Something To "Mitch" About

OK Rider Nation, your team is 0-2. They have lost two games by a combined total of six points. The question is in your world, is the glass half full, half empty or do you just want another glass of whatever it is you are drinking.

Whatever it is, there is no sugar-coating the fact the defence has coughed up two 4th quarter leads, but the CFL and its infinite wisdom to change the game defensively has a huge role to play in this and it is time for Greg Quick, Corey Chamblin and the rest of the defensive staff to find a way to keep the aggression and stop being passive because of the new rules.

In a game where there were several "questionable" illegal contact and pass interference penalties, the Rider secondary and that defence in general became passive not wanting a flag to be thrown. Where is the aggression? The CFL neutered that aggression with their ludicrous attempts to try and improve the game which in my mind two weeks in has failed. The Tyron Brackenridge penalty in the 2nd overtime was debatable, I will give you that, but the penalty on Weldon Brown in the endzone in the 1st overtime was a terrible call, but one that "technically" has to be called under the new rules.

620 CKRM Rider analyst Luc Mullinder may have summed it up best when he said the refs are so bad that making a rule like this covers up their mistakes and gives them an easy out. I can't argue with that assumption. Defences have been less aggressive in this league and as a result, it gives quarterbacks some big games. They have taken the aggression out of it, it is now up to Chamblin and other coaches to find a way to get it back without being in violation. Whoever does that the best likely wins in November.

Thoughts on the game

 --Many Rider fans want to pin this one on Andre Proulx and crew. I understand that because you have never liked Proulx. There was a lot of bitching and moaning on the post-game show on the hands to the face penalty called which nullified a Chris Getzlaf touchdown, but no one wants to admit the Riders were given a huge break on the Jamel Richardson incomplete pass which yes, was a fumble. It does go both ways! Remember that!  That being said, I thought Toronto was blatantly offside on the touchdown they scored in the 2nd OT and yes, I thought Toronto got the lions share of calls, but Andre and company do not have an anti-green attitude so let's stop that right now. If one call was blown though, it was this one...

I don't know about you, but that looks a tad offside to me.

--477 yards passing. The offense is in good hands with Kevin Glenn. Rest easy on that. He won't put up 477 every game, but he has a lot of weapons at his disposal with the newest one being Ryan Smith. What a game for the North Dakota State product. That one catch in the 2nd half was unbelievable. It took time for him to develop, but he has and the future looks bright. I'm guessing there might be some number 2 jerseys bought at the Rider Store over the next couple of weeks. That would be a good investment in this blogger's humble opinion.

--How close was Glenn to having one of those magical games as a quarterback. He had one bad pass and that was it---yes that was a game-changing pass as the Riders were ready to put the dagger into the Argos but that was one of the better performances from a Saskatchewan quarterback at Mosaic that I have seen. It wasn't up there with Durant in the 2013 Western Final or Grey Cup, but it was one of the best I have seen live.

--Kicking a field goal is no longer seemingly an adventure as 45 year old Paul McCallum just does what he does and kicks one three pointer after another.  Yes, he had the wind at his back, but he nailed a 48 yarder. It's good having him wear green again.

--With the CFL now making converts come from the 32, why the need to go for two in OT? Coaches should still have the option of going for one or going for two. We have seen converts missed in the first two weeks so it could happen in overtime.

--I still think teams should have to start overtime at the 45 or even midfield instead of the 35. It is too easy to score from the 35.

--Jerome Messam = beast. He looks as good now if not better than when he was the league's best Canadian with the Eskimos.

--What the hell were with the seagulls in the northeast end of Mosaic? I'm guessing some in that end of the stadium got some "unwanted" souvenirs during the game and on the walk back to their car or bus. Yeesh!!!

Other odds and ends from the weekend:

--That smoke from the wildfires up north is just nasty. As someone who is asthmatic and is not having a great time doing his day-to-day activities in these conditions, I can not imagine what it must be like for those closer to the fires. I also can't imagine what it must be like for the many people not knowing what their future holds when they leave their home not knowing when they will be back and if their home will be there. It is an awful situation and hopefully it comes to an end a-s-a-p as many are doing what they can to bring some normalcy back to that area.

