Riders Sked

UFC To Winnipeg

The Ultimate Fighting Championship takes to the ring at the MTS Centre this June in a fight card that's been in the works for at least three years.
Details of the June 15 event are to be released this morning by True North Sports & Entertainment, who billed it Monday as "a major sporting event."
Sources told the Free Press the UFC, the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world, has added Winnipeg to its list of cities to host its extremely popular pay-per-view TV fight matches.
Internet mixed martial arts news website mmafrenzy.com, citing a Brazilian website, reported Monday the upcoming UFC 161 has been slated for June 15 at an unnamed Canadian city.
Sources say that's the fight card to be held in Winnipeg.
The event will feature light heavyweight Dan Henderson against former UFC champion Rashad Evans, mmafrenzy.com said. A second light heavyweight matchup will be between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueria. The Saturday-night card also has Tyron Woodley versus Jake Shields.
However, a source said fighters for the June 15 card have not been confirmed.
UFC spokesman Steve Keogh declined to comment on Winnipeg becoming a new UFC city.
"We have nothing to confirm in terms of upcoming Canadian fights," he said in an email.
A source said organizers expect the building to sell out, with many fans coming to Winnipeg from the northern United States, and many will also attend the weigh-ins for the featured fighters.
Manitoba Combative Sport Commission (MCSC) executive director Joel Fingard also declined to comment on today's announcement. The MCSC, formerly the Manitoba Boxing Commission (it officially changed its name last year) is the MMA governing body in the province. For the UFC to hold a card in the Winnipeg, it needs to obtain a licence and event permit from the commission.
"I don't have a permit at this time," Fingard said Monday.
Last October, Tom Wright, UFC director of Canadian operations, told Sportsnet 590 The Fan there will be at least four UFC events in Canada in 2013, with one possibly being a The Ultimate Fighter Canada finale.
Wright hinted the two 2013 UFC events would take place in cities people might not expect.
"There's going to be at least two cities that may surprise a few people when we come out with our schedule," Wright told the Toronto radio station.
Two cities already picked for UFC events this year are Montreal and Toronto. In the past, the UFC has held two events in Vancouver and one in Calgary.
On Thursday, the UFC hosts a media conference call to promote its March 7 event at the Bell Centre in Montreal, featuring reigning UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre against challenger Nick Diaz.
The UFC produces more than 30 live events around the world annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world.
Three years ago, Manitoba Boxing Commission chairman Dan Vandal told the Free Press that at a match in Montreal, he promoted Winnipeg as a host city to UFC officials.
"They definitely know of Winnipeg," Vandal said at the time. "I spoke to (UFC president) Dana White himself. I told him I was from Winnipeg and he already knew all about Winnipeg and how we have a lot of mixed martial arts fans here.
"I believe that we're in their plans somewhere in the future. Where that is, I'm not sure. They've done their homework; they know there's a good market for mixed martial arts in Winnipeg."

(Winnipeg Free Press)

CFL Sked Tomorrow

Sportsnet's Arash Madani (who as most of you know is the insider on the Sportscage) is tweeting today that the much anticipated 2013 CFL schedule will be released tomorrow.

Any bets that the Riders play Winnipeg at home on Labour Day Sunday with the teams meeting in Winnipeg the weekend after?

Something To "Mitch" About

First off, I just want to say congratulations again to the U of R Cougars womens basketball team for getting the job done in Calgary this weekend and winning the Canada West conference championship. The Cougars are no stranger to being in the gold medal game, but they have lost that gold medal game for 5 straight years until Saturday’s win over Calgary.  I can’t imagine the elation that head coach Dave Taylor had as the seconds counted down knowing he was finally going to have a gold medal placed around his neck and be involved in a trophy ceremony instead of watching it. Taylor and assistant coach Steve Burrows have done a great job with that team over the years and to see them finally reap the rewards of their hard labour Saturday night was a treat.  They have three more wins to get and all of those games are on their home-court as they are at Nationals. As I said earlier, I can’t wait to introduce the team to what I’m hoping is a full CKHS on March 15 as the Canada West conference champs.  It will even be sweeter announcing them as the Canadian champs, but a lot of basketball has to be played before then.

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You don’t get much better than the curling exhibition that Kevin Martin and Jeff Stoughton gave us in Draw 2 of the Brier Saturday night. Both rinks were on the top of their game and in the end, Martin made a mistake in the 11^th end and Stoughton capitalized. Martin had an extremely toughin-off shot with his final stone to try and win the game. If he had made that shot, you could have ended the event right there and given the Brier Tankard to Martin and crew.

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It would seem as if through the first two days of the Brier, curlers are complaining about the rocks. Here’s an idea---throw them and play the game. I hate it when golfers say a course is too tough and I hate it when curlers complain about rocks.  Just play the damn game and quit looking for an excuse.

