Hervey Blasts the Eskimos

Wednesday promises to be an interesting day for the Edmonton Eskimos.
Twenty-four hours after their general manager Ed Hervey tore into his team’s offensive line — specifically right guard Simeon Rottier — and spoke out on every facet of the team that isn’t up to his standards, the Eskimos will go onto the field at Commonwealth Stadium and begin to prep for their Friday Labour Day rematch against the Calgary Stampeders.
The short week will begin with some differences. Rottier, Hervey pointed out multiple times, won’t be playing on Friday and likely the rest of the season. Offensive co-ordinator Doug Sams is having his role with the team re-shaped, and is no longer calling plays.
The the rest of the team, Hervey said, “is on notice.”
Head coach Kavis Reed, who has been given the rest of this season before Hervey re-evaluates his future with the Eskimos, says he and his players will soldier on.
“For me personally it’s business as usual,” he said.
“I truly believe that this football team is business as usual. We’re going to do everything we need to do to give ourselves a chance to win football games and give ourselves a chance to continue to get better. That’s what I’m about and I truly believe that’s what this team is about: Every single day, getting better.”
It seems Rottier, a 29-year-old second-year Eskimo from Westlock, won’t be given that opportunity, however. Unhappy enough to be OK with not seeing Rottier on the field again, Hervey won’t cut the player. Instead, he’s left to come to work every day with little-to-no hope of getting back in the lineup.
“The one-on-one conversation with Simeon will have to be addressed,” Reed said. “What is going on with him, what is obviously the proper protocol, is to make certain he understands what is expected of him and what we’d like moving forward.
“Simeon is a high-character individual who is going to handle things the way he’s always handled adverse situations.”
Reed recalled how Rottier dealt with then B.C. Lions defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell’s violent arm bar play last year and the media attention that brought as Rottier missed four games with a hyperextended elbow.
“He handled it with absolute grace and class, and I don’t expect that he’ll be any different in this situation,” Reed said.
While Hervey said that Reed would name the new play-caller on offence, the coach wasn’t ready to make that decision on Tuesday. He did say, however, that the situation didn’t mirror what happened last year when then O.C. Marcus Crandell was shifted away from his role and Reed assumed play-calling duties.
“Our coaching staff is very much like our football team, all very strong-character people. I don’t feel that it’s going to have that much of an effect on Doug in the way that he’s preparing this football team,” Reed said.
In singling out so much of his roster and coaching staff, Hervey has put the heat on the Eskimos from every direction as they try to pull out of their seven-game losing streak. He made it clear in his press conference that he felt his direct approach is the best one to take.

“This is not a picnic,” Hervey told reporters. “Players need to understand that. We’re not all friends. We’re trying to be a family here and win games but there will be accountability.”
“Obviously it’s going to be noisy around us because we’re 1-8, that’s the nature of it,” Reed said.
“For this football team, this football staff and for me personally, it’s about doing what’s right for this football team, which is making certain … we’re playing good football on Friday.”

(Edmonton Journal)

Cougar MBB Team Adds Seven Recruits

– University of Regina men’s basketball head coach Steve Burrows announced Tuesday that the Cougars have added seven newcomers for the 2013-14 campaign.

 

One of those seven will be a familiar face, as forward Will Tallman played in 19 Canada West games for the Cougars as a first-year player in 2008-09. He also suited up for Mount Royal in 2010-11, averaging 7.1 points in nine games played for the Cougars. Tallman will have three seasons of CIS eligibility remaining.

 

The Cougars add another transfer with 6-8 post Wesley Jones, who hails from Whitby, Ont. and comes to the U of R following two seasons with Lakeland College. Jones averaged 5.5 points per game and finished second on the Rustlers last season with an average of 5.5 rebounds per contest while shooting an efficient 52-for-88 (.591) from the field. Jones was the team’s leading rebounder as a first-year player in 2011-12. Burrows adds a second Ontarian with 6-4 guard Brandon Tull, who’s from Ajax but attended Phelps HS in Malvern, Pa. last year.

 

Burrows dips into the international pool with a pair of Australian recruits, as 6-2 guard Luke Girke and 6-6 forward Kade Marra both join the Cougars. Both Girke and Marra call Melbourne home and attended the Andrew Bogut Basketball Academy before coming to the U of R.

 

The seven additions are rounded out by a pair of in-province guards. Razvan Anca helped Evan Hardy Collegiate win a Saskatoon 5A championship last year, while Ryan Delwo comes to the Cougars with provincial team experience and a pair of RSHAA all-star nominations with Sheldon-Williams.

 

The team’s first official practice of the season is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport on campus at the U of R.

