I took
the Roughriders bye week off from blogging. Instead, I waged a war
on fruit flies. They moved in to my kitchen when I brought home a
box of pears from Costco. Let me say this – Fruit flies are not my
friend.
During
the bye week, we said goodbye to Kevin Glenn in a trade to the
Montreal Alouettes. The Riders got a 5th round draft pick
in return. Then we turned around and used that draft pick as
leverage and sent Jerome Messam to the Calgary Stampeders for a
kicker (Tyler Crapigna) and a player on their negotiation list. It
took some time to find out who the neg list player was and he had no
sooner arrived in Regina when he got some NFL opportunities and
quickly retreated. In the end of it we signed a RB Chad Spann.
GASP!
Messam to the Stamps?!
May as
well just kill off Glenn on the Walking Dead.
Oh
wait.
So
after the initial shock wore off it did feel encouraging for Jeremy
O'Day to be making some moves. It felt like he was making a
statement and doing what any 2 – 14 team does when looking to the
future and that is trade for some younger players. As much as I've
enjoyed McCallum being our kicker, the truth is that he's a 45 year
old man. I've loved his attitude in spite of what I've heard others
say...I do believe he has been a leader in the locker room when we
were lacking that so badly this season. Messam to Calgary was a
great move for the Stamps with the future of Cornish up in the air.
It seems he's still suffering from effects from concussion injuries.
I talked to a Stamps fan and even he admitted that in his opinion it
was a stupid move from the Roughriders, but Messam was a free agent
at the end of the season anyway. We were bound to lose him one way
or another. So...as it may appear, I'm on the fence about
Jeremy O'Day. I also highly suspect his hands are tied by previous
contracts and the salary cap and so many other things that our little
fandom brains can't even comprehend it. What I do know is that he
was a player on a Roughrider team who did suffer as horribly as the
2015 team has. Maybe...just maybe he is exactly the right man for
the job.
~
shrugs ~
Here
we are nearing the end of October and what have we found out
about the 2015 Saskatchewan Roughriders? They are awful in every
possible way. Tackling has been an issue right out of training camp.
That can almost sum everything up. We are slow. We are undersized.
We are unmotivated. I don't think Bob Dyce is the next Head Coach.
There, I said it. The Roughriders need a coach & coaches
who can keep the team in check, preparing them for every game
situation possible and firing them up when they falter. At times
during the game Saturday, Dyce seemed bored. He's also saying some
similar things as to what Chamblin was quoted as saying in media
scrums. Sure mistakes happen but it is your job to be better...make
the team better...
...Fans
deserve better and we know, BETTER is always possible.
This
team has consistently tried to hang onto the glory of past seasons
and done very little to plan for next year. We can't even say we are
in “next year country”. There are very few players on this
current team who should be here next week never mind next year. The
bottom line for the Roughriders is they need to put a system in place
to scout and develop players not only for now but for always. They
should always be looking for the next Chick, the next Dressler, the
next franchise quarterback. There needs to be an end to finding the
cast offs and trying to rehabilitate them. It doesn't work and we
end up running in circles.
This
is where someone like Wally Buono has excelled. He's been able to
see the end of a career and nip it in the bud before they've over
stayed their welcome. It's shocking. But when you are the GM or HC
your job is to make the tough calls not the popular ones. You have
to do what is best for the greater good. You have to sometimes
release players you've loved to move the team forward. It's not
personal – it's business.
Did
firing Corey Chamblin and Brendan Taman change anything? There was
such an outcry at the time but really, in my opinion, all it really
did was expose how broken down the team really was. No longer can we
hinge the Riders demise to the injuries of Darian Durant or Shea
Emry. When the rule changes occurred the Roughriders were the last
team to try to adapt. We didn't employ a defence that was prepared
or could over come the changes while our small receivers constantly
got beat by taller Db's. Next season I'm looking to see taller
bigger defensive backs and receivers and I know that means saying
goodbye to Riders we love dearly.
Rip
off the band aid.
Just
pull Glenn off the dumpster.
There
are two games left in the Roughriders season. Many fans have already
jumped ship. They've gotten behind the Jays, although that didn't
end very well. It was very inspiring to see so many people, myself
included, come together for a Canadian team. Others have turned to
hockey or the NFL. I myself am enjoying the end of the Nascar season
and have tuned into some of the Boise State games which are always
fun to watch on the Smurf Turf.
Sigh.
Oh...so
how did I finally get rid of the fruit flies? It turns out a slice
of fruit with vinegar in a jar and a makeshift funnel made out of
paper is all it takes to trap them.
If
only the Roughriders problems could be resolved so easily.
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