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Friday, July 13, 2018

This and That





--Welcome to Friday and the usual thoughts running through my muddled mind. As always, they come in no particular order.

--We have a nine team CFL and three have the weekend off. I don't understand and frankly, I've stopped trying to understand some of the decisions made.  I understand you gave every one an additional bye week this year, but giving three teams a bye is dumb when you only have nine teams. Am I right on that one?

--The Johnny Manziel hype is on hold for a week because the Ti-Cats are off.  The hype is seemingly still as strong as its ever been with hopes Johnny Football will get into a game.  Meanwhile, Jeremiah Masoli continues to turn heads as he is playing the best football of his career.  Are those tuning in to watch Manziel from south of the border intrigued by Masoli and what he can do in four-down football?  They should!

--What has happened to Jon Jennings? The Lions quarterback looks nothing like the QB that came out firing when he came into this league. Jennings has been a downward slide since injuring his shoulder early last year in Hamilton. He isn't even close to being the same QB. Is it a confidence issue? Is that shoulder still damaged? Is it something else?  Whatever it is, it would seem as if his days in BC are done. I am guessing he finds another CFL home, but will a change of scenery change anything?

--Are the Calgary Stampeders about to see what its like without Bo Levi Mitchell.  He left in the first half of Calgary's one-sided win over Ottawa and did not return.  On the surface, it would appear as if the knee injury he suffered is not serious in nature.  I think a lot of us didn't think Zach Collaros would be out for as long as he has been when he was hurt in Ottawa. We have seen how that turned out.  If its the Nick Arbuckle show, it is advantage Edmonton and perhaps Winnipeg.

--If Mitchell is out, it is bad for the CFL, He will be out, Ricky Ray is out, Zach Collaros is out, Drew Willy is out, Jennings is not playing well.  It means half of your league has a question mark at the game's most important position and that isn't good in my books.

--Speaking of Collaros, where is he at with his concussion? It's the question Rider Nation wants an answer to.  It has been deathly silent during the bye week at Mosaic and I expect that to continue until the team gets back on the field to get ready for Thursday's game in Hamilton.  There are other questions that need answering as well, but that is the big one.

--There is a thought process out there that the Rider offence would be better with Rob Bagg, Bakari Grant and Chad Owens.  Ummmmm, I know Bagg is hurt and likely wouldn't be on the roster right now if he were still here, but where are Grant and Owens these days? Oh yeah, they're not helping anyone. Never mind!

--The anti-Chris Jones faction is also starting to get worked up over the fact James Franklin is not here.  This just in.  He never was going to be.  The Eskimos knew they had to do something with their quarterback, and the last thing they wanted to do was give him to a Western Division rival that was on the rise.  Brock Sunderland is not that dumb, and Jones wasn't going to give Edmonton the rich offer they wanted.  Again, please put that conversation to bed and remember to renew your membership in the "I Hate Chris Jones" club when the notice hits your inbox.

--Why wasn't there a concert at half-time of the Calgary-Ottawa game? Wasn't that the plan on Thursday nights?

--The World Cup comes to an end this weekend. Croatia will meet France in the final.  All the games haven't been classics, but I've enjoyed the world's best going at it over the last month.  The game is not everyone's cup of tea though. I admit that.  There are a variety of reasons.  I asked on the Cage Thursday what would be on your TV when it came to sports in heaven or hell.  You can give me football, hockey and baseball, but don't give me tennis and NASCAR.

--Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts suggested this week baseball should scrap the home-run derby and have some kind of skills competition on the day before the all-star game.  Does Betts think people want to see an outfielder try and throw it through a hoop from 350 feet away or a drag bunt competition.  Cmon Mookie!

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



15 comments:

Robert T Neufeld said...

Dunno Mitch, but I get just as much of a kick out of watching an outfielder make a great catch or a shortstop throw out a baserunner on a choppy grounder as I do watching a bunch of guys essentially trying to hammer the ball a few extra inches into the bleachers. I'm sure a viable fielding and hitting competition can be developed to replace the home run derby:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMBKbyDzGD8

Anonymous said...

Roughriders in the works to acquire Johnny Football, cut ZC, BB to Tiger Land, Whoooo Rahhhhh!

Anonymous said...

While a 10 team CFL coast to coast is nice to ponder, one has to wonder whether there is enough QB talent available to keep the CFL competitive.

Anonymous said...


A BLM injury would be catastrophic to the Stamps and the CFL. Not good to have marquee players miss substantial time.

Anonymous said...


Calgary loses Messam, they find another RB to pick up the slack and is he ever.
Calgary loses Mitchell, they find another QB to move the team up and down the field.
Calgary loses Hughes and their defence is still the best in the league.

Do we see how much John Murphy pulled the wool over the eyes of Jones, Reynolds, etc. etc.

Calgary is Huff and he just hung on his coat-tails until someone was stupid enough to "lure" him away.


Jason

Anonymous said...


The homerun derby is cool as you see how far these guys can hit it. I'm not for a skills competition. That would be dumb. Very few would want to see how quickly guys could turn the 6-4-3 DP or an accuracy competition amongst outfielders.

Anonymous said...


Am I the only one saying that much like the NFL, the Thursday night CFL games are a dud?

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with you Jason.

Anonymous said...


x2 Jason.

Anonymous said...

Thursday nights? The whole CFL season has for the most part been a dud this year. Where are the close, exciting games?


Ken

Anonymous said...

Speaking of marquee players_ what better place for a marquee player such as Johnny Manziel to play_ Saskatchewan Roughriders_ CFL marquee franchise.

PS,
Roughriders hire The Sask. Football God Mr. Kent Austin as QB/OC coach to mentor and light the fire on offense.

Jason Voorhees

Anonymous said...

QUESTION - can the Roughriders call damaged goods on qbZC thereby cancelling out service contract and walking away without consequence to mandated league cap?

ANSWER - yes!

Big J. Voorhees

Anonymous said...

Rider qb dilemma,

Fact - under JhopsonBTtamanJoday the franchise had opportunity to acquire through trade or other means,
R Ray
M Reilly
M Nicols
J Franklin
J Masoli
T Harris
T Lulay
Etc Etc Etc...

Sadly that past regime stood by a less than mediocre qb and assortment of Tino Sunseri's of the world.

Anonymous said...

Jason 1. I am with you
Jason 2. Remember Shea Emry. No returns!

Chris G

Anonymous said...


Murphy=fraud!