 

2013-14 University of Regina Men’s Basketball Recruiting Class
G Razvan Anca • 1st • 6-2 • Saskatoon, Sask. / Evan Hardy Collegiate
G Ryan Delwo • 1st • 6-2 • Regina, Sask. / Sheldon-Williams Collegiate
G Luke Girke • 1st • 6-2 • Melbourne, Australia / St. Michael’s Grammar School
P Wesley Jones • 3rd • 6-8 • Whitby, Ont. / Lakeland College
F Kade Marra • 1st • 6-6 • Melbourne, Australia / Elisabeth Murdoch College
F Will Tallman • 3rd • 6-8 • Regina, Sask. / Mount Royal University
G Brandon Tull • 1st • 6-4 • Ajax, Ont. / Phelps HS

At The Halfway Mark

The CFL season is at the halfway mark. Who would your award winners at the midway mark be?

MOP, Rookie, Defensive, Special Teams, Lineman

Fire away.

Something to "Mitch" About

Another Labour Day has come and gone and once again Rider Nation, we can count on four things---life, death. taxes and beating the Bombers on the first Sunday of September. 

Riders head coach Corey Chamblin was very prophetic on Saturday when he said the Bombers were an unknown team because of their rotating parts and it would take some time to learn some tendencies and it might force them to guess at times. The first half saw that as the Riders struggled, but they came out of the locker-room at half-time and owned the Bombers in the second half to improve to a never before seen 8-1. 

Just some thoughts on what transpired on the Mosaic turf

 --Darian Durant was at his best Sunday running and throwing the football. When he does that he is very tough to beat. 

 --Was it a sign that Geroy Simon is finally ready to be a part of the Riders offense? I hope so.

 --Yes, Dwight Anderson blew his cool, but he also made another big play in the 4th quarter. Anderson should have kept his temper in check. but you could see the frustration growing on that Rider defense because of some questionable penalties. How a guy can be backpedalling and yet still be interfered with is a mystery to me yet Anderson was called for PI and how Terrell Maze gets flagged on a play where the ball is bouncing down the field towards their feet is also a mystery to me. Fans got to see a different side of Anderson in the kid interview segment that was done. All the guys have told me is a completely different cat off the field than he is on. He's not the only guy to be wired like that and he won't be the last one. 

 --There is just a quiet confidence brimming throughout the dressing room and its led by Chamblin. Deep down, I know he and many others are loving what's going on, but they are also smart enough to realize that the house of cards can come tumbling at any second. They aren't going to start boasting to anyone like the Bombers did a few years ago with Swaggerville. 

  --I had no problem with Justin Goltz mocking Kory Sheets' TD celebration or his getting dressed celebration which he has done before. Its not outlandish like what the Stamps used to do years ago. The Goltz celebration was original and he's trying to get his guys pumped up. I'm OK with it. 

  --At what point are we going to sit back and marvel at the play of Ricky Schmitt. The guy can punt!

  --I wonder if Craig Dickenson thinks about his move not to come early with the rest of the coaches which ultimately resulted in him leaving. Methinks Craig made a mistake. 

  --How about security dealing with the guy that ran across the field with his shirt off? They just sat there and watched him. DO SOMETHING!!!! 

  --There weren't the amount of Winnipeggers that are usually here, but it was good to see a bunch of them come to support their club even though they knew they would go home a loser again. The Labour Day Classic needs a solid contingent of Winnipeg fans each and every year. 

On Saturday in between Coach Chamblin and Winnipeg coach Tim Burke's respective news conferences, Riders colour man Carm Carteri was talking to some Winnipeg journalists and a very good question came up. With the Riders playing the way they are and excelling in so many areas, who has under-performed? Is there anyone? One Winnipeg reporter said the answer might be Geroy and while the argument could be made for that, it was squashed with his effort on Sunday, 

 Just some other thoughts 

  --The PGA and the networks had better realize Graham DeLaet is here and he isn't going away anytime soon. The Weyburn golfer has certainly shot up into a role of prominence this year and his play in the last two weeks have to have turned some heads. It was frustrating not to see Graham get more TV time this weekend, but he did get some and I guess we shouldn't argue about that. It just bothers me when Tiger is not a factor in the event, yet we have to see every shot and every reaction of his. Share the wealth!! I know Tiger means more to the game than some Canadian, but lets show the top players every week and if Tiger isn't performing well---then too bad.  By the way, is it just me or does Johnny Miller have a hate on for Graham. The ex-golfer and NBC analyst seemed to be a little critical of the Canadian for no reason. 

  --There's a lot of talk about Milos Raonic and I understand it, but he isn't close to having the year that DeLaet is having. At least he isn't in my mind. Yes, he is doing great things for tennis in this country, but compare his season to Graham's and it isn't close. 

