Something to Mitch About

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!



Without a doubt, perhaps one of the funniest half hour episodes of television ever!


From the funniest half hour of television to perhaps the most painful three hours of television as the Riders put in another less than stellar road performance losing 30-15 in Hamilton in a score which frankly flattered them.  To bring out an old line, the team had as much intensity as a bunch of old men waiting for a bus.  They didn't have it right from the opening kickoff and when Paul McCallum missed a 27 yard field goal to potentially open the scoring, you just knew right there and then that another long night was in store for this football club.  I'm stating the  obvious when I say this team needs to focus on defense as it moves into 2016 especially in the secondary. One missed tackle after another and one blown coverage after another made Jeff Mathews look like....look like,...well, look like Jonathon Jennings one week ago.  The rookie QB did what Jennings did a week ago and that is rip up a Saskatchewan defense the way we ripped up a turkey this weekend.  It makes you wonder how Brett Smith would do against this Rider efence,  and if he could throw for almost 400 yards and three touchdowns.

The organization can no longer use the "We still have a chance" card as playoff dreams officially went out the window with this loss so the next three games can be used for evaluation. You don't make wholesale changes, but it is time to get a good look at guys you want to see in 2016 and beyond. I would think that would include Smith and perhaps Keith Price at quarterback. You can't make double digit changes and you still must fill a competitive lineup especially when playing two teams fighting for first in the West.  They still deserve to see the best lineup you can fill and paying fans deserve that too. There is still a thing called integrity and pride and the Riders I would hope would honour that.

The balance of the CFL power has changed. I believe the Edmonton Eskimos have taken the mantle from the Calgary Stampeders are now the team to beat. Edmonton made it two straight wins over their provincial rivals and as I have been saying, I think they have a better squad from top to bottom. I don't think there is any doubt at this point that this will be the Western Final.

One can only wonder what was going through the mind of Lirim Hajrillahu as replacement Sergio Castillo kicked a game winner for the Bombers in his debut. Sergio Castillo sounds like someone who should be playing 2nd base for the Miami Marlins, but he got the "W" for the Bombers.

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Harold Reynolds certainly hasn't made any friends in Canada.



His statement about Canadians not being able to play baseball or catch foul balls on Sunday night sent the Twitterverse ablaze north of the border and for good reason. What a complete and total idiot? Does the former Seattle 2nd baseman not realize how many Canadians are playing the game or who won the gold medal at the Pan-Am Games or that there are MVP's who have come from Canada. If Toronto wins Game 4 and sends this series back to Toronto for a deciding game on Wednesday, I am guessing there are a few in the stands who will let Reynolds know of their disgust. I actually had to rewind the game to hear if I heard that right. Nice job Harold!

Game 3 of the ALDS between the Rangers and Blue Jays was one where Toronto is very fortunate. 4 double plays in 4 innings meant one missed opportunity after another, but Marco Estrada did not allow Texas to get rolling and while the play of the game was the Troy Tulowitzki three run homer, the at bat of the game and maybe the playoffs so far was the 10 pitch at-bat Edwin Encarnacion had against Chi-Chi Gonzalez just two batters before Tulowitzki went deep. It was a classic at-bat where Edwin fouled off every pitch Gonzalez had in his repertoire allowing the Toronto batters behind him to see his stuff.

John Gibbons now has a decision to make for Game 4. Do you want R-A Dickey and his knuckleball in another must-win game or do you go with David Price and hope he can get the playoff monkey off his back. Anyone and everyone would be available I think except for Estrada and if I were Gibbons, I would go with Price because this is why you got him. Bring Dickey in out of the pen if you have to because you may need him to come out of there in Game 5.

The Jays seemed much more relaxed in Game 3 than they did in Games 1 and 2. I still think they are caught up in the excitement they have created. Game 4 on Monday afternoon will be an extreme test of their character as they may have to gut another one out. 

A certain faction of the Blue Jays fan-base has gone way over the top, Believe it or not, some guy (who amazingly wants to remain anonymous by the sounds of it) launched an online petition after the Rangers win in Game 2 asking the RCMP to investigate MLB because of the calls going against Toronto's way. I wish I was joking, but I'm not. Don Cherry even got into the act on Saturday night during Hockey Night in Canada. Be better than this!

The Mets-Dodgers series has been fantastic and it has been chaotic. The Chase Utley hit on Ruben Tejada Saturday night was harder than a lot of hits on the gridiron this weekend. I am all for hard-nosed baseball, but the move by Utley was simply not needed as he tried to run over Tejada like a linebacker and had no intention of trying to get to 2nd base. The ruling by Major League Baseball on the play was something which still baffles me and how Mets manager Terry Collins didn't lose his mind is beyond me.

A Monday afternoon playoff game at Wrigley. That should be fun! Another Jake Arrieta gem and the Cubs could be one game from being in the National League Championship Series. THAT WILL BE FUN!!!

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Takeaways from an NFL Sunday

 --The Seahawks can't be considered in the talk for the Super Bowl after a 2nd half meltdown in Cincinnati. Andy Dalton brought his team back from 17 midway through the 3rd quarter to win. Championship teams don't allow that. The window is closed!

--The Patriots are head and shoulders the best team in the NFL right now. There is no one close and that includes the other 5-0 teams in the league. New England would bury them all too, but seeing them play Green Bay at Lambeau would be fun.

--Thank god for Larry Donnell or both of my Survivor pools I am in would be gone

--You can't get much better for excitement than the way the early games ended on Sunday as four of them came right down to the final play.

--Todd Gurley's block on a blitzing Clay Matthews in Green Bay was simply outstanding! He could have RKO'ed him!

--Jay Cutler had two straight good games. I don't get it either

--It is a takeaway from the Thursday night game. but Matt Hasselbeck can still fling the football. I would love to see him back in Seattle backing up Russell Wilson!

It was suggested to me on the weekend by a Leafs fan that they should send Morgan Rielly to Edmonton for Taylor Hall to fill a void for both teams. I couldn't argue that. I can't see it happening though as the Leafs wouldn't want to part with the former Moose Jaw Warrior. Seeing Rielly in Oiler colours would make this Oilers fan happy.

We were told improvements were coming in the off-season to Hockey Night in Canada, but if that happened, can someone tell me where? Just 14 years to go Canada!

I am assuming all the points in the Thunder-Edmonton Huskies game on Sunday were scored with the wind. That must have been awful to play in. I forgot the game was on Access until it was too late. Can you take anything out of games like that? Scott McAulay would have the answer.  Speaking of the Thunder, a question has been asked to myself and it is one that came on this blog and Rod's as well....who would win a game between the current Thunder and current Rams. That's a great question. It won't happen, but it would be a helluva contest I think.

Was Mike Commodore drunk on Friday night? It is safe to say he "enjoyed" Mike Babcock's return to Detroit. It is also safe to say Commodore might be right up there with Harold Reynolds for the weekend's biggest idiot.  If you don't know what I am talking about, do a Google search on Commodore and it will be clear.

That's all I got. Enjoy your holiday Monday!