This and That

--Welcome to Friday and the usual assortment of things running through my muddled mind.   As always, these come in no particular order

--The biggest football game in the history of a still young Mosaic Stadium is upon us.  Can the Saskatchewan Roughriders advance to the Grey Cup or is the quarterback that Rider Nation wanted to lead us to the title game going to get the chance wearing the uniform of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.  Soon we will find out.

Zach Collaros is saying the right things leading into the game---or is he? Collaros said this week there is more motivation to beat the Riders.  What? The Riders were nothing but complimentary to Collaros and the parting of ways was certainly not controversial in nature.  If anything, the Riders did him (and themselves) a favour by dispatching him to Toronto where he would be close to home.  The Riders knew they couldn't logistically insert Collaros back into the starting spot if he was ready to play so they did him a favour by sending him to Toronto for virtually nothing.  If that is what Collaros needs to motivate him, its advantage Riders.

I have said it once and I will say it again.  There is no way this football team is 13-5 if Collaros is their quarterback this season.

--Andrew Harris was the story of last year's playoff win at Mosaic.  The Riders defence admittedly came out flat in what turned out to be Chris Jones' last game as head coach of the football team.  If Craig Dickenson gets a similar effort from his "D" that Jones got last year, the Bombers will be heading back to Calgary.  This just in---I don't think that is going to happen two years in a row.  At the end of the day, the West Final could come down to Harris vs William Powell.  The better performance will result in his team going to Calgary.

--Cody Fajardo will not be 100 percent when he takes his first snap as the oblique injury he suffered will likely linger into the off-season.  At this time of  year, you want your best players to be at their best physically which Cody isn't.  If the Riders lose, it will be an excuse heard far and wide around these parts.  It will be like Winnipeg fans saying the 2007 Grey Cup would be different if Kevin Glenn had played. It would be a cruel asterisk on what was a tremendous season.  I wouldn't want to be Isaac Harker right now.  Then again, we didn't think Fajardo could do it when the Riders were 0-2 to start the season and how did that end up.

--If the Riders win, would they be the favourites to win the Grey Cup or would Hamilton?  I would say the Riders would be the underdog and I think that would suit them just fine.  If it is a TiCats-Riders Grey Cup, I would make Hamilton a 2 and a half point favourite to open.

--If Winnipeg wins, I won't be that upset as it still isn't Calgary representing the West at Grey Cup.  It will also give me a reason to root for Hamilton.

--Mosaic Stadium is now situated on George Reed Way.  That is the way it should be.  Honouring George Reed by naming the road outside the stadium is tremendous and is something that really should have been done when the stadium opened.  Some are asking what recognition will go to Ron Lancaster now. You can add me to that list.  George had to be honoured in some fashion, but so does Ronnie.  Make it happen Mr. Reynolds!

--Thank you to the NFL for flexing out the Seattle-Philadelphia game on Grey Cup Sunday that would have gone up against the Grey Cup.  I don't have to worry about channel-flipping now or PVR'ing the Seahawks-Eagles game.  I can watch it at noon and then settle in for the Grey Cup.

--Attendance was reportedly  down 4 percent in the league this year.  I have not found numbers on TV viewership and where it was compared to last year.

--I'm still shaking my head over how the Ottawa Redblacks could keep GM Marcel Desjardins.  Rick Campbell obviously got out while the getting was good.  Campbell was doomed from the start of the season when Ottawa lost Trevor Harris, William Powell, Greg Ellingson, Sir Vincent Rogers, AC Leonard and Rico Murray.  That's all on Desjardins as is the fact the Redblacks were terrible in 2019.

--Week 11 NFL Lock Of The Week -- Vikings over Broncos
   Week 11 NFL Upset Of The Week -- Eagles over Patriots

How much fun will it be watching Deshaun Watson against Lamar Jackson when Houston plays Baltimore?

Is it safe to say we have seen the last of Myles Garrett on a football field for a while.  What was that?

--Former U of R Cougar womens basketball player Cymone Bouchard is heading to the Canada West Hall of Fame.  This is a no-brainer.  What also is a no-brainer is the fact the U of R should retire the 13 Bouchard wore so proudly during her time as a Cougar.  The men's program and the University retired Chris Biegler's number 50 years ago.  It is time to do the same thing with a member of the women's program.

--Who succeeds Don Cherry? Will we find out tomorrow night? Some have changed their stance on what Cherry said Saturday night.  As I said earlier, I know what Cherry was saying and I don't disagree with him.  He just used the wrong words.  I think the suits at Sportsnet used this as an easy out to chop another big salary. Imagine if Grapes had the chance to have his say on what "The Social's" Jessica Allen had to say on hockey this week.  That would have been must-watch TV.

--That McDavid kid in Edmonton is pretty good.  So is that Draisaitl fellow!

--That's all I got.  It's going to be a great weekend in #YQR with the Western Final, the Experience Regina Pats game and some basketball at the U of R.  Enjoy it!