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.

-------

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.

“Sack Master” Kack anchors Hilltops defence

Riece Kack (#47) celebrates making a sack for the Hilltops.

Riece Kack’s best buds brought him to the Saskatoon Hilltops, and the storied CJFL team has reaped the rewards ever since.

Early in his Grade 12 year playing high school football with Saskatoon’s Centennial Collegiate Chargers in September of 2019, Kack committed to joining the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football team in the U Sports ranks. The COVID-19 pandemic proceeded to grip the world in March of 2020, which ultimately changed the paths for a lot of athletes.

The defensive end lived through modified high school graduation festivities in June of 2020 and didn’t have a football season to look forward to in the fall of 2020. All football action for the Canada West Conference that the Huskies play out of was cancelled for 2020-21 and U Sports nixed its national championship football game – the Vanier Cup.

Due to pandemic restrictions, all football action was cancelled for the CJFL too.

While Kack was playing out his Grade 12 season in the fall of 2019 before the world was flipped upside down, his best friends in linebacker Wade Keating and defensive back Carter Wingert were playing through their rookie campaigns with the Hilltops, who went 12-0 and won a sixth straight CJFL title.

With everything having come to a stop, Keating and Wingert made sales pitches to Kack to come join the Hilltops.

“My two best buddies in Carter Wingert and Wade Keating they had played on Centennial with me, and they were a year older than me,” said Kack. “They were already here.

“They kind of told me they said, ‘Yeah, we have some open spots.’ I decided I wanted to come play some Hilltop football. It has been just a great blessing since.

Riece Kack (#47) takes down a quarterback for the Hilltops.

“It has been the three best years of my life.”

After recording a pair of sacks in eight regular season games with the Hilltops in 2021, Kack had a breakout year in his second campaign with the team in 2022. He topped the PFC with 7.5 sacks during the regular season to go along with 25.5 total tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery. Kack was named a first team PFC all-star and a first team CJFL all-Canadian all-star.

With one regular season game to play in the 2023 campaign, Kack again finds himself leading the PFC in sacks having matched his total from the previous year with 7.5 sacks. He holds a sizable lead over Regina Thunder linebacker Kenten Effa and Edmonton Huskies defensive lineman Kaiden Edey, who sit tied for second in the PFC with four sacks.

The Hilltops (7-0) close their regular season on Sunday hosting the Winnipeg Rifles (2-5) at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. To go along with his 7.5 sacks, Kack has 18.5 total tackles, two fumble recoveries and one pass knockdown.

“It has been a lot of fun the last two years for sure,” said Kack, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 230 pounds. “I know in my first year I was off to a slow start and didn’t get my first sacks until the last game of the year in Winnipeg.

“I ended up getting two that game. It has kind of just been motivation for me since then just to keep coming out and getting them. It is lots of fun when I get to the quarterback.

“This year for sure there have been a lot of coverage sacks. The DBs have been helping me out. That is a credit to our great DBs and coaching as well.”

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said Kack has been a big time player for the club for a length stretch now.

Riece Kack is leading the PFC with 7.5 quarterback sacks.

“Riece is a great leader,” said Sargeant. “He is a great player.

“He is a natural playmaker. He knows how to get to the ball. He knows where the ball is.

“He’s got that uncanny ability that you don’t coach. He’s been a real pleasure to coach this year. It has been fun to see him perform at such a high level and be a big part of this defensive success.”

Sargeant said Kack does so many things well as a defensive end, and you could see the now 21-year-old pass rusher could potentially be special watching him during his days in high school.

“He was high end player in high school,” said Sargeant. “I’ve always thought he was an even front player – a four man front, so he goes against the (offensive) tackle.

“He has a good repertoire of moves. He’s got a burst. He’s got power, and he’s got a motor that doesn’t quit.

“That is the biggest part about Riece is he plays every play as hard as he can. When it is all said and done, you always see him around the football.”

The sideline boss adds Kack is one of the main guys who gets the Hilltops jacked up for game day.

“He’s the energy guy,” said Sargeant. “He’s the guy going around talking with people and connecting with people, bring the juice and bringing the energy.

“In the Thursday night practice, he is always the most vocal and getting every juiced up and charged up. That is a real natural ability of his is to just be a great team guy. The players love him, and they rally around him.

Riece Kack (#47) is a cornerstone player on the Hilltops defence.

“He is a big time leader for us. When you see us huddle up before the game, it is Riece (Kack) in the middle talking to the football team. He’s been a real pulse and a real pleasure to be around and to coach.”

Kack’s motivation to play well for the Hilltops is also increased due to the fact he considers the biggest influences in helping him along in the game all have connections to the team. They include Sargeant, defensive line coach Dave Fisher and Hilltops defensive end alum, U of S Huskies alum, step brother and long snapper of the CFL’s British Columbia Lions Riley Pickett.

