Something to "Mitch" About

Are you having a great August long? You've gone through a tough week--at least many of you have because your football heroes haven't been around. Relax! Take a deep breath. They are back today as they start getting ready for what will be a huge football game against the Stampeders Friday night in Calgary. A win by the Stamps would leave both teams at 5-1. Its hard to think that as good a July as what the Riders have had that they might not be in first place at this time next week. Its tough getting a win in there, but both teams are coming off a bye week so that's good.

I'm guessing the main topic at practice today when the team comes back will be the health of quarterback Darian Durant. I would be shocked if he isn't 100 percent or at least healthy enough to play. After all, what football player after five games can be fully considered 100 percent with all the physical play they encounter---well OK besides the kicker! Sorry Chris!

I'll be honest. I didn't watch one snap of the Edmonton-Hamilton game Friday night and I can't see me watching much of the BC-Winnipeg game tonight. There's nothing there to draw me to the TV. All I had to do was read my Twitter feed on Friday night to see that Kavis RL eed let another game get away from him with some questionable decisions. How much longer can the Eskimos continue with him at the helm? I will say this about GM Ed Hervey---he's loyal.

From the one and only Rob Vanstone,....today (Aug 5) is the 50th  anniversary of George Reed's first game as a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Another edition of the Queen City Ex has come and gone. My nine year old daughter came away with a big haul of "stuffies" including a much sought-after purple minion. I came away with a drained bank account, but all is good. Once again, the QCX comes through and gives us a day or two to wander around and check out the sights, smells and sounds, but its gotten to the point for me where it has become routine. I'm not one to go on the rides so we spend a lot of time walking doing some people watching while seeing the same old things at the same old spots. Don't get me wrong, I love the exhibition, but the appeal just isn't there for me anymore. Once I've gone through the entire grounds, I'm ready to call it a day. Of course that doesn't happen because I'm in Kidsworld, but its jus gotten a little mundane for yours truly.  I do wonder how the layout of the Ex will change when the new stadium comes. Oh yeah, I do have one question----what happened to all the "Mitch's Monster Dogs' concessions?

Coming home, it was nice to turn on the TV and see the Hall of Fame game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins. I wasn't big on seeing the slogan "Football is back" because its been back since the Riders stepped on the field, but the NFL marketing machine could care less. The game was not pretty as there were players out there who will likely be 9 to 5'ers in a few weeks, but it was good to watch four down football again. Soon, the fantasy drafts will begin. Who's kidding who, I've got one today. Its for a league that I've been in for the past number of years that involves cards. The game is APBA which is a hybrid of Strat-O-Matic which is something you might remember as a kid growing up. You have a full 53 man roster, you have free agency, you have a draft, you play the games. Its a great way to spend a Sunday night with the boys from October-March. My team landed in the Super Bowl last year and I had a 17 point lead only to lose on the last play.

Was it just me or did watching Cris Carter at the Hall of Fame ceremony and his interview with NBC's Michelle Tafoya Sunday night make you nauseous. Carter tried making it all about him it would seem. I thought the idea of coming out in a purple shirt and a hat with your name and number on it while the other inductees came out wearing the same shirt made Carter look a little tacky.

Seeing Bill Parcells get inducted made me wonder, who was the better coach---Parcells or Bill Walsh. I still gotta go with Walsh, but the argument is certainly there. It also makes me wonder where the great Don Matthews would be considered amongst greatest coaches of all time if people recognized his work in the CFL. It has to be top 10 doesn't it?

