2008 Canadian Football League Commentary

In 2007, the Saskatchewan Roughriders brought together a province so desperate for winning, desperate for positive vibes, a province that had a team consistently putting together as bad a performance( in the 80's and 90's in particular) as the fans performance on the crop field during the drought years. The '07 edition was the epitome of what Saskatchewan wants to be and is ultimately becoming. The little engine that could, a train fueled by its naysayers, yet supported and kept together by those who shun them when they fall.

So now the question herein lies....

Can the Green machine repeat and match the Cinderella season of yesteryear?

Ironically, it is after a season of magical proportions that the Rider brass will have to brace themselves for the biggest onslaught of negativity and outrage this team has ever seen. Lose, and Eric Tillman's head will be wanted at the guillotine, win and he'll be next in line for Premier. Everything will be scrutinized, analyzed, pointed out and celebrated at even a higher level than it was before. There's only one good reason for that....

Before 2007 Rider Nation was driven by desperation
In 2008 Rider Nation will be driven by expectation.

If I were to look at the two and choose, the first one may be a whole lot easier to take. Saskatchewan is laden with fans who go by a certain formula when cheering on the team. If they win, that fan is right in there slapping hands, singing songs and drinking all the beer, with the occasional wisecrack of "they actually won for once, that's a first." If they lose the reaction is stone faced. Change of emotions after a loss on the prairies is 'SO ten years ago'. Pre 2007, fans would just shrug and say "tell me something I can't predict." This is what was so sweet about 2007. It took the nonchalance out of that lukewarm fan and got them thinking "hey we might actually have something going here"

2008 is the year where all the Rider jokes can be made history, all the guffaws about three Grey Cups in 90 odd years can be put on the back burner. Many fans (Rider fans included) are quick to conclude that it will be another 18 years at least before they get another chance at glory, but deep down they know that this team, as Tillman put it, may very well be "a better team than last year's." It has more depth, more talent and even more character. This team could be the mirror image of those geeky schoolgirls you avoided at all costs during your high school years, they may not look pretty , but give them time and you'll be filled with regret of what you thought before.

The Riders have what it takes to be crowned the first defending champions since the '96-'97 Argo teams(no this is not a prediction) and if you look into each position, it makes it more clear to see that they may just pull it off (Yes, EVEN without aging vets' Hunt, Holmes, Perry and Joseph).

The QB position which we've already gone over extensively in a previous post in backed by former Grey Cup MVP Marcus Crandell, vastly criticized and vastly underrated, Marcus has done nothing to condone the bashing and has the ability to still play and play great in this league.

The Receiver position brings in fresh blood with the acquisition of Oklohoma State product Adarius Bowman, who turned heads in both training camp workouts and preseason games with his explosive speed and reliably soft hands. Fellow NFL draft pick Weston Dressler is expected to step into a starting role...keep in mind that these two are slated to replace the likes of notorious butterfingers Jason French and Corey Grant. Judging by the performances of those two it may not be tough act to follow.

The Rushing game looks exactly the same as six months ago, but with a stronger and even more motivated group, consisting of a surprising Neil Hughes, Chris Szarka with healed fingers and Wes Cates on the 'right' foot. The kicking game also looks the same. Get the picture? The sign of a winner in the making is a team that can make changes while not tinkering with the quality of depth. The offense looks to be in great shape.

The Defense may have seen a great one go in Reggie Hunt but the Riders have a plethora of players that can step into the defensive backfield and take control. Combine that with the stingy play of defensive backs James Johnson, Eddie Davis and the second coming of Omarr Morgan the secondary looks as strong as ever. Look for John Chick to become the dominant force he displayed at the Grey Cup and Ronald Flemons(acquired in Joseph trade) to replace stalwart Fred Perry adequately.

Rider teams of the past have elected to go with what's popular in keeping golden oldies Dan Farthing, Don Narcisse, Curtis Mayfield etc. who stayed far longer than they should have. Eric Tillman lives by and works by this one saying "what is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular." History is chalk full of people who have gone against the odds, gone against the masses, gone against the better judgement, and came out some of the most popular people this province has ever known.

In November 2008, Saskatchewan have the potential of having another great one added to that list.

His name is etched deep in every naysayer's sights today.


Saskatchewan vs. Edmonton Friday June 27th 5:30pm kickoff BE THERE!