  --Seeing Justin Morneau get traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates makes me wonder if the Canadian will end up sticking with the Pirates or if he'll look elsewhere for work next year. I would love to see Morneau playing first base for the Blue Jays.  Nothing against Adam Lind, but I think Morneau is a more complete player and would be a big plus for Toronto. 

 -- I bet a friend of mine $20 at the start of the season that the Cubs would be within 10 games of Toronto's win total this year. That looks good as we head into September.

  --Vin Scully has announced that he is coming back for a 65th season behind the mic with the L-A Dodgers. There is no one like Scully anywhere. His style is one in a million. He could make reading the phonebook riveting.  Its just a treasure to hear him call a baseball game. 

  --Another death on the highway between Regina and Estevan this weekend. How much longer will it be until the provincial government moves the twinning of Highways 39 and 6 up on their grand plan? It has to be done with all the truck traffic on that road. Lives will be saved. The sooner, the better. 

   --The story from Kakhewistihaw where it would seem as if the person who killed that 6 year old boy was a child is just sad and asks a lot of questions. 

    --A quote from a Twitter follower that all parents should ask today. Some kids are excited at the start of another school year and others are frightened knowing the bullying might resume. We don't know how true that is for some kids which is sad. 

  --At the end of three quarters of the Stampeders-Eskimos game, I was left wondering if Kavis Reed had one quarter left as Edmonton head coach. The Eskimos seem reluctant to let him go, but they aren't getting any better. The Eskimos then put together a 4th quarter comeback that was just about one of the greatest ones we had ever seen in sports as they rallied from down 30 with nine minutes to go to only lose by 3 with a chance at the end to tie the game. Was that enough to save Reed? With another game in just four days, I would doubt the Eskimos would have made the change with such little time between games, but they have to start thinking about next year and you have to wonder if Calgary wins by one or 41 if that will be it in Edmonton. 

  --With Winnipeg likely looking for a new coach and Edmonton and Ottawa looking for guys, is it safe to say that Paul Lapolice will wait to see who writes the biggest cheque. I'd be shocked to see him end up back in the land of the Bombers. but in the CFL who knows? 

  --Why is Rod Black seemingly calling all Rider games this year? How many of the nine games that the Riders have played this year been done by Chris Cuthbert? 

That's all I got. Have a great week!

  

  

Sounds From The Rider Room

Here's what was being said by some after the Riders' 48-23 win over Winnipeg on Sunday.

Hedley At Haltime of GC 101

The biggest party in Canada will feature multiplatinum pop group Hedley in this year’s SiriusXM Grey Cup Half-Time Show, Saskatchewan’s own The Sheepdogs rocking the opening ceremonies, and Serena Ryder performing the national anthem, the Canadian Football League announced today.

“We are so proud of the all-Canadian music line-up that will make the 101st Grey Cup a blast for Canadian music fans as well as Canadian football fans,” said Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League.

“The Grey Cup is an icon that brings our nation together because it gives a rare opportunity to celebrate what is uniquely and proudly Canadian – including some of the best musical talent in the world.”

“We are very excited to once again present the SiriusXM Grey Cup Halftime Show,” said Paul Cunningham, SVP, Sales and Marketing, SiriusXM Canada. Coming off the success of the show during the 100th Grey Cup last year, we’re looking forward to Regina and an always exhilarating performance by Hedley, one of Canada’s biggest bands.”

This year’s Grey Cup game, the national championship of Canadian professional football, will be played on Sunday, November 24th at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan, the home of Rider Pride.

Multiplatinum and award-winning Hedley, one of the country’s most exciting pop groups, will be coming off the release of their fifth studio album, Wild Life, on November 11 via Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company. The first single, “Anything” debuted on radio and was made available for purchase digitally this past week.

“We’re thrilled to be part of the SiriusXM Grey Cup Half-Time Show,” said frontman Jacob Hoggard. “It doesn’t get any bigger in Canada than the Grey Cup, and we can’t wait to entertain our fans and football fans on such an exciting stage.”

Hedley has enjoyed four consecutive double platinum certifications, for Hedley (2005), Famous Last Words (2007), The Show Must Go (2009) and Storms (2011). The band has sold 800,000 albums, and more than two million digital singles, and counting, while winning two JUNO Awards and twelve MuchMusic Video Awards. For more info on Hedley please visit www.hedleyonline.com.

Hedley is also performing on Thursday, November 21 at the Brandt Centre during the Grey Cup Festival in Regina.

Hailing from Saskatoon, three-time JUNO awarding winning artists THE SHEEPDOGS’ burst onto the international scene after beating out thousands of artists in 2011 to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine.  Since then, The Sheepdogs have amassed six JUNO nominations, toured worldwide and earned Platinum certification for their 2010 LP Learn and Burn.

