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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Imagine Canada without the CFL

Cody Fajardo (#7) fires a pass downfield for the Roughriders last season.

    Could Norm Kwong, Jackie Parker, Ken Ploen, Russ Jackson, Angelo Mosca, Ron Lancaster, Herman Harrison, Hugh Campbell, Cal Murphy, Condredge Holloway, Henry “The Gizmo” Williams, Geroy Simon, Ben Cahoon and Darian Durant fade from the memories like Lionel Conacher or the Montreal Maroons?

    Who was Lionel Conacher you ask?

    Conacher was named Canada’s top athlete for the first half of the 20^th century by The Canadian Press. He excelled in baseball, boxing, football, hockey, lacrosse and wrestling. He starred with the Toronto Argonauts in 1921 and 1922 and helped them win the Grey Cup in 1921.

    In hockey, Conacher played 12 seasons on defence in the NHL from 1925 to 1937 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Americans, Montreal Maroons and Chicago Black Hawks. He was a member of Stanley Cup winning teams with the Black Hawks in 1934 and the Maroons in 1935.

    You would likely be hard pressed to find people in Canada that knew The Canadian Press award for the country’s make athlete of the year is named the Lionel Conacher Award.

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

    Conacher retired as an athlete in 1937 to pursue a career in politics. He passed away on May 26, 1954 as a member of Parliament at the age of 54.
    Due to the fact Conacher last competed as a competitive athlete 83 years ago, very few in Canada would know of his exploits.

    He played for three NHL teams in the Pirates, Americans and Maroons that have been defunct for some time.

    The Pirates moved out of Pittsburgh following the 1929-30 season to Philadelphia to become the Quakers. The Quakers played on campaign in 1930-31 before ceasing to exist.

    The Maroons, who also won the Stanley Cup in 1926, last played in the 1937-38 campaign.

    The Americans became the Brooklyn Americans following the 1940-41 campaign and folded following the 1941-42 season.

    The football team Conacher won a Grey Cup with in the Argonauts was founded in 1873. 

Cal Murphy at a speaking engagement in 1999.

    The Argonauts are the oldest existing team in North America still using its original name and is the oldest surviving team in the modern CFL.

    The Argonauts lead all teams with the most Grey Cup victories at 17.
    In the current day, it is conceivable the Argonauts and the CFL could fade from memories of Canadian society like Conacher and the once storied Maroons of the NHL.

    The CFL is in a tough predicament due to forces outside of its control.

    At the moment, the world is battling through a coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Shutdowns in North America started on March 11 with the NBA suspending play and dominos subsequently falling that seemed to reach all walks of life.

    If there had been no COVID-19 pandemic, the CFL would not be in trouble, and it would be business as usual. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CFL postponed training camps that were to start this month and the beginning of the regular season, which was to start on June 11.

    At first, it was hoped the CFL regular season could start in early July. 

Andrew Harris (#33) became a Grey Cup hero for the Blue Bombers.

    Due to travel restrictions and a number of areas in Canada severely limiting large gatherings until Aug. 31, things took a turn for the worst for the CFL.

    During the last week of April, news leaked that the CFL was looking for $150-million in financial assistance from the Canadian federal government in the event the 2020 season was lost.
    On Thursday, CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie spoke before a House of Commons standing committee on finance and said the CFL’s best scenario was holding a very shortened season in 2020, but the most likely scenario was there would be no season at all.

    He said the league’s future was very much in jeopardy.

    After Ambrosie said those things, the idea that the CFL might no longer exist became that much more real.

    The Grey Cup was first won by the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in 1909.

    It was last awarded on Nov. 24, 2019 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers who downed the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-12 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.

    Could that ultimately be the final game ever played in the history of the CFL?

    Back when the Blue Bombers won their 11^th Grey Cup title last November in Calgary, no one envisioned that could have remotely been a possibility.

Nate Coehoorn scores a TD for the Eskimos in 2016.

    Conacher was an early star in the Canadian game of football.

