This And That

Being sick sucks! Being sick for several days really sucks! I haven't been at 100 percent for about a month, but the last 24-48 hours are ones that made me think I should start wondering about funeral plans. Colds and flus are made even worse when you're asthmatic don't you know. I went out for supper Friday night and felt alright, but as the night went on, I felt worse and worse and worse and I may have gone through a box of Kleenex while getting very little sleep. Fortunately, I'm feeling a lot better now. I'm nowhere close to 100 percent, but at least I'm moving ---and not just between bed and couch.

--Call your Mom if you haven't done so yet.

--Is Glenn Healy always angry? Is it just me or is he knobbus supremeus?

--I don't have any problems with the Vancouver green guys, but I fear that someone will think they can rip that idea off for games at Mosaic Stadium.

--A pat on the back for everyone involved with the Don Narcisse football camp. That includes Calgary quarterback Henry Burris who came back to territory where he knows he's not popular. He came back to help the kids and there is nothing wrong with that. One also has to ask why RidTer fans continue to get on Burris' case. Where would this team be if Hank was still our QB. We would have never seen what Kerry Joseph did in 07 and we would never know about Darian Durant unless it was with another team. Hank has said he didn't want to play for then GM Roy Shivers. I'm guessing he wasn't alone with those thoughts. I think its time Rider fans let bygones be bygones. That being said, feel free to continue yelling at Wally Buono to get off the field.

--I laugh at the story of the 27 year old woman who was elected as an MP on Mondy night in a Quebec riding---a Quebec riding that the woman apparently never visited during the campaign. If that doesn't tell you how popular the Liberals and Bloc were in Quebec, nothing will.


--Justin Verlander's performance against the Blue Jays on Saturday was really one to behold. Something else to behold was the 8th inning at bat by Toronto catcher J-P Arencibia who worked a 12 pitch walk out of Verlander to spoil the perfect game. That was a battle with the Blue Jay catcher winning out on a pitch that yes, was ball four.

--Unless the Riders have something up their sleeve when it comes to the kicking game, I would make sure I take a kicker in Sunday's draft. One could argue it is their biggest need. It is as far as I'm concerned.

--CNN's Wolf Blitzer says he was getting ready to watch the Capitals and Lightning play overtime when he got the call to come into studio because Bin Laden was dead. COOL!

--Is anyone really surprised that it looks as if the Coyotes will stay in Phoenix. Gary Bettman and the NHL will do everything it can and then some to make sure the Coyotes don't leave Phoenix and that Winnipeg is left out in the cold.

--Game 2 of the WHL final between Kootenay and Portland looked to be a blowout as it was 6-1 after two. It finished 7-5 with the Ice scoring into an empty net. The Winter Hawks scored four times in the first 10 minutes of the 3rd to make it interesting.

--I'm disappointed to see the Portage Terriers didn't make the playoffs at the RBC Cup in Camrose. The Terriers beat the SJHL champs from La Ronge in seven to get there and I thought La Ronge had a much better team from the three games I saw in the ANAVET Cup.

--Joel Ward = Dustin Byfuglien.

--If Detroit beats San Jose today (and I don't think that will happen), this series will go 7.

--If I can put my order into the basketball gods to see the Dallas Mavericks win by about 20 in Game 4 of their series against the Lakers tomorrow, I will do so.

--If you have a little baseball player in your life, I would strongly urge you to get your little guy enrolled in the Blue Jays camp that will be coming to Regina this summer. You won't be disappointed!

--In just two days, tomorrow will be yesterday.

Getting Ready For Training Camp

The Saskatchewan Roughriders will open their 2011 training camp at Mosaic Stadium in a month. Two-a-day workouts will start on Sunday, June 5th on the turf at Mosaic Stadium.

IMPORTANT TRAINING CAMP DATES


Wednesday, June 1 – Friday, June 3:



· Rookie camp at Mosaic Stadium (Times TBA)

Saturday, June 4:



· Veterans report

Sunday, June 5:

· First day of training camp



· Two-a-day practice sessions begin (Times TBA)

Saturday, June 11:



· Roughrider practice in Saskatoon (Times TBA)


Friday, June 17:

Pre-Season Game One

· Edmonton at Saskatchewan – 7:00 pm - Mosaic Stadium


Wednesday, June 22:

Pre-Season Game Two

· Saskatchewan at B.C. – 8:00 pm (Sask. Time) – Empire Field

Blue Jays Camp Coming To Regina

SASK BASEBALL & BASEBALL REGINA are pleased to announce that a Toronto Blue Jays Honda Super Camp is coming to Regina from August 23-25, 2011 at Optimist Park.

Be a part of the #1 baseball camp in Canada! Throughout the 2011 summer, the Toronto Blue Jays are partnering with Baseball Canada and Duane Ward Baseball to bring amateur players, Honda Super Camps! These three-day camps offer children ages 8-14 – of all abilities – the ultimate Major League experience. Learn skills and techniques from former Major League All-Stars such as Lloyd Moseby, Duane Ward, Tom Henke, and Roberto Alomar.

