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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Saskatchewan trio finds welcome homes with CFL deals

Colton Klassen has been signed by the Alouettes.

They didn’t receive a Vince Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, but a trio of Saskatchewan products got to do some celebrating on the CFL front this week.

Three popular Saskatchewan products in Colton Klassen, Evan Johnson and Jon Ryan all cemented CFL homes for the potential 2021 campaign by signing contracts. While there is still legitimate worry about what the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world will do to the 2021 campaign after the CFL was unable to take the field in 2020, the signings provide a moment of joy, celebration and optimism.

On Monday, which was a day before free agency opened, the Alouettes announced they signed Colton Klassen, who is a star utility offensive player for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team in the U Sports ranks. The Alouettes selected Klassen in the eighth round and 69^th overall in the 2020 CFL Draft.

The 25-year-old had been looking forward to playing a 2020 campaign either in the CFL or using his final year of U Sports eligibility with the Huskies to show how well he has bounced back from a major injury.

On October 26, 2019, Klassen went down with a gruesome dislocated right ankle near the end of the first quarter of 22-9 victory over the University of Alberta Golden Bears at Griffiths Stadium. The contest closed the regular season for both sides, which meant Klassen wasn’t able to play in the Huskies two post-season games.

Miraculously at the beginning of March of 2020, he recovered to the point he was ready to attend CFL scouting combines.

At that point, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic took hold in North America causing massive shutdowns to occur starting on a big scale on March 11 and 12 of 2020, especially in the sports world.

Ignite Athletics held testing in late March of 2020 and Klassen ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.6 seconds which showed the incredible progress he had made.

During the Huskies eight regular season games in 2019, Klassen caught 37 passes last season for 456 yards and two touchdowns and was named a Canada West Conference all-star. 

Evan Johnson (#64) has signed with the Roughriders.

Before joining the Huskies in 2016, Klassen, who is a graduate of Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High School, was the offensive player of the year of the Prairie Football Conference with the CJFL’s Regina Thunder as a running back in 2015.

After joining the Huskies, Klassen made explosive plays as a running back, receiver and kick returner. The Alouettes will like the he can be used in various roles.

While Klassen got his deal done on Monday, the opening of free agency on Tuesday was a big day for U of S Huskies football grad Evan Johnson.

The 26-year-old offensive lineman and Regina product signed with his hometown team in the Saskatchewan Roughriders. After graduating from the Huskies in 2016, Johnson was selected in the first round and ninth overall in the CFL Draft by the Ottawa Redbacks.

With the Redblacks from 2017 to 2019, Johnson, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 280 pounds, played in 52 regular season games becoming a starter part way through his rookie campaign. He started games at left tackle, right tackle and left guard.

Johnson’s versatility as a starter will be the biggest asset he brings to the Roughriders. The graduate of Regina’s Campbell Collegiate is also the Tom Brady of offensive linemen in the looks department, so he might get some endorsement deals that could potentially attract causal fans and those that might not normally have an interest in football.

On Wednesday, the Roughriders announced they were bringing back all-time punting great Jon Ryan back for a second season signing him for the 2021 campaign.

The graduate from the University of Regina Rams football team in the U Sports ranks played for the Roughriders in 2019. He appeared in all 18 of the Roughriders regular season games punting the ball 107 times for 5,222 yards for an average of 48.8 yards per punt.

The 39-year-old is best remember for his time in the NFL where he played with the Green Bay Packers in 2006 and 2007 before spending 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks from 2008 to 2017. Ryan, who stands 6-feet and weighs 217 pounds, helped the Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 season.

With the Packers and Seahawks, Ryan appeared in 191 career regular season games punting the ball 914 times for 40,895 yards and averaging 44.7 yards per punt.

Before making the NFL, Ryan had two stellar seasons with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2004 and 2005.

Jon Ryan (#9) has inked another contract with the Roughriders.

The graduate of Regina’s Sheldon-Williams Collegiate is still fondly remember for his time with the Rams from 2000 to 2003, where he handled all the team’s punting and place kicking duties and became a star receiver too.

