Happy Thanksgiving All!!

What better way to say it then perhaps the best comedic moment in TV history...

Seattle's Unsung Hero

Everyone can see how much quarterback Russell Wilson means to the success of the Seahawks, but the unsung hero on the team this season is punter Jon Ryan.

He is ESPN's Stats & Information Punter of the Week of the second time this season -- Weeks 3 and 5. But for Ryan, it's two consecutive games since the Seahawks were off in Week 4.

Ryan’s punting skills kept the Washington Redskins pinned back near their own goal line most of the second half. He had three consecutive punts in the third quarter that caused Washington to start inside its 10-yard line, including one punt that was downed at the 1 by Jermaine Kearse.

“You can’t say enough about those guys,’’ Ryan said of the punt coverage team. “The gunners were down there so quick it gave me the confidence to put it the ball down inside the 10 and not worry about a touchback.”

Five of Ryan’s six punts Monday night were downed inside the 20, yet he still averaged 43.3 yards per boot.

But the play most people will remember about Ryan Monday wasn’t a punt. It was a fake field goal.

Ryan is the holder on Steven Hauschka’s kicks, but on a fourth-and-1 at the Washington 32 in the fourth quarter, Ryan took the snap and ran up the middle for 5 yards.

“I think it was the perfect opportunity there,” Ryan said, “especially when [the officials] had the measurement going on. You couldn’t really see us there talking like you do sometimes before a fake. It was the perfect storm and a ballsy call.”

Ryan, by the way, isn’t a little guy. The 32-year-old Canadian is 6-foot, 215 pounds and looks like he just won a body-building competition.

“I played wide receiver for four years in college at Regina [Saskatchewan],” Ryan said. “I had quite a few touchdowns in college.”

One TD was a 109-yard reception his sophomore year, but it’s been a while since he made a big play on offense.

“That was my first first down since ’07,” he said. “It doesn’t happen often.”

Ryan’s punting is making good things happen for the Seahawks. He’s averaging 46.7 yards a punt, with a net average of 42.2. Twelve of his 18 punts have been downed inside the 20, and only three have been returned, tied for the best percentage in the NFL.

This And That

The weekly assortment of thoughts running through my muddled mind and once again, there is no particular order

 --I don't know how it is going to turn out, but I love the Kerry Joseph signing. It doesn't cost the Riders anything and they gain valuable experience at the game's most important position. Yes, he's 41, but he has only been out of the game for less than a year. He also gives the team a better chance to win than what they have with the current two guys. If the team felt they could win with Tino Sunseri and Seth Doege, they wouldn't have gone out to get Joseph. The team knows with Darian Durant they could have repeated and without him they likely don't. Its a gamble throwing Joseph in there, but its one that could conceivably pay off and if it doesn't, it didn't cost them a thing and gives KJ a chance to finish out his career with the team he wants to finish off. He probably didn't imagine when he left the field in tears last year as a member of the Eskimos that he would be back on the Mosaic Stadium turf wearing the jersey he wore when he led the Riders to the 07 Cup. Welcome back K-J.

--If the Riders were looking for an "old" quarterback, I don't know why they had to go out and get Joseph because Leader-Post sports writer Ian Hamilton was right here all along, I keep hearing from Vanstone the guy is an excellent quarterback in their flag football league. If Kerry goes down, I say bring in Hamilton!!

--The NHL is back. The thing people are talking about is the ref-cam. They love it! Its a different look that's for sure, but when we see a guy courtesy of the ref-cam getting crosschecked into the boards and there is no penalty, than what? HMMMMMM!!!!

--Memo to Kevin Dureau at the Press Box. Do the barbecued pig promotion throughout the hockey season. This will guarantee a Scruffy sighting at a place where I really need to get to more. Don't know why, but my visits have been few and far between lately and there's no reason for that,

--Week 6 NFL Lock of The Week----Seattle over Dallas
   Week 6 NFL Upset Of The Week ----Cleveland over Pittsburgh

--Mayor Michael Fougere came through with a promise this week and gave Weston Dressler a key to the city. If Dressler gets a key to the city, what does Darian Durant get? What does Corey Chamblin get?

--What are those things hanging above the ice at the Brandt Centre?

--I just want to make sure I have this right. The Regina Pats have points in their last five games registering nine out of a possible 10 and Head Coach John Paddock is seemingly more concerned over the game's three stars. OHHHHHHHHH-K!! Methinks someone's priorities aren't in the right spot, but hey what do I know. Perhaps the 3 Stars should just be ignored in Mr, Paddock's mind and everyone can go home with their own opinion.

--I'll just consider to this to be a big time OOPS on behalf of the Washington Capitals.

Its an OOPS, but its a damn funny OOPS! I am guessing that logo either isn't there for the next game or Barry will be moving a little bit. 

