Comeback Win In Cowtown

The Regina Pats continue to be the story of the WHL season as far as I'm concerned.

Regina was down 3-1 late in the 3rd Wednesday night before fighting back to tie the game in regulation and then win 4-3 in a shootout.

Jordan Weal's power-play goal at 17:10 of the 3rd made it a one goal game and then Dyson Stevenson tied it at 19:09. In the shootout, Morgan Klimchuk and Weal scored to give Regina the win improving their record to 6-2.

If the game sheet is to be trusted, Calgary outshot Regina 36-23 including 20-1 in the 2nd period alone.

They are in Edmonton Friday.

2013 Memorial Cup Goes To Saskatoon

The Western Hockey League announced today that the Saskatoon Blades have been selected to host the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup. The 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup will be held at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from May 17 to 26, 2013 and will mark the 95th edition of the Canadian Hockey League national championship. All games will be televised on Rogers Sportsnet.

Three WHL Clubs – Kelowna Rockets, Red Deer Rebels and Saskatoon Blades submitted applications to host the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup. The decision to award the hosting of the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup to Saskatoon was made by a majority vote of the WHL Board of Governors on Wednesday, October 12th in Calgary.

The 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup will be hosted by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Shawinigan Cataractes from May 18 to 27, 2012 in Shawinigan, Quebec. The Memorial Cup features a four team round robin format with the host club competing with the Champions from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.

“We are confident the Saskatoon Blades, the City of Saskatoon and the Province of Saskatchewan will serve as an outstanding site for the WHL’s hosting of the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. “Having hosted many national and international events, including the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championship, Saskatoon clearly understands what it takes to stage an event of this magnitude.”

“We are completely thrilled about having an opportunity to host the Memorial Cup in 2013. It’s something that we have wanted to do since it was last here in 1989 and it’s nice to have a chance to do it again,” commented Jack Brodsky, Saskatoon Blades Governor and Committee Chair. “For the fans of the Saskatoon Blades it’s just another opportunity to come out and witness great hockey. We’ve had many great events over the years and I know that this will be another good. Anyone that’s a fan of the Western Hockey League and the Saskatoon Blades knows the importance and scale of such an event. Overall, it will just be another great chance for the city of Saskatoon to showcase what it has to offer.

Jack Brodsky continues, “I think ultimately our community, our volunteers and our facility gave us the edge over Kelowna and Red Deer. The size of our city and the size of our facility gave us an opportunity to present an excellent business plan. The type of volunteers we have and the type of success we’ve had in the past with the World Junior tournament were also very key points for us winning this bid.”

The Saskatoon Blades are one of two Clubs whose origin dates back to the WHL’s inaugural season in 1966-67, along with the Regina Pats. The Blades hosted the MasterCard Memorial Cup Championship in 1989 where they lost the tournament final 4-3 in overtime to the Swift Current Broncos.

The City of Saskatoon and Credit Union Centre have played host to several prestigious sporting events including the 1989 and 2004 Brier Men’s Curling National Championships, 1989 MasterCard Memorial Cup, 1991 Scotts Women’s Curling National Championship, 1993 Canada Cup, 2009 Canadian Figure Skating Championship and the 1991 and 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships. The Province of Saskatchewan has hosted the modern day tournament format of the MasterCard Memorial Cup three times, 1980 (Regina), 1989 (Saskatoon) and 2001 (Regina).

The Western Hockey League has won a total of 18 Memorial Cup Championships since its inaugural season in 1966, including: Red Deer Rebels – 2001, Kootenay Ice – 2002, Kelowna Rockets – 2004, Vancouver Giants – 2007 and Spokane Chiefs – 2008.

Durant Will Play

Debate this one Rider Nation.

Even though he has a broken foot, Darian Durant as you will hear from both Coach Ken Miller and the quarterback himself will play Saturday against B.C. even though chances of making the playoffs are virtually slim and none.

Here is what Durant and Miller had to say after practice today....

DurantOct12 by mitchellblair


MillerOct12 by mitchellblair

Meanwhile, Hugh Charles will be doing his backflips in Edmonton. The Riders have traded the running back to Edmonton for a conditional pick in the 2014 draft.

Pats Pick Up 20 Year Old

(From Regina Pats)

Regina Pats General Manager, Chad Lang would like to announce the acquisition of 20 year old forward, Matt Marantz from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for a 4^th round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.

Matt began the season with the Spokane Chiefs before being sent to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on September 29^th, 2011. This season between the Chiefs and Hurricanes, Marantz has 5 assists in 7 games. Last season with the Chiefs, Marantz had 20 goals and 22 assists in 68 games while having an outstanding +21.

Regina Pats General Manager, Chad Lang “Matt fills out our final 20 year old position with size, speed and scoring touch up front, he is a proven goal scorer that will give us better depth at the forward position.”