In 2000, he helped the Rams get to the U Sports championship game, the Vanier Cup, where they fell 42-39 to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees. 

In his final season with the Rams in 2003, Ryan was named the all-star punter in the Canada West Conference and a first team U Sports all-Canadian all-star averaging 45.9 yards per boot on 67 attempts. Ryan also had 27 catches in eight regular season games to lead the Rams with 501 receiving yards with four of those catches going for touchdowns.

While these current days in the COVID-19 pandemic often feel like tough sledding, it is great to have the chance to celebrate the signings of Saskatchewan products like Klassen, Johnson and Ryan.

Bucs don’t win Super Bowl without Brady

Tom Brady raising the Super Bowl on TV is a beautiful sight.

This past Super Bowl Sunday produced a regular beautiful sight on your television screen of Tom Brady raising the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Even the fact the world is in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t stop Brady from winning a seventh Super Bowl title. Of course, the big difference was Brady was quarterbacking the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-9 thumping of the Kansas City Chiefs, who were the defending Super Bowl champions at the time, at Raymond James Stadium.

Of course, Brady had a divorce from the New England Patriots following the 2019 season. After 20 seasons together, the Patriots decided they wanted to go in a different direction.

On March 20, 2020, Brady signed a two-year contract with the Buccaneers. He ultimately brought best friend in tight end Rob Gronkowski with him to Tampa Bay.

“Gronk” came out of retirement to rejoin the legendary signal caller on the field.

Brady convinced some other friends to join him with the Buccaneers. Running back Leonard Fournette signed a one-year deal with the Buccaneers in early September 2020 after being waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Brady was able to talk beleaguered receiver Antonio Brown into joining the Buccaneers on a one-year deal in late October of 2020. Brown had been cut in early 2019 by the Patriots.

The newcomers accounted for all the Tampa Bay touchdowns this past Sunday. Gronkowski caught two touchdown passes from Brady, and Brady hooked up with Brown for a third TD toss.

Fournette had a 27-yard touchdown run in the romp.

Before the arrival of Brady and company, the Buccaneers were a team on the rise. With a younger roster, they posted a 7-9 record in 2019.

The Buccaneers defence had a good mix of youngsters with some solid veterans.

Tampa Bay was looking for a way to get over the hump.

Buccaneers management decided they weren’t going to wait anymore for signal caller Jameis Winston to keep developing. In 2019, Winston played his fifth season for the Buccaneers at age 25 completing 380 of 626 passes for 5,109 yards, 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions.

The turnovers from the quarterback position ultimately caused the Buccaneers to have a losing record in 2019.

In 2020 with Brady at age 43, the Buccaneers posted an 11-5 regular season record, and Brady completed 401 of 610 passes for 4,633 yards, 40 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

As the season went along, all facets of the Buccaneers team in offence, defence and special teams began to jell together that much better. They finished the regular season winning four straight and extended that streak to eight straight victories on the way to the second Super Bowl title in franchise history.

By the sounds of things, this Buccaneers team could return pretty much as a whole for next season. They have to be considered the favourites to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

Brady seems to have a good sense of humour when it comes to dealing with haters too. In the week leading up to the Super Bowl, he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to read some mean tweets, and in the process, Brady produced a classic piece of television.

#BellLetsCut aims at all-sports radio, other notes

It was a dream come true at 24 to get the phone call telling me I would be joining the team at TSN 1290. Can’t say I worked much since then...talking sports with all of you and sharing laughs in the studio wasn’t much “work” at all. Thank you all for the messages and kind words.

— Ryan Brandt (@Ryan_Brandt) February 9, 2021

TSN all-sports radio stations in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Hamilton are no more.

On Tuesday, TSN 1040 AM in Vancouver, TSN 1290 AM in Winnipeg and TSN 1150 AM in Hamilton went off the air while broadcasting their morning programming. All three stations are owned by Bell Media.

