The CFL game on the field is a gem, changes not needed

An Edmonton Eskimos promo poster form 1981.

Apparently, the CFL product on the field is a game that is “radically” flawed.

To me, it left like that was the message that was sent, when the Canadian professional football circuit announced some major rule changes on Monday with one phase of changes coming in 2026 and another phase in 2027. From what I understand, it was announced on Sunday that the press conference for the rule changes would happen on Monday.

Attention got more heightened for the Monday announcement when long time former Saskatchewan Roughriders play-by-play voice and current independent sports media pundit Rod Pedersen put out a post on Platform-X that he was told to be prepared for an Americanization of the CFL game.

On Monday, the following rule changes were announced that are coming in 2026. First, the famous rouge has been altered.

No points will be awarded for missed field goals, punts and kickoffs that go through the end zone via either through the air or a bounce. If a returner fields any of those types of kicks in the end zone and is tackled in the end zone or kneels down in the end zone, a single point rouge will be scored.

A 35-second play clock will replace the 20-second play clock in 2026. Next year once a play is blown dead, a 35-second play clock begins. Also in 2026, team benches at all CFL stadiums will be on opposite sides of the field.

In 2027, the field of play will change. The field of play between the goal-lines will be 100 yards instead of 110 yards. The depth of the end zones will shrink from 20 yards to 15 yards.

The width of the field will still be 65 yards. The uprights will be moved from the goal-line to the back of the end zone.

I elected to mull on the changes over a 24 hour period. During my life, one of my blessings was I got to be friends with the late iconic CFL coach and general manager and scout of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts in Cal Murphy.

Murphy truly loved the game and his passion got you excited for the sport. He loved both the Canadian and American versions of the sport and the uniqueness each version of the game brought.

Murphy is best known for his time with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers serving as either head coach or general manager or both from 1983 to 1996. If Murphy was still alive, my gut feeling is he would mirror current Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea and current British Columbia Lions star quarterback Nathan Rourke in not liking the changes.

I think Murphy would say the rule changes are, “A crock of crap.”

Cal Murphy pictured during a Roughriders event in 1999.

Murphy was the lone voice in the league against United States expansion in the 1990s, and it turned out he was right with all the concerns he brought up with how that failed.

I guess I have hit the age where I am an old fuddy-duddy in liking the Canadian game of football the way it is.

When it comes to the game itself on the field, I felt there was nothing wrong with the game currently being played in the CFL and the Canadian version of the sport in general. 

I believe the Canadian version of the sport in its current form is as perfect of a version of the game you can get.

I know there are critics of the rouge and want it totally removed. I think that adds to the charm of the game.

I love the quirky moments that come with the rule in its current form like in the University of Regina Rams first post-season win in the U Sports ranks way back on November 3, 2000 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary. The Rams were tied 32-32 with the University of Calgary Dinos in a Canada West semifinal.

On the final play of the fourth quarter, the Rams had the ball at the Dinos 16 yard line. The Rams Canadian Football Hall of Fame head coach Frank McCrystal sent his future star NFL punter Jon Ryan into the game. Ryan booted a 36-yard punt single through the end zone to give the Rams a 33-32 walk off victory, and they continued on a run to an appearance in the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup.

I know in the current day there are pundits saying that is a horrible way to win a game like getting a single off a missed field goal. Back then, McCrystal and his staff were credited with their astute coaching work and mastery of the rulebook for getting in position where Ryan could win the game with a punt single.

Starting next season in the CFL, you won’t be able to boot a punt single through the end zone to win a game with a rouge.

Of course, the CFL’s problem has always been marketing and storytelling. There have been some years the marketing has been better than others.

I believe the Roughriders reached unprecedented heights in the 2000s and early 2010s by marketing themselves as “Canada’s Team” and putting up billboards outside of opposing team’s stadiums that displayed a big picture of their fans that make up Rider Nation with the caption “We walk among you.”

That rallied the Roughriders faithful around their team. That also rallied the fans of the other CFL clubs around their respective franchises due to being shown up by the folks that make up Rider Nation.

Jon Ryan kicked a rouge for the Rams first U Sports playoff win.

If you want to look at the weakness of the story telling of the CFL, just ask any CFL fan who were the “Alberta Crude?”

The “Alberta Crude” was the defensive line made up of Dave “Doctor Death” Fennell, Ron Estay, David Boone and Bill Stevenson. They played a crucial role in helping the Edmonton Eskimos win five straight Grey Cups from 1978 to 1982.

To me, the Eskimos of that era should be viewed as one of the most if not the most iconical squads in the CFL and one of the most iconical teams in all of Canadian sports. That dynasty was highlighted by the play of two legendary quarterbacks with Tom Wilkinson giving way to Warren Moon.

Those that saw Moon play can still see him throwing the most picturesque passes to his trio of 1,000- yard receivers in 1981 in Brian Kelly, Tom Scott and Waddell Smith.