    Kwong, Parker, Ploen, Jackson, Mosca, Lancaster, Harrison, Campbell, Murphy, Holloway, Williams, Simon, Cahoon and Durant have all obtained legendary status in the Canadian professional game. They’ve built a vast history creating many fabled tales with the teams and communities they represented.
    Imagine if Parker’s 90-yard fumble return touchdown to give the Edmonton Eskimos a 26-25 win in the 1954 Grey Cup over the Montreal Alouettes never happened.

    What would it be like if Ploen never scored in overtime to give the Blue Bombers a 21-14 victory over the Tigers-Cats in the 1961 Grey Cup?

    How sad would it be had the 1977 Grey Cup never happened, which was best known as Canada’s version of “the Ice Bowl.”

    On an icy turf at an open air Olympic Stadium in Montreal, the host Alouettes fired staples into the bottom of their shoes and went on to hammer the Eskimos 41-6 before 68,318 spectators.

    Of course, the CFL team with the largest and most loyal following is the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and they were involved in two of the most famous Grey Cups. In 1989, the Roughriders outgunned the Tiger-Cats 43-40 winning the game on a last second field goal by kicker Dave Ridgway.

Ricky Ray (#15) led the Argonauts to a Grey Cup win in 2017. 

    That play is known as “The Kick” in “the Wheat Province.”

    As thrilling as that victory was for Rider Nation, heart break occurred in arguably the most infamous Grey Cup in history in 2009. The Roughriders were ready to celebrate victory after the Alouettes missed a last-play field goal, but a too many men penalty against Saskatchewan gave Montreal kicker Damon Duval a second chance to win the game.
    Duval connected from 33-yards out to give the Alouettes a stunning 28-27 victory.

    The CFL needs its history to be documented by an NFL Films type entity. The CFL has so much rich history there are many endless opportunities to make legendary tales iconic.

    In the current crazy days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CFL faces an uncertain future like many sports leagues and businesses.

    The CFL’s survival is not a given.

    The last chapter in its history is possibly being written, which would mean it ultimately dies at the hands of COVID-19.

Roughriders fans are on their feet at Taylor Field in 2016.

    If the CFL does ultimately meet its demise, it would be a shock to the system of Canadian culture, because at that point, the realization of just what would be missing would become that much more real.

    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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Canadian football followers now wimps towards weather

The weather doesn’t scare these Roughriders fans.

    It seems like the venerable Saskatoon Hilltops are the only ones left in Canadian football who are “prairie tough.”

    The 19 time champions of the Canadian Junior Football League seem to relish and enjoy situations when the weather gets a little adverse. Last week when it snowed at Ron Atchison Field and was -2 C, the Hilltops players had their fun moments acting like children with the elements amongst the seriousness of practice.

    The fun included star running back Logan Fischer stamping out “Hillies” in the snow.

    The linemen hit the field wearing short sleeve shirts and shorts.

    As time marches on, it seems like the Hilltops are the exception to the norm.

Fans come prepared for the cold for Saturday’s Roughriders game.

    On the CFL front this week, you could hear the sounds of a large vocal group complaining they didn’t want to go to the games, when the weather gets a little adverse.

    During Saturday’s game at Mosaic Stadium in Regina between the visiting Edmonton Eskimos and the host Saskatchewan Roughriders, the temperature was around -5 C and there was a light dusting of snow. For November, this is a heat wave moment to see any football game in Canada.

    The crews at Mosaic Stadium deserve huge applause for clearing the field from a decent overnight snowfall.

    Still, I encountered a large number of fans, friends in the media and some football players that were complaining like an old school Winnipeg, Man., type blizzard hit Regina leaving behind four-feet of snow with temperatures dropping to -30 C. All of a sudden, it was like let’s ensure all our football games get played inside of domed stadiums.

Quarterback Mike Reilly (#13) had a big game for the Eskimos.

    The Roughriders listed the paid attendance for Saturday’s game at 31,627, but it seemed like there were 10,000 no shows. The visiting Eskimos won 28-13, and the game was fairly good for the last regular season outing by both sides.

    The visitors held a 14-13 edge heading into the fourth quarter. Edmonton scored two touchdowns in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter to go up 28-13, and Saskatchewan started to gear down to ensure any unnecessary injuries were prevented before going into playoffs.

    Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly exemplified old school tough completing 21-of-27 passes for 294 yards, and he scored three short-yardage majors along the ground.

    Both sides had a lot of players make good plays in the minor obstacle that was the weather on that day.

    While the estimated crowd of 21,000 that came out were engaged in the game and gave the stadium a great atmosphere, you still noticed the empty seats.

Eskimos RB CJ Gable tears downfield on a pass reception.

    Then you started wondering when did a larger chuck of society become wimps as far as the weather was concerned?

    Do we only go to outdoor football games when it is sunny, clear and around 23 C, so we can wear t-shirts, shorts, nice sun dresses and sip on fancy cool drinks?

    Do we all have a “silver spoon” complex now?

    As legendary Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw might say, “Come on folks. This is football!”

    Football is an outdoor game. It is made to be played in all sorts of weather conditions. Plus, the leagues in Canada are playing in Canada, so bad weather will be a reality.

    The weather can be perfect. The weather can also plague games with rain, wind and snow. When games are played on natural grass surfaces, the best part is getting to play in the muck and mud.

    The elements are part of the game and how the athletes deal with them adds to the story of the game.

Eskimos DL John Chick (#97) battles Roughriders OL Bruce Campbell.

    It seems like everyone is so plugged into the laptop computers and mobile phones that no one wants to go outside anymore.

    In all reality, the weather conditions in Regina on Saturday weren’t that bad.

    Now we go to Calgary on Friday, where the Stampeders hosted the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium for the final regular season clash for both sides. The contest was played at night and the temperature was around -13 C with some snow.

    The Bombers won 23-5 and the Stampeders announced the paid attendance as 24,281. When you watched the game on television, it seemed like about 10 spectators were in each section of McMahon Stadium and the two teams were playing inside basically an empty facility.

    Back in November of 2008, the Stampeders won a cold weather West Division final 22-18 over the British Columbia Lions before a soldout crowd, where almost all the ticket buyers showed up.

Bad Weather doesn’t phase players like Hilltops LB Cameron Schnitzler.

    In the West Final in November of 2010, the Roughriders came into McMahon Stadium and knocked off the host Stampeders 20-16 before a packed house in a cold weather game.

    Hamilton played host to a classic snowy Grey Cup in 1996, when the Toronto Argonauts knocked off the Edmonton Eskimos 43-37.

    There still has to be room in our game for the Cal Murphy led Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the 1980s or the Ron Lancaster, George Reed and Ron Atchison era Saskatchewan Roughriders from the 1960s that excelled in the bad weather conditions.
    Don’t you miss the shirtless guy that showed up at Bombers home playoff games at old Winnipeg Stadium when it was -20 C before windchill?

    To be honest, most football games in Canada are played in pretty close to ideal conditions, which makes the adverse weather games stand out and stick in the collective memory of all that saw them.

    Still, the fact people stayed home when conditions were slightly adverse looked weak. Here is hoping all of us in Canada can be just a little stronger when it comes to going to football games when conditions are slightly less than ideal.

Rams season ends in playoff loss to Thunderbirds

Quarterback Noah Picton (#4) and the Rams fell in the playoffs to UBC.

    The University of Regina Rams playoff comeback came up short causing their 2017 U Sports campaign to come to an end.

    On Saturday in Vancouver, B.C., the Rams trailed the host University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 23-2 early in the second quarter and 28-7 early in the third quarter. At that point, the Rams scored a pair of touchdowns to cut the Thunderbirds lead to 28-21 with 9:43 to play in the fourth quarter, but that score ultimately held up as the final outcome in the Canada West semifinal clash between the two sides.

    Rams quarterback Noah Picton had an off game completing 13-of-32 passes for 162 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. Running back Atlee Simon had a huge day for the Rams carrying the ball 26 times for 222 yards and scoring one touchdown.

    Thunderbirds quarterback Michael O’Connor completed 17-of-30 passes for 259 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Atlee Simon ran for 222 yards in the Rams playoff loss.

    Between the regular season and playoffs, the Rams finish with a 4-5 mark. 

    Last year, the Rams season came to an end, when they fell 40-34 in Canada West semifinal to the Thunderbirds in the final U Sports game ever played at Regina’s Taylor Field.

