Weekend Thoughts

18 years ago, OJ Simpson dominated the headlines as his infamous White Bronco chase took place. 18 years later, another Simpson takes the bulk of the headlines as Webb Simpson wins what was a fascinating final round of the US Open.



Where was this guy this weekend? He was busy hacking and whacking his way around the Olympic course as were many others. I've said it once and I'll say it again. Tiger will never be the same. He is still a great golfer, but he can be had now and that couldn't be said years ago. He is still missing something---that killer instinct and that feeling of domination. The field would have cringed and bowed under Tiger a few years ago when he held the lead after 36 holes and Tiger wouldn't have let them off the hook. He did this weekend though as he blew up big-time. You can never take him out of the mix, but he just isn't the same guy that he was and I can't see him ever regaining that form.

That final round was compelling and great theatre. From Tiger's start to the 17 year old Beau Hossler trying to stay in it to Ernie Els looking like he would make a run to Jim Furyk losing it at the end while Simpson just did what he had to do to win and make history. It was a tremendous afternoon and early evening of golf.

Why isn't the Olympic course on Tiger Woods 12 or 13? I would love to pull out the PS3 and play that course.

Hope all the Dads had a great Fathers Day. I was supposed to watch my eight year old daughter play her final ball games, but the weather didn't co-operate as both games were rained out. That didn't stop her from giving me her gift that she made at school---a Daddy's trail mix consisting of popcorn, cheezies, raisins, marshmallows and smarties along with one jelly heart. Yum, Yum!! Dads, you know where I'm coming from and Moms, you do too.

Like many of you, I was surprised to see Chris Graham get cut by the Riders. I thought he looked alright, but the coaching staff obviously didn't see that. Does this mean that Shomari Williams will be the man in the middle?

If the injuries continue to the Blue Jays starting rotation, they may have to try and lure Dave Stieb out of retirement or Pat Hentgen. I've never seen a team lose three starters in one week.

Who is Regina's most famous pro athlete. Is it Jordan Eberle or Jon Ryan? I gotta go with Ebs. Thankfully for me, both play on my favourite NHL and NFL team and it was that way before those two showed up.



Germany has made it through at Euro 2012 as they were expected to do. The Germans will play Greece next Friday. I am hoping there were no sightings of a naked George Yannitsos celebrating in the parking lot of the Four Seasons after the Greeks made it through on Saturday. No one needs to see that. No one!

I'm hoping Oklahoma City wins the NBA final, but I just can't watch it. I know the playoffs have been great and that the final (not finals!!) has Lebron against Durant, but I can't get excited about it. Sorry NBA fans!

I still don't think the Oilers will make the first selection at next Friday's draft unless that pick is Ryan Murray. I see someone making a deal with Edmonton at the last second and it might be Columbus who could turn around and get some assets for Rick Nash and deal some of those to Edmonton. The Oilers don't need another forward like Hall, RNH and Eberle, they need d-men. One scenario discussed is that they take Yakupov and then trade Gagner or Hemsky to a team to get a mid to late round first pick so they can get one of the many good young defencemen out there. It will be an interesting week.

Has the Stanley Cup found its way to the Playboy Mansion yet? I don't know if it has, but I do know that another Gretzky has been partying with the Cup as Paulina has had photos taken of her and the mug that her dad drank out of. Wayne must shudder when he thinks of what could be happening because he knows what hockey players are like.

I still think Roberto Luongo ends up in Toronto, but what do the Leafs give back. Would James Reimer be a part of the deal?

Whatever happened to Maggie the Monkey?

John Lauranaitis is expected to be "fired" tonight by Vince MacMahon on RAW. That should be entertaining if you're a WWE fan.

Why is Tim Tebow delivering a Fathers Day speech?

That's all. Have a good week!

Benavides Explains His Actions

(From Vancouver Province)

It’s always been a good rule of thumb that if a point is still under discussion two days after the initial event it can be considered controversial. Mike Benevides was being asked to explain a few things about his first game as a CFL coach Wednesday because one slow-poke scribe had just returned to Kamloops for more regularly-scheduled training camp wind and water torture.

Nonetheless, there were a couple of plays in the pre-season win over Saskatchewan that might provide a smallish window into how the Lions might operate with a new man in charge, which may prove to be a source of angst for opponents and keep things interesting for Lions watchers this year.

Many things stood out Wednesday. A pass by Paul McCallum off a punt was one. Mike Reilly running on third-and-10 was interesting too, though perhaps more a result of a pocket breakdown.

It also would seem, judging by comments from Riders coach Corey Chamblin and others, that there was not universal agreement to the decision by Benevides to reinsert his first-stringers to score a late touchdown with a 27-point lead. That led to some suggestions the Lions were running up the score, which were quickly slapped down, as might be expected.

Benevides: “I guarantee that was not nor never will be the mindset. In the preseason you want as many situations and as many plays as you can, and I’ll make sure [Chamblin] understands that.” To that point in the game, Benevides explained, the Lions had not been able to run their short-yardage unit, and wanted to get them on tape.