BleacherBuff

2008 NHL Entry Mock Draft

It is a day that can shape a franchise and give it hope, while it can also put hope of a franchise in a player everyone thought would bring lots of promise but yet have those hopes quashed. The 2008 NHL Entry Draft is upon us with no shortage of intrigue. This years draft class resembles your image while walking in the backdoor of a weightwatchers exercise session....heavy on the backend. Here are my predictions for the Top 10 picks in detail as well as the remaining Canadian teams. I may be right on all of them, but most likely i'll be wrong on 99% of them (Thank you to Stamkos for being such a sure thing).

1) Tampa Bay Lightning- Steven Stamkos: in reaping the rewards for futility, the cellar dwelling 'Bolts are staring a franchise player in the face and will not hesitate in taking this electric skating, ultra skilled, dynamic leader at #1. Stamkos has been touted to go first overall since Day 1 and has drawn comparisons to the likes of Joe Sakic.

2) Los Angeles Kings- Drew Doughty: Last year the Kings blueline depth was so thin one would have wondered, with a wasted plethora of forwards at their disposal if sticking pylons at each blueline would have done as much damage on the backend. L.A.'s prayers are finally answered as they draft the hard nosed, hard shooting stud who has proclaimed his lifelong fanfare to the team taht will make his dream come true.

3) Atlanta Thrashers- Zach Bogosian: In an imperfect world, Bogosian comes close to being the perfect defenseman. While hockey is a game of mistakes, this steady defender plays nearly mistake-free while playing with an edge. Atlanta has a home run pick in waiting and surely can't go wrong. Based on their depth in the farm system, they can't afford to.

4) St. Louis Blues- Luke Schenn: Any team looking for a player to fill the nets will take a pass on this 'tower of power', who possesses dominance in shutting down other team's top players. The Blues need a defensive parter to compliment Erik Johnson's offensive upside. Look for the two to team up and become a force in the NHL for years to come.

5) N.Y. Islanders- Alex Pietrangelo: Intrigue is the word that describes this big, fast puck moving D-man best. He has many of the same qualities as Doughty but his potential is questioned because of his supposed lack of intensity. Time will tell but the Isles may find it's worth the wait on a player that potentially could become a cause for sleepless nights for many GM's in the future.

6) Columbus Blue Jackets- Cody Hodgson-Will go higher than expected because of one thing that you can't teach and one thing scouts can overlook....hockey sense. Columbus is in need of a play making center and will take a flyer on him.

7) Toronto Maple Leafs- Nikita Filatov- Fans in the center of hockey's universe are screaming for a move up in the draft. The Leafs however will not need to do so. Filatov's uncertainty of coming over to the NHL will keep the other six teams from taking this offensive dynamo with Ovechkin-like skill. Leafs need an exciting player to ignite a lame duck franchise and will gladly take the risk.

8) Pheonix Coyotes- Colin Wilson- As safe a pick as this draft has, Wilson has the drive and skill of an up and coming star, but his lackluster skating keeps him out of elite status. Will still become a very solid NHLer and will make a great 1-2 punch with Peter Mueller.

9) Nashville Predators- Kyle Beach- with the scoring touch of Peter Forsberg, Joe Thornton's size and Owen Nolan-like grittiness, Beach presents the total package, but with an attitude and playing style comparable to Sean Avery, the jury is out on this kid. If that gets toned down, the Preds' have themselves a very special player.

10) Vancouver Canucks- Mikkel Boedker- It is unusual to find a player with the skill level that this Euro possesses still available at this selection. The Canucks need offensive help fast and will get what they wish, hoping someday to team this smooth skaing Swede up with the Sedin twins in the future,

Other Canadian Teams round 1 selections

#17 Calgary Flames- Mattias Tedenby- The 2008 talent pool is filled with players who could be either bust or jump to stardom. Tedenby is no exception. His skill will suggest he's in for a long prosperous career, while his playing style has the ability to cut it short. In a few years, the Flames will either be beaming with pride or shaking their heads in embarrassment at this pick.

#18 Ottawa Senators- Jordan Eberle- An undersized forward who has a knack for the net, the Sens' are a good fit for the freewheeling skater with a lethal wrist shot. His team leading 42 goals on the Reginal Pats (next closest 20) tells you far ahead he was skill-wise to anyone on his team

#22 Edmonton Oilers- Joe Colborne- The Oilers need size up front to go along with skill to help the likes Gagner and Cogliano. His upside is off the charts, and his skill level is up there with any of the top 10 forwards, but how much can he improve.


Report back Friday night for a full analysis on the day June 20th 2008 that could decide YOUR team's future!!.


BleacherBuff

Be careful what you wish for...you may just get it

Now I'll take you back, waaay back to the summer of 2007...can't recall? here i will even go back into my dusty old archives and show you....