He's Not Coming Back --- Or Is He???

From the time he said goodbye shortly after coaching the Riders to the 2007 Grey Cup, I said Kent Austin would not be back unless it was for a visit. I remain true to that stance today, but there are whisperings that perhaps Riders President and CEO Jim Hopson should contact Kent and present him with a blank cheque to get this organization back on its feet after a horrid 2011.

TSN's voice of the NHL and CFL---Chris Cuthbert made this statement on his blog today.

 "If I was in charge the first off season order of business would be recruiting Kent Austin back to Saskatchewan. It wouldn't be a call but a full court press. Austin delivered a Cup in 2007 and then accepted his "dream job" at his alma mater Ole Miss. Except Austin is now at Cornell. Hardly a football power. We're told that a key incentive to coaching at Cornell was the education package for Kent's kids. The Roughriders have the resources to pay Austin's tuition bills anywhere his kids want to study."

I still think the CFL is so far back in Austin's rear-view mirror that he can't even see the lights anymore, and I am still of the belief that we will see Austin patrolling an NFL sideline within the next five years. Could he be lured back? If someone of Cuthbert's credibility says it could happen, do I need to soften my stance a little. I would be absolutely stunned to see Kent Austin return to Saskatchewan and the CFL. The money is definitely in the bank to get him here if Hopson and company decide he is the man. However, I just can't see Austin wanting to come back. One reason being---his year here was golden and he faced very little criticism.  That one year is why people want him back. They think he is a miracle worker. There is no guarantee that he could do in 2012 what he did in 2007. If he doesn't deliver, how fast will the fanbase turn on him. It could be faster than what they have turned on Ken Miller in the last three weeks. Austin knows that the rabid fanbase can get a little carried away here and I don't think he wants to be in this environment if he should start to fail. Time will tell.

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Loved looking at the front page of the Regina Leader-Post today and seeing the headline "Western Canada expected to be colder this winter". GREAAAATTTTTT!!!  The story goes on to say temperatures will be colder, but there won't be as much snow. I guess if it comes right down to it, I'd rather have colder weather than snow. Who's kidding who, I don't want either, but I have to endure that evil living in Saskatchewan.

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Congrats to Global Regina's Tom Vernon who is going to be hosting a public affairs program on Global in both Regina and Saskatoon starting this weekend. I just hope for Tom's sake that CTV isn't showing "The Big Bang Theory" otherwise some will mistake Howard Wolowitz for him.  Rod Pedersen first alerted me to the fact that the two could have been separated at birth---they could have been.

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The Riders are 4-10 and have scored nine points in the last three games. The Detroit Lions are 5-0 for the first time since 1956. Its a bizarro football world ladies and gentlemen.

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Fact from CTV Regina sports guy Chris Hodges. The Regina Pats have outscored the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the month of October. He's right!!

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Conspiracy theorists are saying Darian Durant's foot is not broken and that he has just given up. Go preach that to someone else cuz this cat ain't buyin it.

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A new opportunity may be right around the corner. Its just a phone call away, but when is that phone call going to happen and when it does, will the new opportunity be standing right in front of me. Patience is the key word.

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Word has it Five Guys and Fries is opening in Harbour Landing in two weeks. I have never heard of this place and I am told it will put Fuddruckers to shame. I guess I will have to make that determination for myself.
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I like Joe Buck doing baseball more than I like him doing football.
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News of Theo Epstein perhaps coming GM of the Cubs and word of Epstein making former Cub second baseman (and my favorite all-time athlete) Ryne Sandberg the manager puts nothing but a big ole smile on my face. Make it happen and then please, please, please bring the World Series to Wrigley.
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I don't have any problem with what Brendan Shanahan is doing as he attempts to clean up the game.  I also laugh when the same people complaining about Shanahan are the people who complain about the amount of concussions. What way do you want it people???
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Are Stu Grimson, Chris Nilan and Jim Thomson just giving Don Cherry more publicity by threatening legal action against him after his rant on the opening broadcast of HNIC? I say yup!
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Speaking of Hockey Night in Canada, Canadians were waiting for the regular season to start if this release means anything.....