    The Thunderbirds improve to 7-2 including games in the regular season and playoffs. 

    They will travel to Calgary this coming Saturday and meet the U of Calgary Dinos, who have an 8-1 mark between the regular season and playoffs, in the Canada West championship game - the Hardy Cup – for the third straight year.

    The Dinos and Thunderbirds, who are guided by one of the all-time great head coaches in the history of U Sports in Blake Nill, are the recognized powerhouses of the Canada West Conference and were pegged to meet again in the Canada West final.

    Nill will be coaching in this contest for the 10^th straight year. He was the Dinos head coach for the first seven Canada West final appearances of that stretch.

Blades win thriller in Edmonton, other notes

Cameron Hebig netting the winning goal for the Blades on Saturday.

  The Saskatoon Blades won a thriller on Saturday night in Edmonton.

    Locked in a 2-2 draw with the host Oil Kings, Blades overage star centre Cameron Hebig blasted home the winning goal with 9.8 second to play to give the visitors a 3-2 victory before 11,172 spectators at Rogers Place. The Blades have won four of their last five games improving to 7-8-1. The Oil Kings fell to 5-10-2.

    Libor Hajek and Josh Paterson both had singles for the Blades. Trey Fix-Wolansky and Tomas Soustal replied with singles for the Oil Kings.

    Ryan Kubic turned away 29 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Blades. Boston Bilous stopped 25 shots taking the setback in goal for the Oil Kings.

    The Blades return to action on Friday, when they host the Swift Current Broncos at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

• While driving back to Saskatoon after Saturday’s Roughriders game in Regina, I miss the live late night radio hosts that pass on news updates, who have been purged over the years due to media cuts. Programs that air on late night radio are usually pre-recorded. I was wondering what the score was in the Canada West semifinal playoff game involving the Rams and what the scores were in the WHL and the SJHL. In the old days, someone would list them on late night radio and casual followers had an idea of who won or lost. There were no mention of any of those scores on Saturday night. I was thinking about checking my mobile phone during a rest stop in Davidson. I wondered how many casual fans actually checked their mobile phones for those types of scores.
• Former Roughriders defensive lineman John Chick appears to be ageless. Playing for the Eskimos in their win over the Roughriders on Saturday, Chick had a sack and four tackles and caused all sorts of problems for the Roughriders offensive line. At age 34, Chick had five sacks and 30 tackles in 16 regular season games split between the Eskimos and Hamilton Tiger-Cats this season.
• Team Saskatchewan fell 2-1 in overtime to Team British Columbia in the bronze medal game of the National Women’s Under-18 Championship on Sunday in Quebec City, Quebec. Saskatchewan had a 2-1 record in round robin play and fell 6-2 to Ontario Blue in a semifinal on Saturday. Ontario Red downed Ontario Blue 3-1 in Sunday’s gold medal game.

    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.

Roughriders exceed predictions in 2017, best may still come

Duron Carter has made a tonne of huge plays for the Roughriders.

    Remember when it seemed like the Saskatchewan Roughriders 2017 season was appearing to go off the rails?

    Actually, there were two distinct points, when it looked like that was going to happen. Way back on July 1, the Roughriders played their first regular season game at new Mosaic Stadium and dropped a 43-40 double overtime heartbreaker to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to fall to 0-2.

    Saskatchewan opened the regular season going on the road and falling 17-16 to the Alouettes in Montreal on June 22.
    Having missed the playoffs in 2015 and 2016 going a combined 8-28 over those two campaigns, it seemed like the Roughriders were going to find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

    After pulling their record back to 2-3, the second panic point occurred on Aug. 6, when the Roughriders went to Vancouver and dropped a 30-15 decision to the B.C. Lions to fall to 2-4. Saskatchewan trailed 30-0 in that contest before scoring two late fourth quarter touchdowns.

DB Ed Gainey (#11) hauls in an interception.

    When those two teams met again on Aug. 13 in Regina, the Roughriders rolled to a 41-8 victory before a roaring sellout crowd of 33,350 at their new home park. From that point, the team took off.

    Today, the Roughriders enter their final regular season game at 5 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium sporting a 10-7 record against the visiting Edmonton Eskimos (11-6). The winner will finish third in the CFL’s West Division and third overall in the entire league.