Depth Chart Training Camp 2007

Quarterback position: vying for spots were none other than the ever popular but unproven Kerry Joseph. Joseph had in the past year guided an impatient Rider Nation to a mediocre 9-9 regular and West Division humiliation, he had come with great news, great potential great hopes, but fans had started to question if the QB they were touting the real deal was being given too much of a chance. Why not look to the proven former Grey Cup MVP breaathing down the neck of the supposed starter? That's in fact what happened, proving right once again the old adage that in Saskatchewan the most popular player is the backup QB....fans were saying Crandell had the credentials, the accurate arm, the poise, experience and leadership needed to guide the team to a 3rd Grey Cup. Snap for snap, pass for pass, the two play-callers were stride for stride.

Then came decision time...Eric Tillman went with the man they had committed to in the first place, the man they thought was the meal ticket to success. He picked Kerry Joseph. Question marks were raised, insults were directed the shrewd GM's way...but to the thousands of armchair quarterbacks' shagrin, the Roughriders would cap off an astoundingly successful 2007 season with a Grey Cup Championship.

1 offseason and 1 trade later , Tillman did the unthinkable, trading the cfl's MVP to Toronto, sparking an outrage. Fans were asking for the red coiffed masterminds head, they spat sputtered and stammered in disbelief as one of the most popular qb's in Rider history was traded away. But in retrospect in one offseason and one trade fans had finally got what they wanted.

Crandell is finally at the helm, yet their hasn't been this much contradiction since the O.J. Simpson trial

How will we get that home playoff game again? where are we going to get our rushing yards? how are we going to be able to thrive with a QB so old hes only a decade removed from being over the hill?

Yes. you guessed it....YOU the fans are now lobbying for that no-namer off the bench...the one you think has what it takes, the one you think will take you to the promise land....JYLES! JYLES! JYLES! you'll all chant at the season opener...because you know the man upstairs making the decisions will have to make one soon...

And when it comes right down to that final decision, I have a good feeling what it will be. Tillman will choose who the fans thought was the answer, who they thought had what it takes. He'll choose only who the fans wanted...


12 months earlier.

Calm before the storm

Now I know it has been almost a week since i've written in this blog, and i know that if i don't get something up my not as loyal viewers will go to some other blog with greater insight and more content (which may not be hard to find) but please bear with me....

We come upon one of the quietest weeks in sports Out of the 52 weeks this year, these 7 days in particular hold about as much intrigue as that fat gag inducing girl you sat beside in grade 4 math class, it's like the blank parker brothers card that comes out of a standard 52 card deck, a card that doesn't particularly do much for the game...and for sports this week plays the same role

k ENOUGH you all scream at me, ENOUGH with all the witty (or perhaps lame) analogies....but im sorry guys...fact is....i'm bored....somehow, when the biggest story of the week in sports is a half-hearted, good natured shot at hockey made by tiger woods that gets immediately blown out of proportion, it doesn't do much for those wanting to read a good blog entry. I find it hard to picture blog nerds rushing home to hear the result of Sergio Garcia and Justin Leonard's tee off at the U.S. Open...and good thing they don't...because i won't have it on here.

I aim to please you in the following areas....football and hockey, with a little of the other stuff in between. Sorry basketball fans, the NBA playoffs and regular season will not be a priority as I have never and probably will never have a vast enough knowledge of the game to write on it.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies football and hockey teams will get extensive coverage. Fresh off 4 heartbreaking Vanier Cup losses in 6 years, the gridiron heroes are in the running for another appearance in the big dance and every snap will be closely analyzed. The hockey huskies, complete with their state of the art 91 year old rink, will get the press because no one else gives them press...The Star Phoenix has unwisely decided to not follow Saskatoon's best kept secret and instead follow the Blades who have in recent and not so recent years been nothing of importance. The Edmonton Oilers will also get significant attention on here as they go for their first playoff spot since the cinderlla run of 2006. And most of all...my beloved Saskatchewan Roughriders as they defend their title as Grey Cup Champions.


If you have any suggestions as to what you want me to write about if none of these does it for you, email me at mmaasseeyy@hotmail.com

BleacherBuff

Cut the crying....Hockey needs a new jingle

It is a sad day in the hockey world folks, no not because the 2008 NHL Playoffs have officially ended, or because Gary Bettman has decided he wants to expand further into the States, not even because Pierre McGuire has signed a 5 year extension to stay analyzing for TSN, (but i'll admit, that's almost as sad) it's a sad day because we all realize in the midst of all our grumbling, there really isn't much to complain about. Take the latest blowup for proof:

Hockey Night In Canada has threatened to drop it's iconic theme song known as Canada's second national anthem from its broadcasting, sparking an outrage that has left many old-fashioned oldies looking for answers. it sickens me to think that so many hockey fans are getting their knickers in a knot over a song so old,it would put granddaddy's fiddle solo to shame.