The Sheepdogs’ latest self-titled LP produced by Patrick Carney (The Black Keys) debuted at #1 on the Top 200 SoundScan Chart late last year, garnering a GOLD Single with “I Don’t Know” and another GOLD record for the band.

The Sheepdogs are also performing at the Rider Nation Pre-Game Party on Sunday, November 24 at the Crescent Point Energy Zone - Credit Union EventPlex, Evraz Place.

Serena Ryder, who was born in Toronto and grew up in Millbrook, Ontario, first gained national recognition with the ballad Weak in the Knees in 2007. Her studio albums include Falling Out (1999), Unlikely Emergency (2004), If Your Memory Serves you Well (2006), Is it O.K. (2008) and Harmony (2012).

She has won two JUNO awards. Ryder’s song “What I Wouldn’t Do” is currently featured in the promotional video for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Serena Ryder is also performing at the Scotiabank Gala – Taste of the Nation on Saturday, November 23 at Casino Regina and Delta Hotel.

The 101st Grey Cup game will be broadcast live on TSN and RDS, and on NBC Sports Network in the United States. It can also be heard on TSN Radio and SiriusXM. In addition to the game, TSN and RDS will also broadcast the opening ceremonies, including the performances by The Sheepdogs and Serena Ryder.

For more information on these 101st Grey Cup Festival concerts and other Festival events, please visithttp://101greycupfestival.ca.

A Winnipeg Perspective On Today

The Winnipeg Sun's Kirk Penton (one of the top writers in the CFL) has written thoughts on the LDC from his side of the field and its a good read.

*******


REGINA -- The mood is much different in the Saskatchewan capital this year as summer comes to a close.

The Labour Day Classic rivalry between the Bombers and Roughriders has definitely lost some of its lustre thanks to the current state of the squads.

It's almost as if Rider fans are looking at their Bomber counterparts with sympathy these days. Those with colder hearts just giggle and ask how bad the Riders are going to pulverize the Bombers on Sunday in the 51st Classic at a sold-out Mosaic Stadium.

The Roughriders have the CFL's best record at 7-1, they've won eight consecutive Classics, and the majority of the 44,910 spectators in attendance on Sunday will be draped in Green and White since the belief is fewer Bomber fans made the trip west this year.

The Bombers, meanwhile, have lost six in a row, they're making their third quarterback change in the last five weeks -- Justin Goltz gets his third career start -- and they're 1-7. That's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their problems.

Never have the records been this disparate in Saskatchewan's favour going into the Classic. As a result, the Riders are favoured by a whopping 15 points.

Everyone thinks the Riders are going to crush the Blue and Gold except, of course, for the people who will actually decide the contest. They've been programmed to take nothing for granted, and that was the obvious party line from the Roughriders.

A popular topic of conversation on Saturday at a cool and breezy Mosaic was the 2011 Classic. The Bombers were 7-1 and the Roughriders were 1-7, but Saskatchewan cruised to a 27-7 victory. On Saturday the Riders were viewing that game as an example, while the Bombers were using it for hope.

The main thing Saskatchewan left guard Brendon LaBatte remembers from 2011, when he still played for Winnipeg, was the billboard the Bomber marketing department produced. It featured the teams' records with the tag line, "We love our Saskatchewan neighbours. They're just a little backwards."

"That was the biggest thing that comes back to mind," LaBatte said. "It's crazy to look back and see how the tides have turned. It's tough. I remember we came in here at 7-1 and we got beat, so you don't want to get too cocky and be feeling too good going into a game, because they're professionals. They're going to show up to play."

Helping the Roughriders in 2011 was the fact it was Ken Miller's first game back after the firing of Greg Marshall.

"We all just wanted to win so bad for him, because we weren't doing very well that year," Riders defensive tackle Keith Shologan said. "It was a huge part of that game."

Last year's Classic was Tim Burke's first game after Paul LaPolice's firing, and all it got him was a 52-point beating and Winnipeg's first shutout loss in more than 40 years. It's fair to say the Bombers are in even worse shape this year than they were 12 months ago, hence the predictions for the most lopsided game in CFL history on Sunday.

Even the Bombers appeared to have trouble finding positives going into Sunday's tilt.

"We're a really young team," head coach Tim Burke said. "I was counting up all the first- and second-year guys we have on our team, and we've got a lot of them. So coming here and playing in this environment is definitely going to be a challenge for all of them."

The Riders, on the other hand, have a veteran-laden lineup that is the class of the CFL, despite winning its last two games over inferior opponents by only three points both times. That's considered a mini-crisis here in the rectangular province.

Can you imagine what would happen if the Bombers actually won this game?

No, neither can we.