I spent Friday and Saturday night at Currie Field and as I sat at the ballpark on what were two glorious nights to watch baseball, I lamented to myself as to how I didn't get out more this season. As I said in another posting, my schedule made it tough for me to check out the team as much as I wanted to this season, but with the playoffs here, I had to go out and support the Red Sox. Friday was as frustrating as you can get as the home team squandered many an opportunity in losing 1-0 while Saturday it was basically over before it started as Melville scored three in the first and while Regina tied it and took the lead for a short time, it was evident as to who the better club was as the Millionaires beat the Red Sox to prevent "Mission Threepeat" from occurring,  There was a lot of talk around the ballpark about what was different this year compared to the last two years that ended with a title. A lot of it centred on how the team just didn't have the same winning vibe to it as they had had. Is that a managerial thing or is that one of those things that you gamble on in such a short season and this time it didn't work. Was it even that at all? Personally, I think it was A) Global TV's Kent Morrison did not break ojut the Fu Manchu mustaches as he did last year and that B) the presence --or should I say non-presence of VIn Scully Junior aka Adam Geiger who was obviously needed for comic relief wasn't around. Seriously, I don't have the answers to what went wrong, but I do know Gary Brotzel and Bernie Eiswirth worked as hard this year as they did the last two years to bring a championship oruduct to Regina and this year it didn't work. Brotz told me earlier this year that a lot of teams told him they weren't going to win three straight and  if that was the case, it would mean teams would have to be a lot more talented. A lot of teams went out and found some good ballplayers like the Millionaires. Who wins in that scenario? You do as a fan.

I had a long time Pats fan come up to me at the Ex just disgusted with the fact that the team hasn't done anything when it comes to player personnel this summer. He was ecstatic over the fact Chad Lang now had full control of the team with Brent Parker moving on, but he says that excitement has turned to anger over Lang's inability or perceived inability to make any moves. I told him I couldn't really answer his question since I'm not around the Pats on a daily basis. As he walked away, he said "Mark my words this team won't win 20 games this year". I really hope that isn't the case.

In Friday's column, I had a piece in there about the SJHL's Kindersley Klippers and how they are 80-thousand dollars in debt. I had a gentleman from Kindersley also stop me at the exhibition to say he will be shocked if the team is around after next winter or at the latest the end of the 2015 season. He said there is very little support in the town and some are suggesting the team just pull up stakes right now and move. As this conversation continued, the gentlemen said "This would be a perfect home for the team" as he pointed at the Co-Operators Centre. I just can't see that happening. It surprises me if the no support thing is true in Kindersley because I know the couple of times I was there during my time with the league, there was a good fan base there and therer didn't seem to be any problems. The rink is nice and the community needs a team to rally around. Hopefully, the picture changes, but if one team goes, others might follow and that isn't good news for a league that  used to be the best Junior A league in the country.

I have been asked to do p-a work for the U of R Cougars basketball team again this year. How could I say no to that. A chance to bask in the glow (and sometime anger) of one Dave Taylor and feel and hear the acerbic wit of one Braden Konschuh all winter long. That's a no-brainer!!!


Tiger Woods dominates on the PGA by winning a tournament at a course that he could seemingly shoot under par at while blindfolded. Lets see what he does at the PGA Championship. That being said, if he is going to win one this year, this could be the one because he will come in on a roll. Friday's round of 61 was perhaps his best ever.

I hope Alex Rodriguez visits Cooperstown, because he will never be enshrined there.

As the calendar rolls into August. its going to get real interesting around the MLB diamonds with a lot of teams in playoff contention. I can't wait.

Reason #3345 why I love having MLB TV. I will be able to watch North Battleford's Andrew Albers start against Kansas City tomorrow. I'm guessing Sportsnet won't be picking up that game although it would be nice if they would.

I am still holding out hope that Sportsnet or Sportsnet 360 will pick up Jay Onrait and Dan O'Toole with their show on FoxSports1. A show that by the sounds of it will also involve the ever-beautiful and ever-talented Charissa Thompson and former CTV Regina sports girl Julie Stewart-Binks.  Julie had a shot of her on Facebook on a FOX set with Dodger Stadium in the background as there was a soccer exhibition of some sorts happening. She's gone from the Brandt Centre to Dodger Stadium in just a couple of months. All power to her!

Have a great Monday everyone!