    The majority of pre-season predictions foresaw the Roughriders scraping into the playoffs, if they made the post-season at all playing in a tough West Division. Only those close to the team’s inner circle would have thought that winning 10 games was a possibility.

    Had the Roughriders defeated the Bombers in overtime in Week 2, Saskatchewan would have had a chance to finish second in the West and host a division semifinal contest with a win over Edmonton today.

    Overall, this Roughriders team has been fun to watch.

    The most exciting player has been receiver Duron Carter. The 26-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been one of the team’s colourful characters and has found a strong home of supporters in the Saskatchewan community. Carter and the community have embraced each other.

QB Kevin Glenn played a major role in getting the Roughrider to 10 wins.

    Like his Pro Football Hall of Fame father Cris, Duron can flat out make plays on the field. He has hauled in 73 passes for 1,043 yards and scored eight touchdowns on offence.

    He stepped in at defensive back on the defensive side of the ball and made a memorable start at cornerback against the Stampeders in Calgary on Oct. 20. Carter highlighted Saskatchewan’s 30-7 win returning an early fourth quarter interception 43 yards for a touchdown.

    He also took down Stampeders power back Jerome Messam with a tackle in the backfield for a loss. That tackle might have been as good as any acrobatic catch Carter made all season.

    Carter wasn’t the only receiver that made plays. Naaman Roosevelt broke the 1,000-yard barrier in receiving for the second straight campaign hauling in 75 passes for 1,035 yards and eight touchdowns. Veteran Bakari Grant has set career highs in catches (81), yards (995) and matched his career high in touchdowns (five).

Brendon LaBatte (#57) had an all-star year playing centre and guard. 

    On defence, Ed Gainey has been the showstopper. The 27-year-old defensive back leads the CFL with 10 interceptions to go along with his 44 total tackles. He set a team record with four interceptions in one game in the Aug. 13 blowout of the Lions.

    Defensive end Willie Jefferson has become a force on the edge piling up a career high eight sacks to go along with 44 total tackles.

    At quarterback, ageless veteran Kevin Glenn has been a steady presence and added a key contribution in getting the Roughriders turned around. On the season, the 38-year-old has completed 313 of 458 passes for 3,975 yards, 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

    Brandon Bridge has been strong as well at the pivot position completing 80 of 120 passes for 1,074 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions. The 25-year-old product from Toronto, Ont., is showing the Canadian born player can play quarterback in the CFL.

RB Cameron Marshall (#32) celebrates a touchdown run.

    At running back, Cameron Marshall and Trent Richardson are showing the Roughriders have two very capable options at that position.

    Brendon LaBatte proved he is still one of the best offensive linemen in the CFL playing in standout fashion at both centre and guard.

    On special teams, third-year kicker Tyler Crapigna has connected on 36 of 42 field goal attempts and has made all 46 of his conversion attempts.

    Head coach and general manager Chris Jones was once often criticized for getting everything wrong, and now he is a legitimate coach of the year candidate for the league.

    During the team’s training camp in Saskatoon, the Roughriders players carried themselves in a very polite manner. That was a good intangible sign, which showed they had the potential to display the discipline to create success on the field.

    In the early part of the campaign, the Roughriders as a team had to battle to learn how to win. Now sporting an 8-3 mark in their last 11 games, winning has become a habit.

    Today will mark the last chance for the faithful at home to salute the 2017 Roughriders for what has been a fantastic campaign. The best memories from this group might still be coming.

Roughriders DL Tobi Antigha closes in on a quarterback sack.

    It is realistic to think this team could be in the 105^th Grey Cup on Nov. 26 in Ottawa. When the Roughriders are in action throughout the post-season, most people in Saskatchewan will be huddled around their televisions on those Sundays. If anything else in the province is schedule at the same time Roughriders playoff games are going on, those events will be hooped.
    If the Roughriders finish third in the West Division, expect a healthy contingent of supporters to follow the team to Winnipeg, Man., for a clash with the Blue Bombers (12-6) in the West semifinal on Nov. 12.