Later that day, Bell Media announced the Vancouver station is being converted to a BNN Bloomberg station covering business, innovation, technology and sports.

News also leaked out the stations in Vancouver and Winnipeg will be converted to comedy stations. That sounds like an interesting choice on that front considering it is harder to do comedy in the current day because you always have someone objecting to jokes saying they are offended, but I digress.

The Province newspaper story in Vancouver written by Scott Brown and Patrick Johnson listed a lengthy list of names of on-air personalities who lost their jobs due to the change at TSN 1040 AM.

The story stated TSN 1040 AM morning hosts Mike Halford and Jason Brough started their morning show like normal at 6 a.m. on Tuesday only for the show to get yanked at the start of the third hour to be replaced with U.S. radio programming from ESPN.

During those hours, the Twitter account for TSN 1040 AM was deactivated.

As Tuesday went on, there were more stories of staffers from the three stations in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Hamilton telling stories they found out they lost their jobs that day without any notice.

Included in the cuts was Ryan Brandt of TSN 1290 AM in Winnipeg. Before moving to Winnipeg, Brandt was a sports reporter for 650 CKOM in Saskatoon.

The cuts were done in a heartless way, and Bell is making a habit of making cuts.

The week prior, Bell Media made a huge number of layoffs, which included letting go 210 staffers at Bell outlets in Toronto and area.

Walking papers were given to four prominent TSN staffers in Brent Wallace, Dan O’Toole, Natasha Staniszewski and Tim Moriarty, who was best known as “Producer Tim.”

All those cuts came after Bell Media held its annual Bell Let’s Talk day fundraising campaign for mental health charities and to promote mental health awareness on Jan. 28.

Bell was also recently criticized by Ontario-based regional rival Teksavvy for taking more than $122-million in government aid through the form of wage subsidies during the COVID-19 pandemic even as it was raising its payout to shareholders and cutting jobs.

Last week, BCE Incorporated announced its quarterly profit rose to $889-million in the fourth quarter of 2020 up from $672-million the year before.

In the end, these cuts will ultimately hurt Canada’s sports scene, which will even less media coverage than it was getting before.

• In a bit of news that was missed, Tom Schnitzler, who is a defensive lineman and a graduate of the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltops, signed with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Jan. 21. Schnitzler, who is 25-years-old, played for the Hilltops from 2013 to 2017 and spent the 2018 and 2019 campaigns with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the U Sports ranks. The Tiger-Cats are looking for Schnitzler to potentially become the team’s new long snapper. On Feb. 1, the Tiger-Cats released veteran long snapper Aaron Crawford, who signed a one-year deal with the Calgary Stampeders one day later.
• I helped produce new content for the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex early this week. The new content went live on Tuesday. I put together a feature on the Sentinels Lacrosse Club and a photo post that contains a number of my pictures around the complex. The Sentinels are an elite program that aims to expand the horizons of the sport for young players. The story on the Sentinels can be found by clicking right here, and the photo post can be found by clicking right here.
• Tickets are now on sale for the February jackpot for the Saskatchewan Amateur Football Mega 50/50 lottery. The funds from this 50/50 lottery will go to support the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder and the WWCFL’s Saskatoon Valkyries and Regina Riot. One prize will be drawn per month, and the remaining draw dates are Sunday, February 28, 2021, March 31, 2021, April 30, 2021 and May 31, 2021. Tickets can be purchased by clicking right here, and purchasers must be in Saskatchewan in order to buy tickets.
• On Monday, the World Curling Federation announced the 2021 women’s world curling championship was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was slated to be held March 19 to 28 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. This marks the second straight year the women’s world curling championship has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• On Tuesday, the Sask East Hockey League senior circuit announced it has cancelled the rest of the 2020-21 campaign due to time constraints caused by restrictions from Public Health Orders that have been put in to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. The circuit has decided to plan for the 2021-22 campaign. The league has been on pause since late November of 2020.
• On Wednesday, Hockey Alberta announced all remaining competitive seasons for junior and senior hockey in the province in the 2020-21 campaign were cancelled due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Alberta Junior Hockey League junior A circuit was exempted from that decision. The last competitive games on Alberta were played in November of 2020 before all circuits went on pause.
• In the realm of sports entertainment, a scary situation is unfolding involving WWE superstar Alexa Bliss, whose real name is Alexis Kaufman, having to deal with an online stalker since June of 2020. Authorities have been notified, but the situation with the online stalker, whose current Twitter account handle is @AlbertLittle666, is getting more and more disturbing. The stalker has threatened to kill Bliss’s fiancé, Ryan Cabrera, and made false statements claiming to be married to Bliss. The stalker account has made threats to visit Bliss’s home in Orlando, Florida, and threatened Bliss fan accounts that have been reporting and continue to report his online activities. Bliss didn’t make an appearance on WWE’s Monday Night RAW program this past week as the most recent disturbing messages poured in at times coming in five-minute intervals. On Wednesday, the offending stalker account sent a disgusting message to another female WWE star in Sonya Deville, who escaped a kidnapping attempt from a stalker in her own home in August of 2020. Deville’s attempted kidnapping incident is still being dealt with in court. It is easy to find the play-by-play of these stories from the media outlets that cover the WWE via a Google search. These celebrity stalker situations are a couple of the worst I’ve heard of, and I can’t believe things like this are allowed to happen. People like these stalker types need to be taken off the streets immediately and locked up forever.

