Friday Football Five

I had a terrible dream last night that the Roughriders CFL season was over...oh wait.....  It wasn't a dream and in fact it's very true and here we are watching 2018 wind down around us.  Part of me wants to say "It's Christmas Now" and the other is holding on tight to the tail of a game worn jersey. 

1.  BIG NEWS.  You may have noticed the title of this blog has undergone a slight name change.  I decided that because I seem to have my paws in various platforms that I needed to link them all together in some way.  I've had this blog for several years and traffic has ebbed and flowed but never anything very consistently.  Believe me, I am not complaining in any way and in fact I'm just wanting to make it easier for people who enjoy my pages to be able to find me and my friends.  So "Football" has become "ABC Football".  I've created a Facebook page using @smilingriderfan where I can post blog links and updates and in conjunction I've linked the Facebook Group ABC Rider Fans, which I started June 1st, all together.  So I see you're looking at me with that glazed over eye look.  Here's a fancy graphic showing it all for you.  

2.  So the Commissioner of the CFL Randy Ambrosie (from Winnipeg) took his time all week deliberating on how to handle the fall out of the Western Semi Final, player safety and Rushing the Passer type calls.  It was announced that the CFL would add another official to the field.  An eighth official has been added to specifically look at quarterbacks and calls to them.  I don't understand how another body on the field is going to change anything.  The officials on the field were already supposed to be in charge of these things and missed it...not only missed it but admitted he couldn't see what was happening.  What makes anyone think that this 8th guy will be any better?  Oh look! Squirrel! Whoops, I missed your QB getting killed.

3.  At least it's something.  Jackson Jeffcoat was fined the "maximum amount" for his helmet to helmet contact, if we can call it that.  In the CFL, the maximum fine is half a game check.  Not knowing Jeffcoat's contract that amount could be a couple thousand dollars.  It hits him in his pocket book but *if* the Blue Bombers make it to the 2018 Grey Cup (1990) will it really matter to him?  I doubt it.

4.  TWO OTHER BLUE BOMBERS WERE FINED.  I've heard around the interwebs fans of other teams call my Saskatchewan Roughriders the dirtiest team.  How is that possible when the Winnipeg Football Club had 3 players fined in the same game in which people touted they were the least penalized team?  Bombers offensive linemen Patrick Neufeld and Sukh Chungh are also facing fines for late and unnecessary hits on Saskatchewan players during Sunday's game.  Coach Mike O'Shea defended Jeffcoat but how can you justify three of your players getting fined in a play off game? As I wrote in my previous blog, It's a Wrap, this isn't the first time for Jackson and now he's a roll model for his team mates.

5.  It's all water under the Bridge.  It's old news and it's time to move on.  This weekend is the East Final and West Final in the CFL.  I feel disheartened because my team isn't there and to paraphrase the words of Coach Jones, unless you leave with a ring on your finger the season stats don't mean anything.  I'll likely still watch the games but not with the same fervor I had previously.  Even though I've often said Anyone But Calgary (ABC) I think I'm secretly cheering for them.  Just don't tell anyone!

I hope to make this a somewhat regular feature on my blog sites.  I hope you join me in this celebration of the 2018 Grey Cup and the off season.