    Overall interest in the CFL playoffs always increases when the Roughriders make a big playoff run.

    A “November to Remember” could be upon the province where the green and white colour scheme dominates once again.

    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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Hilltops leader on verge of last hurrah

Andreychuk would join select company with Canadian Bowl win

Jared Andreychuk fires a pass downfield for the Hilltops.

    With another Canadian Junior Football League championship win, Jared Andreychuk will join some select company.

    The fifth-year quarterback for the Saskatoon Hilltops has built a reputation of being the ultimate gamer and leader during his CJFL career. He was a rookie back-up, when the Hilltops took the 2012 Canadian Bowl in a 23-21 thriller against the host Langley Rams.

    The graduate from Saskatoon’s Centennial High School led the Hilltops to CJFL championship in each of the past two years as the starting signal caller.

    The Hilltops (10-1 overall) are going for a third straight Canadian Bowl victory on Saturday in Langford, B.C., which is a suburb of Victoria, facing the host Westshore Rebels (10-1-1 overall).

    If Andreychuk can quarterback the Hilltops to a win in that contest, he will become one of the few signal callers to guide his team to three straight CJFL championships as a starter. It is believed only two other quarterbacks have won three straight CJFL championships as the starting signal caller including Darryl Leason, who accomplished the three-peat with the Regina Rams from 1993 to 1995, and Tony Rankel, who performed that feat with the Edmonton Huskies from 1962 to 1964.

Jared Andreychuk stands at attention during the national anthem.

    “That would be unreal,” said Andreychuk, who stands 6-feet and weighs 175 pounds. “That is kind of an expectation coming into every year with the Hilltops, especially with the good teams we’ve had in the last few years.

    “We’re at another one. Now that we’ve got here, there is nothing else to do but win the ball game. That is what we are going to try to do.”

    Back in 2013, Andreychuk almost got the Hilltop into the Canadian Bowl as a second-year player. During that year’s Prairie Football Conference final at Griffiths Stadium, the Hilltops lost then starter Matt Karpinka in the first half to injury in a battle against their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder.

    The Hilltops were trailing the Thunder, when Andreychuk entered the game. By the end of the third quarter, Regina’s lead ballooned to 21-2.

    Andreychuk and the Hilltops offence made a pile of desperation plays in the fourth quarter scoring a pair of touchdowns, but the Thunder held on for a 21-16 win. Regina would take that year’s Canadian Bowl.

    The Hilltops haven’t lost a post-season contest since falling to the Thunder in 2013 winning eight straight contests. Andreychuk started all eight of those wins. His best days have come in the Canadian Bowl.

Jared Andreychuk escapes a Calgary Colts pass rusher.

    In 2014 in Langley, B.C., Andreychuk completed 17-of-27 passes for 343 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. The Hilltops bombed the host Rams 39-14.

    Last year at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Andreychuk connected on 18-of-23 passes for 369 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The Hilltops downed a game Kelowna, B.C., based Okanagan Sun team 38-24.

    This year, Andreychuk is enjoying what to this point has been his finest season with the Hilltops. He completed 124-of-200 passes in his team’s nine-game regular season for 2,008 yards, 23 touchdown passes and six interceptions.

    He put up those numbers after losing all but one of his group of regular season receivers due to graduation. Tyson Sawatzky was the only regular from last season’s pass catching group that was back this year.

    All-Canadian all-star Sam Mike, Jason Price, Ryan Turple and Sawatzky formed this season’s regular receiving group. Star running back Logan Fischer was also a dangerous pass catcher coming out of the backfield.

    “The guys stepped into spots for sure,” said Andreychuk. “At the start of the season regardless of how much you throw with those guys in the off-season, it is tough to build some in game chemistry. That took a couple of games to get into.

Jared Andreychuk calls signals from under centre for the Hilltops.

    “After we did, we really clicked. It has been a very successful passing season for us.”

    In this year’s playoffs, Andreychuk had to quarterback the Hilltops to victory in a couple of tight contests to reach the Canadian Bowl. They slipped past the Thunder 25-24 in the PFC semifinal and downed the Calgary Colts 43-31 in the PFC final.