Edmonton’s coaching staff of that era was made up of head coach Hugh Campbell with Murphy, Don Matthews and “Papa” Joe Faragalli working as assistant coaches. Faragalli did move on to become the Roughriders head coach in 1981. With Campbell, Murphy, Matthews and Faragelli working the sidelines, one had to wonder how the Eskimos ever lost a game.

(*Side note – “Papa” Joe was the innovator pretty much for all the passing sets you see in the CFL in the current day*).

Still, you don’t see sports documentaries made about the Eskimos teams from 1978 to 1982 like you do of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers of the 1960s, the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s, the San Francisco 49ERS of the 1980s, the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s or the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick era New England Patriots of the 2000s and 2010s.

Outside of old fuddy-duddies like me, the Eskimos teams from 1978 to 1982 aren’t remembered the way they should be if they are remembered at all. That goes for so many different eras of history of the CFL and no one is forking out the money to ensure those tales are remembered.

If you can’t get your past properly respected in the public eye, how do you venture into the future as an elite sports league?

Having that narrative of then, now, forever and together helps build the community of everyone being part of something.

Darian Durant (#4) throw a pass for the Roughriders in 2016.

The NFL had that question answered with the creation of NFL Films way back in the 1960s, and that has contributed to the creation of iconic teams and iconic stories.

As for the CFL, those in the ownership and board of governor positions have decided the product on the field is the problem, and that is where change needs to be made.

I wonder if “Uncle” Wally Buono is “all in” with the rule changes, or is he just an old fuddy-duddy that doesn’t matter anymore. I would be really comfortable with having him as the head of a competition committee or a rules committee for the CFL at age 75, if that would be something he would ever consider doing.

I do understand the reasons the CFL presented in their rule changes.

With that said, I didn’t know offence was a critical problem, kicking too many field goals was a critical problem, the time clock was a critical problem, the uprights on the goal-line created a critical visibility problem and field dimensions were a critical problem in the Canadian game. In the two CFL games I’ve attended this season, I believe the product on the field is as good as it has ever been, but also none of today’s current teams would beat the Eskimos from 1978 to 1982.

I personally don’t think the rule changes will result in more offence. I am willing to see how they look in action.

I know the league’s economic struggles, and I think the circuit’s leaders believe that alignment with the NFL and the American game is the only path forward to grow the game, because the NFL is so huge. Amateur football and high school football in the Toronto area and in Vancouver is already played with four down rules from the United States, which means about 18-million of Canada’s population of 40-millon are more in tune with the American game in just those two areas.

From that perspective, I think CFL leadership see harmonizing with the NFL as the only way forward, and they are comfortable with losing the old ardent CFL supporters. Like in politics, the large population centres in Canada dictates what the rest of the country does.

With that said, the CFL did start to rebound in the late 1990s and early 2000s the circuit made a rebound focusing on the “Canadian” aspect of the game. I think that is an important lesson to learn.

Still, I think the essence of the CFL game will still hold up after the rule changes. However, I can’t see the rule changes being the vehicle that motivates people to buy more tickets and watch more games. If the marketing and storytelling isn’t there, the changes are doomed to fail.

Gainer the Gopher meets the fans in 2019.

Until I get convinced otherwise by actions, I think football in the CFL and Canada has been accelerated to being converted to the style of game that is played in the United States. Something that is “Radically Canadian” is about to be truly lost.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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COVID-19 pandemic forces world to face mental health

A Bell Let’s Talk toque with sports items I’ve collected over the years.

Over this past year, people have been forced to meet the elephant in the room face to face.

Those meetings aren’t equal for everyone. For some, the elephant has been a small problem that causes frustration like replacing a rim of a car tire after encountering a pot hole.

For others, it feels like the elephant is Brock Lesnar who has you cornered in a UFC octagon cage, and he is coming to smash the crap out of you.

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it seems unavoidable that everyone in the world has faced a mental health challenge or adversity at this point. The extent of those challenges seems to go all over the map.

Everyone is dealing with the fact their lives are not like they once were.

On my own front, I have known I have battled with issues dealing with anxiety since 2012. Actually, I have to admit I see myself doing a lot better on that front than I did six years ago.

I’ve spent more time in my home office than in past years.

I write about my experiences on the mental health front in hopes it will help others. Since 2016, I’ve kept up with a tradition where I write a post regarding mental health on Bell Let’s Talk day.

There is still a stigma around mental health issues, and they are unfortunately still treated as the elephant in the room in too many circles. Over the past year, people have had to face the elephant more so than likely at any time in the past.

In North America, shutdowns and restrictions started to come into play in a serious way on March 11, 2020. That was the day the NBA paused its 2019-20 regular season, and it seemingly started a domino effect with shutdowns and restrictions.