--Opening night NHL rosters have 155 WHL alumni on them. This proves once again there is no better developmental league in the world than what we are witness to every winter, Its why I ask why crowds are so small across Saskatchewan because they shouldn't be. The future is right in front of us every night if we live in Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Swift Current or Prince Albert. Get out there!!

--Who had the Royals and Orioles in the ALCS back in April? I think this has the potential to be a great series with two young teams battling one another. Kansas City is fun to watch with their speed while Baltimore seems to have a little bit of everything.  The NLCS is just another example as to how teams embrace that culture of winning. I don't know if there have been two more successful teams in the past decade than the Giants and Cardinals. St. Louis knows what to do to win. They have a great minor league system and when this player or that player is ready they bring him up. They don't pay big money to keep free agents because they have someone to fill the spot and if they do need a free agent, they don't pay big money for him,  Matt Carpenter, Matt Adams. Kolten Wong, Trevor Rosenthal and Shelby Miller were all doing their thing in the minors and when the time was right, the got the call to the bigs. St. Louis just keeps rolling. It won't surprise me one bit to see them back in the World Series.

--49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was fined this week because he had the wrong headphones on after a game and his fine was more than the one given to Denver's Julius Thomas for what was an absolute cheap shot chop block on Arizona's Calais Campbell, How is that possible? Someone in the NFL really needs to give their head a shake when a guy gets fined more for wearing something than a cheap action on the field.

--Seahawks punter and Regina native Jon Ryan is getting a lot of love not only in Seattle, but across the league for his run up the middle on a fake punt to keep a drive alive that turned into a touchdown in Seattle's Monday night win over Washington. Jon was with Rod Pedersen and I in the Sportscage Wednesday. I asked him how long he had been lobbying for that and he said he was in the ear of the team's special teams coach all week looking for that. I LOVED IT!! It's great to see Jon along with the other Rams alumni playing well in the NFL

--Sportscenter Top 10's kill me. The latest is the top 10 playoff mishaps and on the list is the Paul McCallum miss in the 2004 West final. McCallum went on to bigger and better, but that was the closest Roy Shivers and Danny Barrett ever got to a Grey Cup, If that kick goes through and the Riders go to the Grey Cup, do they win and if so, how does the Rider Nation look at those two today.

--Should I be concerned when I ask my financial advisor for advice and he says three words---"Play the ponies?"

--Have a great Thanksgiving! Eat lots of turkey, watch lots of football and if driving, keep it between the lines!

U of R Athletics This Weekend

Home Events (Canada West)Men’s Hockey – vs. Alberta, Friday (7:00 p.m.) at The Co-operators Centre
Women’s Soccer – vs. MacEwan, Saturday (12:00 p.m.) at U of R Field
Men’s Hockey – vs. Alberta, Saturday (7:00 p.m.) at The Co-operators Centre
Women’s Soccer – vs. MacEwan, Sunday (12:00 p.m.) at U of R Field

 

Home Events (non-conference)Women’s Basketball – vs. Carleton, Thursday (7:00 p.m.) at CKHS
Women’s Basketball – vs. Fraser Valley, Friday (7:00 p.m.) at CKHS
Women’s Basketball – vs. Saskatchewan, Saturday (1:00 p.m.) at CKHS

 

Away Events (Canada West)Women’s Hockey – at Alberta, Friday (7:00 p.m.) in Edmonton, Alta.
Women’s Hockey – at Alberta, Saturday (2:00 p.m.) in Edmonton, Alta.

 

Away Events (non-conference)Men’s Basketball – vs. Winnipeg, Friday (5:00 p.m. CDT) in Winnipeg, Man.
Men’s Basketball – at Manitoba, Saturday (7:00 p.m. CDT) in Winnipeg, Man.

 

Women’s Soccer – After a weekend off, the Cougars (4-2-2) are back at home this Saturday and Sunday for a pair of pivotal matchups against MacEwan (6-1-1) in what will be the first Canada West competition between the University of Regina and the conference’s newest member in any sport. The Cougars enter the weekend in fifth place in the Prairie, but just one point behind Alberta for the fourth and final postseason berth in the division.

 

Men’s Hockey – The Cougars were in action at Manitoba last weekend, losing 6-0 on Friday and 4-1 on Saturday to fall to 0-4-0 on the season. The team is back at home this weekend where they’ll be tested by No. 1-ranked Alberta (3-1-0) at The Co-operators Centre. Game times are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

 

Women’s Basketball – The Cougars went 2-1 at a non-conference tournament in Brandon last weekend, losing their opening game 66-63 to Winnipeg before recovering for wins over Manitoba (76-50) and the host Bobcats (82-59) on Saturday and Sunday. The Cougars host a non-conference tournament of their own this weekend at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport. They’ll face Carleton on Thursday night (7:00), Fraser Valley on Friday night (7:00), and Saskatchewan on Saturday afternoon (1:00). The round-robin tournament will also have games on Thursday and Friday at 5 p.m. and on Saturday at 11 a.m. 

