This And That

 

 

 

Just a weekly variety of thoughts running through my muddled brain.

 

 

 --The suspension handed down this week to Toronto's Phil Kessel was a waste of time. I realize Kessel was up against one of the NHL's "goons" in Buffalo's John Scott, but that is still no apology for taking two good chops at Scott's ankles with his stick with the second one being after he was engaged with another player and from behind. Kessel was then "tough"' enough to attempt spearing Scott when he was once again tied up thus trying to infuriate the situation, I'm sure Kessel has no problem missing the final three pre-season games. He should be missing the first 5 games of the regular season as a minimum. I'm guessing had it been Colton Orr or someone who doesn't score doing that, he would be.

 

 --Did anyone ask Leafs coach Randy Carlyle why he had his top player on the ice when it was obvious trouble was brewing. Why would he put Kessel in that situation in the first place?

 

 

--Six weeks to go in the CFL's regular season and a lot of questions have to be answered. The three game losing streak the Riders are on have some tearing their hair out and then getting a hair transplant so they can tear that out too. There are some (Lynch) who are just getting too carried away about what is happening with the football team.  Yes, you are starved for a championship, but you some need to pull back the reins just a little. Being happy or upset with a team's performance is fine, but it would appear the lives of some are predicated on what happens on the football field. A win doesn't mean someone is paying your bills and all is good and a loss doesn't mean you can start making funeral plans. The football team is 8-4 and that's still OK.  As I said a long time ago, I wouldn't be surprised to see the BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders all finish at 12-6. What one of those three will represent the West at GC 101 won't be known for a while yet and while I hope it is the Riders because the atmosphere around here will be second to none, I am confident Regina will put on a good show and showcase this city and this province once again as the place to be whether the Riders win or not. I'm just still waiting for Premier Brad Wall to declare the Monday after the game as either a provincial holiday or a provincial day of mourning if the Riders get to the game.

 

 

--Speaking of Grey Cup 101, I don't know what we are going to get for weather on that November Sunday, but if we had something like Thursday in Regina I would take it. Wet and cool is better than snow and cold. Of course, I want sunshine and warm, but it is late November.

 

--If you watched the season premiere of "The Big Bang Theory", I am sure you agree with me when I say I wish there truly was a "Serial Apist" movie out there.

 

--Wednesday's win by the "NO" side didn't surprise me, but I have to ask about the legitimacy of Jim Holmes' petition when he lost a total of around three thousand from petition signatures to actual votes.  I'm not going to say the last nine weeks was a waste of time, but it certainly asks a lot of questions.  Speaking of questions, a lot should be asked about what is happening over at the University with these unpaid overtime payments that the campus muckety-mucks tried to keep silent.  It seems to me as if someone needs to lose their job over this, but the person responsible for the payments isn't there anymore.  There should be a lot of po'ed people at the University and for good reason.

 

--Did CFL commish Marc Cohon ruffle some feathers in Saskatoon this week when he said the CFL isn't interested in Saskatoon because it doesn't want to split up the lucrative Riders market.  While I do see the CFL getting a 10th and maybe an 11th time in the next decade, I just can't see Saskatoon getting one for the reason Cohon says. Attempting to slice that Rider pie in half might be devastating to both teams and would there be enough people in Saskatoon and the northern part of the province ready to hand in their "Riders Fan Card" to root feverishly for another team. I can't see it.

 

 --Rod touched upon this on his blog, but I've got to weigh in on it too and that is why does the CFL go up against the NFL on Sundays. There are many, many people who will watch an NFL game on a Sunday around these parts unless the /=S=/ are playing. I know of at least five people (including two media members) who completely forgot about the Alouettes-BC game a couple of weeks ago because they were watching the Manning Bowl. TSN says the numbers are great, but are they great in southern Ontario where the league is an afterthought compared to the CFL? Are they great in Vancouver when a lot of people head south to watch the Seahawks play. The younger demographic is watching the NFL because those are the guys they are playing on Madden. They are watching their fantasy teams, they are watching better productions. I think Thursday, Friday and Saturday games are the way to go once the NFL starts. Playoffs is a different story because the Grey Cup has to be played on a Sunday although arguments could be had for Saturday night as well.

 

--Couldn't be happier for Regina Pats goalie Dawson McAuley. The kid struggled big-time in his Regina Pats debut getting yanked after the 2nd period in the home opener and having many ask if this kid was good enough to play major junior hockey and why was he here. McAuley shut everyone up with a shutout performance in Edmonton Wednesday night.  It is this bloggers opinion and that of others around the rink that the Pats got themselves a pretty good tender when they picked McAuley up. Night one certainly didn't show that. but night two might have been a more accurate assessment as to what we might get from the SJHL playoff MVP.

 

--Mariano's Rivera exit from Yankee Stadium Thursday night  was simply magnificent. We will never see another player as talented and as classy as the New York Yankees closer.

 

--Week 4 NFL Lock Of The Week ---Saints over Dolphins

--Week 4 NFL Upset Of The Week --Falcons over Patriots.

 

I'm stepping into the Cage this afternoon with Rod and the Riders off to Montreal. Scott Schultz and Luc Mullinder will join me and we will be talking football, football and perhaps some more football. I would tell you where and when, but you know already because the fans have made 620 their home for a long time already.  Talk to ya then!!