In Canada, the restrictions in some parts of the country are the tightest they have ever been. In Saskatchewan, a provincial government announcement was made on Tuesday extending the current tight Public Health Orders for a slowdown through to February 19.

Residents in Saskatchewan have a little more freedom to do things in their daily lives compared to the other three provinces in Western Canada. Alberta and Manitoba are experiencing fairly strict lockdown measures.

My life in 2019 talking up Brett Leason (#20). (Photo by Darryl Leason)

With that noted, life in Saskatchewan is far from what it was a year ago at this time.

One of my friends in Rod Pedersen, who does work in the addictions and recovery field on top of his more famed sports broadcasting roles, has consistently stated he has learned of two definitions for the word “trauma” in his dealings on the mental health front. Trauma situations are “any situation your brain can’t comprehend” or “a deeply distressing or disturbing event.”

The shutdowns and restrictions that have happened during this pandemic have been something that most in the world likely would never conceive happening a year ago at this time.

Even at this time, the COVID-19 pandemic fits in the descriptions of “a situation your brain can’t comprehend” or “a deeply distressing or disturbing event.”

When I step back and look at the big picture, I believe I have been in a better situation than most.

I did a lot more biking around Saskatoon in 2020.

I feel my past experiences on the mental health front have helped me navigate the seemingly everyday changes that have come with the pandemic.

Since March 12, 2020, I have only covered two hockey games. I do miss covering football and hockey games in no particular order the CJFL, SFU18AAAHL, SMAAAAHL, U Sports, WHL and WWCFL. I’ve really missed seeing my friends on all those circuits.

In recent days, my mind often thought about people I haven’t seen in a while now on the WHL front. My life on the sports media front has pretty much disappeared.

In response as cliché as it sounds, I have focused on one day at a time.

I’ve continued to work as the communications coordinator at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex on part-time hours. That has kept my mind active and busy and given me something to look forward to.

I’ve also used that pandemic to rediscover other recreational pursuits I used to do like playing Madden football, watching WWE or checking out old 1980s episodes of G.I. Joe, Transformers and Robotech. In summer, I did way more biking than I have done in past years.

The situation in the current day includes wear more facemasks.

I’ve spend more time with my mom, because I’ve worked from home quite a bit and haven’t been on the road. To me, I’ve felt that has been a huge bonus and blessing.

My line of work involves checking out social media lines on a daily basis. I see every day others are not doing as well as I am.

In my mind over the last few days, I have been struggling with what I want to say in this annual post, because I can see others are not doing as well as I am.

One of the toughest parts over the past year was hearing news from my old 10-year home in Medicine Hat, Alta., of friends having taken their own lives. There were days I did feel absolutely gutted.

I know the first time I return to Medicine Hat will be emotional for me knowing what has happened on that front.

At the beginning of my mental health journey, I always believed that if I just continued to grind and work hard on a day to day basis, be a good person and do the right things that good things in life would ultimately unfold in my favour despite difficulties. That would be especially true, if I was in the right on the big issues.

I have missed fun moments like this in the WHL.

I ultimately learned that you can do everything right and still fail. I also learned that life isn’t fair, and it won’t bend to make you happy even when you do everything right or are in the right.

When I check out social media lines, I see a lot of people in the spot where I was at the beginning of my mental health journey. They are to different extents learning that life isn’t fair.

I also know I am not counsellor, psychologist or social worker. I can lend an ear and listen.

When it comes to mental health, you need different games plans for each individual.

In order to figure out that plan, I will advise friends to seek out the help of a professional. In some cases, you might need to actually see a professional just once or twice to figure that plan out.

In other cases, it might take more visits with a professional to figure out the best path in the journey.

For myself, I have a lot more awareness. I am lot more alert to when I am off and what triggered me to being off. That alertness helps me pull myself out of funk.

My look at the Art Hauser Centre on November 21, 2020.

With that said, what works for me isn’t what is going to work for everyone.

There is so much in life that can’t be controlled.

I pray everyone that is struggling can find their path to navigate the waters in their mental health journeys.

If that first step requires someone to lend an ear, I will do my best to stop and listen.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. My Bell Let’s Talk post from last year called “A big mental health challenge is learning to take a break” can be found right here. A piece from 2019 called “Those facing mental health challenges can still be great in all parts of life” can be found right here. A piece from 2018 called “Being content can become a mental health challenge” can be round right here. A piece from 2017 called “Recognizing and respecting triggers is key for mental health” can be found right here. A piece from 2016 called “Feeling connected calms the mental health seas” can be found right here. A piece called “My Mental Health Story” can be found right here. Another post I like that I wrote in February of 2015 about my mental health journey call “Huskies hockey was good for me” can be found right here.

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The Rod Pedersen Show has hit with #CFLsim

Virtual Cameron Judge does a sack dance on a big TV screen.

    The crew with The Rod Pedersen Show appears to have hammered a home run with a CFL simulation broadcast.