    “Every year we kind of go over some bumps and stuff like that,” said Andreychuk. “I think that is good. You go through some resilience and you really kind of find your heart and find your identity.”

    If the Hilltops win on Saturday, Andreychuk will graduate the junior ranks with the distinction of never having lost a post-season start.

    Against the Rebels, the Hilltops defence will face a big challenge in running back Jamel Lyles, who was a standout with the University of Manitoba Bisons last season. Lyles topped the British Columbia Football Conference regular season in rushing piling up 1,604 yards on 187 carries, and he scored 15 touchdowns along the ground in 10 games.

Jared Andreychuk hopes to celebrate one more Canadian Bowl win.

    The Rebels tailback is arguably the fastest ball carrier in the CJFL and is extremely dangerous in the open field.
  When the final seconds of Saturday’s game tick away, Andreychuk will face the next phase of his life. He is keeping his options open to a possible chance to play in the Canadian university ranks.

    “I’m still a student,” said Andreychuk. “I have to finish up a degree. I’ve got that to worry about.

    “I am just going to enjoy my life, stay in shape and who knows what is left for me in my football career.”

    NOTES – Besides Mike, three other Hilltops have been named all-Canadians this week. Veteran offensive guard Drayke Unger made it on the offensive side of the ball, while defensive end Blake Hermann and middle linebacker Cameron Schnitzler made it on defence.

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

Roughriders are a big joke

Saskatchewan’s CFL franchise deserves all the criticism it gets

QB Darian Durant calls a play in the huddle for the Roughriders.

    You have to think some Saskatchewan Roughriders fan somewhere is getting the urge to throw his or her jersey on the field.

    While I don’t condone that type of behaviour, all you have to do is check social media lines and sports talk shows in Saskatchewan to feel the frustration of Rider Nation. After Saturday’s 53-7 stinker of a loss to the Tiger-Cats in Hamilton, it is getting harder and harder to see the light at the end of the tunnel for the Roughriders, who fall to 1-7 on the season and are 6-29 in their last 35 outings in the regular season and playoffs.

    A lot of TV viewers undoubtedly switched over from the game telecast on TSN over to see the impressive and heartfelt final performance of the Tragically Hip live from Kingston, Ont., on CBC. The iconic performance of Hip frontman Gord Downie, who is battling terminal brain cancer, will ensure the Roughriders performance will be forgotten for a short moment. The criticism for the “Green and White” won’t stay at bay for long.

    Outside of a handful of plays against the Tiger-Cats at Tim Hortons Field, the Roughriders weren’t in Saturday’s game at all. The second half really felt like it was mail it in time. You would like to see signs of improvement, but the team just keeps regressing.

    In the worlds of legendary former NFL head coach Bill Parcells, “You are what your record says you are.”

    Right now, the Roughriders are a very brutal CFL football team.

    There have been a number of things that have been hard to stomach, and a handful of them are as follows.

Release of Chick a huge mistake

John Chick signs autographs at Roughriders training camp in 2015.

    In the loss to the Tiger-Cats, Roughriders fans again had to mull over the fact that defensive lineman John Chick was no longer part of the team.

    Chick was cut by the Roughriders back on Jan. 14. During his time with the Roughriders, Chick became a fan favourite thanks to the combination of his stellar play and the fact he was very active representing the team in the community.

    The 33-year-old product from Gillette, Wyoming, was with the Roughriders from 2007 to 2009 and was a key cog in the club’s 2007 Grey Cup championship win. After a stint in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars, Chick rejoined the Roughriders in 2013 and helped them win the Grey Cup later on that year on home turf at Mosaic Stadium. He remained with the Roughriders until being released in January.

    A day after releasing Chick, the Roughriders signed defensive lineman Shawn Lemon as a free agent. Lemon helped the Calgary Stampeders win the Grey Cup in 2014 and was a key member helping the second year Ottawa Redblacks reach the Grey Cup last year. At age 27, he was also six years younger than Chick, and a lot of people saw Lemon as Chick’s replacement.

    Lemon played one regular season game with the Roughriders and was traded to the Toronto Argonauts.

    If you are going to bring in a younger player to replace an established star, you better be sure the younger player stays with your team longer than the established star does, if the star player signs with another team.

