This And That

The weekly collection of thoughts running through my muddled mind in no particular order


 --The Saskatchewan Roughriders definitely scored a touchdown with the hiring of Craig Reynolds as the team's new president and CEO. I love the hiring for the fact

        A) at 39, he represents the perfect demographic for the upcoming stadium and how to get bodies inside that stadium. He has been very instrumental on other campaigns including the Grey Cup legacy project and he has a keen mind as to what will be needed to get the fan engaged when it comes to the new facility.

      B) He's from Foam Lake, so he gets "it". Its hard to define what "it" is, but he knows what that unique relationship between the organization and fan base is like. He has to develop and maintain that relationship even more.

      C) He comes from inside the organization. He knows them and they know him. The team isn't parachuting someone else from outside the group who could alienate someone by not knowing exactly what this franchise is all about. He is well aware as to what the Riders brand means both on and off the field.

--Ricky Foley is back and is certainly saying the right things when it comes to the future of the football team. Foley talks about 2015 being unfinished business after the way 2014 ended and how the veteran players in the room were angered over the fact the season ended so quickly after being so promising. If that hunger is there and the injury bug stays away, the team is already serving notice they intend to be a contender for Lord Grey's fabled mug next season.

 --The CFL coach of the year ballot is out. Why do we wait so long for this award to be announced? It should come as the same time as the player awards. The COY is generally the guy who takes his team to the Grey Cup which should mean John Hufnagel gets the odd, but did he do a better job than Chris Jones?

 --'The Silver Fox" and I had a very entertaining debate on goaltending at the World Juniors and more to the point---Canadian goaltending. Kelly doesn't have a problem with the fact only Zach Fucale and Eric Comrie were invited to camp saying they will compete with another for number 1 and were seen as the only two goalies by Hockey Canada to come to camp. I say the fact those two were the only ones invited gives each player a sense of entitlement as it doesn't matter how well he plays, he's on the team. I think it would have been much better for Canada to invite three or four goalies to camp and if Fucale and Comrie were to win the jobs outright then fine, but would they? There was a 50-50 split on the old text line and with calls with one gentlemen suggesting why bother having a camp if its basically pre-determined as to who makes the team and who doesn't. I wonder if that sentiment would exist around here if Morgan Klimchuk was still vying for a spot and not been one of the first cuts.

--Week 16 NFL Lock of the Week  ---Seahawks over Cardinals
--Week 16 NFL Upset of the Week --- Colts over Cowboys

--Would one of the NFL teams in the running for a top 3 pick overall be dumb enough to trade that pick to get Jay Cutler. At this point, Cutler is as popular in Chicago as SONY is in South Korea. He's done---at least as a starting quarterback he is. I can only imagine what it would be like for him if he was wearing green and had an /=S=/ on his helmet. The poor bastard might jump off the SGI building. If Cutler is starting for someone next season, I'd be shocked and you have to think the Bears have had enough when they bench him for Jimmy Clausen. If it was some young and future QB the team was developing, I would say OK, but Clausen is a journeyman.

--The mumps outbreak in the NHL is getting to be concerning, Players have had it and now there is word refs have been tested as well. This has never been a problem before so why now?

--CKRM Rider analyst (and overall good schmuck) Luc Mullinder says the Raptors are the story of the year. Are you paying any extra attention to the Raptors? I'm not....at least not yet. I probably will be as the season starts to wind down and playoffs though. It would be great to see the team have a long and extended playoff run.

--I just want to become 25 years younger for 3 months. I know I'm not the only one who feels that way.

--Less than a week away from inlaws, turkey and unwrapping presents. Bring it on!!!

Have a great weekend and if you are shopping on the last Saturday before Xmas, good luck to you!