    On Friday night, The Rod Pedersen Show ran a Facebook Live broadcast of a virtual clash between the host Saskatchewan Roughriders and the visiting Montreal Alouettes. The virtual showdown played out on a Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football video game, and it occurred when the regularly schedule regular season game was supposed to happen between both sides.

    At the moment, real life CFL action has been sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the pandemic has no bearing on simulation games.

    Actually, #CFLsim games have been shown for a least a couple of weeks now on Twitch.tv.

    The Rod Pedersen Show elected to broadcast Friday’s game featuring the virtual Roughriders and reported picking up over 9,000 views are Facebook Live.
    Rod Pedersen provided the play-by-play of the broadcast, and Darren Dupont took on colour commentator duties.
    The action was swift and very enjoyable thanks to the outstanding efforts by Pedersen and Dupont. 

Virtual Nick Marshall makes an interception on my TV screen.

    Their commentary kept you glued to the broadcast that ran about 94 minutes in length.

    Pedersen was the Roughriders play-by-play voice for 20 years before Derek Taylor took on that role before the start of last season.

    With all due respect to Taylor who is a good and talented guy, it was refreshing to hear Pedersen doing a call of a Roughriders game, even a virtual one. For people in Saskatchewan, Pedersen’s call provided a feeling of normalcy.

    Dupont was ace on colour thanks to his knowledge of Canadian players, who played at the U Sports level.

    The broadcast began with the real Teagan Littlechief singing the Canadian national anthem. Littlechief is a regular anthem singer for real Roughriders games along with a number of other teams in Saskatchewan.

    She has developed a healthy fan following due to her spectacular rendition of O Canada.

    The virtual Roughriders came away with an 8-3 victory.

    The fans a virtual Mosaic Stadium cranked up the noise, when the Alouettes had the ball.
    After watching the game, one had to wonder if Roughriders receiver Mitchell Picton is the toughest player in the virtual CFL.

Friday’s #CFLsim game brought fun to this big TV screen.

    He handled most of the Roughriders punt return duties on Friday and was viciously erased on every return.

    Every time he touched the ball, Picton took the equivalent of a Ray Lewis hit or worse. Picton, who is an alumnus of the University of Regina Rams, got up each time and kept playing hard.

    Honestly, half the shots Picton absorbed on Friday would have eliminated fellow Rams alum in the ultra-tough Jason Clermont from the contest.

    Virtual defensive back Nick Marshall was a stud for the Roughriders and made as many big plays as the real life Marshall does.

    Viewers also learned virtual Roughriders linebacker Cameron Judge has an interesting sack celebration.

    The Rod Pedersen Show also showed comments from viewers who would make criticisms that are as colourful that occur during real life Roughriders post-game phone in shows.

    During the shutdowns that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual simulations of sporting events have proved to be popular.

    The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League developed a healthy following showing its junior A league playoffs via a virtual format. It is also a great way for these leagues to keep themselves on the forefront of people’s minds.

Darren Dupont, left, and Rod Pedersen commentate on a big TV screen.

    There have been virtual showings of NASCAR races from various NASCAR circuits too during the pandemic.

    For those that turned into Friday’s #CFLsim broadcast from The Rod Pedersen Show, they would have been very entertained. Checking out future broadcasts is a definite recommendation.

    During a time when it seems like there is so much bad in the world, The Rod Pedersen show gets huge kudos for Friday night’s fun viewing.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Madden 2008 finally came out in these COVID-19 days

I dug out Madden 2008 for the PlayStation 2.

    Madden 2008 made its first appearance at my household during these COVID-19 self-isolation times.

    On Friday night, I finally dug out the PlayStation 2 and fired up the Madden 2008 video game. The franchise I was using was in off-season mode, so I didn’t play any actual full out games.

    I spent a couple of hours working through the very realistic off-season that was created in the game. In future versions of Madden, the off-season was toned down to fit with the hyper fast life most of North American society lives.

    Still, real football geeks more tilted to the fantasy side love the off-season mode in Madden 2008. I like it too, but I normally wouldn’t find time to play through something like that.

With society being shut down, I have been in the home office lots.

    With society being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I worked my off-season up to training camp and played through a couple of drills before packing it in for the night.

    Even just for playing the off-season, it was a fun change of pace.

    Over the past week, I think I have come to accept the fact the world won’t snap back to the way it was before the shutdowns that started to happen in North America on March 11 to try and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

    At the moment, it is pretty safe to say the local sports world that I am involved in won’t be resuming normal activity for some time yet or at least until governments at all levels start lifting emergency measures and some travel restrictions.

I pulled out the Wayne Gretzky jersey on Thursday.

    While many things have shut down, I still kept busy this week. Usually, WHL playoffs would have started during this period of time, and I would be hyper busy.

    This week, I have been busy at a steady controllable pace.

