, the Riders were down 10-3 and were still in the football game. I obviously missed the worst, but I did see enough to see that the Lions were the better football team Sunday night.
Just some random thoughts
--I don't mind listening to Rod and Carm do a game, but if I am going to sit in my car and listen, I should be driving and not sitting in my driveway. Memo to self----get a new transistor radio. I wonder what the neighbours were thinking. Oh wait, I think one of them was doing the same thing as me.
--I am still of firm belief that Darian Durant is the number one quarterback of this team, but his effort against the Lions was the worst one of the year and it comes after what I thought had been the worst one against Edmonton. One has to wonder where his confidence level is at and one has to wonder how intense the pressure will be to get Drew Willy some meaningful time.
--Willy came in late and completed most of his passes. It was against a BC defence that called off the dogs though. Take nothing from his performance and chalk it up to getting some valuable reps during game time.
--The roughing the passer call on James Patrick was the biggest BS call of the season. How and what was the referee looking at on that one?
--While Durant did not have a good game, either did the offensive line. It was perhaps their worst effort of the season.
--It was a great effort by a much-maligned defence. Odell Willis once again became a force on the d-line. Brent Hawkins and Willis made life miserable for Travis Lulay---especially in the first half.
--
Yes, I know they honored Wally Buono before the game, but was it really necessary that Lions coach Mike Benavides wore a Wally t-shirt on the sidelines. None of the other assistants wore one. That just reeks of cheeziness! Two thumbs down on that one! I wonder if the Lions gave Carm a Wally t-shirt?
-----
While the Riders were doing their thing, so was former Rider Jerrell Freeman on NBC with the Indianapolis Colts...
Anthony Calvillo just continues to astound me. You keep wondering when he will slow down, but he doesn’t. If you ranked QB’s NFL and CFL, where would you have him. Would he be in your top 10? Would Damon Allen be in your top 10? Would Doug Flutie? My number one quarterback all time would have to be Joe Montana.
-----
Seeing the Eskimos performance against the Alouettes just made the Rider loss there that much more exasperating.
-----
I guess the Argos didn’t miss Cory Boyd.
-----
I think the Stamps miss Smilin Hank.
------
I don’t know if anyone is doing it in Regina, but some restaurants are offering 5 percent off your bill if you surrender your cellphone when entering so that you’re not on it talking or texting or whatever. Could you do that?
------
Am I the only one that misses Bonanza? For that matter, what is being built there right now. What is being built on Albert Street where the old Coronet Theatre used to be?
-----
The fact that the Cubs have locked up their young shortstop Starlin Castro to a huge contract extension leaves me smiling. If the Cubs are going to make noise in future years, Castro will be one of their leaders.
----
Try as I might, I could not watch the Canada-Russia junior games this week. It didn’t interest me and its mid-August.
----
The WWE needs to learn not to schedule big pay per views like Summerslam at the same time as a Riders game. I was going to either A) get the PPV or B) go to the Galaxy to check it out with some buds until it was learned that it would be on at the same time as the football game. BLOGGER NOTE: Summerslam may have been more entertaining
----
A union for junior hockey players? Don't laugh. Read this
-----
Memo to Sportsnet. I understand you have the NFL Thursday night package on your network, but do not tell me that Thursday is the new Monday. Thursday is one day closer to the weekend while Monday isn’t. Get a new slogan!
------
I just can’t turn away from the NFL Network right now. However, I do wish that their 4 hour morning show didn’t start at 4 AM.
----
Tough one for the Regina Thunder as they lose 52-35 to Calgary. The Thunder are 1-1 on the season.
-----
I get the feeling it could be a long week around here.
19 comments:
The call on Patrick was a game-changer. Higgins should have a word with his staff on that one. It is the CFL though so we should expect one or two bad calls a game. Maybe he needs to get the NFL replacements up here once they get a new deal.
Why aren't you part of the call-in show after the game? Is CKRM brass too afraid of you just losing it on some caller? What a bunch of idiots on that show! How Ballsy hasn't dropped an F-Bomb or two by now is beyond me!
Travis
Was not Patrick's hit of Lulay below the knees? Is this not against the rules in both the CFL and NFL? Why blame the ref?
The call was for a low hit on the qb, unfortunate but correct... I think common sense should have prevailed on that one to be a non call, but by the book he was hit below the knees and it's a flag...
Oh man did I laugh hard when I saw Benavides wearing a Wally shirt! Perhaps that was part of the job description.
To the guy who thinks that was a hit below the knees, it was helmet to thigh and the last time I looked thigh wasn't below the knee. That was a terrible call that gave BC their first TD.
I don't know how Marshall and Berry got back into running things. What a terrible effort by the offense!
A junior hockey players union? Riiiiiiiightttt!!!
The rule is " You cannot hit the qb low if he is in the pocket." Clearly Lulay was out of the pocket so the hit was legal. That why Rod and Carm were ticked off!!
HA HA HA HA to Benavides. That is sooooooooooo bad!
Durant needs to pick up his game. I'm a believer in Darian, but my faith is starting to wane somewhat. He made a lot of stupid plays yesterday.
GB
Doug Berry is an offensive genius compared to Bob Dyce. There are coaches in RMF that could call a better game.
How did Freeman do? Will that game be on NFL network this week or is it an NBC exclusive?
If the WHL gets a players union, that is it for the WHL. They will want players staying close to home, they won't want the travel that is involved. They will ruin the product as it stands now. What a ridiculous idea!
Rob
Hey Mitch,
I guess I'd like your comments on how to handle DD. Do you sit him and see how he reacts? Do you fire the OC? You say you aren't ready to be done with him yet. Just want to see how you'd handle him or want him handle by the Rider brass.
I agree as well, you are missed on the broadcasts.
Russ from Saskatoon
I agree with Travis and Russ!
After 4 seasons and plenty of games under his belt, I'm really alarmed by the regression of Darian Durant. Has he hit a plateau and is this is good as he gets? He has clearly not running with the ball anymore, a strong aspect of his game. The throws to the wide side out are always picked off and he continues to lock in on receivers. What to do? Do the Riders sit him for a game? Do they look at trading him at the end of the season? Doing that would be dangerous because there is no VIABLE option behind him on the depth chart. I just see no progress or even consistency in Durant's game. Travis Lulay is on his way up, but he has now passed Durant in that way. What is the most troublesome is that he continues to turn to ball over at the worst times. A pick in the 4th quarter is deadly. The is no confidence that he will lead the team down the field for a winning drive in the 4th quarter. At 30, will Darian Durant improve as a CFL qb? I'm not sure anymore.
Freeman whiffed on a tackle leading to a Steelers TD on a hitch pattern. I think the LP said he had three tackles.
The season is still young. Would it really kill this team to let Durant sit for a couple of series and put Willy in when the real bullets are flying? That way we would know once and for all if Willy has a future.
Getzlaf needs a slight demotion. I would move him to wide side WR and bring Sisco into his position of SB. Sisco has been consistent when asked, and he has played SB in University. Good hands and a good blocker. Getzlaf could earn his way back to SB. This way both Canadian receivers are still on the field and it won't disrupt the ratio.
Gosh, I am sick of the claim that there is "regression" in the play of Durant! By the offense maybe, the team for sure, but it is a team sport and there is ample blame for the last 4 losses to go around.
Mitchell,
Instead of obtaining a new transistor radio, all you need is to listen to the Rider games through internet radio.
Post a Comment