This And That

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

--The CFL has done many things wrong over the years.  One of them was signing on with TSN as the exclusive broadcaster of the league. I think if those who negotiated a deal on behalf of the league could have looked in a crystal ball, they certainly wouldn't have signed the deal.

I love the "three letter", much like I love Sportsnet.  They both have their positives, and they both have their negatives. However, there is no excuse for TSN in not showing CFL exhibition games this week.  Would they be a ratings bonanza? Nope! However, I am guessing more Canadians would be tuned into a CFL pre-season game than French Open tennis which inexplicably was on 4 channels with a repeat of the 2016 Grey Cup game being on the other.  Are you really going to tell me TSN couldn't have had a crew in Calgary for the Lions-Stamps game instead of having tennis on four of its channels.

On the surface, it would seem TSN just ignores its property until its convenient.  Why? Wouldn't they want to embrace the relationship? Wouldn't they want to help get Canadians get engaged with another season of the game they love by having it on.  People ask why the NFL is so popular and well let's just say when the NFL Network allows for all exhibition games to be televised, it gets fans on both sides of the border interested.

I can't blame the CFL on this one, but I can look squarely at the three letter and say be better. Your property deserves it!  That being said, you can't let the CFL off the hook. They certainly would have known what TSN was or wasn't planning to do. It is at that time you have to voice your displeasure with what is going on.  Our now lame-duck commissioner certainly isn't going to stand up for a league that he will soon depart so the board of governors needs to check in.  Perhaps they don't care either. If that is the case, it spells bad news.

On Thursday night, TSN did show us the Ti-Cats/Ottawa game with Rod Smith doing p x p. Has TSN changed Rod's? 

-- Is the Vince Young story over? It probably would be if it weren't for resume.  The hamstring injury suffered by VY on Tuesday at Rider camp snuffed out the thought of him playing Saturday night and may have snuffed out the comeback attempt.  I don't know if he would have made the team with a sub-par outing Saturday, and even if he is ready to go for the final pre-season game, I don't see him playing a lot. I also don't see him being a 3rd stringer or a practice roster player. Would he have ended up in that scenario if he played? The answer is likely yes, but he would have had a second shot in BC.

--CKRM's Luc Mullinder asked on the Sportscage this week why it is so much attention is being paid to Young and his injury when no one wants to know how other guys who are nicked up are doing.  With all due respect to Luc, no other player who signed in the off-season had a lavish press conference to announce his arrival.  Vince Young wants to be treated as one of the guys, but he's not and it will stay that way as long as he is here. 

 -- I don't know who the next CFL Commissioner will be, but it would be cool if he had the last name "Gordon". Think about it!

--I was directed to Riderfans.com Wednesday where a poll is up about whether or not the Riders should keep "Last Saskatchewan Pirate" as its 3rd quarter stretch song. The poll has 70 percent of respondents saying "ditch the song". On this one, listen to the people!!

--The 1984-85 Oilers were selected by NHL fans as the greatest team ever.  That really isn't that surprising to this blogger. What surprised me is the fact the 76-77 Canadiens finished 3rd behind the 91-92 Pittsburgh Penguins. The 76-77 Habs were an outstanding squad, and some feel they should been number one. The skill and offence of Gretzky, Messier, Coffey and Anderson was too much though. While it will never happen, wouldn't you loved to have seen Bob Gainey and Doug Jarvis do their thing against Gretzky and Kurri.

--Has there been one good game in the Stanley Cup final. The first 5 have been duds. Chances are we could see 7 like this.

--That being said, the Stanley Cup final has been infinitely better than the NBA Finals.  The NBA has turned into a joke with the two power teams and everyone else.  As for whether or not the Golden State Warriors are the best team we've ever seen, I say nope!  The Warriors wouldn't have gotten past Jordan's Bulls, I don't know if they would have gotten past Magic's Lakers, and I would love to see today's Warriors get manhandled by Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn and the Detroit Pistons during the bad boys era.  Curry, Durant and company wouldn't be getting the easy layups they are getting against Cleveland against someone like Laimbeer and company.

--Brian Burke and Ken King deserve one another. Let it be said while I love the Seahawks, like the Mariners and want the Sonics to return to Seattle, I will NOT cheer for their hockey team if it moves to the Pacific Northwest.  Has Saskatoon started a "Bring The Flames Here" campaign?

--That's all I got. Enjoy the game and have a great weekend!