    One thing I feel that has gone away for myself is the daily anxiety when it comes to checking messages and social media links for the first time each day. When the shutdowns first started to happen, I dreaded turning on any electronic device to see what new measures governments at any level might be bringing in.

    I like socializing, and I worried what it was going to be like to not be out at sporting events. A lot of my work involves getting out and meeting people.

    Over this past week, it hasn’t bothered me to work from home. Actually, most places I do to or spend time at away from home are now closed, so it is easy to spend time at home.

    With the extra time I have during the day, I have started into a habit of sleeping in. I’ve come to the conclusion that is allowing me to have the extra energy I need to carry on through the day and face anything that comes up.

I suspect I won’t be taking pictures of moments like these any time soon.

    Right now, there is so much uncertainty about how the world will unfold under the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The sports world, especially at the professional level, is really at the mercy of what governments elect to do with their emergency measures and travel bans.

    Even the Summer Olympic Games have been postponed until next year.

    Right now, there is so much speculation going around it is hard to know what to believe. There has been a fear the MLB, CFL, and U.S. college football seasons could be totally called off.

    I’ve heard speculation that society would be smart to stay in lockdown for a year.

    I’ve heard other speculation that this could let up in a month or two months.

The streets in my Saskatoon neighbourhood are quiet.

    Rod Pedersen, who does recovery and addictions work along with sports broadcasting, said and wrote the world is in a state of trauma.

    He said the two definitions of trauma he learned are “any situation your brain can’t comprehend,” or “a deeply distressing or disturbing event.”

    The COVID-19 pandemic is something the brain can’t comprehend, and it is an event that is deeply distressing or disturbing. I am pretty certain the world is experiencing trauma.

    As I have said before, I am just taking things day by day, because that is all anyone can control is how they react daily to something when it unfolds. The governments of the world have chosen their courses of action, and they aren’t going to change.

I’ve spent time reflecting and wondering when things will be normal.

    It feels weird to have not seen or covered a live sporting event since March 12.

    I try not to look too far ahead in the future, because that fuels anxiety. I am mindful that the world will likely be very different when the COVID-19 pandemic runs its course compared to where the world was before it started.

    In Canada, that last normal day was likely March 10.

    I hope this will be over by the middle of May, or the outlook will be better even two weeks from now. That is also an unknown.

    Until then, I just worry about finishing the most pressing task I need to get done that day, and try to spend some down time with family and friends.

    It is really the only way to proceed right now.

Robins cleans up on Blades awards, other notes

Tristen Robins won four Blades team awards.

    Tristen Robins was the man of the hour, when the Saskatoon Blades announced their team awards on Thursday night.

    The 18-year-old sophomore centre from Clear Lake, Man., had a breakout campaign leading the Blades in scoring with 33 goals and 40 assists for 73 points in 62 regular season games. Robins, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 173 pounds, posted a plus-16 rating in the plus-minus department.

    Thanks to his efforts, Robins was named the WHL team’s top defensive forward, the most gentlemanly player, best forward and most valuable player.

    Due to government restrictions against gatherings of over 10 people at the present time, the Blades weren’t able to hand out their team awards after the final game of their regular season or at a team function.

    They neatly rolled out their awards via Twitter on Thursday night. They were able to produce great short videos with team supporters announcing the award winners.

    Captain Chase Wouters was another multiple award winner being named the club’s hardest working player and taking the team’s community minded award.
    Overager Scott Walford was named the Blades best defenceman. Left-winger Colton Dach, who was playing through his 16-year-old season, claimed honours as the Blades rookie of the year.

Captain Chase Wouters won two Blades team awards.

    Overage defenceman Nolan Kneen took home honours as the Blades hardest hitter. Sophomore rearguard Aidan De La Gorgendiere claimed the award as the club’s most improved player.

    Rookie 16-year-old centre Jayden Wiens claimed the Bentley Memorial Academic Award.

    Feisty overage left-winger Riley McKay captured the Fan’s Choice Award as the team’s favourite player for a second straight campaign.

    The Blades fan of the year award was given to Ryan Collinge.