“‘Sarge’ has been a great coach for me, and Fish (Dave Fisher) every day just brings a good spark to the D-line,” said Kack. “Obviously, I look up to my brother Riley Pickett to what he was able to do here.

“There are lots of people I take inspiration from.”

The standout defensive end said the work of the rest of the Hilltops defensive line has allowed him to pile up the sacks he has. The Hilltops have cycled through a number of players on their D-line who have all made plays including Craig Torgerson, Ben Marce, Kai Kukurudza, Johnathon Stevens and Nahom Menghestab.

“They (the opponents) don’t know who to block on any given down to be honest,” said Kack. “They can’t commit to over blocking any of us.

“It has been a big contributing factor for sure. Sometimes if you’re getting lots of pressure, they’ll put two or three guys on you and open up someone else just for a single team. They can’t do that this year, because we’re just having tremendous pressure from everyone.

“It has been awesome.”

Riece Kack (#47) enjoys the havoc the Hilltops D-line creates.

Kack believes the Hilltops have done a good job with staying focused on the present this season. With that noted, he said it feels like this upcoming final regular season game against the Rifles came fast and following that contest will be playoffs. He is looking forward to getting to the post-season chase.

“It is crazy how quick it flies by to be honest,” said Kack. “It feels like it was Week 1 yesterday.

“The season moves quick, and I guess we have the back stretch here. If we make it all the way, it is four or five more games. Definitely, our best football is yet to come.

“It is crazy that it is already playoff time. I’m excited for sure.”

Hilltops’ Gedir tabbed as player of the week

Noah Gedir (#36) was the PFC’s defensive player of the week.

Noah Gedir piled up the tackles in the rain resulting in an individual award coming his way.

On Wednesday, the Saskatoon Hilltops weak side linebacker was named the Prairie Football Conference’s defensive player of the week. Gedir picked up that honour for his performance this past Saturday making seven defensive solo tackles, five defensive tackle assists and one special teams tackle playing in a steady rain helping the Hilltops down their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder 19-10.

The 21-year-old Gedir leads the Hilltops with 73 defensive points coming on 17 solo defensive tackles, 10 defensive tackle assists, nine special teams solo tackles, one quarterback sack, two pass knockdowns, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Edmonton Wildcats receiver Travis Heggart was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week on Wednesday for his performance in helping his team outgun the visiting Calgary Colts 43-36 at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. In helping the Wildcats get their first win of the season, Heggart caught six passes for 149 yards and four touchdowns.

Wildcats kick returner Breyan Elias took honours as the PFC’s special teams player of the week for his huge performance in that Wildcats win over the Colts. He returned three kickoffs for 217 yards. Elias returned the opening kickoff of the third quarter 92 yards for a touchdown and ran back another kickoff later in the frame 100 yards for a touchdown.

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

-------

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.

Expect sports to be “the wild west” in transitional season

Gainer the Gopher makes his rounds after a Roughriders TD in 2019.

Do not expect it to be business as usual for the overall sports scene in the world for the upcoming 2021-22 winter season.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world will still be throwing wrenches into plans in the upcoming campaign even as vaccines for the virus continue to roll out.

Life in North America is proceeding like the COVID-19 pandemic is in its concluding run. You can expect sports leagues at all levels will do whatever they can to ensure that major championship events happen.

Still, you can expect to see inconsistencies on how sports will be rolled out dependent on league and geography. Those inconsistencies have shown up this past week.

Early Friday morning, those that woke up in Canada got to see the country’s senior national women’s soccer team win the gold medal game at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, on television. Canada and Sweden played to a 1-1 draw thru regulation and extra time before Canada came away with top spot pulled out a 3-2 win in a penalty kick shootout that went six rounds.

That contest like the whole Summer Olympics was played without fans in attendance. Players wore facemasks during the medal presentation ceremonies.

The precautions are in place as Japan is facing a health care crisis due to the spread of COVID-19.

On Friday evening in Regina, Saskatchewan, a sellout crowd of 33,350 spectators filled into Mosaic Stadium to watch the Saskatchewan Roughriders open their CFL schedule taking a 31-0 lead on the visiting British Columbia Lions before holding on to a 33-29 victory.

It marked the first time in 628 days the Roughriders played a game. The 2020 CFL was lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cody Fajardo throw a pass for the Roughriders in 2019.

Those that attended Friday’s Roughriders game didn’t have to show proof of vaccination. That was a big contrast from Thursday’s CFL opener in Winnipeg, Man., where the host Blue Bombers downed the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats 19-6.