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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Labour Day Classic weekend good, not great as it once was

Mosaic Stadium set for the national anthem on Sunday.

    On the surface, it looks hard to complain about the Labour Day Classic weekend in Regina, but the weekend as a whole has shown cracks in its lustre.

    On Sunday, the Roughriders got a walk off game-winning, 26-yard field goal from kicker Brett Lauther to pull out a 19-17 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Mosaic Stadium. Lauther and punter Jon Ryan proceeded to lead a charge of teammates to Pil Country in the south end zone for a celebration.

    Most of the sellout crowd of 33,356 revelled in the host side’s victory outside of the sizable contingent that came out to cheer for the Bombers. A number of fans from Winnipeg, Man., make it out to Regina for the annual Labour Day Classic.

Roughriders fans check out the pre-game party at the armory.

    The Roughriders also managed to sneak in a handful of extra bodies as sellout crowds at Mosaic Stadium were usually capped at 33,350 before Sunday’s contest.

    The game itself was a good defensive battle, and the game day presentation around the contest is a spectacle. The Roughriders have done an outstanding job with their game day experience since moving into their new stadium in 2017 and for a sizable chunk of years before that at their long time home in Taylor Field.

    Still, the weekend as a whole seemed to be a bigger event at one point in time not so long ago.

    No matter what, the Labour Day weekend in Regina is always busy. It is the place to be in Saskatchewan on Labour Day weekend.

Bombers fans chill at Wayne’s World.

    A boat competition took place on Wascana Lake on Saturday.

    Usually the Regina Dragon Boat Festival takes place at this time, but it wasn’t run this year as Regina hosted dragon boat nationals in July. The Regina Dragon Boat Festival returns to its normal slot next year.

    The Shake the Lake concert rock festival took over the Conexus Art Centre on Friday and Saturday.

    For people coming in from out of town for the Labour Day Classic football game, it seems in recent years they arrive on Saturday to go to the Roughriders Fanfest in the morning, party later on that night and depart for the home after the game on Sunday. For the out of town folk that do stay Sunday night, they seem to keep a low profile.

    At one point in time, a sizable contingent from out of town arrived in Regina on Friday night. Parties and various concerts or functions happened Friday, Saturday and after the game on Sunday night that had some sort of tie in with the football game.

    The heyday for this type of action seemed to run from 2005 to 2014. I have attended the last 12 straight Labour Day Classic games in Regina and 19 since 1996 and the last time I saw a sizable contingent stay after the game and fill the Dewdney Avenue strip was 2014.