And here all we really wanted to know was whether it was OK by the coach if some of his players appeared to be tweeting during the game, as appeared to be the case Wednesday. But the conversation went in another direction.

As for McCallum’s throw, well, teams are hereby forwarned, even if the Lions blew the play because J.R. LaRose was flagged for not appearing on the field inside the numbers and was called for illegal substitution.

“It’s quite indicative,” Benevides said when asked if the play was representative of his planned approach. “Anyone who has played against Paul McCallum knows he’s a threat. It wasn’t a plan but it was occurred and now its on tape.” Three days past the first pre-season game no less, there’s already interest to see how the next game plays out.

Riders Cuts

Import RB Demetrius Crawford

Import LB Chris Graham

Import DL Boo Robinson

Import DB TJ Rushing

Import DL Curtis Gatewood

Import SB Jason Chery

Non-import RB Nathan Riva

Non-import DB Dominic Noel

Non-import DL Renaldo Sagesse


The team has also signed DL Jay Alford. He was a member of the Super Bowl Champion Giants that beat the Patriots ruining what would have been a perfect season.

Chris Schultz' Take on Riders

TSN's Chris Schultz has these thoughts on the Saskatchewan Roughriders going into the 2012 campaign....
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The way I look at the Saskatchewan Roughriders moving into the 2012 season is they have a long way to go, but a lot of energy around them to get there.

Let's be honest, Roughrider football last year was brutal. A regular season record of 5-13, but at times they collectively looked like they were playing for a paycheque, not a Grey Cup championship.

Darian Durant regressed after a 2009 season that saw a first-place finish and a Grey Cup appearance, and a 2010 season that saw the Rider QB throw for 5,542 yards. In 2011, last year, there were long, long stretches between touchdown passes and even longer stretches, it seemed, between points. The Riders finished dead last in points scored, averaging 19 a game, and only Toronto had fewer net yards than the Riders, as the Argos netted 319 yards per game to Saskatchewan's 327.

On defence it was a similar story, dead last in takeaways with only 31, and the takeaway/giveaway ratio was minus-17, tied with Toronto. To a final point of emphasis, B.C. was No. 1 in forcing two-and-out situations while Saskatchewan was again tied for dead last with Toronto in a critical aspect of CFL defence - forcing two plays and a punt as fast as possible.

Last year was brutal.

Now that was last year, so, let's focus on this year. There is a new energy, a new drive around Saskatchewan in the name of Corey Chamblin, the new head coach. The only thing that bothers me about Coach Chamblin is he is so young, 35. He makes me feel old because he is so young.

But he certainly has paid "the dues" and has a resume of association as good as any head coach in football.

There really is something about youth and energy that makes a difference and I can't help but anticipate Coach Chamblin's enthusiasm for football will transition to all of his players. He also has created an excellent support system around him. He has hired experience and class in Richie Hall, Alex Smith, and Bobby Dyce. As well, lots of youth will be an innovation with Craig Dickenson, Khari Jones, Jason Tucker, and Barron Miles on the coaching staff. All four of those coaches have potential to be head coaches down the road.

On the defensive line is Mike Walker - a coach I played against as a player - of whom I have exceptional respect for, and offensive line coach Kris Sweet. This was a significant hire as Coach Sweet is the opposite of his name. Very demanding.

I can guarantee you that this year's Riders will protect the quarterback better in every way as compared to previous years. Both men are solid position coaches.

Now I will be the first to tell you that players win games, but a good staff can make the average player good, and the good player great. I believe the Riders have that opportunity with the present personnel.

The challenges are there. Darian Durant must rebound, and they have to find an 18-game running back. Who is going to play left tackle? Who is the next Andy Fantuz? And those are just offensive questions.

But energy is transferrable and the energy feels good in Regina. With a $14 million upgrade to Taylor Field, and a new stadium on the horizon in 2014, there are many bright lights just around the corner to chase with the Riders.

And with the best fan base in CFL football, this would be a good place to be a football player. Now it's up to the players that Coach Chamblin chooses, because the support system is already there.

Bombers Not Moving in 2012

The Winnipeg Football Club announced today that due to continued weather related delays in the construction progress of Investors Group Field, the team will play the entire 2012 CFL season at Canad Inns Stadium. Investors Group Field will open its doors for the beginning of the 2013 CFL season. Blue Bombers President and CEO Garth Buchko issued the following statement:

"It is with great disappointment that we are making this announcement today, however we feel it is in the best interest of our fans, sponsors and entire organization to come to this decision. The reality is that unpredictable weather at a critical stage of construction, has made it difficult to pin down the ultimate completion date. Endeavoring to accelerate work to overcome weather disruptions, beyond what is reasonable and safe, will only create further delays along the way, potentially compromising worker safety and the ultimate fan experience. To open Investors Group Field prior to a state of total completion would not be fair to our fans as their first experience must be a positive one. The citizens of our city and province have waited a long time for a new stadium and it will be well worth the wait to have it opened properly. This decision will most importantly provide stability and certainty for our loyal and passionate fans, the football team and the whole Blue Bomber organization."