The Bombers announced an attendance of 29,376 which was just over 3,000 short of a sellout at IG Field. Those that attended Thursday’s CFL clash in Winnipeg had to show proof of vaccination for COVID-19 to gatekeepers before entering the Bombers home park.

“Vaccination” will be the key word in the sports scene going forward. Going hand in hand regarding the issue of vaccination will be question about whether games will be forfeited if teams are unable to play due to a COVID-19 breakout.

It is assumed a forfeit rule will motivate those involved in sports to get fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

On Tuesday, the CFL announced a COVID-19 game cancellation policy.

If COVID-19 issues force a game to be cancelled and it can’t be rescheduled where one club incurs COVID-19 issues, that team will forfeit with its opponent being credited with a 1-0 victory.

If COVID-19 issues are prevalent on both teams, both clubs will be credited with a loss.

In both scenarios, players will be paid for forfeited games, if a team can prove that 85 per cent or more of its contracted players are vaccinated at least partially or fully. If a team falls below the 85 per cent threshold, players will not be paid.

As of Friday, only three of the CFL’s nine clubs have reached that 85 per cent threshold.

Back on July 22, news broke that the NFL had a forfeit policy regarding COVID-19 outbreaks. If a game during the 18-week NFL regular season can’t be rescheduled due to a COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players, the team with the outbreak will forfeit and be credited with a loss.

The CHL is expecting to hold a complete season in 2021-22.

Players on both teams will not be paid for the lost contest. The team responsible for the cancelled game due to unvaccinated players will cover financial losses and be subject to potential discipline from the Commissioner’s office.

In Canada, it remains to be seen if these types of policies will be mirrored in circuits like the CHL, CJFL, U Sports, junior A hockey leagues, under-18 AAA hockey circuits or high school leagues. The same goes for circuits like the NLL, which plays in both countries.

In recent days, it is easy to find news stories that vaccination efforts for COVID-19 in both the United States and Canada have stagnated.

In January, the United States experienced days where it was dealing with 279,000 new cases of COVID-19 a day. As vaccines rolled out, the United States began to experience days where it was only experiencing around 6,000 new COVID-19 cases a day at points in June.

Over the past week, has become common for the United States to have days with over 125,000 new COVID-19 cases a day as vaccinations stall. The reports commonly say over 95 per cent of those new cases are from people who are not vaccinated for COVID-19.

In Canada, new case counts are starting to rise again. Last Sunday, there were 279 new COVID-19 cases in Canada. On Thursday, there were 1,445 new COVID-19 cases and 1,519 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.

Both the United States and Canada have about a solid 25 per cent of their respective populations that don’t want to be vaccinated for COVID-19. That reality exists despite concerns about variants of COVID-19, especially the Delta variant, that are more transmissible.

That will all translate to bumps in the sports world in both countries, which could result in craziness of “the wild west.”

Could restrictions and Public Health Orders that were lifted in various areas in both countries return?

U Sports is set to play for the first time since March of 2020.

It feels like many decision makers will be very hesitant to backtrack on reopening, so you can expect sports seasons on all levels will go ahead.

How those seasons will play out on all levels remains to be seen.

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

-------

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.

Absence makes heart grow fonder of Roughriders game day

Hanging with Brendon LaBatte after the 2018 Labour Day Classic.

    For the first time this season, I am finally going to make a Saskatchewan Roughriders game day.

    Since returning to Saskatchewan to live in Saskatoon in the summer of 2014, I have tried to make as many Roughriders home games as possible. This year has been one of those years where the team’s home dates have conflicted with other things on my schedule.

    It feels like I might be lucky to make it to three home games this season. I haven’t made a Roughriders home game since last year’s Labour Day Classic.

    Today, I will depart Saskatoon and make the trek down Highway 11 to Regina as the Roughriders (3-3) host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-1) at Mosaic Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time. Once I start making that journey, I know I will become jumpy with excitement.

The Roughriders Pep Band performs at the party in the park last season.

    I wasn’t able to head out to any of the Roughriders first three home games due to scheduling conflicts. When the Roughriders held their first two home games in early July, I was covering the Saskatoon Valkyries 9-0 Western Women’s Canadian Football League championship campaign to a conclusion.

    My energy was focused on the Valkyries, and I won’t trade that moment in time for anything.

    When the Roughriders downed the British Columbia Lions 38-25 at Mosaic Stadium on July 20, I was attending Donn Clark’s celebration of life in Kelvington, Sask.

The Mosaic Stadium crowd cheers a Roughriders touchdown last season.

    In that case, the Roughriders game was secondary, when it came to paying my respects for an old friend, who is best remembered for his time in the WHL as a player, coach and executive with the Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders.

    I have focused on taking care of things in my personal life I have been putting off in the present time, but my schedule broke allowing me to be able to attend tonight’s game.