One excerpt in Canwest News Service profoundly amused me and left me to conclude those doing the sports articles were either under a 10 minute deadline or were actually a Woman's Libber enthusiast filling in.

"The show's signature music, a trumpety flourish that has set the nations nerves on edge for nearly 40 years..."

So tell me, when was the last time a trumpety flourish sonatina has left you with the image of hard body checks, highlight reel goals and blood, sweat and tears? all it's done is left me with a greater yearning for the opening faceoff when all will be heard is Bob Cole's aged voice...*ahem*

The catcalls didn't stop there.


"That's part of our history, part of our life, part of the enthusiasm for the game...When you heard that, you thought Canada, you thought hockey..."


Back in 7th Grade, it was in band class I had the privilege of hearing or 'playing' that song for the first time... as we played it I wondered, did my instructor get this wrong? what's with the title? so when do we get to exciting part? surely it was a mistake...But no... i was forced to conclude that in fact, this song, with about as much intensity as knitting club at Granny Annie's, was indeed a symbol for hockey, for our country.


CBC in my view has forever been a broadcasting corporation which has failed to keep up with the times, complete with coma-inducing documentaries, its very own top ten of classic Sonatina's, as well as a ninety-something year old broadcaster (hello there Bob Cole, how's your *pick a body part* holding up today?) belting out the play by play. It is for this reason that many people or -excuse me- all people under the age of 75 get turned off by the programming.

The Hockey Night In Canada song is no different. They managed to brainwash you into thinking that it's all about tradition, all about remembering back in 1977 when you and your Dad made it a Saturday night ritual and heard that trumpet sound out like an alarm clock...Hurray...Hurrah for the past how about a little of the future?...a little modernization?

A poster on Faceoff.com said it best when her insightful post subsequently backfired, saying the song would be sadly missed because its "as much a Canadian icon as the beaver on the nickel"

Canadian icon yes, but let me ask you this....

How many of you reading this have come across a beaver in Canada within the last year?

Anyone?


Point taken.


BleacherBuff

Detroit Red Wings win 2008 Stanley Cup

• I solemnly declare the Detroit Red Wings and Lord Stanley a worthy pair.

Now before i go off into today's rant i would just like to extend my uhhh ahem *sputter, sputter*congratulations (this is so unnatural to me) to the Detroit Red Wings for winning their 4th cup in 10 years...4 cups I did not want them to win quite frankly. As many have noticed as I've followed hockey over the years, i hold a particularly high disdain for Mo-town's marvels for one simple reason.

They just keep on winning.

Back in 1997 i did not know what I was getting into...Philadalphia Flyers vs. Detroit Red Wings...so who to cheer for? the Wings had gone cup-less (no pun intended) for 40 odd years and i felt a yearning sympathy for them. Deceived yes, but also happy...happy to jump on the bandwagon of a winner for once....unlike my most recent years when picking a winner was far from a sure thing. The Wings would go on the following season and demonstrate their dominance in one of the most boring Finals to date. A great fear struck my heart...three peat...4 peat....how many peats?

The NHL had a plan that more often than not works like a charm...low draft picks, aging veterans, increasing parity...it would all catch up to them one of these years right?

Dead wrong.

I'm telling you, that was some deep draft in 1998. There happened to be 170 players General managers thought were a better pick than Pavel Datsyuk, who was snagged in the 6th round...you think thats a steal? 2008 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Henrik Zetterberg sat through 6+ rounds before the Wing gave him a chance with the 210th pick in the 7th round. Add to the fact that their Defense is near immortal. Chris Chelios(45) is one short decade away from real retirement, Nick Lidstrom is taking his last steps over the hill (38), Mathieu Schneider(39) was born when the first man landed on the moon and Bryan "young gun"Raflaski (35) rounds out their top 4 defencemen. This was solely the fact i thought they were ripe for a 1st round upset,stacked with slow moving, washed out defenders ,that along with the fact they were laden with smooth skating Europeans, the Wings were labelled "soft" and who could argue?

Cue the 2008 playoffs....