    The Blades had locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season and had a 34-24-2-3 record in the regular season before the CHL cancelled the remainder of the regular season and entire post-season in the 2019-20 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Blades have to love the fact they have Mitch Bach as their new manager of communications. Bach was a skilled broadcast sports journalist, who spent a lengthy stretch at CHAT Television in Medicine Hat, Alta. The tribute videos he created for the Blades digital networks for overage players Kneen and McKay have been outstanding. The video for Walford is slated to run at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
• While there is great excitement in Regina the historic Pats will get to select Connor Bedard first overall in the WHL Bantam Draft on April 22, Saskatoon got to enjoy watching two highly touted bantam draft prospects play this past season. Forwards Brayden Yager and Riley Heidt had outstanding seasons playing as underage players for the Saskatoon Contacts midget AAA team. Yager had 18 goals and 24 assists appearing in all of the Contacts 44 regular season games. Heidt also played in all of the Contacts 44 regular season games piling up 17 goals and 20 assists. Bedard has exceptional player status to allow him to play full time in the WHL as a 15-year-old. Yager and Heidt were prospects for the exceptional status tag, but there hasn’t been any word if either of them would get that tag. Even if they don’t get that tag, they will be great additions for the WHL teams they join.
• With most gyms closed across the country and everyone trying to stay home as much as possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve seen pictures of a handful of home gyms come across various social media lines. Most have a partial old school feeling to them. Some of the coolest I’ve seen have been courtesy of track and field star Sage Watson, Hamilton Tiger-Cats long snapper Aaron Crawford, Saskatoon Hilltops receiver/kicker and star curler Rylan Kleiter and Hilltops alum and University of Regina Rams defensive lineman Garth Knittng.
• Big props to the crew I work with at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex for the newsletter that was put out this week. The lead front page column dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and sports was outstanding. Just to note, I did not have a hand in writing it, but it is fantastic. You can check it out by clicking right here.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Huskies, Thunderbirds rivalry is for real

Should that be played up in U Sports women’s hockey?

The Huskies and Thunderbirds scrum at the end of their 2018 playoff series.

    Should a women’s hockey rivalry be played up in U Sports?
    I have been struggling with that question since a best-of-three Canada West quarter-final series was cemented between the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.

    Game 1 of the series is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place. Game 2 is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. at Merlis, and if necessary, Game 3 is slated for 7 p.m. at Merlis.

    The Huskies finished third in Canada West with a 17-7-2-2 record, while the Thunderbirds were sixth with a 10-13-4-1 mark.

    This will mark the fourth time the two sides have faced each other in the post-season since 2014 and the third time since 2017. Due to the recent playoff encounters, a lot of ill will has built up between the two sides causing the squads to become archrivals.

    When these teams last met in the post-season, the lasting image was of then Huskies captain Kaitlin Willoughby trying to get after Thunderbirds centre Mathea Fischer after a Thunderbirds player hit Huskies star netminder Jessica Vance at the third period buzzer.

The officials break up the Huskies and Thunderbirds in 2018 playoffs.

    A huge scrum developed in front of the Huskies goal, and tensions were high enough that a brawl could have resulted.

    That was how a 2-1 Huskies victory concluded of Game 2 of a best-of-three Canada West semifinal series, which U of S swept 2-0.

    The post-game handshakes from that Game 2 weren’t actual handshakes but a series of “low fives” like you would see at a minor sports event played at the eight-year-old age level.

    Huskies head coach Steve Kook received a one game suspension, when it was deemed his players broke an archaic league rule by coming up the bench at the end the game before the referee’s command.

    Both teams return a lot of players from that 2018 series to this year’s tilt including Vance and Fischer. Since that series, it is safe to say there has been bitterness in the encounters between these two teams.

    Even with that back story, I have wondered if it worth playing up the rivalry angle leading up to this series. 

Huskies D Morgan Willoughby and T-birds D Celine Tardif talk dinner plans.

    While the rivalry is a great one, it isn’t the Prince Albert Raiders taking on the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League. On that circuit, the fact the fans get passionately into that rivalry makes in that much better.

    The Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert is usually packed for those games, and it is fair to expect 5,000 to 6,000 spectators to appear at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon when those teams meet.

    Fans will bring signs to the rink to show their dislike for the rival and beaks will go off on various social media lines.

    Comparatively, games in U Sports women’s hockey are mostly family and friends games when it comes to attendance and receive extremely little play in the mainstream media. If attendance exceeds 200 for a U Sports women’s hockey game, it is deemed a success.

    One of the few exceptions to that reality was the last Crowchild Classic in Calgary, Alta., that featured the women’s game between the U of Calgary Dinos and the Mount Royals University Cougars in the primetime spot. 

Huskies D Isabella Pozzi (#8) nails a Thunderbirds player this season.

    That contest on Jan. 30 drew 10,002 spectators to the Scotiabank Saddledome to see the Dinos down the Cougars 4-1. That attendance figure is a U Sports record for women’s hockey.

    The Huskies women’s team has been one of the attendance leaders in Canada West since moving into Merlis for the start of the 2018-19 campaign. In 2018-19, the Huskies averaged 650 spectators through 14 home regular season games to lead all women’s hockey teams in Canada West.

    This season, the Huskies averaged 496 spectators for their 14 home regular season dates to sit second behind the Dinos, whose figure was propped up being pegged as the home team for the Crowchild Classic.

    Also, it seems like to me U Sports women’s hockey is patronized, where you should cheer players like an eight-year-old athlete who has learned a skill.

    U Sports women’s hockey teams are elite squads made up of highly skilled athletes, but they don’t get anywhere near the following to make it worthwhile to play up the rivalry angle.

Huskies D Emma Nutter (#21) and T-birds C Mathea Fischer trade words.