Something To Mitch About

The Rider Nation is up in arms and the season hasn’t officially started yet. Yes, there was not a lot of positives in Thursday’s pre-season blowout at the hands of the B.C Lions, but who cares. The game is used to evaluate players and that is what coach Corey Chamblin and his assistants will be doing over the next few days. Here’s what I took away from the contest

--Chamblin has lots of film to evaluate his defensive players, but there is still some evaluation to be done on offensive players and he may not have the time. That is what happens when there are only two exhibition games.

--A couple of veteran players on defence could be getting walking papers as they were not very good.

--Odell Willis should be back at #1 on the depth chart very soon as Kenny Rowe was very disappointing. I’m expecting Rowe to take a step up. He didn’t on Thursday.

--Kory Sheets can stay and so can Justin Harper. On defence, Sam Hurl has two years to go at the University of Calgary, but he showed me that he is CFL ready. Regina Thunder d-lineman Zack Evans also has a future in this game.

--I thought Rod nailed it on the head during Thursday’s Sportscage when he defended quarterback Darian Durant from those who are being openly critical after just one game because of his demeanour. A couple of fans were not happy with the fact Durant seemed to be yukking it up on the sidelines in the second half. Are these the same fans that criticized Durant for pouting when he had a towel over his head last year? What exactly do you want from the quarterback? If it is to throw for 400 yards and six touchdowns every game, you are sadly delusional as that will not happen. Like it or not, Durant is the leader of the football club and the players are the ones who will tell you that. If you can’t handle that, perhaps hand in your fan club membership

--The actions of Mike Benavides will have resonated throughout the CFL. Running a fake punt in the first quarter and running up the score won’t only get under the Riders skin, but other teams will have noticed that as well. It would seem as if winning a championship has made the Lions a little cocky and they need to be knocked down a peg or two. It will happen.

--There was some talk on Twitter Wednesday night about the jerseys and how they looked. WHO CARES?? I don’t care what the unis look like, I care about how the players that are playing in those unis are looking like. They could have come out in clown outfits for all I care as long as they were playing hard. That being said, the tramp stamp can go as it doesn’t really need to be there.

Just some other random thoughts….

--Colt Brennan may have a more impressive resume than Marc Mueller, but the U of R Rams quarterback has seen more time in a CFL game than the University of Hawaii standout.

--Its beating a dead horse, but Mueller deserves another opportunity with a CFL team. Sadly he won’t because he is Canadian. As I’ve said before, if Mueller was to ply his trade at some place like Montana or North Dakota or somewhere, would he have had a better opportunity to play professional football. Sadly, I think the answer is yes.

--I can’t imagine what my score would be if I was to play a round at the Olympic Club in San Francisco where they are contesting the U-S Open. That course just looks nasty!

--I no longer believe the Jays can be a playoff team this year unless they make a couple of deals. The pitching once again simply isn’t there and the loss of Brandon Morrow and perhaps Kyle Drabek doesn’t improve their chances any.

--The words Chris Bosh NBA champ just doesn’t resonate with me.

--KTLA in Los Angeles covered the Kings parade on Thursday. The announcers made it look like they had been right in the Kings corner from day 1. I’m guessing LA’s public relations team gave these people a huge stack of documents to pore over so they wouldn’t sound stupid.

--I wonder if Jeff Carter and Mike Richards took a picture of themselves with the Stanley Cup and sent it to Paul Holmgren.

--Will the Cup make its way to the Playboy Mansion?

--Matt Cain proved that he is one of the top pitchers in baseball with his performance against the Astros. I foolishly traded Cain for Tampa’s Jeremy Hellickson in a fantasy league during the off-season. I should have traded Tim Lincecum instead.

--Euro 2012 is not disappointing me at all

--The SJHL is getting rid of the showcase. I will reserve comment on that decision which I understand was not unanimous.

--Congrats to one of the most intense guys I know who has entered the world of fatherhood. Mitch Gallant at Capital Ford and his wife have welcomed a baby girl into the world. Good job Mitch! Is it true that those reading this will get an extra 200 taken off the price of a new or used car if mentioning the blog?

--The University of North Dakota has now dropped the “Fighting Sioux” nickname. This comes after the NCAA released a list of schools with nicknames they considered offensive. It amazes me that the Fighting Sioux name has to go, yet the Florida State Seminoles are staying as are pro teams like the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians. Hypocrisy is alive boys and girls, hypocrisy is alive.

--Why is the NBA championship series called “The Finals”? Its one game so why pluralize it. Was it the Eastern and Western Conference Championships?

Relax! Get Off The Ledge.

The opening performance of the 2012 Saskatchewan Roughriders has left many with a sour taste in their mouth this morning. It was not a good night for Chamblin's crew as you will see in the story written for Riderville.