--This is not a shot at either my good friends at Global or CTV, but I do have a question to ask. Both stations have ads which run on the Maxtron. The one for Global pitches Derek Meyers, Kyle Galliver and Taylor Shire (the sports guys) while the CTV one plugs Dan McIntosh and Heather Anderson (the 6 o'clock news anchors). Shouldn't CTV be plugging their sports people in Lee Jones, Bianca Millons and Darrell Romuld in a sports venue such as Mosaic Stadium?  Seems weird to me, but to each his own.

--A Sportsnet round table this past week before Week 2 games, which included Sportscage Insider, asked what quarterback injury was the most devastating injury in the CFL and the answer by everyone was Mike Reilly. Madani and the rest of the roundtable surmised the loss of Darian Durant is not as great as it could have been because of the presence of Kevin Glenn, I can't argue with this, but I will say Reilly will be back for Edmonton and can possibly save the Eskimos season. Durant won't be back period!

--The CFL has abandoned its "players of the week" for "performers of the week" it would seem. If that is the case, here are my picks for the "players of the week"

OFFENCE:  Rakeem Cato -- Montreal  All he did in his first pro start was go 20/25 for 241 yards and three touchdowns against the defending Grey Cup champs

DEFENCE:  A-J Jefferson --Toronto  Much like Keon Raymond had a game changing pick six for the Stampeders in their Week 1 win over Hamilton. Jefferson had a game changing pick for the Argos in their win over Saskatchewan as the dagger was ready to be delivered

CANADIAN: Brad Sinopoli--Ottawa  9 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown in Ottawa's 27-16 win over BC. It is safe to say the former Ottawa Gee-Gee likes his new surroundings

SPECIAL TEAMS: Paul MacCallum--Saskatchewan  The 45 year old can still get it done as he kicked FG's of 9, 30, 49 and 22 yards in the overtime loss.          


--A story in MacLeans Magazine suggests 1 out of every 10 Americans are following the CFL. Really? Nothing against the CFL, but I don't think considering the population of the good old US of A that that is the case. I call shenanigans on this one when you consider our friends south of the border have 320 million people in it. That would mean 32 million Americans are following the CFL. Uhhhhhhhhhh no!

--I had a chance to talk to former Rider, current Argo Ricky Foley on Saturday. Make no doubt about it folks, he misses it here!

--The Ottawa REDBLACKS are 2-0. Let that sink in for a moment!

--Tell me that KFC ad where the guy is loving his chicken dinner while mocking the guy with the sub isn't former Rider Wes Cates!

--Has anyone noticed the three Rider home games has seen them ahead going into the 4th when that creepy Worksafe Bob comes on to that stupid song?  I am convinced WSB is throwing some kind of voodoo hex on the Riders. GET RID OF WORKSAFE BOB!! 

--Congrats to the Regina Riot for winning the WWCFL title in Winnipeg. Nice job ladies!

--Who is to blame for the fact there was absolutely zero TV coverage of the World Mens Softball Championship in Saskatoon. 5 TSN channels and 5 Sportsnet channels, yet there was nothing. That's just a shame and a travesty! Both of our "national" outlets should be red-faced over that.

--Who will have a better 2015/16 on the ice---the Buffalo Sabres or the Edmonton Oilers. This Oilers fan thinks it could be the Sabres. They have done a great job in remaking that squad. Don't get me wrong, I like what the Oilers have done, but that Western Conference is so tough it will be hard to finish in the top 8. Who is going to take a fall? I would have to say Vancouver, but L-A will certainly be looking to crawl back in. Winnipeg is improving, St. Louis isn't going anywhere, Chicago isn't going anywhere and I don't see Nashville or Calgary taking a step backwards.

--The Washington Capitals didn't got a lot of fanfare for adding Justin Williams and T-J Oshie to their squad. Have they found what they need to get over the hump? 

--Its good to see baseball fans came to their senses and had Josh Donaldson voted in as the American League's starting 3rd baseman for the all-star game. The guy is the best 3rd baseman in the game!

--What contending team will be the first one to trade for an effective starting pitcher? Once it happens, I expect a lot of them to start changing teams. If the Jays can somehow land Johnny Cueto from Cincinnati it would improve their chances greatly, but they still need a closer too.

--Is there any hype for the Pan-Am Games?

--That's all I got. Have a great week!