“The Golden Boy” fires up the Bombers fans at Wayne’s World.

    This year I arrived in Regina on Saturday and went out that night. I noticed it was busy out on the town and the presence of people wearing Roughriders and Blue Bombers gear was there.

    It wasn’t like in past years. Most people wore regular clothes you would wear on a night out, and people wearing team gear of the Roughriders and Bombers were in the minority.

    From 2005 to 2014, it seemed like everyone that went out on Labour Day Weekend was wearing some sort of gear from either the Roughriders or Bombers.

    On Sunday, I went out and took part in pre-game festivities in the three hours before the game. After the game, I did take a couple of Halls cough candies to get my voice back from cheering.

Roughriders fans came game ready with fun jabs for their rivals.

    I visited at the stadium for an hour and went to finish an unrelated Labour Day Classic sports story.

    After finishing the sports story, I drove by the Dewdney Strip at around 10 p.m., and it was fairly dead. I opted not to try and find a party and drove back home to Saskatoon.

    In past years after the Labour Day game on Sunday, the restaurants and nightclubs would be full right up to 2 a.m.

    After the Labour Day Classic in 2000, I remember being on Broad Street where two nightclubs in Lauderdales and Barts on Broad existed at the time across the street from each other. There were massive lines to get into both and a party on the street.

    One Roughriders fan was slow driving down the street in a hearse done up in Roughriders colours and signs on the vehicle said the Bombers were somehow located in a coffin inside the vehicle. 

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

    This type of over the top but still good fan thing isn’t seen as much anymore.

    In a weird bit of scheduling, Regina’s two post-secondary football teams in the CJFL’s Thunder and U Sports’ University of Regina Rams were both playing regular season games on the road for this year’s Labour Day weekend on Saturday night.

    The Thunder beat the Rifles in 52-45 in overtime in Winnipeg. The Rams thumped the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 46-16 in Vancouver, B.C.

    For the longest time, the Rams would always try to start the U Sports campaign playing the University of Manitoba Bisons at home on the Saturday night before the CFL Labour Day Classic clash on Sunday. Winnipeg fans that came for the Bombers game usually went to the Bisons versus Rams game on Saturday night and spend a tonne on concessions.

RB William Powell (#29) follows his blocking downfield.

    In 2016, the Thunder hosted the Rifles in a very successful game at Leibel Field on the Saturday night before the Labour Day Classic.

    Those post-secondary games on the Saturday night usually acted as a primer for the CFL contest on Sunday.

    It seemed weird that both the Thunder and Rams would be scheduled to be on the road this weekend.

    Kudos go out to Rod Pedersen, Darren Dupont and the crew from The Rod Pedersen show for organizing the inaugural Rod Pedersen’s All-Star/Celebrity Football Game at Leibel Field on Saturday night. The touch football game was a fundraiser for Regina Minor Football and the Regina Riot of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League.

    Team White downed Team Green 30-28 and a fun time was had by all.

The Roughriders charge into Pil Country to celebrate their win on Sunday.

    The 2010 Labour Day Classic weekend might have been the most busy as the Roughriders were celebrating their 100^th anniversary. Throughout the weekend there seemed to be countless events going on throughout Regina that had a tie in with the CFL contest.

    There was a time around 2013 the Labour Day Classic used to sell out two hours after Roughriders put single game tickets up for sale usually on June 1. In recent years, the game hasn’t sold out until about two to four days before game day.

    The Labour Day Classic weekend is still good, but it is no longer that lost weekend of three nights of parties that it once was. The three nights of craziness might be something that doesn’t return.

    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.

Bring on the Bombers – Rider Nation feeling sky high about their Roughriders

Naaman Roosevelt throws his touchdown reception ball into the crowd.

    REGINA, Sask. – “Winnipeg Blue Bombers, we want you!”

