This and That

Welcome to Friday!  Here are the weekly collection of thoughts running through my muddled mind, and as always, they come in no particular order!

--If Major League Baseball wanted to send a message with fines and suspensions after the Rangers-Jays brawl, they sent the wrong one. Rougned Odor deserved at minimum double digits for punching Jose Bautista and Bautista deserved more than one game. Say what you will about what happened, but the whole event started after Bautista's late and hard slide. Yes, the pitch in the ribs started the chain of events, but the matter would have been done had Bautista not wanted to continue on with what had taken place. In my opinion, he needed two. Someone with MLB also needs to explain why Texas manager Jeff Banister wasn't suspended and why pitcher Matt Bush wasn't suspended. Kevin Pillar had to be suspended for at least a  game as well. As for Jesse Chavez, he didn't deserve a three game suspension and I'm not 100 percent sure John Gibbons should have gotten more for coming back on the field after he was ejected especially when he is a repeat offender.

  This story isn't done either. The villain isn't Bautista anymore, its Odor. Where as Texas wanted justice on Bautista for the batflip, the Blue Jays now want justice on Odor and if the teams don't meet one another in the playoffs, this situation will flare up again in 2017.  Major League Baseball had a chance to end this, but their actions or lack of them means expect another chapter to be written.  For what its worth, if the two teams do meet in the playoffs, don't be surprised to see Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan on the call.  One last thing on this before I let it go, ESPN's Dan Shulman brought up a great point when he said the Rangers had Matt Bush do the dirty deed and not Sam Dyson who was the pitcher when Bautista hit the Game 5 homer.  I am guessing Dyson was salivating to go to the mound to face Bautista. Rangers manager Jeff Banister knowing the temperature in the room was not going to allow Dyson to face Jose.

--Still with the Blue Jays, I wonder if they now realize how valuable Ben Revere was. Out of all the additions Toronto made at the deadline last year, getting Revere gave them a bonafide leadoff man who could set the table for Donaldson, Encarnacion and Bautista. They don't have that now and as a result, the team's bats are cold.

--We are now just over a week away from Rider training camp getting started in Saskatoon. In 2014, no one wanted to see camp because it meant the joy of winning everything in 2013 and starting over was gone.  I think it is safe to say as 2016 camp begins, it is one Rider fans wish would have started December 1 after the way 2015 went.  With all the new faces on both sides of the ball, who is the guy you are most eager to see?  The list is a long one.

--One guy you won't see at Rider camp is David Onmeyata.

He inked a 4 year deal with the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday, and it had some who live and breathe green and white upset saying the Riders wasted a draft pick on the guy.  Onmeyata was the top ranked player going into the CFL draft and he lasted until Round 4. He didn't go number one. The Riders rolled the dice and short-term it didn't pay off. New Orleans is obviously impressed with what they have seen from the University of Manitoba defensive lineman by signing him to a 4 year deal. We all know though contracts aren''t that iron-clad so if he gets a couple of years of NFL seasoning and comes back here in two years, it is a win for the Riders. If he doesn't, it was a chance worth taking.

--The NFL's Chicago Bears are coming to Regina next month for the NFL Flag Football program being put on here as part of the NFL Play 60 campaign. Is Jay Cutler coming? Will young Regina football players learn the Jay Cutler pouty-face? One player who is coming is former Rider Jerrell Freeman and another who may show up is former Regina Ram Akiem Hicks.

--Why doesn't Regina have a mini-golf course? If there is one, where is it?

--From the "Where are they now??" file comes Joey Perricone. The goalie who helped the Moose Jaw Warriors get to the WHL final before being beaten by the Vancouver Giants in 2006. 10 years after being one step away from going to the Memorial Cup, Perricone is at the Memorial Cup as the goaltenders coach for the Quebec champs from Rouyn-Noranda.

--I wasn't able to attend the "We Love Lou" fundraiser on Wednesday night, but I knew it would be a success. When I heard 10 thousand dollars had been raised to help Peter Loubardias as he battles his unknown health problems, I was floored. I probably shouldn't have been because I know this city and its sports people, but it was still amazing to see the tremendous turnout. Many people have to be saluted including 4 Seasons Sports Palace owner George Yannitsos and Rod for setting this up in a short amount of time. Well done gents!

--The Cleveland Cavaliers are absolutely destroying the Toronto Raptors through two games of the NBA East final.

 I didn't think Toronto had much of a chance without Jonas Valaciaunas in the lineup, but I didn't think it would be this easy for Lebron and company.

--There is no way it would happen, but what could the Raptors give up in an attempt to draft Toronto's Jamal Murray who is slated to go in the top 5 of the NBA draft. Toronto does have two first round picks to dangle. Could they give those and a Terrence Ross to Boston to get Murray who would be the poster-boy for Canadian basketball in his hometown if it were to shake down. One can dream.

--I can't be the only one wanting to slap out the Boston Pizza guy in those ads.

--Any commercial featuring Cookie Monster is a great commercial.

Well done Apple!

--Stevie Baggs is looking for love. The former Rider is apparently going to be on one of those "Bachelor" type reality shows. I think we know Baggs is nothing if he doesn't have a "Chick" with him.

--Elbowgate is just simply the biggest non-story of the year. Did Justin Trudeau get a call from the NHL disciplinary committee for that "vicious" elbow. Was the MP he hit get fined for embellishment. So embarrassing on so many levels.

--The latest hockey "video" done by TSN's James Duthie and crew is simply amazing. "Don't Take My Goal Away" should really be performed at the MuchMusic Video Awards.

 This just reinforces that Pedersen, Mullinder, Abou and Carm should do something up that could run in the lead-up to a Rider game. Speaking of which, Rod and Carm need to be one of the final few to get on the Maxtron in 2016 and yell "Bring Em Out". That is needed!

--Oilers goalie Cam Talbot has three shutouts at the World Hockey Championship. This just reinforces how badly Peter Chiarelli needs to find not one, but two solid defencemen to go with Oscar Klefbom, Darnell Nurse and Brandon Davidson.

That's all I got. The long weekend is here and many are getting out of Dodge so if you are one of them, drive safe.