    I have a general admission ticket to Pil Country, which seems fitting considering that is the party section. 

Mosaic Stadium is an amazing sight.

    During the 10 years I lived in Medicine Hat, Alta., from 2004 to 2014, I gained a new appreciation in going to Roughriders home games, because I was going for the party and to enjoy myself.
    With that focus, I found I was able to enjoy Roughriders games, even if they played one of their classic stinker type contests. As a fan, you have to know you are in for at least three of those a season, even when the Roughriders are good.

You have to love the fans that come dressed in costume.

    There were times I might make just two games a year during my time living in Medicine Hat, so I tried to ensure the experience would never be dampened.

    Looking back, Roughriders home games were likely at their party peak in the era from 2005 to 2013, with 2007 and 2008 being the high-point years. During the 2007 and 2008 seasons, it seemed like every Roughriders home game was a Labour Day Classic type game with the atmosphere.

    Roughriders games are one of those things I prefer to attend as a fan. I have worked a home game here and there in the media world, and I worked the team’s last two training camps in Saskatoon for The Canadian Press. I have enjoyed that experience.

    I find it better being in the stands as a fan during Roughriders games. I try to reserve those games as my chance to go out and cheer and just be a fan at a game.

    That feeling goes to the fact there was a period of time from 2004 to 2014 that it always seemed I had a number of friends on the team who were players. Often, I had gone to school with those friends who were players during the years I attended the University of Regina and was involved with the Rams football team.

The Roughriders Drum Line does their thing.

    There were a few times after Roughriders games I would head out to a social function with those friends, and those times were so enjoyable for me.

    On that note, it will be cool to see punter and Rams alum Jon Ryan play live in a game for the first time since 2005, when he was with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. From 2006 to 2017, Ryan played 12 seasons in the NFL split between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.

    Offensive lineman Brendon LaBatte is the another friend I have on the current Roughriders team that is a Rams alum.

    Outside of Ryan and LaBatte, the only member of the Roughriders I know decently well is long snapper Jorgen Hus,who is an alum of the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltops and the Rams.

Game action viewed from Pil Country in 2018.

    When I moved back to Saskatchewan in the summer of 2014, I found another joy in heading to Roughriders games. I was able to make games on a more regular basis, and I got to know a number of the regular fans in the stands.

    So far this season, I would see pictures on social media from those regulars, and that made me miss being at games.

    Tonight, I am looking forward to seeing a number of old friends in the stands. Actually, I one of those that could go watch any CFL game in any stadium and enjoy it.

    On the field, I can’t wait to see how Cody Fajardo, who took over as the team’s starting quarterback, looks on the field live in person.

All smiles after a Roughriders win last season.

    It will be fun to do something familiar and will bring back great memories of the past. Win or lose, I will have a great night, but with that said, here is hoping the Roughriders win.

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

-------

    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.

Rider Nation soaks in Taylor Field atmosphere one last time

The crowd at Taylor Field soaks in the final Roughriders home game there.

    REGINA – Rider Nation truly lived in the moment when it came to attending the last Saskatchewan Roughriders game at Taylor Field/old Mosaic Stadium.

    On Saturday, Roughriders fans flocked in from all across the province and I dare say even across Canada to be part of the last CFL dance of the historic stadium in Regina. It was a nostalgia trip where one received comfort in reliving the familiar.

    The atmosphere was similar to a Labour Day Classic or even the game days around the 2007 and 2008 campaign. In 2007 and 2008, game days were surrounded with excitement by the fact the Roughriders were one of the league’s elite teams after about 15 years of being bad to mostly a middle of the pack club.

    While there were those similarities, the atmosphere was also different. The finality of what was going to take place was in the back of everyone’s minds. This was a night to say farewell and thanks to a park that contains so many great shared memories.

The Rider Cheer Team performs a routine on the practice field.

    People were arriving on Saturday three hours before the 5 p.m. kickoff against the B.C. Lions to tailgate in the parking lots near the facility.

    The tailgate party on the practice field was also packed. The air was filled with the sounds from the Regina-based rock band Big Bad Storm. The Rider Cheer team also came to put on a special performance to the sounds of the Rider Drum Line.

    As usual, the Rider Pep Band played outside the stadium’s front gates about 40 minutes before kickoff.

    At halftime, Canadian country music star and Langenburg, Sask., product Jess Moskaluke got the sellout crowd of 33,427 going with a short but energetic set.
    The post-game ceremony provided a great light and fireworks show that walked people back through time reliving the history of the place.

Jess Moskaluke starred at halftime.

    There were also huge cheers as mascot Gainer the Gopher took a last lap in his old car with the gopher hole roof.