    Chick resurfaced with the Tigers-Cats and has 16 tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles in eight games. He recorded two of his sacks on Saturday against the Roughriders.

    To make matters worse, the Roughriders defensive line has struggled all season especially with getting pressure on the quarterback.

Departures of Dressler and Getzlaf also hurt

Chris Getzlaf signs an autograph for a young Roughriders fan in 2008.

    The Roughriders lack of success on the field also has fans missing receivers Weston Dressler and Chris Getzlaf.

    Dressler was released the same day Chick was and Getzlaf was allowed to become a free agent after last season. Dressler, who turned 31 in July, is currently on the six-game injured list with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Getzlaf, 33, signed with the Edmonton Eskimos.

    The Roughriders have gotten good production from their receivers for most of the season, but there is a feeling among the fans the presence of Dressler and Getzlaf would result in more points. In Dressler’s case, he is also an accomplished kick returner, and if he wasn’t going to be used as a receiver, he is better than any returner the Roughriders currently have on their roster.

    Both Dressler and Getzlaf played with a lot of heart and genuinely cared about the team and the fans. Without Dressler and Getzlaf, the fans feel less connected to the team.

Roster fines were earned

Stamps QB Bo Levi Mitchell escapes the Roughriders rush.

    On Aug. 11, the CFL fined the Saskatchewan Roughriders $60,000 for roster violations and deducted $26,000 from their 2016 salary cap.

    The CFL said the Roughriders were in violation of policies that prohibit practice with ineligible players, having players participate in practice who are on the six-game injured list and having free agents practise with players who are under contract. The league’s investigation spanned over several weeks.

    Since those fines were announced, it seems like everyone has chimed in with their thoughts.

The bottom line was the Roughriders were caught violating the rules, and they paid for it. The whole situation also brought out Jones’ weakness on the personnel front.

    After Jones came on board, it seems players have be coming and going out of the Roughriders dressing room through a revolving door. At some point in time, you need to stick with a group of players and run with them. If you are shuffling guys on and off your roster, you can’t build any chemistry on and off the field that is needed to win.
    Roughriders fans got their backs up for a short time regarding a Twitter comment Calgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell made about Saskatchewan’s roster situation a couple of days before the fines were announced. Mitchell’s words didn’t have a lasting impact as the losses mounted.
    When the Stampeders beat the Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium 19-10 on Aug. 13, the hecklers weren't even that harsh to Mitchell.

Defence is brutal

Members of the Roughriders suspect defence get ready for a play.

  In too many games this season, it feels like the Roughriders defence is non-existent.

    Over eight games, the Roughriders have held their opponents to under 30 points twice and under 20 points just once. If you are looking for you offence to score over 40 points a game to win in the CFL, you are in a lot of trouble.

    Against the Tiger-Cats on Saturday, the Roughriders allowed 421 yards through the air and 88 yards along the ground. You might think the rushing defence would be a strong point, but the CFL has been more of a passing league than normal this season.

    The Roughriders have been giving up huge amounts of yards through the air all season comparable to the yards given up to the Tiger-Cats. Besides the fact their defensive line has struggled, there are times when the receivers from the opposing team have been wide open to the point you can’t see a Roughriders defensive back anywhere.

    Jones built a reputation as being an outstanding defensive coordinator in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders and Toronto Argonauts before becoming a head coach first with the Eskimos and now with the Roughriders. When you become a head coach, it is never a good sign when the side of the ball that is your specialty is not getting the job done.

Can the Roughriders break their funk?

Roughriders QB Darian Durant stays cool under pressure.

    You never say never.

    While star quarterback Darian Durant had a rough outing against the Tiger-Cats throwing his first four interceptions of the season, he gives the Roughriders a chance to win every time he steps on the field. His composure was evident on Saturday even when things went downhill.

    Unfortunately, losing has become a habit for this team, and as anyone can see over the Roughriders last 35 games in the regular season and playoffs, losing is a hard habit to break.

    The Roughriders travel to Edmonton on Friday to take on the defending Grey Cup champion Eskimos (4-4), who appear to be getting on track after two-straight wins.

    For the moment, it seems like things are going to get worse before they get better.

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