 

Women’s Hockey – The Cougars (1-0-1) opened their Canada West schedule at home last weekend against Manitoba, losing 1-0 in double overtime on Friday night before Kylie Gavelin’s goal gave the U of R a 3-2 overtime win of its own on Saturday. Gavelin – who earned Canada West Second Star of the Week honours – and the rest of the Cougars will head to Edmonton this weekend to face No. 4-ranked Alberta on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

 

Men’s Volleyball – The U of R hosted the Cougar Invitational over the weekend, a six-team non-conference tournament which was eventually won by Brandon with a 3-1 record. The host Cougars were the only team to knock off Brandon, winning a lengthy five-set match on Saturday night over the Bobcats. The Cougars now have a weekend off before beginning Canada West play on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18 against Manitoba.

 

Women’s Volleyball – The Cougars went 1-3 at the West Coast Invitational in Vancouver, with their victory coming in three sets over York on Saturday. The team compiled a 3-5 record in its challenging non-conference schedule which saw the Cougars battle teams ranked in the top five of the Canada West preseason poll in five of eight matches. Like the men’s team, the Cougars have the first week of the conference schedule off before playing their first Canada West matches of the season at Manitoba (Oct. 17/18).

 

Rams Football – The Rams (1-4) suffered a 59-7 loss at No. 2-ranked Calgary on Saturday afternoon, with a touchdown reception by Jared Janotta in the second quarter standing as the team’s only score of the game. With Canada West on its bye week, the Rams will be back in action with a Week 6 matchup on the road at UBC on Oct. 18. After that, the Rams will conclude their Canada West schedule with home games against Manitoba (Oct. 25) and Alberta (Nov. 1).

 

Cross Country (Men’s CIS Ranking: No. 10) – Make it three wins in three races for Matt Johnson, who finished in first place on Saturday at the Sled Dog Open in Saskatoon with an 8K time of 25:04. Johnson’s finish helped the Cougars place third in the men’s standings, while the women’s team had top-ten performances from Avery Westberg, Brynn Latimer, and Jesse Van Eaton and placed second in the overall standings. The teams will race next at the Stewart Cup in Calgary on Oct. 25.

 

(U of R Athletics)

 

Week 6 NFL Capsules

The Indianapolis Colts are in Houston to play the Texans in Thursday Night Football. For a look at that game and others to be played this weekend, click here

Red Deer Rebels To Host 2016 Memorial Cup

The Western Hockey League announced today that the Red Deer Rebels have been selected to host the 2016 MasterCard Memorial Cup. The MasterCard Memorial Cup will be held at the ENMAX Centrium in Red Deer May 19-29, 2016 and will mark the 98^th edition of the Canadian Hockey League national championship. All games will be televised nationally on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

Two WHL Clubs, the Red Deer Rebels and Vancouver Giants, submitted applications to host the 2016 MasterCard Memorial Cup. The decision to award the hosting of the 2016 MasterCard Memorial Cup to Red Deer was made by a majority vote of the WHL Board of Governors on Wednesday, October 8 in Calgary.

This marks the first time Red Deer has hosted the MasterCard Memorial Cup while the Rebels become the first Alberta-based Club to host the event since 1974. The Rebels were also crowned MasterCard Memorial Cup Champions in 2001.

"The WHL is very confident the Red Deer Rebels, the City of Red Deer and Province of Alberta will serve as outstanding hosts of the 2016 MasterCard Memorial Cup,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. "The strength of the Rebels organization combined with the enthusiasm of the City and the Province will ensure the 2016 event will be one of the best ever.”

“The MasterCard Memorial Cup hasn’t been hosted in Alberta since 1974 and with that the Red Deer Rebels, the City of Red Deer and province of Alberta are tremendously honoured that the governors of our great league have put faith in us hosting the 2016 MasterCard Memorial Cup,” said Rebels Owner, Governor, President, General Manager and Head Coach Brent Sutter. “For all of us, our work is just beginning to stage this prestigious event.”

“MasterCard would like to congratulate the City of Red Deer and the Rebels on their successful bid to host the 2016 MasterCard Memorial Cup,” said Mike Tasevski, VP of Sponsorship Marketing, MasterCard Canada. "MasterCard is very proud to support the Canadian Hockey League and this prestigious national championship for the 18th straight year.”

The 2015 MasterCard Memorial Cup will be hosted by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Quebec Remparts from May 21 to 31, 2015 in Quebec City, 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.

The Western Hockey League has won a total of 19 MasterCard Memorial Cup Championships since its inaugural season in 1966, including: Red Deer Rebels (2001), Kootenay Ice (2002), Kelowna Rockets (2004), Vancouver Giants (2007), Spokane Chiefs (2008) and Edmonton Oil Kings (2014).

NHL Questions About To Get Answered

The puck drops on the new NHL season tonight. NHL.com has a list of pertinent questions heading into the new season. You can get that by clicking here

For a look at opening night rosters, click here