    There were also appearances by Roughriders legends George Reed, Roger Aldag and Gene Makowsky, who each emerged from Rider cap jackets like Jedi Knights. Franchise quarterback Darian Durant completed the quartet to give representation for each of the club’s four Grey Cup championship teams, and he also gave a heartfelt address to the fans.

    Of course, Rider Nation was in top form. A number of Rider fans arrived wearing various trademark costumes. While Halloween was only a couple of days away, game days provide enough reason to dress up.

    The fans are the reason Taylor Field had the amazing atmosphere it did. Those that went to games became part of a community in a community. The regulars that came to each game got to know the neighbours that sat around them and those that sat at various other spots around the building.

    In a lot of cases, the regulars only get to see each other on game days. One of the best known regulars is Connie Dobson, who is also known as #TheTravelingRiderFan. She has made the jaunt from Edmonton to Regina for every Roughriders home game for over a decade. She has also followed the team on a regular basis on the road.

    While cheering hard for the Riders, Dobson also gives credit when the other teams do something well. Over the years, she has befriended and earned the respect of Roughriders players and a number of players from other CFL clubs too. Dobson is the textbook picture of the model fan.

Terrell Sinkfield Jr. makes an acrobatic TD catch for the Lions.

    Speaking of fans, you also saw small representations of fans wearing gear of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Edmonton Eskimos and the Lions to ensure their clubs had representation at this monumental game. It has become common place for fans of other CFL teams to make the trek to Taylor Field to see at least one game in the legendary park and feel the passion of Rider Nation up close.

    The only thing that didn’t go to plan was the action on the field during game time. As engaged as the crowd was, the Roughriders fell to the Lions 24-6 and dropped to 5-12 in the standings. B.C. improved to 11-6.

    All season, the Roughriders have been plagued by struggles on the offensive and defensive line due to injury and personnel turnover. Against the Lions, the Roughriders offensive line missed way too many blocks, and the defensive line didn’t apply much pressure on Lions quarterback Jonathon Jennings.

    The green and white will need to address both of those areas in the off-season.

Roughriders mascot Gainer the Gopher makes one last pass in his old car.

    In the end, the loss on the field didn’t dampen the night’s festivities. The members of Rider Nation have seen their share of downs, but they always persevere and look forward to next year.

    Next year provides the chance to back the Roughriders in a new Mosaic Stadium that looks like a palace. It is also specially constructed to trap noise. It won’t take long to indulge in the comforts of the new home park.

    Even with that in mind, the memories of the old park will never fade away.

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

Last call for Rider Nation at Taylor Field

Final Roughriders game a surreal thought for storied stadium

All smiles after a Riders win at 2009 Labour Day Classic at Taylor Field.

    My mind is working overtime thinking about what this drive will be like.

    When I leave Saskatoon early Saturday morning for Regina, I will be heading to the Saskatchewan Roughriders final home game at Taylor Field/Mosaic Stadium, which will be the team’s 611^th contest at that facility. They face the B.C. Lions at 5 p.m. local time. It is definitely a day I never imagined happening.

    For generations, many residents from Saskatoon and from all corners of the province of Saskatchewan have made the jaunt to the provincial capital to support the “Green and White.” During that drive on Saturday, I know my mind will be jumping through all sorts of memories.

    As far as football stadiums in Canada go, Taylor Field holds an esteem similar to that of Lambeau Field in the United States, which is home to the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. Over the last decade, it has been common for fans of other CFL clubs to make the journey to see one game at Taylor Field in order to experience the passion of Rider Nation in person.

Rider Nation enjoys a pre-game practice field party before a 2006 game.

    When I first stepped into Taylor Field, I didn’t know how much I would take that place to my heart.

    A year after moving to Regina, I attended my first Roughriders game on July 26, 1996. The hosts were taking on the powerful Toronto Argonauts led by arguably the CFL’s all-time greatest player in Doug Flutie.

    The Argos jumped out to a 34-14 lead at halftime and cruised to a 40-16 victory. The Riders were so bad that game it almost hit a comic level. As those that follow the team know, the Riders have had many hapless down stretches.

    A crowd of 24,902 turned out and filled most of the facility that sat 27,732 at that time. There were those that left early in the fourth quarter, but most of the spectators stayed to the end.

    I was impressed. Out of the 20 years I had been alive to that point in time, I had lived a total of 16 years in Winnipeg. Football was the sport I loved the most, and I discovered it watching the Cal Murphy era Winnipeg Blue Bombers win Grey Cups in 1984, 1988 and 1990. I went to many games at old Winnipeg Stadium to see the Bombers play.

    The Bombers were so successful that fan expectations in Winnipeg hit the point that a season that didn’t finish with a Grey Cup win was deemed a failure even in 14-4 and 13-5 campaigns.

Fans get pumped up at the 2010 Labour Day Classic at Taylor Field.