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It seemed to me there was a lot of cussing going on that was caught by the TSN mikes. In the wake of the infamous Chris Schille ejection at the Sasktel Tankard for misbehaving, have any of the curlers including Kevin Martin been slapped on the wrist.  Heather Nedohin was even doing it at the Scotties without any consequence it seemed.

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The crowds at Rexall Place in Edmonton for the Brier have been fantastic.  Its so Canadian to pack 10-thousand if not more into a building to watch a game like curling. I knew the Scotties final would get a strong showing when it came to TV numbers, but I didn’t think more than a million Canadians would have tuned in to see Rachel Homan beat Jennifer Jones.  If a million are watching the womens final, what will the numbers be for the mens final.  What has it been in the past? I am guessing at least 3 million.

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My good friend Rob Vanstone had two very good columns on the state of the Regina Pats this week. Last Monday, Rob bemoaned the fact that the Pats haven’t been to a WHL conference final in 20 years and that their playoff record has been extremely dismal in that time and that includes the Memorial Cup year when they were bounced out of the playoffs early.  Fast forward to Friday when Rob did a story on Pats president Brent Parker. He is just as frustrated as anyone that the team is once again going to be on the outside looking in come playoffs, and the fact that selling his hockey team is tough.  With all due respect to Brent, who I sometimes think has more problems with me than I do with him; let’s do a course in Marketing 101. WIN SOME HOCKEY GAMES!!  Do that and people will support this team. Give us a roster that is capable of winning some hockey games,  a team that will compete for a division title and a team that will make the playoffs quite comfortably.  A drought of this long is not just all bad luck. Y Its been one year after another of spinning the wheels and going nowhere.  The Memorial Cup season even had disaster written all over it until the team emptied its depth by trading for the likes of Blake Evans, Paul Elliott and Garnet Exelby.  If the Regina Pats were to show people that they mean business and can contend for a WHL conference championship or a league title this city would go off the rails. I don’t know if it would be like it is during a Riders playoff run, but I felt that excitement inside the Brandt Centre last year when the team made the playoffs in a series where they were the decided underdog.  There was some electricity when you walked into the building. Regina hockey fans that had waited for playoffs were there to support their team. If this team was doing what Saskatoon is doing right now, I don’t know if you could fit another butt in the building. The city would be talking Pats.  It would be great.  It’s a powder-keg waiting to explode, but no one wants to light the fuse. Will they be competitive next year with the likes of Klimchuk. Stephenson, Sacher and a defensive group that definitely had some rough nights this year. I certainly hope so, but they need to add some talent to get them where they want to be and where Regina fans want them to be. Chad Lang did his best to try and keep this team competitive when they were ravaged by injury and he along with Cliff Mapes and the Pats marketing team deserve a purple heart for what they have done this year to try and get bodies into the building. You can do all the promotions you want like cheap beers or two for one hot dogs or whatever, but the best promotion is at the end of the night to have a “W” on the scoreboard. Is that too much to ask for next year?  Its been proven that Regina fans will support the team when the opportunity is there.  I don’t think I’m rocking the foundation with this “revelation” because its what many are thinking. Am I wrong? I realize the team picked up 5 of 6 points on the weekend, but its too late now. This team needs to be a quality team next year. I would hope the building blocks are there. If they are not and this team continues to lose more than win, only the hardcores will be showing up and the hardcores can’t pay the bills. Having this promotion and that promotion will only work for so long. The time to see a winner has long gone past. It must happen next year.

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Jay Feaster is getting raked over the coals and well he should for just about becoming the laughing-stock of the NHL for the Ryan O’Reilly offer sheet, but while roasting Feaster, lets roast Colorado GM Greg Sherman for screwing up. Why match the offer sheet? Is O’Reilly that important? If you let Calgary have him, which we later found out they wouldn’t, it would have cost Calgary a first and third round draft choice. The Flames have a chance at picking in the top 3 this year. Colorado could have had a Seth Jones, Nathan McKinnon or Jonathan Drouin. Sherman feels O’Reilly is more important than a guy that could be a franchise player? That’s not smart hockey boys and girls. At least not in my mind!

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This, ladies and gentlemen, is the original Harlem Shake!!



Am I wrong?! I also don't know if I'm more sick of that or the Gangnam guy. Who is responsible for these things starting anyway?

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If there is a better sports information officer at a Canadian university than the U of R's Braden Konschuh, I'd like to know who it is.

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Two bad holes cost Graham DeLaet at the Honda Classic, but the Weyburn native is showing the PGA Tour that he belongs and that he is on the verge of winning his first tournament. He takes home 156-thousand dollars and finishes in the top 10. Nice job!

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I wonder if John Hufnagel saw Rory McIlroy’s tooth pain excuse for pulling out of the Honda Classic and went “DAMN, why didn’t I pull that excuse out of the bag.”