Multiple audience records were broken during Hockey Night in Canada's weekend broadcast.
Saturday night's HNIC game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators set a mark of 2.359 million viewers — nine percent more than last year's record.
The game had a total TV audience share of 31.3 per cent and reached more than 7.55 million Canadians according to data from the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement (BBM). The Calgary Flames hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins later that night, reaching more than five million, with a share of 17.5 per cent.
The anticipated Winnipeg Jets home opener against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday finished with an average audience of almost two million.
The season started last Thursday with the NHL Face-Off pre-game show, drawing an average of nearly a million viewers, marking a 66 per cent increase compared to last season.
The first game of the 2011-12 season between Maple Leafs and Canadiens was also a record-setter, with 1.935 million watching over last year's 1.923 million.
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I didn't watch much of the Flames-St. Louis game on Sportsnet Monday knowing my good friend Peter Loubardias wasn't behind the mike. That's not a slam on Rob Kerr who replaced Peter and is a good guy, its just that it wasn't Pete. Then again, I didn't watch many Flames games on Sportsnet over the past few years because well its the Flames and I'm an Oilers fan.
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Sorry Saskatoon, but I would like to see the Mem Cup in Red Deer next year. The MC hasn't been contested in Alberta since 1974. Its their time.
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Prince George Cougars (and former Battlefords Stars) p x p man Dan O'Connor was quite interested with the fact that the Pats had a hot-tub with some young women in it during their stop at the Brandt Centre Saturday night. It made Dan ask during his broadcast how many rinks in the league have hot-tubs at rinkside. That's a good question! I get the feeling there could be one in Prince George soon if Dano gets his way. He said on the air that he had never seen that before to which I replied "You're not in Nipawin or La Ronge anymore my friend".
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The cover of the 2011-2012 NHL Record Book and Media Guide has a picture of Zdeno Chara with the Stanley Cup high over his  head. You can pick that up anywhere except in the province of BC as the league handed out the same book with a different cover picture to that area of North America. I can't imagine why???
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I don't care what political stripe you may have. I love Brad Wall's campaign slogan

The only day better than today in Saskatchewan, is tomorrow in Saskatchewan.

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Touchdown Lottery Sells Out Again!

(From Riderville.com)


Tom Shepherd, President of the Friends of Riders, announced today that the Friends of the Riders Touchdown Lottery 2011 has sold out.

The final draw for the 1,352 major prizes valued in excess of $1.93 million will occur on November 1st beginning at 4 pm. In addition the new 50/50 Extra Point add-on draw valued at approximately $270,000 will be drawn on the same night.

All lottery ticket holders are welcome to join Shepherd in the Harvard Broadcasting Green & White Lounge at Mosaic Stadium for the draw on Tuesday, November 1st. Ticket holders can also listen to 620 CKRM Radio for an up-to-the-minute list of winners.

The results of both draws and a list of winners will appear in the November 4th editions of the Leader Post, the Saskatoon Star Phoenix and the Prince Albert Daily Herald. It will also be posted on the Riders website at www.riderville.com or on www.friendsoftheriders.com

Shepherd estimates a record $1.5 million dollars in proceeds from this year’s Lottery will go directly to the Football Club’s bottom line. Since 1986, the Friends of the Riders Lottery has raised over $15 million for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, while giving out more than $23 million in prizes.

2012 Starts Now

The Saskatchewan Roughriders haven't been mathematically eliminated from the CFL playoffs, but reality does tell you that the team that has appeared in three of the last four Grey Cups will not have a chance of making it four of the last five. A dismal performance in Edmonton in which they lost 17-1 was the straw that broke the camel's back. Its over.

Yes, it is the CFL and we all know strange things can happen, but does anyone see the Riders winning their last four and Hamilton losing its last four. I think its safe to say that when the Riders head out on the practice field Wednesday to get ready for Sunday's home game against B.C. that it will be the first game of 2012 because that is what this team is playing for now.

This team has the same guys on offense that they had last year with the exception of Rob Bagg. Its inexplicable as to why this team can't get into the endzone. 9 points in 3 games. 9 points!!!! 9 frickin points!!! They haven't had that type of futility since 1939!! Was the forward pass even legal in 1939?? (Lynch, you must have been at those games, what's the answer??). That's just unacceptable Fantuz, Dressler, Getzlaf, Cates, Hughes and Durant did not turn into crap overnight. How and why is this happening? Yes, I guess you can blame it on an aging offensive line, but that's not it entirely.

Darian Durant has his haters, but did Ryan Dinwiddie do anything to instill any confidence amongst those who no longer want Durant here. The popularity scale is now leaning heavily on Cole Bergquist as the denizens want to see what the Montana product can do. Here's my observation on that.....if Ken Miller was willing to put in Darian Durant with a broken foot---yes, a broken foot and not a sprained foot--it must tell you that he doesn't think Bergquist can do the job. Do you really want to see him come out just so you can boo him off the field much like you would have done to Dinwiddie had this game been played at home? There's no doubt that Rider fans are harder on their quarterback than they are anyone else. Rider fans have been clamouring for Dinwiddie. They got their wish today and they turned on him just as quickly as they wanted him under center. Its been the same with other quarterbacks in other years. Does anyone remember the "We should be starting Kevin Mason argument?". How'd that work out. I guess some year we will learn---at least I hope we do.