    Watching the Roughriders fall to the Argonauts that warm summer night in July of 1996, I almost couldn’t imagine them ever winning the Grey Cup. That game was also the first time I went to a sporting event where the fans had a good time despite the fact their team was hammered on the scoreboard.

    I was also just weeks removed from getting dumped by my long time high school sweetheart girlfriend from Winnipeg. For me, stepping foot onto Taylor Field was a move towards becoming more of the community of Regina and Saskatchewan. While I was born in Winnipeg, my family came from Saskatchewan, so this was a return to the roots.

    My late father’s heart was with the Riders, and I remember him talking about what it was like to go to the deciding game of the 1970 West Final series, where a 14-2 Roughriders team dropped a 15-14 heartbreaker to the Calgary Stampeders at a frigid Taylor Field and fell in a best-of-three set 2-1. The cold heartbreak was pretty large that day.

Fans are all set in legendary Section 28 for a 2007 game at Taylor Field.

    Due to the family ties to Saskatchewan, the Roughriders were always a second favourite team, but they were going to be elevated to a favourite spot.

    After making my first game at Taylor Field, I began meeting players and coaches from the team due to the fact it was easy to interact with them in the Saskatchewan capital. I started to make regular appearances at Taylor Field to support the people I was getting to know.

    I remember hanging around with members of the University of Regina Cougars men’s basketball team in the fall of 1998 talking about how we hoped the Riders would go on a big winning streak to save the job of then head coach Jim Daley. Daley’s wife, Diane Hilko, was a gifted assistant coach with the Cougars women’s basketball team, and the Roughriders bench boss frequently appeared on campus.

    Soon, friends from the University of Regina Rams football team were suiting up for the Roughriders. The link really got solidified as soon as I moved to Medicine Hat for a 10-year stay starting in September of 2004.

The Riders Pep Band performs before a game at Taylor Field this year.

    When you left Saskatchewan, your identity was highly linked to the Roughriders, and the passion took another step. I would be part of the mass group of Roughriders supporters that made a few of the team’s road games in Calgary causing those matches to be dubbed the “Christmas Tree” games due to the mix of red and green colours in the stands.

    When Roy Shivers became the Roughriders general manager in 2000, the brain trust of the team worked to strengthen its links with former Saskatchewan residents that lived across Canada. When the team began to have a resurgence in the early 2000s, the Roughriders were boldly marketed as “Canada’s Team,” which is something that sticks to this day long after Shivers tenure with the squad ended.

    While living in Alberta, the best games were still the ventures back to Regina for visits to Taylor Field. It always felt like a homecoming.

    The anticipation was always there for the tailgating that went on in various parking lots near the facility and getting to the practice field for pre-game festivities. When the game ended, parties often went long into the night along the nightclub strip on Dewdney Avenue and the early hours the morning.

Darian Durant runs for an OT winning TD against the Eskimos this year.

    Soon, the Roughriders hit new heights with the dawning of the Darian Durant era at quarterback. He joined the team in 2006, was a backup on the 2007 Grey Cup winner, became the undisputed starter in 2009, guided the team to Grey Cup appearances in 2009 and 2010 and led a magical home Grey Cup win in 2013 with a 45-23 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

    I was at that home Grey Cup win, and that is still my best memory of being at Taylor Field. I wished that night would never end.

    Durant also became my all-time favourite CFL quarterback, and it has been fun watching him lead the Roughriders to many victories. One of the most scrutinized positions in Canadian sport is being the Roughriders starting quarterback. I could see a large number of CFL great signal callers failing in that role.

    Durant has taken ownership of that position, and you can tell being the Roughriders starting quarterback is important to him.

Gainer the Gopher makes his rounds at Taylor Field after a Roughriders TD.

    All of these thoughts cross the mind as the final Roughriders game at Taylor Field approaches. The Rams will actually close out the facility as they have the potential of hosting three U Sports playoff games there next month.

    However, Taylor Field’s identity will always be first linked with the Roughriders and Rider Nation. Since moving back to Saskatchewan in late July 2014 and settling in Saskatoon, I have tried to make as many Roughriders games as possible. This last CFL game at the storied park will be an emotional one, and the day and night will no doubt speed by way faster than you would like.

    The goal is to soak in the one last memory that will be made.

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

Roughriders "Reign of Error" look needs to go

The circle "S" logo on retro uniforms brings bad luck.

    On August 31, 2014, the Saskatchewan Roughriders made an error that brought back the ghosts of the “Reign of Error.”

    The Roughriders took the field for the Labour Day Classic that day sporting their classic green uniforms with the two white arm stripes on each shoulder and green helmets showing off their traditional circle logo with the “S.” Unfortunately, there was one noticeable difference a superstitious fan would notice about the retro look in this game that was unsettling.