    If you do, you come off as a jerk.

    Plus, I don’t believe the appetite is there for U Sports programs to play up a rivalry angle. If you do and things get over the line out of hand, teams ultimately have to answer to university presidents and university board of directors.

    Both traditionally have had no patience for sports teams going overboard with rivalries as university are deemed institutions of higher learning. The academics thumb their noses at athletes who get too worked up over rivalries.

    Outright suspensions from school have to be the biggest worry in that scenario too.

    I always feel the fan codes of conduct are used as a deterrent with regards to cheering at a U Sports event.

    On the Huskies hockey front, the last time a crowd was extremely engaged in a playoff series was the 2016 men’s Canada West final between the Huskies and their “forever rivals” the U of Alberta Golden Bears. The Huskies hockey teams were playing out of the ancient Rutherford Rink back then, and that place was rocking like the Art Hauser Centre during Raiders Western Hockey League playoff games.

    I don’t condone going out and getting offensive with heckles. If a fanbase wants to do the Winnipeg, Man., fan thing and chant someone on their team is better than someone on the opposition, go for it.

Hannah Koroll would be great, if she played for the Huskies.

    As for me, I think I will finish off going down the “jerk” road in the women’s hockey rivalry between the Huskies and Thunderbirds, because I believe rivalry sells tickets.

    Being based in Saskatoon, I can’t wait for the U of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team to take on the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds women’s diving – er – I mean women’s hockey team. I wonder if the Thunderbirds prefer to work from the three-foot board or the 10-foot board?

    Thunderbirds sophomore defender and Saskatoon Holy Cross High School grad Hannah Koroll is a good player. She would be a great player, if she played for the Huskies women’s hockey team.

    Actually, you could get your dislike in the jealously department on for Koroll, because she is a 13 out of 10 in the looks department, great in school, and if she want to be, she can be the best player on the ice in any game she skates in. She might end up being like Tom Brady one day.

    Anyways, take a screenshot of this post and send it to the Thunderbirds women’s hockey team to see, if you like. I don’t care.

    This post might get me unfriended on all social media lines by celebrity University of British Columbia Thunderbirds women’s volleyball team alumna Claire Hanna. I don’t care.

There won’t be a lot of love between the Huskies and Thunderbirds.

    As Rod Pedersen used to say as the play-by-play voice of the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats when they would take on the Moose Jaw Warriors in major junior hockey’s greatest rivalry, “Let’s get it on, because we don’t get along.”

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Pedersen takes charge for SFMAAAHL leading Rebels

Late grandfather a big influence for standout defender

Sydney Pedersen weaves her way to a highlight goal for the Rebels.

    Sydney Pedersen always sees herself a “granddaddy’s girl.”
    The 16-year-old star defender for the powerhouse Regina Rebels of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League still thinks a tonne about one of her biggest supporters and influences in her late grandfather, Jim Pedersen.

    Jim had a lengthy career as a hockey scout, which included working for 26 years with the NHL’s Dallas Stars and being part of their Stanley Cup winning team in 1999. He was part of Prince Albert Raiders organization when they won the WHL title and Memorial Cup as CHL champions in 1985. He passed away in July of 2018 at age 81.

    Growing up in Milestone, Sask., Sydney felt destined to play the sport. Her father, Lee, played the sport as well as her uncles, Reid and Rod. Reid would work for a time in management with the WHL’s Regina Pats, while Rod worked as a play-by-play voice for about two decades in the WHL with the Raiders for two seasons and the Pats for a very lengthy stretch.

Sydney Pedersen, right, cuts past a Stars defender.

    When it comes to lacing up the skates herself, Sydney said the reasons she started out in hockey will lead back to her late grandfather in Jim.

    “It was kind of almost decided before I was even born that I would play hockey,” said Sydney, who is skating through her third full season with the Rebels. “I am the second oldest grandchild.

    “I am the only one that decided to play hockey, and that is kind of how my grandpa and I’s relationship built too.”

    Sydney likely would have gotten high grades from her late grandfather with her play on Saturday at Merlis Belsher Place. She has a huge outing collecting a goal and four assists as the Rebels blanked the host Saskatoon Stars 7-0 in a SFMAAAHL regular season clash.

Sydney Pedersen rushes the puck up ice with confidence.

    After 16-year-old defender Emma DeCorby scored to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead in the first period, Pedersen picked up assists on all four of the Rebels goals in the second frame as the visitors increased their edge to 5-0.

    She picked an assist on Neena Brick’s goal just 49 seconds into the second. Pedersen teamed up with Brick to set up Alexis Petford for a power-play on a backdoor setup.

    Following that tally, Pedersen combined with Tavia Terry to send Hanna Bailey into the Stars zone on a rush that resulted in Bailey netting a short-handed goal.

    Pedersen picked up her fourth assist feeding a point shot through a maze of players that was tipped home by Rebels sophomore 15-year-old forward Molly Flynn.