    If you are a fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, you are dreaming big dreams right now. On Saturday before 32,328 members of Rider Nation at Mosaic Stadium, the Roughriders hammered the Ottawa Redblacks 40-18 in a CFL regular season clash.

    The win was the fifth in a row for the Roughriders helping them improve to 6-3, while the Redblacks fell to 3-7. In the immediate aftermath of that game, you are likely in an overreaction state of bliss, if you cheer for the Roughriders.

Kyran Moore, right, head up field after making a catch.

    Next up – the Labour Day Classic.

    The Roughriders return to action on Sunday, Sept. 1, when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who lead the CFL’s West Division at 8-2, at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium.

    As a Roughriders fan, you are thinking, “Blue Bombers, we are going to kick your (explanative)!”

    This should not come as any sort of bulletin board material for the Winnipeg side. Roughriders fans relish seeing the Blue Bombers lose, and that is a safe given fact.

Cody Fajardo (#7) throws a touchdown pass for the Roughriders.

    The only team Roughriders fans likely love to see lose more than the Blue Bombers are the hated Calgary Stampeders.

    Plus, excitement skyrockets because the Labour Day Classic game between the Roughriders and Blue Bombers is usually an annual celebration of Rider Nation. That celebration is usually topped by the fact the Roughriders seemingly never lose that game.

    The Roughriders have won 13 of the last 14 Labour Day Classic games. I have attended 18 editions of the Labour Day Classic and the Roughriders have a 16-2 record against the Blue Bombers in those outings.

    On top of all that, the Roughriders looked great in Saturday’s win over the Redblacks. Coming off the bye week, the Roughriders put together a total team win.

Gainer the Gopher makes his rounds after a Roughriders touchdown.

    The host side was opportunistic putting the boots to Ottawa early scoring 17 points off turnovers in the first quarter to go ahead 17-0.

    Roughriders defensive back Nick Marshall intercepted Redblacks starting quarterback Dominique Davis for the first turnover. That set up a short three-play 21-yard touchdown drive that was capped by a four-yard scoring run by tailback William Powell to give the Roughriders a 7-0 lead.

    On Ottawa’s next series, Davis was picked by Roughriders defensive back L.J. McCray. That set up a short five-play 39-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 14-yard scoring run by rising star quarterback Cody Fajardo, which put the Roughriders up 14-0.

    On Ottawa’s next series, Davis was picked by Roughriders linebacker Derrick Moncrief. 

Redblacks RT Evan Johnson battles Roughriders RE Charleston Hughes. 

    Davis wouldn’t return under centre after that play as he was pulled for backup quarterback Jonathon Jennings.

    Saskatchewan turned Davis’s third interception into a 46-yard field goal from Brett Lauther to give the host a 17-0 lead.

    The Roughriders edge extended to 20-0 early in the second quarter on 43-yard field goal from Lauther.

    While the Redblacks battled back eventually getting the score to a 21-12 advantage in favour of the Roughriders at one point in the second quarter, it never felt like the visitors would rally back all the way.

    Saskatchewan pulled away from that point. Lauther hit a 49-yard field goal to give the Roughriders a 24-12 advantage at halftime.

    Punter Jon Ryan hit a 56-yard punt single in the third quarter to go with his 51-yard punt single in the second quarter to put the Roughriders up 25-12.

Roughriders DT Makana Henry charges at the quarterback.

    After kicker Lewis Ward nailed a 44-yard field goal for the Redblacks to cut the Roughriders edge to 25-15, Fajardo hit Roughriders receiver Naaman Roosevelt for a 15-yard touchdown toss to give the Roughriders a 32-15 lead before the third quarter came to a close.

    In the fourth quarter, a 32-yard missed field goal single from Lauther and a 23-yard touchdown run from Powell rounded out the Roughriders scoring.

    Ward had three other field goals to go with his third quarter kick for the Redblacks. Jennings hit receiver Dominique Rhymes with a 75-yard touchdown toss in the second quarter, but Ward missed the convert after that score.