I will praise Durant for coming out with a broken foot and giving it a shot albeit unsuccessfully. It showed a lot of guts, it showed leadership and it showed the will to win that he has, but I will also criticize Darian for coming out with a broken foot and giving it a shot because he should have been a spectator. His decision was with all due respect, a stupid one. When there is no present(and yes, the team will maintain that they had one going in), you don't screw around with the future. Further damage could have been done and may have been done. We don't know. What we should know is that Bergquist likely deserves a start next week against B.C just to see what he has in a game situation. Dinwiddie certainly doesn't deserve a 2nd start and Durant should be in civvies for the rest of the season because of the foot.

While I have a great deal of respect for Ken Miller, I can't fathom why he would intentionally throw his quarterback into the fire at halftime knowing what his real injury was. That's not right. I'm sure Darian bent his ear big-time wanting to be in there, but he shouldn't have been. As much as I would like to defend Ken on this one, I can't....at least not right now.

Its also time to see if guys like Dan Clark, Patrick Neufeld and Nick Hutchins can play. They are the future.  Lets see if Brandon West can play. I like Wes Cates, but if management feels his time is up like what has happened to Joffrey Reynolds in Calgary, then give West the starting assignment. Some will ask about Hugh Charles. He is done. This team doesn't want him around for whatever reason. That has become evident.

Lets see what Tyron Brackenridge can do. Give Kenny Rowe another shot. Lets see what Freddie Barnes can do. Lets see what some other young guys can do.

People talk about GM Brendan Taman not bringing in talent, yet he has brought in guys like Cary Koch, the aforementioned Bergquist, Tristan Jackson, Chris Graham, Dallas Baker, Chris Butler and Chris Milo. Ernie Wheelwright has only scratched the surface, but he showed signs that he can play this game. The same goes for R.J Roberts.  Yes, he let Chris Williams get away, but every GM has had one of those.

I guess maybe the biggest question has to go out to the Rider Nation. I know Rider football wasn't cool at the end of the Danny Barrett-Roy Shivers era and it only became cool when Eric Tillman came to town and brought Kent Austin with him. I seem to remember there were a few who were cool to Austin's hiring because of his past with this organization, but the team won and under Austin they won it all. Success means forgiveness. You have been spoiled since Jim Hopson started putting his footprints on this team. You enjoyed four very good years and its now up to you to decide if you want to be with this football team as they rebuild or if you are jumping ship only to return when the W's come. I understand the need to be critical. Hell, my teams (Seahawks, Cubs, Oilers, Riders) all suck right now and yeah, it ticks me off but I still support them. It baffles me why Pete Carroll won't go out and get a real quarterback or draft one instead of keeping Tarvaris Jackson who is junk. Yes, it baffles me why the Cubs struggle to get to 500 every year no matter who is calling the shots, yes, it annoys the hell out of me that the Oilers haven't been to the playoffs in how many years, but I haven't given up on them and I won't. I will still cheer for them and I will still buy their apparel to show my pride in that team. I will be full of pride when the glory days return and if one of those teams ever win a damn championship, I'll likely be an emotional mess much like I was (as were many of you) in the hours after the 2007 Grey Cup. Its because we know how much we love our teams and what they mean. I don't give up on my teams only to return when all is good. I can't say that for others.

As I type this, the Detroit Lions are playing on Monday Night Football. The 4-0 Detroit Lions!!!. This was a team that was the laughingstock of the NFL for a decade, but their fans never gave up. The Silverdome and Ford Field was always full of Lions fans on gameday and this from a city that has been hit hard  by the recession. You don't think Detroit fans are loving what's going on right now after spending so many years of misery. They'll be crushed if they stumble down the playoff road, but they were there to see this team turn its fortunes around. They never turned their back on them despite being given every opportunity to do so.

The Riders of 2011 are done. Tell me when the services are and I'll be there. I'll also be back in 2012 and I'll be optimistic (although never as optimistic as Lynch) and I'll be realistic too. I hope those of you that read this will be too.

There's only one question I have now when it comes to 2011 and its one that Lynch asked at the end of the Calgary game last week. Can someone please tell me what the hell happened to this football team from the time they walked off the field at last year's Grey Cup to this year's training camp? That is the million dollar question and while there are a lot of suggestions, there are no answers. Somewhere in that structure on 10th Avenue is the answer and I hope that me or someone whether it be Murray McCormick, Arash Madani, Lee Jones or even Rod Pedersen himself finds out and then delivers the message. I think all of us deserve to know.

TSN's Dave Hodge tweeted a question Sunday night. The tweet read "Q: What could be worse for the Saskatchewan Roughriders than the two heart-breaking Grey Cup losses. A: This. Do you disagree?? I don't. I would gladly take the 13th man fiasco and the pain of the last two years than the sludge we've  been treated to over the last three weeks. Those days will come again and perhaps so will a Sunday like we saw in November of 2007. Its why I won't stop supporting these guys even though I am beyond words as to how horrible they are right now. What are you going to do?