    When the Roughriders first brought back these classic retro uniforms in the 2007, they were looking to mirror a look the team had from the late 1960s through the 1970s during the glory days of when Ron Lancaster quarterbacked the club and George Reed powered the team on the ground at fullback. 

    In a match that was a tribute of that era, the Roughriders wore those throwbacks in the 2007 Labour Day Classic, where quarterback Kerry Joseph ran in the game-winning touchdown from 27 yards out in the final seconds to give the Green and White a thrilling 31-26 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

    The retro uniforms the Roughriders wore in 2007 did not contain a team logo and sported each players’ number on the sleeve of the upper arm. This look was widely recognized as the club’s 1970s look, and the Roughriders often wore these throwbacks for special occasions in the regular season and key games in the post-season. That included crushing the Blue Bombers in the 2012 Labour Day Classic 52-0.

    When those uniforms were brought back as alternates 2007, the Roughriders went on to make four Grey Cup appearances, which included wins in 2007 and at home in 2013.

    Unfortunately, there was a change in the look of these retro uniforms in the 2014 Labour Day Classic. The numbers on the sleeve on the upper arm were replaced with the classic circle logo with the “S.” The numbers were moved to the shoulder area.

The retro uniforms with no logo and numbers on sleeve bring good luck.

    With those subtle moves, the retro uniforms went from bringing back memories of the glory era of Lancaster and Reed to bringing back memories of the “Reign of Error,” when the Roughriders missed the playoffs for 11 straight years from 1977 to 1987. The Roughriders wore their classic green uniforms complete with the circle “S” logo on the sleeve on the upper arm through most of that unsuccessful span.

    That look is viewed as the look of the unsuccessful era of the early to mid-1980s. While wearing that look, the Roughriders once got bombed 56-0 by the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg on July 5, 1986. For all intents and purposes, that look is a cursed look.

    The cursed look didn’t bite the Roughriders right away, when they wore the retros with the circle “S” logo for the 2014 Labour Day Classic. In a thriller, Roughriders running back Anthony Allen delivered the hosts to a 35-30 victory over the Blue Bombers with a major in the last seconds. Saskatchewan improved to 7-2 with that victory.

    While the Roughriders don’t wear those uniforms all the time, the superstitious fan saw the door open to allow a string of bad things to fall the Roughriders way.

The Roughriders retro jerseys with circle "S" logo on sleeve are cursed.

    The curse struck in the team’s very next game on September 7, 2014. The Roughriders downed the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg that day 30-24 to improve to 8-2, but Saskatchewan lost franchise quarterback and Grey Cup hero Darian Durant to injury. He tore a tendon in his right elbow.

    That injury occurred when the officials didn’t blow a play dead with certainty in a loud Investors Group Field, which saw half of the players stop and half continue on the play. Bombers defensive end Bryant Turner continued with the play and nailed Durant to cause the injury.

    Since that game, the Roughriders have posted an unspectacular 5-25 record including regular season and playoffs. Durant returned for the regular season opener in 2015, but he was lost before halftime after rupturing his left Achilles tendon shortly before halftime on a non-contact play. He missed the rest of the 2015 campaign, which saw the Roughriders sit in the basement of the CFL with an awful 3-15 mark.

    In the Roughriders 0-3 start in 2016, Durant played the full first two games before leaving Saturday’s 40-27 loss to the B.C. Lions at Mosaic Stadium in the second quarter due to a severe left ankle sprain on a low hit. The Roughriders were ahead 10-7 when Durant left and were even up 23-10 at halftime before the wheels fell off.

These Roughriders classic retros with no logo should always be worn.

    During most of the 25 losses the Roughriders have suffered in their last 30 games, they have usually fallen in some sort of heartbreaking fashion. It seems the team can’t get a break.

    When they decide to wear throwbacks, they usually turn to their classic green uniforms with the circle “S” logo. The purpose of having the team logo on a uniform helps cement brand recognition. Unfortunately in the case of the Roughriders retro uniforms, it brings back the stench of a bad era, when the team almost folded.

    To make things clear, the Roughriders classic retro throwbacks with the circle “S” logo on the upper sleeve of the jersey are cursed, and they cause the team to be cursed when in use.

    The Roughriders classic retro throwbacks with no logo and the players’ numbers on the sleeve of the upper arm are good and lucky. Saskatchewan needs wear this retro look from here on out to no longer be cursed.

    That is my thought process, and I am sticking to it.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this kind of irrational fan-type post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

Penalties drag CFL down

Three officials get together to discuss a penalty call.

    The CFL officials deserve a thumbs up.

    The men in the black and white striped shirts have been totally consistent calling the league’s new standard in flagging pass interference and illegal contact on a receiver penalties. Do to that consistency, everyone that watches the CFL has a pretty accurate painting of what the game looks with the strict enforcement of these fouls with four weeks of the season in the books.