Going in, the Wings were at their usual view from the top, they had all the stats all the points all the promise they had in their three previous Cup triumphs but some (myself included) expected them to crawl into a hole and die. There were things analysts pointed too... rock hard D, talented group of forwards and great experience. I agreed with all those things, but what i thought they would do was crumble under the pressure. It was tempting to go that route

In Round 1 after dropping 2 games on the road against the Predators there were those who questioned. The Wings went on to win their next 9 playoff games...pulverizing the Avs in 4 and taking three from the Stars. Then Dallas answered back and took two....could this be the collapse...the hockey world crossed their fingers in hopes of a good story....nothing doing...Game 6 was a total obliteration.

In the Big Dance, up 3-1, they were mere seconds away from taking Stanley, yet it slipped from their grasp...was this series going to have a storybook ending? Game 6 told the story...Detroit took care of business.

This is why I was in such denial, Detroit Red Wings first class organization, first class hockey, first class drafting were supposed to win...and they did. In the end. Datsyuk put the puck where he needed to, Holmstrom stuck his rear in the right places, Babcock pushed the right buttons and all the veterans did and said the right things.

The NHL, folks, is entertainment and if i want the same amount of predictability as this year's playoffs has provided i may as well read a Harlequin romance. The most entertaining thing about sports today is the unpredictability, the unknown, the glee of seeing the giant collapse...this team provided none of that .

In 2007, The Anaheim Ducks were favorites from the very beginning loading up on defence on the way through to their 1st Stanley Cup in franchise history...i hated every second of it...the team that had been favoured won. This year i scoffed, i pointed to the dominant Penguins who at will scored highlight reel goal after goal. Yet the team without a first round draft pick since 1994, a team that has seen its fair share of players retire, a team that has been labeled chokers each year came out on top.

In a world where if your on top and the only place to go is down, the Red Wings keep going higher and higher...but just consider my prediction....they will not take it higher in 2009.

Based by my track record...the Detroit Red Wings are now official contenders for repeating as Stanley Cup Champions.


BleacherBuff

It ain't over till its over baby

Pittsburgh 4 Detroit 3 (3ot)
One minute, 60 seconds , two more dumpins, a few more strides, a few more shinings of Lord Stanley's mug and the Cup would be Hockey town's to party with.....

the clock ticked down....and then.....

The phone rang.
"don't answer it, someone else will" I quipped to my Dad who was by that point ready to throw in the towel.

25 seconds later the Penguins answered the call.


To be honest, the 2008 NHL playoffs had prior to last night's debacle been a bust, complete with two conference finals of if you snooze you lose or in this case if you sleep walk well you may even win kind of hockey. Watching last night's game tick down in Detroit's favour felt wrong, it felt empty, it was so preaseason, so all-star game, so American Idol...a whole lot of hype over a whole lot of nothing....there were no blood, sweat and tears, it seemed too good to be true...and it was.

The pens' cast of young stars clearly gave up too much in this game to lose...not just too many shots, too many broken teeth, too many broken noses.

Ryan Malone himself may well have given up any chances with the ladies in the near (and far) future and suffering his second broken nose in 2 weeks.

Marc-Andre will forever be a notorious figure in Motor City after ruining everyone's hopes in Hockey town of a party.

Sergei Gonchar sacrificed his noggin, Therrien sacrificed his job, everyone sacrificed their bodies

That's why Maxime Talbot's 3rd period goal and Petr Sykora's winner were so epic. It told Wings fans to shut their mouths and take a listen, put down that beer and cancel that party, save it for another day.

From the get-go the Wings were by far the better team and throughout each period they got stronger and stronger.
Datsyuk dangled
Zetterberg zigged
Franzen zagged

they dazzled, awed and amazed the hockey world and were doing it in style, but their performance was like....a roof without shingling, a burger without the patty, an in-law without the baggage, a hardwood floor without the finish.......uh wait...finish....

Detroit lacked finish.


The 2004 Calgary Flames were staring the cup in the face in overtime of game 6 up 3-2. One goal, one shot, one red light away from the Stanley Cup. Post after post, save after save. Nothing doing. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Martin St. Louis got the chance, delivered and never looked back.

Fast forward to 2008. The Wings were and still are staring the cup in the face. The Penguins having dodged death 100 times prior took their shot and never disappointed....can they defy the odds twice more?


Down in the Penguins dressing room after two overtime periods of frantic action, everyone looked around as their body language pleaded to each other to be the guy. Petr Sykora, having been through this many times before got up and delivered a wisecrack

"I've got this one guys, i'll just score one now allright?"

The call came.
Sykora answered.

The odds are still in Detroit's favour...but one things certain...Lord Stanley will not be awarded until that last dump is in, until that last stride is taken, until the last shine on the cup has to be shone, until the last second has ticked, until the last blood is dropped, until the last tear is cried.....

Until the last fat lady has sung.



BleacherBuff