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Why can’t the CFL congress be held in Regina every year? Why does it have to be in the same place as the Grey Cup? If the event is basically going to be ignored in other cities like it apparently has been, lets put it in a place where it won’t be.  The CFL surely wouldn’t mind the added publicity would they?

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The signing of Ricky Foley has certainly brought a myriad of opinions from Rider fans and people across the league. Is he a bad egg? Is he a great signing? Is he going to fit in? A lot of people have weighed in publicly and privately.
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Word around the campfire is the CFL has lost RONA as a sponsor. They are struggling as a company from what I understand. I'm sure there are other companies lining up to take RONA's spot. I guess this means so much for Carlo and whatever it was he was building. SIGHHH!!

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Regina product Jon Ryan joined Pete Paczko and I on Locker-Talk last week. This city and this province should be so proud of this guy and what he has accomplished. He has never forgotten about home and he has never forgotten the people that had a big or small hand to getting him to where he is today. Barb and Bob raised a good one. Its too bad Bob wasn't around to see Jon turn into one of the top punters in the NFL.  Some out there believe that Jon is the reason why I have such allegiance to the Seahawks. Those people would be wrong seeing I've been cheering for the Seahawks since the days of Jim Zorn and Steve Largent, but it is nice having a homegrown product on my favourite team.
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Word is Dan O’Toole could instantly go into the world of comedy if his gig at TSN doesn’t work out. Was he that funny at the Rams dinner Saturday night. I hear he had the place in stitches.

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Saskatchewan residents just continue to astound me with the generosity they show on Telemiracle weekend. Another 5.5 million is raised for those who have special needs. Take a bow Saskatchewan and thanks for ringing those phones.

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Monday is a terrible way to spend 1/7^th of your life is it not? That being said, have a good one!

 

Cougar Womens BB Team Are Conference Champs

Dave Taylor finally has his conference championship. After losing in the gold medal game for the last five years, the U of R Cougar womens basketball team are Canada West champions having beat Calgary 53-37 in the final.

Kehlsie Crone and Lindsay Ledingham led the U of R with 11 each. Next up is the CIS championship that goes March 15-17 at the CKHS.

Can't wait to introduce the team to what should be a great crowd as the Canada West champions.

(Photo courtesy Braden Konschuh U of R)

NHL Three Stars for February

NEW YORK (March 1, 2013) – Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos, Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Ray Emery have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of February.

FIRST STAR – STEVEN STAMKOS, C, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Stamkos posted 10-10—20 in 14 February games, tying for first in the League in goals (with Winnipeg’s Andrew Ladd) and ranking third in points. He scored goals in six straight contests from Feb. 16-26 (seven total), the longest such streak in the NHL this season. Stamkos also had six multi-point outings and recorded at least one point in 11 of 14 games. He ended the month on an eight-game point streak (7-7—14), propelling him to first in the League in goals (14) and points (31). Currently in his fifth NHL season, all with the Lightning, the two-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner has 193-167—360 in 345 career games.

SECOND STAR – SIDNEY CROSBY, C, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Crosby led the NHL with 18 assists and 24 points in 14 games. He recorded six three-point performances during the month and registered at least one point in 11 of 14 contests. Crosby finished February with points in three straight games (2-4—6), his fourth stretch this season with points in at least three consecutive contests. Through 21 games, he leads the NHL with 22 assists and is on pace to become the first player to average at least one helper per game since Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin in 2009-10. The 25-year-old Cole Harbour, N.S., native has played in 455 career NHL games, all with the Penguins, totaling 232-408—640 (1.41 points per game).

THIRD STAR – RAY EMERY, G, CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

Emery posted a 7-0-0 record, 1.66 goals-against average and .941 save percentage in eight games as the Blackhawks continued their record-setting start to the season. He allowed two goals or fewer in seven of his eight appearances and secured shootout victories over the Calgary Flames Feb. 2 and Vancouver Canucks Feb. 19. Emery has played in nine games overall this season, ranking in the top 10 in the League in wins (eight), goals-against average (1.92) and save percentage (.931). In 216 career NHL appearances, the Hamilton, Ont., native has a 117-62-19 record with a 2.66 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and 11 shutouts. 

 

(NHLmedia.com) 

Riders And Eskimos Make Minor Deal

The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced today they have acquired non-import kicker Brody McKnight and a sixth round selection (49th overall) in the 2013 Canadian Draft from the Edmonton Eskimos in exchange for two fifth round selections (39th and 40th overall) in the 2013 Canadian Draft.

 

McKnight (6' - 204) was acquired by the Eskimos last September after originally being selected by the Montreal Alouettes in the first round (8th overall) of the 2011 Canadian Draft. Last season the Vancouver, BC native dressed for three regular season games for the Eskimos.