    On the day, the Roughriders forced five turnovers while not committing any turnovers themselves. Defensive end Charleston Hughes and defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy each forced and recovered fumbles to go with the three interceptions their Saskatchewan teammates caught in the first quarter.

The Roughriders pour off their bench to mark their win.

    Fajardo had a solid game completing 24-of-36 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown. He ran the ball five times for 38 yards and his major score.

    In this game, Fajardo just needed to be a cog in the machine as his team fired in all facets of the game. As a team, the Roughriders piled up 122 yards on the ground.

    When you cheer for the Roughriders, there is always a fear the floor will fall out from under the team without any notice. It always feels like the breaks go against the Roughriders more than they go for the Roughriders over the long haul.

    Currently in the present, this feels like it could be a blessed season.

    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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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.

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From Rams to ’Riders – Ryan’s football life comes full circle

Jon Ryan boots a punt for the U of Regina Rams in 2002.

    Jon Ryan’s most famous play in the NFL came via his arm and not his punting leg.

    On January 18, 2015, Ryan was playing for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, who were trailing 16-0 in the third quarter of the NFC Championship Game to the visiting Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field.

    Facing a fourth-and-10 at the Packers 19 yard line, the Seahawks sent out their field goal unit. Ryan served as the holder on the field goal team for place kicker Steven Hauschka.

    The Seahawks called for a fake. Ryan, who was born and raised in Regina, Sask., took the ball, rolled to his left and floated a 19-yard touchdown pass to offensive tackle Garry Gilliam to cut the Packers lead to 16-7.

    Seattle rallied to win that contest 28-22 in overtime.

    Ryan is still the last Canadian born player to throw a touchdown pass in an NFL conference title game thanks to his toss on that fake field goal against the Packers, who he broke into the NFL with in 2006 and 2007.

Jon Ryan sets up to punt during Roughriders training camp.

    “It was pretty cool,” said Ryan. “It was quite the experience to be able to throw a touchdown pass and be able to do a fake, not only that but in a game of that magnitude.

    “To be able to represent Canada in that situation meant a lot to me.”

    These days, Ryan is back in his hometown playing for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders. After four games, the 37-year-old has punted the ball 24 times for the league’s second highest average at 47.5 yards per kick.

    The Roughriders (1-3) are slated to host British Columbia Lions (1-4) at 5 p.m. on Saturday at Mosaic Stadium.

    Until the start of this season, Ryan hadn’t played in the CFL since starting his professional career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2004 and 2005.

    With the Bombers in 2005, Ryan appeared in 17 regular season games punting the ball 118 times for an average of 50.6 yards per kick. That average yards per kick is still a CFL record for most punt yards per kick for one season.

    After his time with the Bombers, Ryan played 12 straight seasons in the NFL with the Packers and Seahawks appearing in 191 career regular season games. Over that time, he punted the ball 914 times for 40,895 yards and averaged 44.7 yards per punt.

Jon Ryan (#9) is the recognizable hometown face with the Roughriders.

    Ryan admits his days with the Bombers seem like a long time ago. He is happy things worked out that he was able to return to the CFL with the Roughriders.

    “It has been cool,” said Ryan, who stands 6-feet and weighs 217 pounds. “It has kind of been a dream, a goal for a long time.

    “It is just kind of coming to fruition now. It is fun to be out here with the guys. It is fun to be back with family and friends.

    “It is good to be back in Saskatchewan.”

    With his return to Regina, Ryan’s football days have pretty much come full circle. He played high school football with Regina’s Sheldon-Williams Collegiate in 1999 after stepping away from being a hockey goalie on a full-time basis.

    In 2000, he joined the University of Regina Rams in the U Sports ranks tabbed to be both a place kicker and a punter. The Rams were in their second season at the Canadian university level after leaving the Canadian Junior Football League following the 1998 campaign.

Jon Ryan (#15) made lots of catches with the Rams from 2000 to 2003.

    Ryan took over the Rams place kicking and punting duties on a full-time basis as a rookie. He was responsible for scoring the winning point in the Rams first ever U Sports playoff victory on Nov. 3, 2000.

