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 CFL knows it can't compete with the NFL.  The league has been shying away from Sunday games for the past few years because they know they simply can't draw the way the NFL does. They are content to let the NFL take the Canadian football landscape on a Sunday.

However, the league that doesn't want to play a regular season game on a Sunday once the NFL season starts has no problem in playing on Sundays with the playoffs on. Why?   When you have told your fan base you are conceeding Sundays to another league, why wouldn't you just continue with playoffs on a Saturday.

Yes, I will have interest in the Bombers-Stampeders game, but I will have very little interest in watching the Eskimos-Alouettes game because of the NFL factor.  The hardcore CFL fans will be there, but they would be there if the game was on a Saturday as well.  They would be there whenever the game is played.  The league is looking to attract fans, but they want to compete against a much bigger league that gets just about as much attention north of the border as it does in their own country.

I would be all for Saturday playoff games and that includes the Grey Cup.  The Grey Cup party on a Saturday night after the game and during the game would be something to behold. Would you be OK with going to the Grey Cup at Mosaic Stadium at 5 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon next year?  I would be!

--Rider Nation, who are you cheering for this weekend?  Having to root for either Winnipeg or Calgary is somewhat nauseating if you ask this blogger.  At the end of the day, I don't think Calgary loses at home, but the playoffs are when strange things happen as we all know.  Can Zach Collaros beat Calgary twice?  If he does, the storyline for the Western Final will have been created and what a storyline it will be.

If its Calgary, it means trying to knock off the Patriots of the CFL with everyone wondering if the first time Craig defeats brother Dave is in the Western Final.  Remember, two of the five losses sustained by the Riders this season came at the hands of the Stampeders. I realize the two teams played three very close games this year, but I see Calgary winning by more than a TD.  The bottom line is BRING IT ON!

--The Eskimos won eight games this year. Seven were against teams that aren't in the playoffs and the eighth was against a Montreal team to open the season when Antonio Pipkin and not Vernon Adams JR was the QB.  The Alouettes are easy money this weekend aren't they?

--If you've followed this blog over the past number of years, you know I think the CFL should be one nine-team conference instead of East-West because of the disparity between the two divisions. Has the East ever crossed over into the West?  If you look at what it would be this weekend if you had one nine-team league it would be

1) Hamilton 2) Saskatchewan with byes

3) Calgary vs 6) Edmonton
4) Winnipeg vs 5) Montreal

The Bombers get a home game and the Alouettes don't.


--Why do I feel that even though the Riders were recognized with eight all-stars, they should have had at least 10.  William Powell and Cam Judge were the biggest omissions for me and yes, Loucheiz Purifoy probably should have gotten all-star consideration as well.  A Twitter poll I ran had 46 percent of you voting for Cam Judge

--Whoever is in charge of the Riders social media gets an A plus for the video this week narrated by Dakoda Shepley.  Great stuff!

--Are we ready for a CFL coaching carousel?  One has to think Rick Campbell will end up in Edmonton and many feel Jason Maas will be reunited with Mike Reilly and Ed Hervey in BC.  Does Mike O'Shea leave Winnipeg and if so does Khari Jones take over? Then there is the shadow of the man in black.  If the Cleveland Browns continue to disappoint, will they get rid of Freddie Kitchens? If they do, does Chris Jones return to the CFL. I say he comes back and leads the Argos. He won't have the power there though that he had here because of MLSE and yes, the Pinball-Jones dynamic would be interesting.  Would Hervey spurn Maas to reunite with Jones? Doubt it! Coaching movement may have more interest than player movement this off-season.

--Week 10 NFL Lock of The Week -- Saints over Falcons
  Week 10 NFL Upset Of The Week -- Lions over Bears

--NHL referees let a lot of players get away with should be penalties against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisiatl.  Just sayin!

--Saskatchewan came through in a big way for the Jim Pattison Childrens Hospital.  The radiothon, which 620 CKRM was a part of as was MY92 and The WOLF 104.9 raised 750,000.  Nice work people! Be proud!

--An automated strike zone is coming to minor league baseball.  I don't think it will ever hit the majors while I am still breathing.

--A special thanks to Rob Vanstone.  He gave me a copy of his new book "100 Things Roughriders Fans Should Know And Do Before They Die".  He inscribed that the final two words in the book were my name.  What??  I turned to Page 299 and sure enough there it was. I had helped Rob with his first two books by interviewing some subjects and he used some of that material in this book. I had no idea that was coming and I was truly touched and honoured that he did that.  Those who have seen Rob and I together know we can truly act about 1/10th of our age when we want to and we don't really seem to care.  There are times you just need to be stupid with someone and Rob is that for me and vice-versa.  Thanks again!

--That's all I got.  Have a great weekend.  Thank you to all of those who have served our nation and paid the ultimate sacrifice.  Without these people, we aren't who we are today.