Join fellow teammates for three days of top-notch baseball instruction combined with unforgettable moments such as meeting Blue Jays alumni players! Honda Super Camps are taking place in seven locations across Canada and the cost is $150 per child. Space is limited, so register now!

“Contact Sask Baseball Executive Director Mike Ramage at mike@saskbaseball.ca
 for more information”

Riders Sign A QB

The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced today they have signed import quarterback Chris Leak to the roster. Financial details of the signing were not released.



Leak (6’0 – 205 lbs) spent the last two seasons with the Montreal Alouettes and made his CFL debut against the Riders in August, 2009 when his first pass was completed for a touchdown. In his time with the Alouettes, Leak completed 36 of 59 pass attempts for 296 yards and one touchdown. In addition the 26-year-old had seven carries for 41 yards. Leak initially signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in June, 2008 but was claimed by the Alouettes a day later after being released by Hamilton.



Prior to joining the CFL, Leak spent time with the Chicago Bears after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He saw playing time in their final pre-season game where he completed 11 of 16 pass attempts for 88 yards including one touchdown and one interception.



Leak played with the Florida Gators and led the team to a BCS National Championship in his senior year. He finished his college career with 705 completions for 8,788 passing yards including 72 touchdowns and 31 interceptions.

Pats Look To Winnipeg In Bantam Draft

The WHL bantam draft is going on in Calgary. The Hitmen made BC's Jake Virtanen the first pick overall. The Pats traded their first round pick (16th overall) to Moose Jaw, but in the 2nd round, they selected centre Adam Brooks from Winnipeg. He is 5 foot 10, 153 pounds. They then took 6 foot winger Dane Scholer from Winnipeg in the 2nd round in a pick they got from Moose Jaw for their first rounder.

You can check out everything at www.whl.ca

Pats Ready For WHL Bantam Draft

– Its show time for General Manager Chad Lang and Head Scout Todd Ripplinger as the future stars of the Western Hockey League will be front and centre tomorrow with the annual Bantam Draft that is set to kick-off at 8:30am in Calgary. This year the focus will be on players born in 1996 that hail from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Western United States.

The Regina Pats are set to pick in the 16th overall spot, and have picks in every round except for the 5th and 10th. Here is a rundown of the Pats draft positions in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft:
1st Round – 16th overall (received from Tri-City along with Moser, Olstad and picks in exchange for Ashton)
2nd Round – 25th overall
3rd Round – 47th overall
4th Round – 80th overall (received from Moose Jaw with Thomas Frazee in exchange for a 2nd ’12 and 5th in ‘13)
6th Round – 113th overall
7th Round – 135th overall
8th Round – 157th overall
9th Round – 179th overall

The Pats are without:
- Their original 1st round pick (sent to Lethbridge on Dec 9th/09 along with Graham Hood, Taylor Balog and a 2nd round pick in 2010 in exchange for Carter Ashton, Craig Orfino and a 3rd (Kyle Burroughs) round pick in 2010)
- Their original 4th round pick (sent to Medicine Hat on Oct 19th/09 in Cody Carlson trade)
- Their 5th round pick (sent to Vancouver on Dec 10th/09 along with Derek Tendler and the 1st round in the 2010 CHL Import Draft in exchange for Cass Mappin, Mitch Spooner and Mikael Jung. Has since been traded to Saskatoon)
- Their 10th round pick (to Kamloops during last year’s WHL Bantam Draft)

Keep up to date with the Pats Bantam Draft progress this Thursday on reginapats.com, Facebook and on Twitter. Also for the first time ever, the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft will be streamed on-line, free of charge at http://www.whl.ca/.

Regina Pats season tickets are now on sale, season ticket holders have until June 17th to renew their tickets at special renewal pricing. Call the Pats office at 522-5604 or head to reginapats.com for more details.

Riders Ready For Draft

The Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Operations staff is busy preparing their draft strategy for the Canadian Football League’s annual selection process.



The 2011 CFL Canadian Draft will take place Sunday May 8th at 10:30 am (12:30 pm ET). TSN will provide live exclusive coverage of the first two rounds of the Draft. Fans can follow the final four rounds on TSN.ca



Roughrider General Manager Brendan Taman and Head Coach Greg Marshall will be available to the media at 1:00 pm on Sunday in the Rider Locker Room at Mosaic Stadium to discuss the Riders’ draft selections.



The Green and White enter Sunday’s selection process with five picks in the six round draft.





ROUGHRIDER DRAFT PICKS

ROUND 1 (7th overall)

ROUND 2 (15th overall)

ROUND 4 (30th overall)

ROUND 6 (40th overall)

ROUND 6 (46th overall)