    Now, everyone has to decide whether they like how the game looks now or not.

It seems routine now for both teams to record over 100 yards in penalties in each contest and for quarterbacks to complete 80 per cent of their passes.

    You also have to wonder if games now are weighted too much against the defence.

    A signature play to show how much the defence is hampered came from the B.C. Lions 27-24 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday at Mosaic Stadium. Near the end of the third quarter with the Lions on the Roughriders 29 holding a 20-11 lead, B.C. quarterback Travis Lulay threw a deep pass into the end zone to receiver Shawn Gore, who ran a wheel route on Riders defensive back Michael Carter. Carter was flagged for pass interference, which brought the ball to the Saskatchewan two.

    Saskatchewan head coach Corey Chamblin threw the challenge flag in hopes of reversing the penalty call. The call stood up after a review.

    Two plays later, the Lions opened the fourth quarter scoring a touchdown as Lulay connected with receiver A.C. Leonard to make the score 27-11. The Lions ultimately had strategic control of the game that stood up despite a late Roughriders rally.

    In dissecting the pass interference all that helped set up B.C.’s final major, it was clear that minor contact occurred between Gore and Carter halfway through the route. The two ended up hand fighting for a second before Lulay’s pass sailed way over the pair. Gore made a fruitless dive for the ball, but he had no chance of coming up with the pass.

    In Carter’s defence, you can argue there shouldn’t have been a penalty because both he and Gore participated in the hand fighting and the ball was not catchable.

    However, the officials have set the standard this season that any downfield contact on a receiver will be flagged, and the penalty call on Carter was consistent with what has already been called in the 2015 campaign. The referees and linesman grade out high for not swaying from that standard.

    The officials should continue to do what they are doing right through the end of the post-season. When the off-season rolls around, all those involved with league meetings have to decide if they want this standard of enforcement to be maintained. To make a change mid-season would be the biggest thing any league could do to damage its credibility.

An official stands beside Riders receiver Rob Bagg.

    Besides discussing the pass interference calls, the league has to examine how it is calling all infractions. At the start of the 2014 season, it was deemed the league need to call penalties more tightly. That resulted in numerous defensive battles, because the excessive penalty calls helped bring offences to a standstill.

    The highlight or lowlight of the season came in the 102^nd Grey Cup in Vancouver on Nov. 30 between the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. With the Stampeders holding a 20-16 edge inside of the final minute of the fourth quarter, they had to punt the ball away to dangerous Tiger-Cats returner Brandon Banks. On an electrifying return, Banks ran the ball back 90 yards for the apparent winning score with 35 seconds to play.

    Hamilton linebacker Taylor Reed was flagged for an illegal block on Calgary linebacker Karl McCartney that erased the TD, and the Stamps held on for a 20-16 victory.

    Looking at the video, the call was close. There was an angle that made it look like the block was from the side and another angle where it looked like the block was a bit in the back area. The block also came in the fringe area, where it can be argued that McCartney might not have been able to make a tackle.

    If Bank’s major stood, the 102^nd Grey Cup would be vaulted into classic status. In the end, it was still a good game, but it could have enjoyed a loftier position in CFL history.

    In order to get offences rolling, the league’s brain trust in the off-season decided to get tougher on the interpretation of defensive pass interference and illegal contact on a receiver. In another weird twist, offensive yardage is up all over the place, but the 38-34 style offensive shootout common in the late 1980s and early 1990s hasn’t returned.

    It is safe to say it was hoped the rule changes would greatly increase scoring, but it hasn’t. There has only been two games where both teams have score more than 30 points.

    During that last clash between the Riders and Lions, Saskatchewan was flagged 14 times for 159 yards, while B.C. had 11 infractions for 93 yards. Those types of penalty numbers have been the norm.

    When you viewed Saturday’s battle between the Stampeders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Calgary, it can be argued teams can adjust to how penalties are being called. The Stamps slipped past the Bombers 26-25 in an outstanding game. Calgary was flagged 12 times for 92 yards, while Winnipeg had nine infractions for 61 yards.

Officials sort out a play in a game featuring the Roughriders and Argonauts.

    The Stamps penalty yardage spiked a bit due to procedure calls, because they had to work in a number of backups to replace injured starters.

    With all that said, it would be great to see officials to have the ability to make a no call, if it is deserved. If a pass is not catchable and both the receiver and defensive back are hand fighting for example, don’t throw a flag.

    If the casual fan decides to stay away due to how the game looks, that will likely force the CFL’s brain trust to make more chances in the off-season, which hopefully means calling penalties the way they did in 2013.

    If you have any comments about this blog post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.