    In the last play of a Canada West Conference semifinal playoff game against the U of Calgary Dinos in Calgary, Alta., Ryan booted a 36-yard punt single to lift the Rams to a 33-32 victory.

    The Rams won two more playoff games to earn a berth in the Vanier Cup, which is the U Sports championship game. They fell 42-39 to the U of Ottawa Gee-Gees in the 2000 Vanier Cup.

    Ryan’s versatility began to take further form during that first campaign with the Rams. As that season went on, he began taking more reps at practices and games at wide receiver.

    Ryan made his most memorable offensive play as a sophomore in 2001 in a regular season game at Griffiths Stadium against the host U of Saskatchewan Huskies. After a goal-line stand, the Rams were at their own one yard line.

Jon Ryan launches a punt for the Rams in 2000.

    The Huskies came with a blitz, and Rams quarterback Marc Anderson threw a deep sideline streak pattern to Ryan. Ryan out jumped a defender for the ball, came down with it and raced down the sideline for a 109-yard touchdown reception.

    The Rams fell 34-28, but Ryan’s catch was something that would never be forgotten.

    In his final season with the Rams in 2003, Ryan was named the all-star punter in the Canada West Conference and a first team U Sports all-Canadian all-star averaging 45.9 yards per boot on 67 attempts. He also had 27 catches in eight regular season games to lead the team with 501 receiving yards, while scoring four touchdowns on receptions.

    Due to the fact many of his former Rams teammates work in Regina, Ryan has been doing some catching up on that front.

    “It has been great,” said Ryan. “I’ve talked to a lot of them.

Jon Ryan kicks a field goal for the Rams in 2003.

    “Maybe, we will have a little almost 20-year reunion from the Vanier Cup days.”
    Ryan has enjoyed catching up with his large, extended family as well. Having played 12 straight seasons in the NFL with the last 10 of those campaigns coming in Seattle, Ryan’s visits fell off in frequency.

    When he wasn’t an NFL roster after parting way with the Seahawks, Ryan lived in Los Angeles, Calif., with his wife and famous comedian Sarah Colonna.

    On June 5, Ryan received an honourary doctor of laws degree along with his mother, Barb, from the University of Regina. Ryan’s father, Bob, passed away on Dec. 1, 2006 due to cancer.

    “I was living in Seattle and now I live off-season in L.A.,” said Ryan, who is serving a one-year contract with the Roughriders. “I see them (his family) once or twice a year.

    “When you have 12 nieces and nephews, a lot changes in a year when I don’t get to see them. Now, I’ll be able to see them on a regular basis. I’ll be able to see my mom and my brother and my sisters.

Jon Ryan jogs out for starting intros in 2003.

    “My nieces and nephews, I will be able to watch all their sporting events and all the things that they do. It is going to be pretty special, and it already has been.”
    On the field, Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson said Ryan hasn’t shown signs of losing any of his power.

    “I knew he was pretty good,” said Dickenson. “He has actually gotten better.

    “He was a little rusty the first few days. He has a big leg there is no doubt.”

    Suiting up as the hometown product for the Roughriders, Ryan is inevitably watched more than a number of his teammates.

    He has dealt with that before in the NFL.
    During his time with the Seahawks, Ryan was one of the team’s most popular players, and he was a team captain over his final four seasons with the club.

    Ryan holds the Seahawks team records for most career punts (770), most career yards (34,480) and highest career average for yards per punt (44.8).

    He is comfortable with being in the spotlight.

    “You feel like a little bit you live in a fishbowl sometimes,” said Ryan, who helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 regular season. “That is kind of how it was in the NFL too.

Jon Ryan (#9) and Jorgen Hus chat at Roughriders camp.

    “No matter what position you are, you are always kind of being watched whether it be on the field or off the field. I feel that is the same here. It is one of those things I kind of thrive off of.
    “I like it, and I’m used to it.”

    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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