Sydney Pedersen, right, is having a career season with the Rebels.

    With 6:24 remaining in the third, Pedersen scored her goal by taking the puck in the centre ice zone, weaving through Stars defenders on an individual rush and smartly tucking the puck home from tight quarters in front of the Saskatoon net. That tally gave the Rebels a 6-0 lead.

    Petford rounded out the scoring with her second tally of the contest a short time after Pedersen’s goal.

    Besides the offensive fireworks, Pedersen turned some heads finishing one of her checks hard in the defensive zone in the third period.

    Jim was able to see Sydney play for the Rebels during her rookie season. She said it felt different when she hit the ice for her second season in Regina knowing Jim wouldn’t physically be in the crowd anymore.

Sydney Pedersen, left, is strong close out opposition player in the D-zone.

    “We were extremely tight,” said Sydney, who stands 5-foot-7. “When he passed on, it was really hard to get used to that with him not being there all the time.

    “He hardly ever missed a game, and he would be at the rink every practice and everything, when I played in Milestone in my younger years. I was the only grandchild to play, so that even made it more of a relationship kind of thing.”

    Before embarking on her third season, Sydney verbally committed to playing for the Robert Morris University Colonials women’s hockey team in the NCAA ranks for the start of the 2021-22 campaign.

Sydney Pedersen, left, celebrates a goal from Molly Flynn (#16).

    After making that commitment, she has followed with a stellar campaign netting career highs in goals (six), assists (12) and points (18) appearing 13 out of the Rebels 14 regular season games. Pedersen has helped Rebels rise to first in the SFMAAAHL with a 13-0-1 record.

    Pedersen was named one of the Rebels two main captains along with 17-year-old star forward Lauren Focht. During road games, Pedersen serves as the club’s captain, and Focht takes up those duties during home games.

    Rebels head coach Mike Merk said Pedersen was named one of the club’s captains due to her character and the fact she leads by example.

    “She shows up every game,” said Merk. “I think that was one thing for me.

    “I like to look at players that are going to kind of take my lead and reiterate the messages going in. Early in the season when we made the decision, she was one that kind of stood out. She does a really good job with that leadership role.”

Sydney Pedersen is an anchor on the back end for the Rebels.

    Merk said Pedersen is a pretty consistent performer on the ice too and is pretty fun to watch. She came through on both those fronts in Saturday’s win.

    “She (Pedersen) had a really good game,” said Merk. “Sydney is strong defensively, but she also had a lot of offensive punch to her game as well.

    “She is really an anchor on the back end. I’ve got a good defensive corps right now that we can either play a run and gun style or we can actually sit back and shut down. It is nice having girls like her back there.

    “Her confidence right now with the puck and ability to rush the puck I think is where I am seeing her growth happen.”

    Pedersen said she had to come out with a little more jump on Saturday. She didn’t think she was at her best, when the Rebels rallied from a 3-1 third period deficit to down the Stars 4-3 on Friday at Merlis Belsher Place.

Hanna Bailey had a short-handed goal for the Rebels.

    “I didn’t have a great game yesterday, so I knew that I have to come out and play better today,” said Pedersen. “I think as a whole we played better today, and it is way easier to get going, when you have good forwards and good D-partners beside you.”

    Arden Kliewer turned away 32-of-37 shots starting in goal for the Stars (5-11-2). Kaitlyn Cadrain played the third period in relief turning away 14-of-16 shots sent her way.

    Chantel Weller turned away all 11 shots she faced to pick up the win in goal for the Rebels and earn her fourth shutout of the season.

    The Stars now head off on their Christmas break, and they will return to regular season action on Jan. 11 in the new year, when they host the Weyburn Richardson Pioneer Gold Wings at 1:45 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.

    The Rebels travel to Prince Albert on Sunday to take on the Northern Bears at 1 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre. After that contest, both of those squads will head out on their respective Christmas breaks.

Alexis Petford watches her power-play goal find its way home.

    Last season, the Rebels finished second overall in the SFMAAAHL regular season standings with a 17-7-4 mark. They advanced to the best-of-five SFMAAAHL championship series and were swept 3-0 by Stars squad that had a lot of veteran star players.

    Pedersen believes her team learned a lot from that experience.

    “Last year we were actually really young, so I think coming into playing the Stars in the final we were quite immature towards that,” said Pedersen. “I think that just gave us that much more experience for this coming up year in playoffs.

    “Our younger players now know what it is like. Playoff hockey is completely different from league, so they have a little taste of what it is.”

    This season, Pedersen is trying to enjoy each moment as much as possible. She felt privileged the coaches named her the captain for road games, and she believes she is surrounded by a special bunch of teammates out on the ice.

The Rebels celebrate their win on Saturday.

    “There is a super great group of girls in there,” said Pedersen. “We’re all tight-knit and were all equal, so it is awesome to be part of that.”

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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